Bundeswehr Medical Examinations for Recruits from Three States Still Held in Berlin
Berlin, March 22 – Young adults from Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia are currently required to travel to Berlin for their Bundeswehr medical examinations. A Bundeswehr spokesperson confirmed that while 24 examination centers and eight large career centers with assessments are planned, examinations will continue to be conducted in Berlin until these new facilities are operational.
The capacities required for compulsory medical examinations are being gradually established. The exact locations of these new centers are still part of internal decision-making and planning processes. “Our goal is to build new, modern structures,” the spokesperson stated. According to current plans, the necessary capacities are expected to be available “in the required number” by mid-2027.
More Applicants Through Questionnaires?
The Bundeswehr currently lacks a definitive overview of the full effect of sending out questionnaires, as numbers are typically collected quarterly. However, a positive trend has been observed. At the beginning of this year, more applications for voluntary military service were received in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The new military service is intended to “support” this positive trend.
The law for the new military service came into effect on January 1, 2026. All 18-year-old men and women receive a questionnaire to assess their suitability and motivation for the Bundeswehr. Men are obliged to complete this questionnaire. If the Bundeswehr is unable to recruit enough volunteers through this method, the black-red coalition reserves the right to introduce a so-called “conscription based on need.” Numerous students in several cities across the country have protested against the new law.
Under the current law, men aged 18 to 60 are subject to conscription. However, there is currently no compulsory conscription in Germany.
Increased Applications in January
In Saxony-Anhalt, 140 applications for voluntary military service were received by the end of January this year, compared to approximately 100 at the same time last year. Saxony saw an increase of 80 applications this year, while Thuringia recorded 30 more. The first letters were sent out on January 15, with further dispatches on January 31. “I can confirm that we have already received feedback from young men and women,” the spokesperson said. Young adults have one month to provide a voluntary response.
The Bundeswehr expressed satisfaction with its outreach to young people. “The positive figures show the good image positioning of the Bundeswehr as an employer and that our recruitment campaigns are reaching the right people,” the spokesperson commented. She added that trying new approaches has also paid off. The “growth of active military personnel” is and remains “the most important strategic goal with regard to the operational readiness of the Bundeswehr,” the Bundeswehr spokesperson emphasized.
Source: dpa-infocom, dpa:260322-930-848202/1
