Milena from Königs Wusterhausen: soldier in turbulent times!

Milena from Königs Wusterhausen: soldier in turbulent times!

Amid the increasing demands and challenges facing the Bundeswehr, it is urgently looking for new recruits. This is particularly clear in the story of 20-year-old Milena from Königs Wusterhausen, who decided to serve for four years. She is one of the few women in the Bundeswehr and consciously decided against studying in order to take on practical tasks in IT Battalion 381. Moz.de reports that the proportion of women in the Bundeswehr is only 13% and Milena is therefore an exception in her company.

Milena entered voluntary military service in 2023, which was originally scheduled to last 11 months, but was soon extended to 23 months. Her four-year contract followed in May 2025. She describes the war in Europe and the increased rearmament as the background to her decision, but emphasizes that her motivation lies primarily in the professional opportunities that the service offers her. Your company is responsible for communications during battles, and recent exercises have featured realistic drone alerts to prepare soldiers for the challenges of an emergency.

Increasing recruitment and the focus on women

The focus on recruiting new soldiers has led the Bundeswehr to break new ground. According to ZDF, applications for the Bundeswehr in 2024 increased by almost 20% compared to the previous year, showing that young people are increasingly interested in military service. There have already been 43,195 applications in 2023, an increase of 18.5%. The increase in female applicants is particularly noticeable: around 1,000 more women than last year have expressed their interest, with a total of 8,200 female applications, which now make up 16% of the total.

But despite this positive development, there are also challenges. The proportion of women in the entire force remains low, especially compared to the Bundeswehr's desired goals, which is aiming for a military personnel strength of 203,000 by 2031. Finally, in 2024, the Bundeswehr had 181,174 active soldiers – a decrease compared to the previous year. Spiegel reports that this is due, among other things, to the slow retirement of experienced soldiers for reasons of age.

Focus on future and training

Milena already has her plans for the future in mind. After she finishes her service, she wants to become a sergeant and plans to continue her career in the Bundeswehr. She values ​​the camaraderie and time she gets to spend with her fellow soldiers in the barracks. However, training is not always perceived as easy: in 2023, around 5,100 soldiers dropped out of training during the probationary period.

The Bundeswehr is faced with the challenge of offering young people attractive prospects. This is attempted, among other things, through personalized advertising and increased outreach via social media campaigns. The reintroduction of compulsory military service is also frequently mentioned in the current discussion, which could show that the Bundeswehr is seriously interested in attracting young talent and making the service more accessible to everyone.

If the positive recruitment trends continue, the hearts of many young people like Milenas could beat in the Bundeswehr, who are ready to make an active contribution to the security of their country.