Germany votes to bring in voluntary military service programme for 18-year-olds

[GJGCA]

Source: BBC

Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to introduce voluntary military service, in a move aimed at boosting national defences after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

It marks a significant shift in Germany's approach to its military and follows Chancellor Friedrich Merz's push to create Europe's strongest conventional army.

The government says military service will be voluntary for as long as possible, but from July 2027, all 18-year-old men will have to take a medical exam to assess their fitness for possible military service.

Universal medical examinations were necessary, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said, so that in the event of an attack, Germany would not waste time determining "who is operationally capable as a homeland protector and who is not".


https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg9drg8pg1o

[Emile]

1. Rich boys with bone spurs will pay their doctor to take an x-ray for proof.

Trump's X-ray

[anciano]

2. Here in the US a mandatory draft for high school graduates

would be an excellent idea for several reasons such as skill development and to promote a sense of civic responsibility.

[Deuxcents]

3. Maybe under a different administration.

[anciano]

4. An understandable concern....

but this too shall pass.

[Deuxcents]

5. Love your optimism. I've often thought something like the Peace Corps would have a positive impact

On young people who aren’t going to college or the military but want to make a difference here. Don’t know how welcomed we are in some parts of the world today.

[anciano]

6. Like your thoughts 👍...

some type of "national service" is an even better idea.

[Melon]

7. We are ....too big

It would kill us financially and there is no need. Our military is decreasing in size. We are cutting back world policing due to cost. We have 1.3 million active military. We have something close to 4 million 18 year olds each year.

[Woodwizard]

9. Not sure about that.

People that volunteer want to be there. I would not want to be relying on people that did not.

More education on civic duty, history and current events would be nice though.

[SocialDemocrat61]

8. A strong German military?

That always worked out well.