During an appearance on RTL Radio on Wednesday morning, outgoing Luxembourg Army Chief of Staff General Steve Thull discussed current defence matters, including the situation with Iran.
General Thull acknowledged that Luxembourg does not need to fear any direct consequences from the conflict. However, he pointed out that the current multitude of international crises means the army must increase its operational capacity to uphold its solidarity commitments to allies.
Thull conceded that a small country like Luxembourg can never match the military strength of larger nations, which will always be the ones to set the strategic direction. Nonetheless, he stressed that Luxembourg has its own values to defend. To that end, the army is being strengthened to make a credible solidarity effort towards its allies and to meet new NATO targets. He cautioned that this process takes time, citing the long delivery times for ordered equipment, such as air defence missiles, which can take years to arrive.
A key part of this strengthening process involves increasing the army’s personnel. General Thull stated that while recent political decisions are a step in the right direction, they remain insufficient. He referenced the recent parliamentary approval of the RICO bill, which introduces new regulations for leave and allowances for soldiers, particularly those deployed abroad for training or operations.
Previously, the system led to a disproportionate number of personnel being on leave after exercises, often leaving barracks nearly empty. For instance, a soldier deployed abroad for four weeks was previously granted six weeks of recovery time upon return. Under the new rules, this has been reduced to three weeks. General Thull noted that he personally advocated for this change to ensure the army remains operational.
The General also addressed the challenge of balancing military demands with modern societal expectations. He observed that with both parents typically working and childcare needs to consider, the requirement for younger soldiers to participate in exercises abroad for several weeks a year creates difficulties. Troops can be deployed on missions for up to six weeks, a situation he described as “genuinely complicated” and for which he admitted he does not have an easy solution.
When asked if the army requires a status separate from that of the civil service, General Thull confirmed this is necessary. He explained that the army currently operates largely under the same rules as state civil servants, a framework that does not provide the flexibility the institution needs.
General Thull is set to retire in October and will be succeeded by Claude Robinet. He noted that his successor will be tasked with overseeing the implementation of Luxembourg’s commitments to NATO.
