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Germany Unveils Incentives and Conditional Draft Trigger in Military Recruitment Overhaul

It links volunteer benefits such as driving-license cost reimbursement to NATO recruitment targets, reserving a parliamentary-approved fallback conscription mechanism—complete with mandatory 2028 musterung for 18-year-olds.

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Bundesverteidigungsminister Pistorius rechnet bei seinem neuen Wehrdienstmodell ab 2031 mit bis zu 40.000 Rekruten pro Jahr. Wie es aus dem Verteidigungsministeriums hieß, sollen ab 2028 auch alle 18-jährigen Männer zu einer verpflichtenden Musterung.
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Overview

  • Partial reimbursement for driving-license costs and enhanced enlistment bonuses aim to make voluntary service more attractive.
  • From 2028 all 18-year-old men will face mandatory health screenings and a compulsory service-willingness questionnaire with voluntary participation for women.
  • Defense Minister Boris Pistorius will put the new draft Wehrdienst law before the cabinet by the end of August.
  • The reform seeks to raise annual volunteer numbers by 3,000–5,000 starting in 2026, aiming for up to 40,000 recruits per year by 2031 to meet NATO targets.
  • A fallback conscription mechanism remains on standby, requiring Bundestag approval if volunteer quotas fall short of alliance requirements.