52 new recruits were sworn into the Luxembourg Army at a ceremony in Diekirch on Friday, as military leaders outlined the challenges of training and the need for enhanced national defence. Colonel Schoeben, who oversaw the ceremony, emphasised that successful integration into the army requires “the right character”. He further explained the vetting process, in which cadre must assess a candidate’s trustworthiness and, above all, loyalty.
The commander provided figures on the latest training cycle, noting that of 79 individuals who began, 70% completed basic training, – a result he described as “within the norm – not exceptionally good but also not disastrously bad”. However, he acknowledged a high attrition rate, with 12 recruits from the previous week’s intake having already quit.
In total, 15 left training early and 12 others failed to complete it, which the colonel stated was “a lot”. He attributed the primary cause of failure to a “lack of character”, noting it was “peculiar” that some volunteers sought to leave as early as their first or second day.
In her address, Defence Minister Yuriko Backes stressed the imperative to ready the army for future challenges. Citing the current geostrategic situation in Europe, she argued that expanding military capacity and enhancing the appeal of military careers are essential. To that end, she highlighted a draft bill to raise soldiers’ wages by at least €530 per month, increase the mobilisation bonus, and ensure faster wage progression.
Minister Backes linked these measures to broader NATO ambitions, stating the alliance is gearing up for “a new era of dissuasion and collective defence”. She further asserted that NATO “has to become more European, if we want to keep NATO with the transatlantic link”.
While acknowledging the significant cost, including for Luxembourg, she defended the investment as a necessary price for peace, concluding that a strong military is “not a luxury, but today more than ever an absolute necessity”.
