Czech Army faces decline in reserve forces 20 years after ending conscription

Twenty years after the end of compulsory military service, the Czech army has more professional soldiers but faces a sharp decline in reservists. Ministry of Defense data shows over a million reservists, two-thirds over 45 years old, with 40,000 aging out annually. Army Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka warns recruitment struggles to replace departing trained personnel. The army aims for 30,000 professionals and 10,000 active reservists by 2030 but currently has 27,826 soldiers and 4,266 reservists. Řehka stresses the need for benefits to boost competitiveness, as the recruitment trend worsens.