German military to mobilize 60,000 reserve forces.
Russian aggression is putting more pressure on NATO member states' militaries. The German army, or Bundeswehr, is short almost 100,000 soldiers for this. The Ministry of Defense is already working on plans to substantially expand the size of the reserve units in the Bundeswehr.
Lieutenant General Alexander Hoppe, Deputy Inspector General and Reservist Affairs Officer at the Ministry of Defense, said that plans are being developed to create a considerably larger Bundeswehr reserve. This reserve should be trained and equipped, much like in the Cold War, and ready to support or replace the active troops in combat.
The military planners aim to have up to 60,000 men and women as reservists in what's called a basic order. They are trained and instructed for specific tasks. Hoppe emphasized, "I'm convinced we need to adjust the reserve to meet today's security policy challenges, so it can help the Bundeswehr perform its tasks in national and alliance defense effectively."
In the Ministry, they are also trying to determine how many people could be called up and qualified for service in the event of an emergency. This includes those who have served in the Bundeswehr but haven't been ordered. This group is substantial, but decreasing since conscription was halted in 2011.
Hoppe mentioned that there's a rough estimate of 800,000 who could still be summoned under military law. These are mainly everyone who has previously served in the Bundeswehr and is within the age limits, including the last groups of conscripts. However, this number is not set in stone. "Taking the age factor into account, you know it will decrease every year. That means we're rowing upstream and need to find and enlist additional personnel for the reserve," Hoppe explained.
Given the new NATO defense plans, the Bundeswehr, which has dropped to only 181,500 soldiers and soldiers, will have to grow considerably. The target of 203,000 soldiers will likely need to be raised to "approximately over 272,000" men and women in the military, reported "Spiegel" last week. The reserve plays a role in this. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will propose a conscription model on Wednesday.
The Bundeswehr has reduced its personnel to 181,500 soldiers and soldiers despite a personnel offensive in the past year. This comes as the NATO defense plans call for a significant expansion of the target from 203,000 soldiers to "tendentially well over 272,000" men and women in the armed forces. The reserve can only be a stepping stone in this expansion. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will present his proposal for a conscription model on Wednesday.
