Military Encouraged to Improve Efficiency, Reduce 'Red Tape' by Federal Audit Office - Bundeswehr, boost efficiency and clarity, advisory issued by Court of Auditors.
The Federal Audit Office (Bundesrechnungshof) has issued a report urging increased efficiency and a reduction in administrative tasks within the Bundeswehr in order to enhance its defense capabilities.
Kay Scheller, Auditor General, stressed the necessity for the Bundeswehr to handle financial resources responsibly due to the eased borrowing limits. The main objective, according to Scheller, is to "significantly increase the impact of defense spending." Achieving this requires the Bundeswehr to "re-prioritize" and "separate defense-critical from less important tasks."
Scheller emphasized the need for more combat-ready troops and less administrative overhead. Widespread changes in organization and personnel are deemed necessary to make the Bundeswehr more capable of fulfilling its core mission with more troops. The personnel shortage within the troops necessitates freeing up more soldiers for the military's core mission.
The Federal Audit Office takes a critical view of the emphasis on personnel retention as a solution to the personnel shortages. This approach, such as the permanent hiring of conscripts, is criticized for increasing the average age of the troops and shifting tasks towards administrative specialties.
Many soldiers are currently engaged in civilian administrative tasks, leaving them unavailable for military tasks. Such tasks could often be performed by civilian employees, according to the report. The Federal Audit Office recommends hiring more conscripts and reducing the proportion of professional soldiers.
Urging a comprehensive review of the Bundeswehr's tasks that reflects the changed security situation, the Federal Audit Office calls for the same determination shown by politics in funding to be demonstrated in these reforms. However, the structural change is barely recognizable, with only "cosmetic" changes, according to the report.
"Financial resources alone do not help much with organization and personnel," warned Scheller. The Bundeswehr and the federal government must carefully justify their financial needs and "strive for a balance between the factors time, cost, and quality." This includes appropriate cost-benefit analyses and addressing anticipated price increases through "sophisticated contract design." Control and monitoring instruments must ensure the impact of the money spent can be traced.
The Federal Audit Office warned that the relaxation of the debt rule had its consequences. Debt incurs interest, and this will put an even greater strain on the federal budget in the future, reducing the room for maneuver for politics and especially for younger generations. The federal government should not permanently and unlimitedly take out loans for defense spending, Scheller advised.
In summary, the Federal Audit Office calls for the Bundeswehr to focus on:
- Efficient use of increased financial resources with careful planning and task prioritization,
- Structural reforms to reduce administrative overhead and increase military personnel focused on operational readiness,
- Eliminating unnecessary personnel and non-defense expenditures from the defense budget,
- And sustainable financial management despite the relaxation of the debt rule.
These measures aim to increase the Bundeswehr’s efficiency and effectiveness while managing resources prudently in line with Germany’s defense priorities and economic constraints.
- The Federal Audit Office suggests that vocational training should be utilized to equip more soldiers with the skills needed for operational readiness, in order to reduce administrative tasks and increase the efficiency of the Bundeswehr.
- In the pursuit of balancing the factors time, cost, and quality, the Federal Audit Office recommends vocational training programs for soldiers, aimed at improving their competencies and reducing the reliance on civilian employees for non-military tasks.
