Ralf Strobel maintains freight trains in Nuremberg—but twice a year, he trades his tools for tactical gear. As part of Germany’s military reserve, Strobel joins a battalion tasked with protecting critical infrastructure. He’s one of thousands of Deutsche Bahn employees who serve in the Bundeswehr reserve, supported by the company through flexible leave policies and public recognition. With German troops now stationed long-term in Lithuania to reinforce NATO’seastern flank, and the war in Ukraine reshaping Europe’s defense priorities, reservists like Strobel are becoming essential to national security.

This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.