I have spent almost seven years with the German Armed Forces, and during this time, I was always surrounded by conscript soldiers. In 2002, I had my own basic training, along with approximately 160 conscript soldiers. In 2003, I led a group, again during their basic training, of exclusively conscript soldiers. I made ensign in 2004, acting auxiliary platoon leader. And again my customers were exclusively conscript soldiers.
I led guardsmen whose sole duty was sentry-watch. They were all long-term sick, or not capable of field service, or soon-to-be retirees or those who during their term of duty had not really stuck out by brilliance. In 2005, I led my own platoon with 46 soldiers. I am sure you already guessed: again almost all of them were conscript soldiers.
During this time, I really got to know what the conscript system is like for the common soldier. For the outside world and according to the propaganda by the Ministry of Defense, the emphasis is always on how the conscript system is a fundamental part of the entire system. They talk of the citizen in uniform. Allegedly, the conscript system is formative and essential for the common link between the army and the citizens.
The ministers never tire of repeating that the conscripts are the outstanding multipliers in public. It is proudly announced that, after all, 60,000 young people join the forces at regular intervals. Allegedly, they continue to be educated as the pillars and support of the armed forces.
The reality looks totally different. During my time as platoon leader, I met temporary career soldiers who already served their 8th, 10th, or even 15th quarter-year in a row as instructors. And mind you, this was happening in a unit that is known to have the highest on-duty rate of all. During the three months you teach new recruits, you can easily accumulate 800 to 1,000 hours on duty. It is easy to understand that those officers were hard to motivate for giving their best every day.
There is the tale of the citizen in uniform who is a politically knowledgeable and interested soldier. For one out of four courses in basic training (AGA) each year, this is actually correct. Only in the third quarter of the year, we get recruits who have just successfully finished high school. The remaining three quarters of the year, we get students who just finished middle school or secondary modern school (Hauptschule), or even some who started an apprenticeship but failed in the process. There is often a considerable per centage of adolescents from the social border milieu or with migratory background. Most of the conscript soldiers are not even motivated to get a proper training.
Many just join in order to be off the road. No more and no less. For the three courses without a high school degree, the army is not about political education or being a citizen in uniform. Rather, it is about giving them something to do, and prevent them from doing something stupid or committing minor offences. During those terms, the disciplinary sanctions – from written elaboration over a fine to detention – increase considerably.
And those are the three quarters of all recruits who then become the pillars of an active army that puts the lives of its soldiers in jeopardy every day? This contingent will later go on to become the positive multipliers we all hoped for? – The army fights against many prejudices among the citizens. If you take a closer look at these multipliers, you already know where these prejudices originated.
AG
(translated by EG)
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