As Europe's fear of war grows, French join military reserves

Law school did not teach Constance how to march, identify radio call signs or lie belly down on warm concrete, pointing her rifle at an imaginary enemy. Instead, the Sorbonne University student got her military primer from a Paris-area regiment, during the summer break.

"I think it's really important to protect our country — especially in the very complicated context we're going through," said the second-year law student of her two-week initiation into the military reserves. At the French army's request, her last name and those of others in the story are not being published.

"I think the army is the best way to know how to work together," she added.

More than two decades after France ended compulsory military service, tens of thousands of French are now applying for the reserves, hoping for a chance to serve their country, at least part time. The number of operational reservists has soared over the past decade, from just 28,000 in 2014, to more than 46,000 today. The army has absorbed more than half of them, with the rest roughly split between the navy and the air force.

Macron boosting military investment
By 2035, the government wants to more than double those numbers — to 105,000 reservists, or about one for every two active servicemen/women — and offer new opportunities for young people to volunteer. That goal falls in line with President Emmanuel Macron's plans to sharply boost investment in the military, to reach €64 billion ($75 billion) in 2027, twice the level of 2017, when he took office.

Backdropping the uptick, and mirroring similar European efforts, is growing alarm over an increasingly aggressive Russia — and doubts whether the United States under President Donald Trump will come to Europe's defense.

"Never...has our freedom been so threatened," Macron said in a televised address in July. "We need to accelerate efforts for our reserve. We need to give youth a new framework to serve."

Retired French Vice-Admiral Patrick Chevallereau called Macron's push "a good move" — even though he cautioned the government's overall budget must still get through French parliament.

"Not only do we need more people," added Chevallereau, now an analyst for the Royal United Services Institute, the London-based defense and security think tank, "but we need more specialized people in certain key domains" including drones and information technology.

Rigorous training at Versailles
The task of training the new reservists falls to places like the 24th Infantry Regiment in Versailles, located in a sprawling military neighborhood about 4 kilometers from the famous chateau.

"Some want to discover the military world and see whether they want to join full-time," said Lt. Amelie, who headed the latest training session. "Some come because of the challenge of adapting to another world, or because it's too late to join the active military."

Like most members of the 24th Infantry, Amelie is a reservist herself; she works as a customs officer in her civilian life. She spent her summer overseeing an intense, two-week primer on army life.

Aged 17-57, her 51 recruits spend marathon days in training, waking up at 6 a.m. and often going to bed at midnight.

"They're learning to use and carry their weapons safely, march together, how to use a compass and communication equipment," Amelie said of the trainees, ticking off some of the requirements of this initial boot camp. "We work on all the combat techniques the regiment uses."

On a recent morning, the group marched and sang in cadence, practiced manipulating their rifles and, later, went through live-fire training in a bunker-like building.

"The training is really rigorous," said Constance, the law student, who added she knows other Sorbonne University students who have also gone through it. "We don't have the same age, the same jobs, the same studies, but we learn how to work together."

Like Constance, 23-year-old engineer Gabriel applied for the reserves because he is worried about his country's future. "As a soldier, I am not going to comment on the political or ideological component," he said, echoing other reservists who declined to discuss Russia's threat openly. "But war is at the border of Europe, and it's a signal for us to step up."

Another wake-up call for the young engineer was the 2015 Bataclan terrorist attack in Paris.

"Something clicked inside me," Gabriel said. "I realized the peaceful time I'd known and grew up with was gone. And I thought, 'I'm going to step up and do my part.'"

Efforts to beef up military manpower are happening elsewhere in Europe, as the region races to respond to growing security concerns. A report earlier this year by think tanks Bruegel and Germany's Kiel Institute estimated Europe could need 300,000 more troops in the short term to deter Russian aggression, without US support.

More European countries stepping up
Some countries have already stepped up. Over the past decade, Lithuania, Sweden and Latvia have reintroduced compulsory service. Poland has announced plans to offer military training to 100,000 civilians yearly. Germany is also on a recruitment drive, and — with the initial response underwhelming — Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has warned that conscription may be reinstated if too few people volunteer.

In France, by contrast, polls suggest strong support for growing the military. An IPSOS-CESI survey earlier this year showed 86% of French people backed armed service; more than half approved of mandatory service. Another poll found half of young French respondents were ready to join the army, if there was war.

"I think that people understand that they may have to protect what they cherish," said defense analyst Chevallereau. "The increase of the military reserve can be a way to reinforce the link between the young generation and the military."

Founded in the 17th century, Versailles' 24th Regiment has said it is getting a wave of applications for its training sessions. For every 100 candidates, just 40 are selected. Those who graduate can eventually spend up to 60 or more days a year serving in the reserve. The pay for a reservist is modest — ranging from €40 to €200 net daily, depending on the grade.

Not everyone makes it through even basic training. Of the initial 61 selected for the 24th Regiment's latest session, 10 dropped out. "Some dropped out at the beginning of the mission, because they didn't have time," said trainer Amelie. "Others realized it wasn't for them, once they had weapons in their hands."

After graduation, her group will spend months undergoing further training. Once they are deemed ready, many will likely join countrywide patrols under Operation Sentinelle, a security operation launched after the 2015 terrorist attacks in France — and which provided security for last year's Olympic Games. Those with special qualifications might also be deployed overseas.

Another trainee, Betrand, a father of two, has signed up for five years in the reserves after he finishes his training. In his 30s, he recalled learning about the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York.

"We've also had terrible attacks in France," he said. "I thought it was my duty as a father to defend my country."

As a municipal employee in a town outside of Paris, Betrand believes he's already serving his nation as a civilian. "Now," he added, "I'll be serving it as a combatant."