Expansion of voluntary military service in Romania to address aging reserve force members
The Romanian government has announced plans to expand its voluntary military service, aiming to encourage young people to join the army and rebuild the reserve forces that are currently facing an aging population. Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu made the announcement on July 16, 2020, during an interview with News.ro.
Under the new draft law, currently under interministerial review, individuals can undergo a four-month training program to become reservists. This training program provides an official framework for them to potentially become fixed-term volunteers or employees in the Romanian Army.
The reason for this expansion is to address the issue of many current reservists being beyond the ideal military service age. By rebuilding a younger reserve force, the government aims to maintain operational readiness and ensure future military capacity.
It is important to note that the Defense Minister, Ionuț Moșteanu, explicitly rejected the idea of reinstating compulsory military service. This decision reflects a shift in policy consistent with European trends, where the focus is on professional, voluntary military service rather than mandatory drafts.
This initiative forms part of a broader strategic vision to ensure Romania has trained personnel to operate increasingly sophisticated defense equipment in the future. This includes ongoing modernization efforts such as the €2 billion air defense deal with Israel’s Rafael.
The expansion of voluntary service represents a modernization and sustainability strategy for the Romanian Army's human resources. This approach aligns with contemporary European defense practices, positioning a revitalized reserve force as a complement to the permanent army.
No conflicting information about the Romanian voluntary military service expansion was found in the search results. Related articles focused on other countries or different defense topics.
[1] News.ro, July 16, 2020. [2] Unnamed source, June 2025. [3] DefenseNews, July 17, 2020.
- The Romanian government's plan to expand its voluntary military service is a part of a broader European trend, shifting focus from compulsory service to professional, voluntary military service in politics and war-and-conflicts.
- The expansion of the Romanian Army's voluntary service is aligned with contemporary defense practices in Europe, aiming to maintain operational readiness and ensure future military capacity, as reported in general-news articles.
