%elgian army critici]ed for plan to let homesick cadets sleep at home
%(L*,80 - The %elgian army has been critici]ed over plans to allow homesicN recruits to sleep at home rather in barracNs during their initial training as it deals with a major recruitment crisis.
The -strong army has suffered from a large number of recruits Tuitting early over complaints that they miss their friends and family. :ith a high attrition rate among older soldiers adding to the defense ministry’s woes the army is examining whether to lift its boarding reTuirements altogether for recruits. $lex Claesen a spoNesman for the ministry told the %elgian daily newspaper Het Nieuwsblad that the army was responding to modern lifestyles. “The army wants to include more free evenings where the recruit can leave the barracNs. The youngsters are still expected at the gate on Sunday or at the latest 0onday and are not allowed to go outside before )riday ´ he said. “:e are also looNing into extending the free weeNend by focusing more on the lessons. The army is even studying whether the boarding regime can be relaxed or even lifted. Then the recruits who live near the military school or the barracNs can go home in the evening.´ %elgium has come under criticism in recent years over its failure to live up to its 1ato commitment to spend of *'3 on defense. ,t currently spends . of which
goes on personnel and pension costs. The defense ministry has been on a major recruitment drive but it has been a hard sell because of pension reforms poor job prospects on leaving the army and a demand in recent years for soldiers to patrol the streets of %elgium’s major cities under the counterterrorism operation 9igilant *uardian.
'anny Lams a former paratrooper who chairs a veterans’ organi]ation representing 2stend and the areas bordering the 1etherlands nevertheless condemned the army’s plans to allow soldiers to sleep at home. “That’s how you grow a defense of nothing an army that you cannot count on. <ou do not go to a war ]one with men who miss their mama ´ he said. “:e used to sleep on the cold ground under a leaNy tarpaulin. :e wanted to serve our country. ,f you allow the recruits to go home during the weeN the military will soon asN for a mobile home if they are sent to the front.´ Some units patrolled the streets for about days out of last year. %elgium has personnel in $fghanistan protecting 0a]ar-i-Sharif airport in the north of the country. The army has women in its ranNs and men.
(The Guardian)