The Reservist Association lauds Strack-Zimmermann's proposal.
In light of increasing Russian militarization, defense expert Strack-Zimmermann suggests bolstering the Bundeswehr with nearly a million reservists. The Reservists' Association applauds this idea, while the SPD and Greens show little interest.
Patrick Sensburg, Chair of the Reservists' Association, endorsed Strack-Zimmermann's plan to mobilize 900,000 reservists as a response to the Russian threat. Addressing Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND), Sensburg expressed, "We're glad that the chairman of the Defense Committee is picking up our idea! We have a vast pool of potential among existing reservists and those willing to serve. Unfortunately, the Bundeswehr has neglected this in recent years." The Reservists' Association is now developing a strategy to assist the Bundeswehr in meeting this goal, involving assessments of reservists' health statuses by authorized reservist doctors.
Strack-Zimmermann emphasized the need for swift defense preparedness in response to Putin's weapons buildup and geostrategic positioning against the West. She advocates for mobilizing these 900,000 reservists first, urging, "We must register them immediately." The Bundeswehr has overlooked soldiers and military personnel who have retired for several decades, and Strack-Zimmermann argues that promptly engaging half of these individuals with their valuable expertise would significantly benefit the army's strength.
However, the SPD and Greens, partners in the traffic light coalition, do not appear keen on Strack-Zimmermann's proposal. Wolfgang Hellmich, the SPD's parliamentary defense policy spokesperson, conveyed to the "Tagesspiegel," "We're fully aware of Putin's threat. We don't require a reminder from Mrs. Strack-Zimmermann. Hellmich further stated, "The proposed number of 900,000 reservists has no scientific grounding and leads astray. Our focus should be on expanding the active reserve and recruiting and training new recruits, as Boris Pistorius suggests for enhancing state and alliance defense."
Green European parliamentarian Terry Reintke discounted Strack-Zimmermann's idea, telling the "Tagesspiegel," "The reserve is crucial for our security in critical moments. Mrs. Strack-Zimmermann's campaign isn't one of them."
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In response to the 'Attack on Ukraine', German defense expert Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann proposes bolstering the German Armed Forces with a large number of reservists. Despite this, German defense policy, as outlined by the SPD and Greens, shows little interest in Strack-Zimmermann's proposal to mobilize nearly a million reservists.
