Overview
- The Bundeswehr is sending the first letters in mid to late January to those turning 18, followed by weekly waves to the rest of the 2008 birth cohort.
- Completing the online form is mandatory for men and voluntary for women and others, and failing to respond after a reminder can be fined as an administrative offense.
- The questionnaire gathers health, fitness, education and qualification details for use in military service planning under data‑protection rules.
- Medical assessments were reinstated on January 1 and will be conducted stepwise due to limited capacity, with initial assessments and volunteer intake proceeding over the coming months.
- Civil‑society responses are intensifying, with conscientious‑objection applications rising to 3,867 in 2025 (about +70%) and the Evangelical Church in Bavaria offering non‑directive counseling to those receiving the letters.