Overview
- The first letters go out in mid to late January to those from the 2008 birth year who have just turned 18, with further mailings sent weekly as others reach adulthood.
- Men must complete the questionnaire while responses from women and other genders are voluntary, and the form asks about health, education, driver’s license, fitness and willingness to serve.
- Recipients have one month to reply, a reminder follows for late responses, and continued non-response can be treated as an administrative offense that may result in a fine.
- Evaluations of the forms will be followed by stepwise Musterung assessments once capacity is in place, and service remains voluntary with the option to refuse on conscience grounds.
- The Evangelical Church in Bavaria is offering counseling in letters to about 22,000 young members, NGOs report rising demand for refusal advice, and Germany recorded 3,867 conscientious objector applications in 2025.