2023-12-16 14:39:16
Defense must have a full reserve of 3,500 people to strengthen active units and the defense of Belgian territory in a context of increased international tensions and war in Ukraine, the commander of the Land component said on Friday evening. — numerically the largest of the four in the Belgian army — Major General Jean-Pol Baugnée.
“Given the increase in the threat, what NATO and the European Union expect from us in terms of operational capabilities, but also the new missions assigned to Defense, we need a complete reserve of 3,500 soldiers,” he said during “Land Day”, an annual event organized by the Land component in Brussels. He was joined by the Chief of Staff of the French Army, Army General Pierre Schill, to illustrate the “strategic partnership”, which aims to re-equip the motorized units of two armies with equipment in all identical points.
The reserve soldiers are entrusted with numerous missions, such as supplementing (the numbers) of active units and the conduct of territorial operations, but also missions such as assisting the Nation in the event of a disaster, explained the “boss” of the Earth component.
The Belgian army currently has 6,500 reservists
According to figures provided to the Belga agency by Defense, the Belgian army currently has 6,500 reservists, including 1,200 “full-time”, 1,300 others serving a certain number of call-up days – without being able to be fully committed – and 800 candidates reservists are in training, alongside 3,200 reservists who do not provide any services.
General Baugnée, in order to achieve the recruitment objectives of reservists, also pleaded for the establishment by the Ministry of Defense of an “attractive status for the reserve” – which constituted, at the time of the Cold War and of conscription, a vast reservoir of forces.
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