The German Armed Forces Federation (VBB) is challenging Defence Minister Boris Pistorius to broaden his focus beyond recruitment as the military grapples with significant personnel shortages. VBB Federal Chair Imke von Bornstaedt-Küpper argues that an over-reliance on attracting new soldiers is overshadowing the need for internal reforms within the Bundeswehr.
Von Bornstaedt-Küpper stated that the military has an excess of personnel assigned to administrative roles, questioning why a comprehensive review hasn’t been conducted-despite pressure from NATO-to reassign soldiers currently in administrative positions back to their units. She contends the armed forces have seen a trend of “self-demilitarization” in recent years, with an increasing burden of bureaucratic tasks absorbing valuable personnel.
As an example, she highlighted that only one in six submarines currently has a fully staffed crew capable of deployment, while a significant number of qualified submariners are assigned to staff positions. Von Bornstaedt-Küpper suggests that reallocating these personnel could potentially free up thousands of soldiers to improve overall readiness.
However, she stressed the need for decisive leadership from the Defence Ministry, stating that military reform doesn’t happen passively and requires greater determination at the highest levels.
