Blackbox Bundeswehr

Former paratrooper Achim Wohlgethan works as a field representative for the German Armed Forces Association and is deployed almost daily at Bundeswehr facilities across half of Germany. He is familiar with the concerns and struggles of soldiers, the problems, deficiencies, entrenched structures, and political mistakes from firsthand experience. His analysis reveals what is amiss within the troops and in various operational areas, the leadership culture, and the commitment of politics, explaining why we cannot feel secure and well-defended with this Bundeswehr. 100 billion is just a drop in the bucket, especially as the challenges of the new threat landscape and international responsibilities within NATO will increasingly demand more from the Bundeswehr in the future. Achim Wohlgethan describes the failures of politics, issues in recruiting new personnel, and the disastrous treatment of veterans. He calculates the true costs of a capable Bundeswehr and provides politics with a constructive to-do list.