Germany’s reservists chief proposes extending service age to 70

The newly appointed president of Germany’s Reservists’ Association, Bastian Ernst, has called for raising the maximum age for reservists from 65 to 70, arguing that such a move would strengthen the country’s defence capabilities at a time of recruitment challenges.

Speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Ernst said that as the general retirement age continues to rise, the military should also adapt by making greater use of older citizens who remain physically capable and bring valuable professional and life experience.

“People are staying fit for longer. We should not waste these resources,” Ernst said, adding that while Germany faces difficulties attracting younger recruits, policymakers should also look to the upper end of the age spectrum to address personnel shortages.

His remarks come ahead of a planned presentation by Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who is set to unveil Germany’s first comprehensive military strategy alongside a new capability profile for the Bundeswehr. The strategy is expected to define how the country will respond to evolving security threats.

Currently, reservists in the Bundeswehr are not required to participate in military exercises. Both reservists and their employers must agree to such deployments, a system based on voluntariness that has faced sustained criticism in recent years for limiting operational readiness.

Ernst proposed maintaining voluntary participation for reservists themselves while removing the ability of employers to block their involvement. “Employers should not have the right to object when reservists are called up for exercises,” he said, emphasising that individuals should not be compelled against their will.

Germany aims to expand its armed forces significantly by 2035, targeting at least 260,000 active-duty personnel and 200,000 reservists. Much of this reserve force is expected to come from individuals completing a newly introduced military service program, for which the legal framework has been in place since the start of the year.

However, the current size of the reserve pool remains uncertain. Ernst noted that between eight and nine million people have served in the Bundeswehr historically, while approximately 60,000 reservists are formally assigned and readily deployable. The Reservists’ Association itself counts around 110,000 members.

He added that a key objective of the new military registration system will be to establish a precise and comprehensive count of available reservists, providing a clearer foundation for future defence planning.

By Tamilla Hasanova