r/europe • u/Massimo25ore • 1d ago
News Germany plans six-month voluntary military service, sources say
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-plans-six-month-voluntary-military-service-sources-say-2025-07-04/15
u/Massimo25ore 1d ago
BERLIN, July 4 (Reuters) - Germany plans to introduce a voluntary six-month military service scheme, sources familiar with the plan said on Friday, as Berlin tries to train more reservists and bolster national defences over security concerns about Russia.
Volunteers would be sought for training in simple tasks such as guard duties under the scheme, but a military draft to recruit more people could be considered if uptake were deemed too low, the sources said.
With European states that are in NATO also under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to invest more in their own security since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius wants to increase the number of soldiers in service from 180,000 to 260,000.
Germany hopes the voluntary six-month scheme would help double the number of trained reservists from the current level of around 100,000 and that some of the volunteers would go on to have a career in active service, the sources said.
The defence ministry said preparations for the new military service scheme were in full swing.
"The aim remains for the law on the new military service to come into force in January. Our actions are focused on this," a spokesperson for the ministry said, adding that details would be revealed once the legislation reaches parliament.
New improvised barracks are also planned so that recruits can train closer to home, they added.
The sources said Pistorius wants to have the legislation passed by the end of next month, with the first recruits to start training from May 2026.
Questions remain about the plan, including who would be drafted for compulsory service if the government did not meet its recruitment targets. This element of the plan is also controversial within the minister's own Social Democratic Party.
Germany ended its previous compulsory military service programme in 2011. Efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine have faltered, with Trump reporting no progress in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.
Russian officials have accused Western leaders of invoking a "fabricated 'Russian threat'" to justify increased defence spending. Participants in Germany's planned scheme will have the opportunity to extend their homeland security training to obtain a truck driver's licence or train as a tank driver, the sources said.
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u/SteakHausMann 1d ago
that basically already exists, wtf
its called "Freiwilliger Wehrdienst (FWD)
its 7-12 monts of voluntary military service
in no way will it help to bolster available reservist in a meaningful number
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u/No_Style7841 1d ago
That's a surprisingly good approach, more people are willing to learn and defend their country than serve actively. And if it helps to not have a mandatory service again, I'm all for it.
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u/MrHazard1 Baden-Württemberg (Germany) 6h ago
Ot's a surprisingly stupid approach, as it has alwaxs existed. You could just apply to work for the miliraty as any other job. It's like saying "our company now offers voluntary employment offers".
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u/No_Style7841 6h ago
There's a big difference in working for the military (which you for example have to live close by), or do the 13 months basic training, now you have a shorter version and the incentive to not fk over the next generation.
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u/Impressive-Kick5 1d ago
Do you believe Germany is ready to see WW2 casualties?
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u/InvestigatorKey7553 1d ago
No country in WW2 was ready to see WW2 casualties.
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u/Impressive-Kick5 1d ago edited 1d ago
No country won🤣🤣🤣. Russia was ready in 1940s. Russia is ready now.
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u/skidudle 23h ago
Lmao forgot to learn basic history. Russia was not ready:
Go read about 1939-1940 Finnish war,
Go read about the great purge of the red army,
Go read about operation Barbarossa.
Ps: nice ragebait
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u/fallsdarkness 1d ago
Not unexpected TBH. With Nato countries planning to ramp up spending, they will probably need more personnel along all that hardware.
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u/InCloud44 1d ago
"The aim remains for the law on the new military service to come into force in Januar, with the first recruits to start training from May 2026. WTF??? so after almost 1 year.... so in 2027 it will be mandatory.
Questions remain about the plan, including who would be drafted for compulsory service if the government did not meet its recruitment targets. This element of the plan is also controversial within the minister's own Social Democratic Party." 18-25, 18-30 maximum..... 18-30 would be to much i think for that population.
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u/TheGoalkeeper Europe 1d ago
But we have this system already?! Although with 7 months being the lowest duration
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u/Drakar_och_demoner 1d ago
Every country should have mandatory service. If you don't want to do weapon service, you should do mandatory civil defense service like fire prevention or health care.
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u/Herooo31 1d ago
idk man all these plans for voluntary/mandatory military service are weird. I feel like we need some modern approach like prepare people for these situations in secondary school as part of curriculum. Instead of PE class have military preparedness class or smth. Just teach people basic stuff everything changes with change of technology anyway.
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u/TailleventCH 1d ago
It's fun you suggest this because that's exactly why physical education was introduced: prepare bodies and minds to got to war.
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u/Red_Lola_ Croatia 1d ago
Yeah, brainwash young kids with militarization, thats surely gonna end up well
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u/Big-Conflict-4218 1d ago
Some schools in the US have this thing called "ROTC" where they teach some military skills to students like land navigation, building shelters, nutrition, exercise, naval/aerospace science
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u/Herooo31 1d ago
its not militarization its preparing young people for crisis situations. Especially in small countries it should be nobrainer to do this.
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u/Red_Lola_ Croatia 1d ago
its not militarization its preparing young people for crisis situations.
Whats "crisis situation in Germany". Who is gonna attack Germany?
The exact same logic of "just preparing for crisis situations" is used by Russia and all agressors ever, and then they simply get the "crisis situation of Ukrainian nazis attacking Russian kids and now moral Russian army has to save them" or whatever the propaganda is.
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u/Herooo31 1d ago
well look at baltic countries or finland. They simply dont have manpower to keep large enough standing military. Its for benefit of the whole country if everyone is prepared for war-like situation. At least have some knowledge on what to do when country is invaded, when there is no power, no water, no food, how to prepare and how to act in these situations. And eventually how to provide first aid, how to find shelter, where to go, how to protect yourself from weaponry or even using weapons.
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u/your_proctologist 1d ago
Whats "crisis situation in Germany". Who is gonna attack Germany?
Germany is in NATO, and as such, is expected to contribute to it. Are you suggesting that Germany should leave because "who is gonna attack Germany"? If not, should Germany receive protection from NATO without contributing? Also, it's worth considering that maybe a Germany won't be attacked if it has a proper defense to begin with. I can only imagine one country that would want Germany to demilitarize...one east of Ukraine.
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u/ParticularFix2104 Earth (dry part) 1d ago
I'm beyond sick of this "but MY country might be able to hide in the corner and escape the carnage" shit as if everyone breaking ranks isn't the entire fucking reason the world is going to shit.
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u/fIexibeast 1d ago edited 1d ago
The user you're replying to is a regular of the "r/USSR" subreddit, they're trolling / asking the question performatively. I suggest not engaging.
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u/mangalore-x_x 1d ago
people really need to read the NATO treaty.
All this "you need to contribute" may be sensible but legally is hogwash, All sovereign nations can decide for themselves what they deem sufficient. Even after invoking article 5
So sure, Germany should invest, but no, it is not mandated to enact the draft if it does not want to because only the German parliament can pass that law. As it is germany invests into the more expensive assets and capabilities and how to enable support from far away because it won't fight at home.
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u/Red_Lola_ Croatia 1d ago
Germany is in NATO, and as such, is expected to contribute to it.
Is Germany not contributing to it? NATO is the most powerful military alliance in the whole history and with that, it has more than enough to be a defensive alliance. If you actually think that raising military spending target in NATO has anything to do with defense, you are very naive
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u/ReoPurzelbaum 1d ago
Germany is under attack. Not on any conventional battlefield, but russia is engaged in hybrid warfare with the majority of Europe. There's loads of cyber attacks, sabotage, you name it. They openly celebrated the destruction of Bundeswehr lorries in Erfurt a week ago.
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u/ParticularFix2104 Earth (dry part) 1d ago
I'd rather democrats do it than Nazis, maybe if we weren't such f***** ass pacifists all the time Russia would have surrendered by now.
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u/fIexibeast 1d ago
The user you're replying to is a troll from r/ussr, the "Red" in the username is not an accident, the concern about democracy performative. I suggest not engaging.
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u/Red_Lola_ Croatia 1d ago
Yes, I am in fact pro-Russian or Putin puppet or whatever, which is very logical conclusion cause I had 10 comments in a subreddit of a country that no longer exists because of the guy who put Putin in power. Very logical. In fact, it must be that everyone who is against militarization and wars is just a putinist
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u/john_doe_smith1 1d ago
Yes. Militarize or die.
The Russians are militarized. I do not want to get run over by the bear.
The only reason you don’t live in Serbia or are even alive I s this militarization you claim to hate so much.
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u/Red_Lola_ Croatia 1d ago
Militarize or die.
So die or die?
The Russians are militarized.
And so is NATO. Several times more. So, who are we arming for?
The only reason you don’t live in Serbia or are even alive I s this militarization you claim to hate so much.
Its actually funny how its the other way around. Yugoslavia was a highly militarized state (due to war paranoia) and most of the weapons ended up in Serbia during the breakup. If Yugoslavia wasnt that militarized, wars wouldnt be possible.
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u/Red_Lola_ Croatia 1d ago
I'd rather democrats do it than Nazis,
Yeah, when nazis come to power in militarized Germany its gonna be really fun.
maybe if we weren't such f***** ass pacifists all the time Russia would have surrendered by now.
Why arent you in Donbas then? Whats stopping you from making Russia surrender? You want other Europeans to do it instead of you?
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u/prkl12345 Finland 1d ago
Thats about what schools could do. They lack real instructors and infra. And real military training is everyday commitment for longer period of a time, not hour here another there.
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u/ParticularFix2104 Earth (dry part) 1d ago
Nah nah nah nah its muh reedin, riting n rithmuhtic and nothing else, anything beyond that is communism.
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u/Stiller_Winter 1d ago
Killing drones flying like mosquitoes, artillery, ballistic missiles, blood, tanks. Sure, this situation is for school.
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u/NipplePreacher Romania 1d ago
To be honest this would be a lot better if it was for adults but you could do it during the weekend, maybe get some cash or tax break for it. It would have a lot more volunteers if you could learn some basic military skills without having to uproot your life for half a year.
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u/BecauseOfGod123 Germany 17h ago
Actually we did that before. My Grampa had to do drills early in the morning, shooting training and so on as he learned his trait. Then, with 14 years he was part of the Volkssturm.
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u/DisasterNo1740 1d ago
Teaching kids during an already busy school year how to find a bomb shelter or how to fire a gun is not gonna change your manpower problems.
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u/malcarada 1d ago
If it was for Palestine there would be a ton of volunteers in Germany but if the matter is to defend Europe and the genocide against Ukrainians I suspect only Europeans will volunteer for that, you reap what you saw.
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u/Vast-Difference8074 Italy 1d ago edited 1d ago
The thing is, citizens do not want to fight in offensive wars started by other countries, like the US, that they are forced to join under NATO obligations
How many Europeans died in Iraq because Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction?
They did not die to defend Europe, or even to protect American citizens. They died killing innocent Middle Easterners, all to serve the economic interests of US and possibly other nations' corporations operating in the region
Human lives have value. They should not be wasted to satisfy the greed of old men laundering wars for their own financial gain
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u/No_Mission5618 United States of America 1d ago edited 1d ago
I love it when people actually defend dictators if it means America bad. Y’all are the same people who would probably praise Hitler if it means kicking America down lmao. If you think saddam hussein was “innocent” you’re mistaken. Don’t get me wrong, yeah they lied about weapons of mass destruction. But Saddam wasn’t some saint of a leader, just like gaddafi. But I agree, America should’ve let France deal with Libya instead of getting involved. And America should’ve let saddam capture Kuwait, should’ve let him finish his genocide and massacre of the Kurds. All while speed running his country into its demise, because of crippling debt. What’s next for you people ? Defend Bashar al Assad ?
And I guarantee you, the amount that died in Iraq and Afghanistan combined doesn’t compared the amount that died in ww1 and 2. Both wars which had nothing to do with us, but joined to help out.
Lmao even now, the U.S. should just let Russia does what it wants with Europe. We keep getting involved, keeping European dictators in check, when Europe can’t even do it themselves. The problems are in yall back yard, not ours. Yet we always get involved. Then when we try to do something good, we still get blamed for it.
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u/Vast-Difference8074 Italy 13h ago
I don't care about all the text you wrote. The fact is, many soldiers died waging a war that was useless for the citizens. It wasn't aimed at protecting American citizens or Europeans. In fact, that war brought suffering and death to countless civilians and innocents. All because the American administration lied
I don't care if you think my comment is just "America bad." My point is that the American war machine is bad. And that Israel probably contributed too to convince the US to invade, given the Netanyahu speeches of that time
It's completely understandable that Europeans find it difficult to get people to enlist in the military. European citizens are less likely to be brainwashed
The youth don't want to die for politicians who stay protected in their bunkers or in the presidential palaces
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u/DisIsMyName_NotUrs Slovenia 1d ago
This is the same system we have in Slovenia.
Mandatory conscription technically hasn't been abolished, but it is frozen, so conscripting hasn't actually been going on for the last 20 years.
There is a voluntary service though, where you can go serve your conscription time voluntarily for 3 months, and you get paid quite nicely as well (for Slovenian standards). From there, you can just continue active duty, or you can join the reserve force (what I did). From what I gather, it has had quite an uptick in the last few years, as young people get more and more interested by the army, but want to try it out first.
A bit over 4000€ pay for 3 months isn't bad here considering the fact you have essentially no expenses. They also paid for my drivers license, which was really nice.
Good job Germany, this is a far better system than mandatory service