Defense Due to too many leaving the army, there could be a shortage of soldiers for refresher courses
Due to too many people leaving the army, there could be a shortage of military personnel for refresher courses over the next few years. This is because too many people are leaving the army prematurely, partly because they are opting for civilian service.
13.11.2025, 10:30
SDA
According to the Army Census 2025 published on Thursday, premature departures make the work of refresher courses more difficult. Positions in advanced training services cannot be adequately filled. The resulting difficulties in training would reduce the standard of training and readiness in the medium term.
Around 140,000 deployed members of the armed forces - the effective number - are needed to ensure the 99,101 positions required to fulfill the mission - the so-called target number. This takes into account the fact that not all of those deployed will be able to respond to a call-up.
Since the implementation of the Further Development of the Armed Forces (WEA), members of the armed forces remain deployed for ten years. However, deployments for twelve years are intended to secure personnel levels during a transitional period. For these transitional cohorts, compulsory service ends in 2028 and 2029.
Together with over 11,000 early departures per year, this means that the effective number of personnel is expected to fall to 125,000 in 2029. More than half of those who leave the army prematurely will switch to civilian service.
Of the 30-year-olds in a recruitment year, a good third (35%) do military service. 14 percent are assigned to civilian service and 13 percent to civil defense. The last good third (37%) do not serve for medical or other reasons.
On March 1, 2025, the army had 146,718 members assigned to formations, according to a statement issued on Thursday. This was 256 fewer than in 2024. 1.7 percent of them were women. 105,997 of the conscripts have to perform training services. The remaining 40,721 have fulfilled this obligation.
Parliament wants to make it more difficult to switch from the army to civilian service. In the fall session, it decided on higher hurdles for this. The people may also be able to express their opinion on this. Associations, civil society organizations and companies want to fight the changes to the Civilian Service Act with a referendum.
