Minor recruitment thrives in the Home Guard's military ranks
Germany Faces Anomalous Number of Underage Applicants for New Homeland Defense Service
Berlin – The German Armed Forces' novel voluntary domestic defense service is experiencing an unexpected surge in applications from minors, according to reports from dts Nachrichtenagentur and Welt. This revelation stems from the response of the Federal Government to a parliamentary question posed by Norbert Müller of the Left party. From the initial pool of 1,800 applicants who registered during the application period that commenced on September 1, it was found that 339 were under 18 years old. This translates to nearly one in five applicants for the new domestic protection service being minors, a number significantly higher compared to the 8.5 percent minor recruits in the rest of the force in 2019.
Müller, the chairman of the Children's Commission of the Bundestag, deemed such a trend "alarming" and has urged a recruitment halt for those under 18, in light of Germany's ratification of the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2004. The protocol states that military service should not begin before the age of 18. The German Armed Forces, like some other contracting states, do allow for the recruitment of 17-year-old volunteers for training purposes, with parental consent.
Defense State Secretary Peter Tauber, from the CDU, defended this practice, highlighting the mixed methods employed to ensure that only suitable 17-year-olds are enlisted. This process involves detailed information and guidance on the prospects and risks of a military career, accompanied by an exhaustive, scientific, and aptitude-assessment procedure.
The alliance "Under 18 never" questions the underlying intentions of the new voluntary military service in homeland defense, asserting that it aims to specifically attract young people and minors as soldiers. This criticism is rooted in the belief that the German Armed Forces prioritize recruitment interests above child protection and children’s rights. They argue that the young recruits are encouraged under the guise of aid deployments in emergencies, while in reality, they undergo conventional military training (from Enrichment Data).
Meanwhile, discussions on a potential revamp of Germany’s military recruitment system are circulating, given the critical shortage of approximately 100,000 personnel in the armed forces. The current strategy emphasizes voluntary participation, with mandatory conscription being explored only as a possible alternative if voluntary recruitment fails to meet the intended targets (from Enrichment Data). Strict regulations govern the participation of minors, including parental consent requirements and restrictions on combat roles.
Children's rights organizations are keeping a keen eye on the unfolding developments, advocating for strong oversight, psychological support, and clear limitations on the activities that minors can undertake within the military.
The surge in underage applications for Germany's new homeland defense service has sparked debates about the policy and legislation governing war-and-conflicts, raising concerns about the protection of children's rights in politics and general news. Critics argue that the new service may prioritize recruitment interests over child protection, potentially encouraging minors under the guise of aid deployments in emergencies while subjecting them to conventional military training.
