For the first time in the history of the republic, the militia had to be activated in 2020. Due to the pandemic, the borders must be monitored even more closely; the executive branch was overwhelmed. The federal army itself admits that it became clear that the alert and deployment were too slow. That must change in the coming years.
The federal army is currently looking for candidates for a new rapid response militia (ReakMilitia) among its nearly 40,000 militia soldiers. In the future, these ‘citizens in uniform’, who regularly train as soldiers in addition to their civilian jobs, will be on duty with the weapon for up to 30 days a year – and in that case they will have to report to the barracks within two days. of an alarm clock.
Help with Corona-like events
The future range of operations for the fast militia is diverse: rapid assistance in Corona-like events, natural disasters, but also protection of critical infrastructure in the event of a crisis. “With the deployment of a professionally trained reaction militia, our soldiers can strengthen the national armed forces within a few hours,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, commenting on the new association.
Advantages, …
To attract enough interested parties, the Federal Army offers a generous bonus for public service:
- Anyone who passes the aptitude test
- committed to three years and
- all practical days (maximum 30 per year) completed,
In addition to the normal salary, he receives a recognition bonus of 6,000 euros per year.
… but also duties
However, numerous new obligations also arise. In addition to the increased training need (see above), the soldiers of the reaction militia are particularly affected by the short service time. Wherever they are, whatever stage of life and career they are in, members of the response militia must be able to spring into action within 48 hours. And this for a maximum of three months in a row.
It is also important to meet at least the following performance parameters:
Anyone who can combine this with their job, family and themselves can now register their interest online at https://reactionsmiliz.bundesheer.at. The first exercises will start in March.
Numerous interested parties have already registered
The “Krone” asked around at one of the three locations (see graph above), the Jägerbataillon 12 in Amstetten, which will provide a complete Jäger company (4th JgKp/JgB12) for the reaction militia. After just three weeks, there were already more than 100 interested parties; Internally we expect a dropout rate of 25 percent due to sporting and medical reasons. The first exercises start in March. The training focuses on sports performance, self-defense, first aid, marksmanship and specific activities such as setting up and operating a checkpoint.
The aim is to be partially operational by the end of 2024 and fully operational by the end of 2025. Chief of the General Staff Rudolf Striedinger about the “Krone”: “The reaction militia will make the ÖBH faster and at the same time prove that the militia is an indispensable part of the Austrian armed forces.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
