Germany sends out first military service questionnaires

The German army (Bundeswehr) has posted its first military service questionnaires out to 18-year-old men and women citizens this week.

Bundeswehr sends out questionnaires

The Bundeswehr has posted new military service questionnaires to 18-year-old German citizens for the first time since the German government agreed on its new military service law in November 2025.

According to the new law, all male German citizens who were born on or after January 1, 2008, are obliged to complete the questionnaire about their willingness to serve in the Bundeswehr. The questionnaire is voluntary for female citizens. The letters contain a QR code to the questionnaire, which is completed on the internet.

After completing the questionnaire, all male German citizens born after January 1, 2008, are obliged to attend a medical examination to determine if they are fit to serve in the Bundeswehr. If they pass the examination and choose to complete military service, those who serve fewer than 12 months will become “voluntary military personnel” and those who serve longer than 12 months will become “temporary soldiers”.

The German government has said that military service will remain voluntary, so long as the Bundeswehr is on track to reach its goal of increasing volunteer numbers from 80.000 to 260.000 by 2035.

What happens if the Bundeswehr’s targets are not met?

Between now and 2035, the government will monitor whether voluntary service targets are being met. If they are not being met, the government has said it will oblige 18-year-old men to complete the questionnaire, the medical assessment and at least one year of military service.

If the government determines that enough volunteers have still not signed up, Germany would introduce needs-based conscription (Bedarfswehrpflicht). In order to do this, the government would have to draft and pass a second military service law. What that would look like remains to be seen.

Previously, there was discussion about whether, if voluntary service targets were not met, Germany would introduce a lottery system to randomly select citizens who have completed the questionnaire and passed the medical examination to serve in the Bundeswehr.

The suggestion proved controversial and is off the table for now, but it is still possible that it will be reconsidered and adopted in the future if targets are not met, according to a report by ZDF.

The German government's decision to pass the law in November already led to mass protests by school students in around 90 towns and cities across the country in December. The next Schulstreik gegen Wehrpflicht (School strike against military service) is scheduled for March 5, 2026.

"We don't want to be locked up in barracks for half a year," a statement reads on the movement's website, "trained in drill and obedience, and learn to kill. War offers no prospects for the future and destroys our livelihoods."