The Parliamentary Commissioner for Defence, Henning Otte (CDU), has warned Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) about the potential for disadvantaging existing personnel in the Bundeswehr (German armed forces). Otte told the newspaper “Welt” that soldiers had informed him that they were forced to clear their living quarters for expected volunteers who ultimately failed to arrive in the anticipated numbers, leading understandably to dissatisfaction. He stressed that the Bundeswehr cannot solely focus on recruiting new applicants but must also prioritize the well-being of those already serving. This requires reliable strategic planning grounded in realism, such as introducing rent subsidies that genuinely account for regional housing market conditions.
The Parliamentary Commissioner also criticized the Ministry for failing to implement measures following a promotion freeze issued on July 1st for Warrant Officers (Feldwebel). Otte stated that the communication surrounding these changes had been inadequate, causing unnecessary unrest among the troops, and demanded that the issue be quickly resolved so soldiers understand their potential career paths. He expressed zero tolerance for further delays.
Furthermore, the CDU politician lamented that the establishment of the Lithuania Brigade is coming at the expense of troops stationed in Germany. He pointed out that the requirement to order soldiers to Lithuania, rather than adhering to promised volunteerism, partly stems from the unattractive nature of service in the Baltic region for junior servicemen. Otte noted that since deployments to Lithuania no longer receive a specialized foreign service supplement-only the standard foreign allowance-this creates significant financial disadvantages for enlisted personnel. He argued that being stationed in Lithuania is markedly less appealing for junior ranks than for higher-ranking soldiers. He added that reserve soldiers sometimes have to pay for their own rations and, by the end of the month, often have little more money than if they were serving in Germany. He deemed this situation unsustainable. To boost the appeal of a transfer to Lithuania, he concluded that the situation must also improve for families, thereby minimizing the need to assign soldiers to these rotations.
Finally, Otte expressed doubts about the volunteer model for the new military service. While he praised the ambition to meet personnel growth targets through voluntary recruitment, he insisted on the policy being reviewed again in early 2027. By then, a frank assessment must determine whether these necessary growth figures can be achieved solely through volunteers. If not, mandatory elements would become necessary. Otte warned against complacency, noting that training new soldiers takes years, and merely achieving relative growth figures is not enough; what matters is the resulting combat capabilities and operational readiness. To bridge the gap between the current strength of 185,000 and the target of 260,000, an additional 75,000 soldiers are needed in the short-term and professional service categories. He lacks confidence that this target can solely be met by supplementary recruits from the volunteer pool.
