Overview

• Lieutenant General Alfons Mais argues that credible deterrence requires determination beyond equipment, urging soldiers to be ready to fight outside safe bases.
• Recruiting and training have become more explicitly military, with leadership reporting that new applicants take service more seriously.
• Germany is positioning a combat-ready brigade in Lithuania as part of NATO force posture changes.
• Security services report more sabotage and espionage cases in Germany, driving adjustments in preparation and planning.
• A veteran’s account of a five-hour 2009 firefight in Afghanistan underscores the role of drill and instinct in combat, as 33 soldiers have been awarded the Ehrenkreuz for bravery.