Defence to double workforce and launch voluntary service year
Belgium’s ministry of defence has announced ambitious plans to double its personnel force by 2035, alongside the introduction of a new voluntary military service year for young people. The announcements were made on Monday at the Heverlee barracks during the launch of the annual recruitment campaign.
Record recruitment drive for 2026
Next year, 4,800 vacancies will be opened, a new record. These include 2,800 jobs for military personnel, 1,050 for reservists and 960 for civilians. The army will recruit 1,338 military personnel, the air force 410 and the navy 178, while the medical service is seeking 164. Within ten years, the ministry aims to grow to 34,500 military personnel, 12,800 reservists and 8,500 civilians.
"We are going to make the Ministry of Defence strong and effective again," said defence minister Theo Francken (N-VA). "That means we need a lot of new people. Ambitions are high, but realistic. There is a lot of interest: on average, we have four applicants per vacancy."
To reach those targets, the defence department is seeking a wide range of profiles. "The days when you could only go to the military as a paratrooper are long gone," said Margot Van Waeyenberghe, head of recruitment communications. "We are looking for IT specialists, warehouse workers and technicians, but also psychologists, educators, prevention advisors and so on. We offer jobs for every field and every level of education."
The military has also been investing heavily in modern equipment, including MQ-9B 'Sky Guardian' drones, new anti-aircraft guns and incoming F-35 fighter jets. "Employees at the ministry of defence will be able to work with high-tech equipment, new vehicles and top-of-the-line infrastructure," Van Waeyenberghe said. A new Cyber Force will also be established next year, with recruits able to complete a Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity with financial support from the army.
Voluntary military service year in 2026
Alongside these recruitment efforts, a voluntary service year will be introduced in 2026. All 17-year-olds, about 130,000 young people, will receive a letter in November with information about the programme. In-person information sessions will follow in each province, along with digital sessions.
Applications open in January 2026, with 500 candidates between 18 and 25 selected to begin in September. Participants will earn a net salary of 2,000 euros per month and serve as reservists in security roles in the army, navy or air force. Another 1,000 places are planned for 2027, with numbers gradually increasing to a maximum of 7,000.
"We need a lot of new people at defence," Francken said. "A lot of new equipment is coming into the army: it needs to be operated. Those who want to can continue their careers within defence after their service year. Those who choose a different path will bring unique experience to the job market."
No return to mandatory service
He highlighted that the programme is not about reintroducing mandatory service. "Reintroducing mandatory military service for everyone isn't in the coalition agreement and isn't an option. The army can't handle it logistically either," he said, though he voiced support for a form of compulsory civilian service in the future.
At the same time, Francken said he hopes the initiative will help revive a sense of civic duty. "It's important for people to give something back to the country. That's only normal. We've all become a bit 'sluggish'. It's necessary to scale up again. You see it happening in all neighbouring countries, and it's a success almost everywhere. The mentality of many young people is positive."
© BELGA PHOTO POOL NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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