[Schroeder]

Originally Posted by UnderseaLcpl

Like Schroeder, I see as being one of the soldier. Soldiers in the US are typically drawn from the ranks of those who have nowhere else to go, though there is a nice fraction that is in the service because they want to be in the service. The pay is lousy, and there really isn't much in the way of incentive for the common soldier i.e. little chance for meaningful advancement. It doesn't matter if you're the best soldier in your grade or not, you can't be promoted simply because of ability except in rare circumstances (due to billets for ranks and MOS) The whole system is entirely too stratified, IMO.

However, I also see the problem as being one that conscription policy has created. The US has an all-volunteer force, so presumably the recruits have at least some desire to perform to start with.

Yep, as you said , a lot have no where else to go. From what I've heard even criminals are now taken in the US army because you can't fill your ranks with other volunteers (I'm not sure whether that is true, but I believe I've read something about that a couple of years back). Those are exactly not the people I want in the armed forces.

Not so with a conscription system, unless a wave of nationalist euphoria is sweeping Germany (not meant as a Nazi jab).

See above. In Germany you don't have to join the military if you don't want to. You can do an alternative civil service. So everyone who joins the armed forces could choose and chose the military.

but I think a move from conscription to an all-volunteer force would be good for the Bundeswehr.

From what I hear (boy, a lot of hearing but no real sources) all armies that went away from conscription have issues to fill their ranks, right? Even with conscription the Bundeswehr is short on GOOD people who want to become professional soldiers. A lot of the professional ones decided to become professionals during their draft time. Remove the draft and you remove also those people who would otherwise not have gotten into contact with the armed forces. You can guess how many good people they will get then.

It would cut down on unecessary troops and reduce the number of people who don't want to serve in the first place, leading to a general increase in morale and performance, even if still hamstrung by rigid military structure (not familiar with Bundeswehr organizational structure)

See above.

Perhaps not, but does the author really need to know what the helmets are made of or what the proper term for NBC equipment is? Screwing around is screwing around. We used to play tag with the guy was "it" in full MOPP gear. Call it a hazmat suit if you want but we're still playing tag.

No, but it indicates that the author is not an insider and so one should take everything he writes with a grain of salt.

If the Bundeswehr has time for sleeping-bag races, I can't imagine the level of unseen crap that is going on.

Oh come on, even my grandfather told me about some stupid things they have done when he was a soldier during WWII. Soldiers do stupid things in their spare time.

Presumably, the draftees are already being payed and already have equipment, so I'm sure there is plenty that they could be doing.

Yes, they have their personal equipment. But your rifle has to last for roughly 35-40 years before it gets replaced.
We were lucky to be the first ones getting G36 rifles. The guys before us had 35 years old G3s. You see, if your stuff has to last longer than a nightmare of Bill Clinton in your bed, then you are reluctant to send your troops out for extra exercising (our Marder IFV are about 35 years old by now too btw. They will get replaced in a few years though...if anything works according to plan....which actually said that they should have been replaced two years ago...).

If nothing else, they could be training, training, training, and when they get done they can go train some more. There is absolutely no reason why every conscript in the Bundeswehr should not be a crack shot(even if they don't have ammunition), an expert on his specialty, and a capable squad leader.

I'm afraid I don't know what a crack shot is but you can forget about becoming a squad leader in 9 months in the Bundeswehr. An expert in his speciality? How do you become an expert in aiming a mortar if you can't fire the damn thing a few times? How do you become an expert in driving an IFV if you don't get fuel for driving it frequently? Etc.

Physical fitness is the only thing I can see them getting for free (even the Bundeswehr can afford new sport shoes).