Former Bundeswehr soldiers
The head of the association wants to systematically record reservists
April 6, 2024, 4:45 p.m
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Anyone who was a soldier or a conscript becomes a reservist after leaving the Bundeswehr. According to association head Sensburg’s wishes, these should be systematically recorded – and planned for homeland security or national and alliance defense.
The chairman of the reservist association, Patrick Sensburg, has suggested that all former members of the Bundeswehr be systematically checked for their suitability for deployment. The reserve colonel told the “Bild” newspaper that there are around 900,000 former soldiers or conscripts who have reservist status and are under 65 years old.
“We should record their health status and availability very quickly in order to plan them for homeland security and national and alliance defense and to let them practice again step by step,” said Sensburg. “If only half of them were medically capable of doing so, we would almost have the number of reservists we need.” Reservists are all former military service members and long-term soldiers in the Bundeswehr. However, this does not include former soldiers of the GDR People’s Army who never served in the Bundeswehr after its end.
The former CDU member of the Bundestag and current head of the association explained: “In the event of a defense, we need the reservists to secure our own country and the infrastructure, to provide logistical support to the partner nations in Germany and, last but not least, to replace the fighting troops at the front.” If Germany is attacked and at war, “we will have to think about a second and third wave of defense. These will primarily consist of reservists.”
The Bundeswehr is having problems finding enough soldiers. Despite all efforts to increase staff, their number had fallen to 181,500 men and women at the end of last year. The stated goal is for the Bundeswehr to grow to 203,000 soldiers by 2031. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is also currently examining various models for general compulsory military service. Possible role models are the Scandinavian states.