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Volkach (dpa / lby) - line up, march, shoot: 68 recruits have started the new voluntary military service in homeland security at the Bundeswehr location in Volkach, Lower Franconia.
The participants will initially undergo a seven-month military training, said Thomas Hambach, brigadier general and commander of the Bavarian command on Thursday.
The graduates then undertake to work as reservists for regional and local assignments as far as possible for five months.
They have six years to do this, for example to help fight pandemics, disasters or accidents.
The offer is intended to complement the already existing voluntary military service.
In addition to the location in Volkach in Lower Franconia (district of Kitzingen), seven more soldiers will be trained for basic training in Bavaria in the Upper Palatinate town of Kümmersbruck (district of Amberg-Sulzbach) this quarter.
In the first year, 1000 women and men nationwide are to be trained as part of the “Your Year for Germany” program.
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Welfare associations criticize that the new voluntary military service in homeland security is a well-paid competition to a voluntary social year (FSJ), voluntary ecological year (FÖJ) or federal volunteer service (BFD).
"We have been working in vain for years to ensure that the volunteers in the FSJ and BFD receive more recognition and benefits," said Margit Berndl, Chairman of the Paritätische in Bavaria.
"The new" voluntary service "of the Bundeswehr shows once again that social activities are of less value in our society."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210422-99-311608 / 2
Bundeswehr on voluntary military service in homeland security
Federal government on voluntary military service in homeland security