20 years since the end of conscription: Has the professional Czech army lived up to expectations?
On November 4th 2004, the Czech Senate approved the end of compulsory military service. Thousands of young men across the country were relieved. After years of worrying about getting their draft orders, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Bullying, bossing about, two years of life lost: for many young men, military service was a nightmare. The blue booklet, which exempted individuals from service, was a highly prized item. That all changed at the end of 2004. On November 4th, the Senate approved a new law, and on November 18th, President Klaus signed it, and so young people could go celebrate.
Compulsory military service was established in Czechoslovakia in 1920. At that time, men went to war for fourteen months. From 1933, in connection with Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the security situation in Europe, it lasted up to two years. The two-year service lasted until 1990, and the normal age of entry was at eighteen years old, or after high school.
From 1990, basic service was gradually shortened, and the option to undertake some form of civic service instead was also enacted. From 1993, military service was only for one year.
Compulsory military service ended definitively on January 1st, 2005, and the the Czech army became entirely professional.
A return to compulsory military service?
Russian aggression in Ukraine and the generally worsening security situation in Europe have stirred up the debate in a number of countries about whether to return to compulsory military service. The governments of Sweden (2018), Lithuania (back in 2015), Georgia and Latvia have already decided to reintroduce compulsory service.
It is being discussed in Poland (which introduced a new system of ‘paid voluntary general military service’ in March 2022), Germany, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, and for many years in France as well, where one option being considered is monthly training for all citizens in aged 15 to 17. The Netherlands still has military service on a voluntary basis, but a change to compulsory service is under consideration.
How is the Czech army doing?
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The Czech army has several professional formations, including units that have completed difficult foreign missions, in which they won the recognition of their colleagues from NATO. Despite a strong recruitment campaign, the army has not yet come close to fulfilling the desired goal of 30,000 professional soldiers and 10,000 active reserve soldiers. This year, at the beginning of September, the Czech Republic had less than 28,000 professional soldiers, and there are another 4,271 people in active reserves.
