Procreation. Long term it's less worse if it's half the men that get shot

The german constitution's article 12a has a clause on drafting women for work in field hospitals, but also explicitly states they can't be forced into combat roles.

It's a demographic problem where the young feel fucked over by the old. The old are the electorate and the young always get the shit end of the stick.

They won't afford anything ever, please pay boomers pension oh and please die for your country.

Some of the older, really damaged boomers I've known in my life are pro forced military service at 18. They think it will harden the youth because either they were forced into it ir they don't understand that their trauma damaged them, it made them compassionless, not stronger/better.

Well I guess some people know a bit of history. It's hard to stay a free country without a military

what do you mean?

They are actively recruiting 18 year olds, who then can throw the recruiting letter away.

You could do voluntary serve this entire time.before that it was conscription

If they don't have compulsory service, and voluntary service is new this year, how have they had any military at all?

It's certainly a weird wording. Maybe German terminology and doesn't translate well?

From reading the article and the linked article from there it seems like the idea is to get a conscription program in place but the first conscripts will be those who willingly joined. Then with the program in place they can move to "real" conscription. Maybe?

even 10 years ago I'd side with students as there was no imminent danger to necessitate military service. Today, however, is a different story: russia is unpredictable and war in Ukraine can spill over into the rest of Europe (just watch russian TV with calls to reduce Berlin to ashes, etc.). China is flexing it's muscle and US on on the colony snatching spree itself. At this point Sovereignty lasts as long as you have sufficient armed forces to back it up.