Federal Delegates Meeting in Bonn: Reservist Association provides new impetus!

Federal Delegates Meeting in Bonn: Reservist Association provides new impetus!

The 23rd Federal Delegates Meeting (BDV) of the Reservist Association took place in Bonn on Friday afternoon, an important event that sets the course for the future of the association's work every two years. Colonel d.R. Prof. Dr. Patrick Sensburg welcomed the 158 delegates present in the former German Bundestag. The meeting officially begins on Saturday morning, but there was already a security policy classification on Friday that underlined the importance of the reservists.

In his speech, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized the important role of the reserve in the armed forces and announced that a new strategy will be developed by Easter 2026. This strategy should particularly focus on digital processes and regular exercises to improve cooperation between reservist forces and the military replacement system. The goal is to raise the availability of reservists to a new level.

Focus on security policy issues

A crucial issue was the integration of civilian qualifications of former soldiers into the Bundeswehr. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nicole Schilling reported on the recent Bundeswehr conference in Berlin and made it clear that a solution for so-called “refresher” courses was being sought. These courses are intended to help bridge the time gap between service and civilian professional life and thus make it easier to return to military life.

Schilling also informed that the areas in which the reserve can take on tasks independently are already being examined, starting with homeland security. This shows that the reservist association aims to play a clear role as an intermediary between civil society and the armed forces.

Applications and honors

On Saturday, delegates will be asked to vote on a variety of motions that affect all aspects of reservist work. This includes a new law to strengthen the reserve, which is currently being introduced in the Bundestag and addresses the double voluntary nature of reservist service. Currently, employers do not have to agree if their employees work as reservists for less than six weeks per year.

Deserving members were also honored at the meeting, including Thomas Erndl MdB, who was honored for his extensive services. Ulrich Meyer, who has been serving in the armed forces for 50 years, urged not to lose sight of reservists. At the opening, Bonn's mayor Guido Déus emphasized the city's close connection to the Bundeswehr.

North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst supplemented the statements by pointing out the need to support the Bundeswehr in many areas so that it can continue to count on a powerful reserve in the future.

The upcoming BDV promises not only a deep insight into the reserve's strategic orientations, but also a strong signal to society about the importance of reservists in today's world. With exciting proposals and a variety of honors, the meeting represents committed and future-oriented association work.