The president of the reservist association has called for the active Bundeswehr reserves to be tripled in the coming years. Although this number is ambitious, it would probably not even be enough in the end, according to the warning.
The President of the Reservist Association, Patrick Sensburg, has called for the number of active reservists in the Bundeswehr to be tripled.
“In a few years we should have around 100,000 reservists who practice regularly,” Sensburg told “stern”.
The goal of 100,000 is of course ambitious. “But in the end they won’t even be enough,” said Sensburg, referring to the world situation and the Bundeswehr’s “war capability.”
Currently around 34,000 active reservists
Reservists are predominantly former Bundeswehr soldiers who have not lost their rank. The Bundeswehr estimates the number of reservists in the General Reserve at around 930,000. Around 34,000 reservists are part of the ordered reserve, which means that they are assigned to a duty post and perform reservist service there.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) warned of the dangers of war in Europe in the fall and presented new defense policy guidelines. It describes “war efficiency as a maxim for action”.
Sensburg said: “The term is suitable for opening everyone’s eyes to what we are actually talking about here. Yes, the danger that is in the room is called war. Nothing else. Pistorius’ choice of words was a wake-up call.”