The Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces, is aiming to recruit an additional 100,000 reservists to enhance its operational readiness, according to the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, Carsten Breuer.
Breuer emphasized the need for a quick increase in military size, primarily through the recruitment of reservists, to ensure the Bundeswehr’s preparedness. The force is maintaining its goal of having just over 200,000 active soldiers, a number that is currently about 182,000.
By the end of the decade, the Bundeswehr plans to train an additional 100,000 soldiers as reservists. However, Breuer acknowledged that these reservists cannot simply be recruited from the labor market, noting the importance of military service in various forms.
“That’s why we must rely on military service – in whatever form it may take,” Breuer said, highlighting that the necessity of mandatory versus voluntary service remains a political issue.
Breuer outlined the need for a total of 460,000 soldiers and reservists, taking into account Germany’s commitments to NATO and its strategic role as a logistics hub for troop reinforcements on the eastern flank. With a target of approximately 200,000 active soldiers, the Bundeswehr would require 260,000 reservists. Currently, the Bundeswehr has a “permanent reserve” of 60,000, but additional recruitment is needed to fill the gap.
He also mentioned the possibility of drawing 100,000 reservists from the 800,000 former service members who left the military over the years, although a further gap of 100,000 remains to be filled. “There remains a gap of 100,000 that we need to fill,” he said.
