Why can't Germany build up its army? | DW Business

Germany's Military Readiness: Recruitment Challenges and Strategies

Key Concepts:

• Bundeswehr (German military)
• Recruitment challenges
• Volunteer army
• Demographic shifts
• Employer attractiveness
• Work-life balance
• Cultural resistance to the military
• Conscription

Recruitment Goals and Challenges

Germany aims to significantly expand its military, the Bundeswehr, by roughly 80,000 active duty soldiers by 2035, a 45% increase from its current size of approximately 180,000. This expansion is driven by the growing threat from Russia and the need to meet NATO obligations. However, Germany faces significant recruitment challenges:

• Tightening Labor Force: Germany's workforce is shrinking due to the retirement of the baby boom generation. A recent study indicates a shortage of 500,000 workers, potentially ballooning to 770,000 by 2028.
• Competition with the Private Sector: The Bundeswehr must compete with private companies struggling to find skilled workers.
• Meeting Existing Goals: Germany is already struggling to meet its previous goal of 203,000 active duty soldiers by 2031.

Recruitment Strategy

The government plans to achieve its recruitment goals through a multi-pronged approach:

1. Targeted Outreach: Starting in 2026, letters will be sent to men and women aged 18-25, inquiring about their willingness to serve. Men will be required to respond, while for women, it's optional.
2. Mandatory Meetings: Candidates deemed suitable will be required to meet with military representatives.
3. Increased Pay: The government plans to raise pay for volunteer soldiers to make the job more attractive.
4. Modernized Recruitment: The Bundeswehr is increasing its outreach through social media, web series on YouTube, and attendance at job exhibitions, gaming conventions, and fitness events.
5. Regionalized Approach: Local recruiters are given flexibility to tailor their messages to specific regions.
6. Pop-up Lounges: The military has created pop-up lounges, including a beach lounge on the Baltic coast, to attract potential recruits.

Enhancing Employer Attractiveness

The Bundeswehr recognizes that pay is not the only factor for attracting younger generations. It is focusing on:

• Training and Development: Emphasizing career progression, providing clear views of future development and pay, and offering training in areas like natural sciences, math, and technology.
• Work-Life Balance: Offering alternative work options, including part-time, telework, and mobile work.
• Sense of Purpose: Highlighting the importance of service and contribution to national security.
• Education: Paying enlisted soldiers while they earn the equivalent of a high school diploma.
• Career Advancement: Introducing new grades for enlisted soldiers (corporal and staff corporal) to expand opportunities within the ranks.

Addressing Disruptions and Improving Retention

The Bundeswehr is working to minimize disruptions for new recruits:

• Training Location: Fusing basic and advanced training into one location to reduce the need to move around.
• Training Start Date: Allowing recruits to begin training the very next month for greater flexibility.
• Barracks: Building new barracks to improve living conditions.
• A parliamentary report indicated that 40% of recruits who left service before 6 months complained that training was too far from home. The Bundeswehr has reported losing about one quarter of recruits during training in recent years.

Focus on Women

The Bundeswehr aims to have women represent 30% of its combat units by 2030, up from the current 13%. Strategies include:

• Targeted Advertising: Deploying targeted advertising campaigns.
• Female Recruiters: Increasing the number of female recruiters.
• Special Events: Hosting events like Girls Day and networking events for female soldiers.
• Practical Improvements: Improving clothing and body armor to better fit women's physiques, and providing access to shorter versions of weapons like the G36 assault rifle.

Ongoing Challenges

Despite these efforts, the Bundeswehr faces ongoing challenges:

• Discrimination and Harassment: Female soldiers still report experiencing discrimination and sexual harassment.
• Lack of Role Models: There is a lack of female role models at the highest levels of the military.
• Limited Flexibility: Part-time and telework options are often limited in practice.
• Housing: Housing remains a challenge for soldiers who are too senior for the barracks.
• Underutilized New Grades: The new corporal and staff corporal grades have not been employed as much as expected.

Cultural Resistance

Germany faces a cultural resistance to the military stemming from its history:

• Historical Rupture: Germany's military history is ruptured, making it difficult to establish connections between families, veterans, and the military.
• Ambivalence: A general ambivalence towards the military persists, even after the suspension of conscription in 2011.
• Unwillingness to Defend: A recent survey showed a clear majority of Germans unwilling to defend the country with a weapon.
• In 2005, former German President Horse Kura criticized his nation's friendly disinterest toward its armed forces.

Conclusion

Germany's ability to rebuild its armed forces without conscription will depend on its success in overcoming recruitment challenges, enhancing employer attractiveness, and addressing cultural resistance. The current situation in Europe provides a strong sense of purpose, which, combined with improved pay and benefits, may be enough to attract the necessary recruits. If volunteer efforts fail, conscription remains a backup plan. The coming decade will be a test case for how liberal societies can rebuild their armed forces in the face of evolving security threats.