On January 20, the platform “Wehrhaftes Österreich” (Armed Forces Austria) invites you to an event under the motto “70 Years of the Armed Forces: Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.” for the twelfth time on the Day of Conscription (-> Review of the day of compulsory military service 2024). In the run-up to the event, we spoke to Brigadier Erich Cibulka, President of the Officers’ Association and Chairman of the umbrella organization of Austrian military policy associations, about the central importance of compulsory military service for the Austrian Armed Forces – and the return to military service in other countries.
Mr. Brigadier, why do we need a day of compulsory military service?
The Day of Compulsory Military Service commemorates the referendum in January 2013, which was held in Austria to decide whether to retain compulsory military service. Immediately afterwards, however, there was concern that the decision might only be a snapshot. In view of the way in which the discussions surrounding the referendum were conducted, there seemed to be no certainty as to whether what we understand by compulsory military service is also secure in the long term. These fears quickly proved to be true. Basic military service was retained, but not compulsory military service.
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What do you mean in concrete terms?
In our view, compulsory military service includes both basic military service and mandatory military exercises – a goal that we are currently a long way from achieving. In order to change this, we in the umbrella organization have set ourselves three central goals, all of which are also enshrined in the Federal Constitution: Firstly, the preservation and strengthening of compulsory military service; secondly, the orientation of the Austrian Armed Forces according to the principle of a militia system; and thirdly, the revival of comprehensive national defense. We see it as our task to stand up for these three points. The Day of Conscription is a concrete measure to bring these issues to the attention of the public.
“In our view, compulsory military service includes both basic military service and mandatory military exercises – a goal that we are currently a long way from achieving.”
The referendum on conscription took place in 2013, just one year later Russia annexed Crimea and in February 2022 the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began(-> current news from the Ukraine war). Since then, many countries have been considering reintroducing compulsory military service or have already taken this step. Do you see this as a late confirmation of the outcome of the referendum in Austria?
Absolutely. Especially because many political and military decision-makers told the population at the time that it was imperative to follow international examples and that compulsory military service was no longer needed anyway. If the worst came to the worst, there was a ten-year warning period to prepare for an emergency. This warning period should have started back then, but it did not. On the contrary, in the autumn of 2014 – just a few months after the annexation of Crimea – the biggest cutback in the history of the Austrian Armed Forces took place under Defense Minister Gerald Klug. Today, it is not only the Scandinavian countries that have returned to compulsory military service, Germany is also giving intensive consideration (-> Germans want compulsory military service back). And this is no longer just about compulsory military service for men, but for both sexes.
Baltische Verteidigungsminister: „Ukraine kämpft auch für uns“
What role does compulsory military service play today for the security and operational readiness of the Austrian Armed Forces?
Without compulsory military service, there is no armed forces and no security. The importance of compulsory military service can therefore not be overestimated. However, I would like to emphasize once again at this point that conscription includes not only basic military service, but also compulsory militia exercises. This is the only way we will be able to achieve the goal of having combat-ready armed forces and why, in light of the geopolitical developments of recent years, the war in Ukraine and the hybrid war throughout Europe, they have not been reintroduced long ago is beyond my understanding. The gap between military aspirations and reality is widening with each passing day, because more experienced militia soldiers are retiring for reasons of age than are signing up voluntarily
“Hybrid warfare takes place over long distances, and we see every day that this war has long been a reality and continues to escalate.”
How can we have an open and realistic debate in Austria about the reintroduction of mandatory militia exercises and ensure that the measure is also supported politically and socially?
My appeal to politicians is that we must take a realistic view of geopolitical developments and draw equally realistic and honest conclusions from them. In the Baltic region, such issues are discussed with complete openness. There, people accept state measures that may affect their own prosperity but safeguard national sovereignty. In this country, there is no lack of knowledge or experts who warn – but the danger is often played down, combined with the assumption that no one will invade us because we are neutral. This is not about physical border violations. Hybrid warfare takes place over long distances, and we see every day that this war has long been a reality and continues to escalate. Protection against it begins with a clear awareness of this threat – and with the reintroduction of mandatory militia exercises. In matters of defense policy, a red-white-red solidarity across all party lines would do us a lot of good.
Here for more army news and here to the other articles in our “5 questions to” series.
