Summary
Germany’s government approved a draft law requiring young men to indicate their willingness to serve in the military, aiming to increase military participation without reintroducing conscription.
The survey will target around 300,000 18-year-old males in 2024, with young women given the option to participate. This initiative follows years of recruitment challenges since Germany ended compulsory service in 2011.
With a growing focus on defense in response to Russian aggression, Germany seeks to increase its military personnel from 180,000 to 203,000 by 2030.
If you’re in artillery range that’s a combat role. Definitions may differ but you’re “serving at arms”.
…and, no, when Ukraine is sending in a Leopard or such for repair they’re not doing it on the frontlines. The service centre is in Poland, the frontline is too much of a fickle place to have big cranes, stacks of turrets and chassis to mix and match, etc. That’s a different thing from a shop a bit back from the frontline that can do “extended field repairs”, say, replace a track, or switch other parts that are designed to be easily replaced. Those places are at least semi-mobile and part of the tank battalion.