A Defense document warns of future problems for military recruitment

Analyzes the operating environment for the year 2035 and the changes that the Armed Forces will have to face

MADRID, 11 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

A document from the Ministry of Defense warns of the difficulties that the Armed Forces may encounter in the next decade for the recruitment of new soldiers, as well as for their retention due to competition with the civilian labor market.

This is included in the report 'Operating Environment 2035', written by CESEDEN and prefaced by the Defense Chief of Staff himself, Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón. This document, collected by Europa Press, is in charge of analyzing the context in which the Armed Forces will have to operate in the year 2035 and the changes that they will have to undertake to be prepared for this new scenario.

One of the focuses puts it on the personnel, who considers that it will continue to be a priority for the Armies despite technological developments, and calls for measures to be taken to avoid recruitment and retention problems. The document attributes this alert to two causes: the sharp demographic decline and the sociological evolution of Spanish society.

One of the solutions that he proposes is "the expansion and improvement" of the possibilities of temporary links with the Armed Forces, coordinating an improvement of the current model of voluntary reservists with the outsourcing of services that can be assumed by civilians.

As he assumes, competition in the labor market for personnel resources will be difficult, so one of the biggest challenges in the future will be "attracting and retaining increasingly analytical and technical personnel, with high capacities."

In order to compete in this field with the civilian market, it warns that an improvement in the socioeconomic conditions of the military, offering quality training, the reconciliation of family life and their quality of life will be decisive.

In the event that these objectives are not achieved, it warns that the Armed Forces run the risk of training specialized technicians who later feed the civil demand, "neglecting the needs of the defense."

It also puts on the table the need to "optimize the number and distribution of military personnel" to achieve a "balanced and flexible" distribution in the different specialties and tasks necessary in the future.

In fact, it indicates that in the face of the traditional trend towards "generalism", the future will require "diversification and specialization" of the career profiles of the military, managing talent according to their competencies.

In addition, it warns of the need to reinforce counterintelligence in the Armed Forces, since the military are a priority target of disinformation and recruitment efforts "by hostile elements", with more intensity than the average citizen.

Within its operational structure, it emphasizes the promotion of "new leadership" that combines traditional characteristics with others aimed at continuous adaptation. "It will be necessary to continue insisting on achieving high moral qualities, high levels of commitment, motivation, excellence, discipline, high availability and adequate physical capacity", he details.

The document stresses that the changes in the operating environment for the Armed Forces will come about above all due to the new forms of action carried out in cyberspace, in the field of information and in outer space; added to combat the network, disruptive technologies or the renewal of military equipment.

All this, he points out, offers "numerous opportunities", but at the same time increases the degree of uncertainty, forcing a greater prospective effort "to avoid errors as much as possible". "A constantly changing environment, at an increasing rate, forces the continuous adaptability of the Joint Force," she notes.

In any case, it underlines a premise: "the essence of the war has not changed, nor will the constant commitment of the Armed Forces to the present and future of Spain."