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February 4, 2012
Guttenberg kick-starts shorter conscription periods
Published: 17 Mar 10 11:55 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100317-25931.html
Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is to bring forward the government’s scheduled reduction of compulsory military service from 2011 to this autumn despite criticism from the ranks, a media report said Wednesday.
- Cake in the face for 'Baron Cut-and-Paste' (3 Feb 12)
- Thousands of US troops leaving Bavaria (3 Feb 12)
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The defence minister also plans to increase the number of new recruits each year from 40,000 to 50,000.
But outgoing parliamentary commissioner for the Bundeswehr, Reinhold Robbe, slammed Guttenberg’s plan in an interview with daily Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.
“Among the troops the reduction is seen with overwhelming scepticism, because there they can’t yet see what direction this is going,” he told the paper, adding that the military had to guarantee that recruits still understand the meaning of their service.
Meanwhile Robbe said there was a growing demographic problem when it came to recruitment.
“The quality of the applicants is going down,” he said.
The alternative to Bundeswehr service, compulsory community service, or Zivildienst, would also be shortened but the government is considering allowing voluntary extensions, as many community groups believe six months would not be long enough to make the service worthwhile.
However the government would have to approve additional funding to support people's service if they choose to work longer than six months.
DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)
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Your comments about this article:
Soldiers need to be integrated into a unit for a period of time to build on what was learned in basic training. They also need to take part in combined arms operations. And perhaps some joint training with NATO this can not be accomplished is such a short time. Beside avoiding an unneeded war the best thing you can do for a soldier is to give him proper training.