International symposium in Dresden: Reservists discuss security!

International symposium in Dresden: Reservists discuss security!

The first Reserve Forces Symposium for Defense and Security took place in Dresden from October 29th to November 2nd, 2025. This important event attracted participants from ten different nations and provided a forum to discuss current security policy issues. First Lieutenant of the Reserve Tassilo Schmitt-Fahnert represented the Lüneburg district group and was significantly involved in the organization in his role as chairman of the Germany-Finland reservist working group. Again Reservist Association reports, the symposium had the theme “Geopolitical Challenges in Eastern Europe and the Interoperability of Reserve Forces”.

The symposium began with a private tour through the picturesque streets of Dresden, where participants visited, among other things, the impressive Frauenkirche. The official welcome was given by Reserve Frigate Captain Sascha Rahn, supported by Colonel Jørn Buø, President of CIOR. This Saturday even more participants arrived, which significantly increased the number of visitors and made the event a complete success.

Lectures and discussions

The first lecture dealt with the sensitive topic of "Reintroducing prescription in Europe? Think twice - one model does not fit all", a discussion about service models in Europe and the ongoing conscription debate in Germany. This was followed by an exciting article about the military infrastructure and defense strategies in the Baltic states, entitled “Building the reserves on the NATO front: The baltic way”. These presentations stimulated lively discussions and encouraged participants to actively ask questions.

Another talk, “STARK on the frontline,” brought up defense start-up Stark’s innovative hunter-killer drone concept in the context of the Ukraine War. These topics proved relevant not only to the Bundeswehr, but also to the broader reserve community. At the end there was a panel discussion that summarized the key questions and challenges.

The last day of the symposium offered participants the opportunity to visit the Bundeswehr Military History Museum, which provided an interesting look into the history of the German armed forces. The exchange between Schmitt-Fahnert and his Finnish RAG colleague Kapteeni Pekka Sillanpää highlighted the relevance of international cooperation.

Outlook for the future

The positive feedback from participants suggests that the symposium was a complete success and plans are already being made for future events. The organizers have decided to hold the conference again next year in order to continue the discussions and open up new perspectives for the reserve forces.

The diversity of topics and international participation underline how important such forums are for exchange and cooperation on security policy issues. While geopolitical challenges continue to evolve, dialogue between nationalities and military structures remains of utmost importance.