Civil Service: Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund calls for more extensive service

The Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB), a German rescue service organization, has called for a more comprehensive civil service program should Germany reinstate mandatory military service. Knut Fleckenstein, the federal chairman of ASB, told the Funke Mediengruppe newspapers that a civil service should last at least nine, preferably twelve months. This extended duration, he argued, would allow young people to acquire skills and develop a connection to their duties.

“

A civil service would have to be at least nine, preferably twelve months long, so that young people also have the chance to learn something and establish a connection to their task.

Fleckenstein also stressed the importance of a substantial qualifying component within the civil service. "Without real qualification and with a shorter duration, people are just serving their time, which is neither in their interest nor in ours," he stated. The ASB also proposed that individuals should have the freedom to choose their service placement and that previously completed voluntary service should be recognized.

While the ASB has had positive experiences with voluntary services and is not inherently a proponent of mandatory civil or alternative service, Fleckenstein indicated that the organization could employ around 2,000 conscripts if such a service were implemented. Establishing the necessary structures for this would take an estimated three to six months.

“

Without real qualification and with a shorter duration, people are just serving their time, which is neither in their interest nor in ours.

The German government is reportedly preparing for the potential reintroduction of a civil service. Thorsten Frei, the parliamentary group leader for the CDU, noted that preparations are underway for various scenarios should mandatory military service return. The plans are expected to be officially presented after the parliamentary summer break. Hermann Gröhe, president of the German Red Cross (DRK), highlighted the need for clear financing and sufficient preparation time, urging proactive planning for any new civil service to ensure adequate time for setup and reliable funding for host organizations.

“

If a new civil service is to come, then planning must be done now with foresight.