Volunteering for the German Armed Forces, learning to march and sleeping in a bunk bed in the barracks? Many young Germans can't even imagine doing such things, but Tom can. The 23-year-old from Erfurt is toying with the idea of joining the Bundeswehr.

"The combination of camaraderie and team spirit fascinates me," he tells DW. "And I want to develop myself."

That's why Tom has come to the Bundeswehr career counseling office in Erfurt, centrally located in a shopping center between a supermarket and a gym. He is precisely the type of person they are looking for here because the Bundeswehr is desperately looking for personnel.

Their motto is: Don't scare anyone away! Even those who walk in without an appointment can, with a bit of luck, quickly receive some assistance. At the very least, they get an olive-green information sheet with the somewhat grand slogan, "Here you can secure Germany and your future."

Before taking the big leap, Tom first needs some information. Tony Baumann, a career advisor in uniform, takes some time for him and asks him in a friendly manner about his professional experience and goals.

Tom has been working in health care administration for seven years. He got interested in the Bundeswehr through an internship he did as a student, and he heard a lot about it from a soldier friend of his. Tom says that he could even imagine going for armed service or a foreign deployment.

"I also want to give something back to my country. I've already benefited a lot, for example, from free education."

With around 182,000 soldiers and 80,000 civilian employees, the Bundeswehr is one of Germany's largest employers. It attracts applicants with a wide range of training and study programs.

"There are opportunities here that you might not find in the private sector," says Tom. He is thinking over whether to first do voluntary military service or whether to sign up for several years now.

The assessment center in the barracks

The Löberfeld barracks are 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the career counseling office. First, everyone has to show their ID cards to the guard at the entrance to the Bundeswehr Career Center — one of 15 throughout Germany. Here, all applicants from Thuringia and Saxony must undergo a series of tests. The results determine whether they will be accepted by the Bundeswehr or not.

There are already two young men in the gym taking an athletics test. It is warm, and the sun is shining through the windows. The two are pedaling energetically on ergometers to accomplish the required exercise routine. Prior to that, they sprinted across the room and hung from a horizontal bar in a "chin-up" position until beads of sweat formed on their foreheads.

Even though there is a high demand for personnel, the Bundeswehr does not accept just anyone. Applicants must be in good health and physically fit. They must also have the right attitude. If an applicant does not express their commitment to Germany's democratic constitution and all its principles, the application process ends there.

Colonel Kim Frerichs, who heads the Erfurt Career Center, says about one in five applicants doesn't pass. But he is very satisfied with the current figures: the number of applications and hires has risen by around 20% this year.

This is "also an effect of the war in Ukraine," says Frerichs, adding that this has motivated many. And the trend from 2024 continues: last year, the Bundeswehr received almost a fifth more applications than the previous year.

Can volunteers meet the high demand for soldiers?

After shrinking by around 3,000 soldiers between 2020 and 2024, the German military is growing again. However, not every new recruit stays in the army. What's more, many soldiers are leaving because of old age.

So will it be possible to recruit up to 60,000 additional soldiers in the coming years? That is what Defense Minister Boris Pistorius aims to do. The reason he has given for this is the threat from Russia and the increased demands of NATO.

Despite this ambitious goal, the defense minister is still relying on voluntary enlistments for the time being. He wants to make military service more attractive, primarily by offering better pay.

Also, all 18-year-olds will soon receive a letter from the Bundeswehr. Men will be required to fill out and return the questionnaire contained in the letter, while women have no such obligation. The questionnaire asks about health and willingness to perform military service.

Medical examinations for all young men will gradually be reintroduced. Kim Frerichs, from the Erfurt Career Center, believes that such "mandatory requirements" are definitely necessary.

However, Pistorius has already begun putting in place contingency plans in case such "mild coercion" proves insufficient: he has chosen to add to the planned new military service law the option of reactivating compulsory military service at short notice. This would come into effect should not enough volunteers can be found or if the security risk escalates. The draft law is expected to be discussed by the cabinet at the end of August.

A better image leads to more applicants

Back at the career counseling office in downtown Erfurt. What is it about the German Armed Forces that appeals to young people? Career counselor Tony Baumann, who also spoke with Tom, says he is often asked whether it is possible to play sports or get a driver's license in the military.

Money is also an important issue for prospective recruits, some of whom show up with their parents. "We don't have to hide that," says Baumann. "If someone wants to do voluntary military service right after they leave school, they will receive a monthly €1,800 after tax ($2,112), plus free accommodation, free rail travel, and free medical care. That's very attractive."

The Bundeswehr's military equipment is also a factor in decision-making. It has improved significantly since the federal government began investing heavily to supply the troops with modern weapons. Knowing that the Bundeswehr is very well equipped and technologically up to date is definitely an additional motivation for applicants, says Baumann.

This article was originally written in German.

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