German kids turn to army

– When Marlon finished high school in Germany, a military career seemed far more appealing than working on a car production line.

So, a few months before he turned 18, he joined the German army, becoming one of more than 10 000 minors to sign up since mandatory military service ended in 2011.

“I wanted to get to know my own limits, to see how far I can go,” Marlon, who asked for his last name not be used, said at a base in Viereck, near the Polish border in northeastern Germany.

The German military, or Bundeswehr, has dramatically stepped up its recruitment efforts following Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

In 2017, Germany said it would increase the size of its armed forces from 179 000 to 198 000 active soldiers by 2024.

Pressure on Berlin to beef up its military mounted again in July when US President Donald Trump told a Nato summit Washington could withdraw support for the alliance if Europe did not boost military spending.

To help attract new recruits, the military has targeted youngsters with slick online video campaigns, drawing criticism from some left-wing politicians and child welfare advocates. But the campaigns are paying off.

In 2017, 2 128 people under 18 joined the German army – up 11.4% from 2016 and accounting for 9% of new recruits.

With lively music and scenes showing the lives of young soldiers, the Bundeswehr’s shows on YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet, have attracted more than 64 million views.

The Bundeswehr Exclusive YouTube channel has 330 000 followers and its latest production portrays the lives of a group of young paratroopers. The army is also active on sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.