The retirement age of the Belgian soldiers will be gradually brought to 67 years

If he plans to accelerate the increase in the defense budget by bringing its level to 2 % of GDP in 2029, the program of the Belgian government coalition “Arizona”, which has just taken up, also plans to increase the military numbers, these having to go from 26,000 [en 2021] At 29,100 in 2030. In addition, it is a question of setting up an “improved, strong and deployable reserve”, equipped with “quality equipment”.
Thus, the new government wishes to create a “combat reserve, integrated into active service units, fully equipped and well trained” as well as a “territorial defense”, responsible for securing sensitive sites.
No doubt this increased appeal to reservists will allow the Belgian defense to have young personnel … which is the concern of all the armies. Because, at the same time, the age pyramid of its career soldiers is likely to be reversed.
Indeed, the Arizona government agreement plans to gradually bear the retirement age of Belgian soldiers aged 56 to 67, as for the entire active population.
Such a measure thus purses the imperative of youth while being likely to reduce the attractiveness of careers within the Belgian defense, by calling into question the need to compensate for the subjugations specific to the profession of weapons [rémunérations plus faibles que dans le civil, impératif de disponibilité, etc.].
And this while the Arizona program claims to want to put “staff at the heart of the defense”, the latter having to become an “attractive employer, in constructive consultation with the social partners”.
Precisely, when this project to take up the retirement age of the military was mentioned, last October, the Belgian command had not hidden its reluctance, even its opposition.
“Defense includes societal expectations. But she believes that in the state, this project would bring dramatic damage to the rejuvenation and renewal of the army staff, “he said, in an internal note mentioned by VRT NWS.
“It seems essential to avoid introducing uncertainty and dissatisfaction by modifying the pension regime without taking into account the specificities of the defense and our profession, nor the possible harmful consequences on the transformation and operationality of The defense, ”explained General Frédérik Vansina, the Belgian Chief of Staff.
What is more, such a measure would not save money, since older soldiers are “also those who have the most seniority and who will cost more to keep in service longer”, summed up the Belga news agency. Also, the additional net cost would be 2 billion euros.
In addition, she added, it “would only extend 300 soldiers per year. Military who are statistically a little more often sick and are entitled to more leave, which further reduces the net gain in additional soldiers ”.
Finally, such a reform would be likely to generate demotivation among the military of the active. “If the defense benefits from the same retirement conditions, even employment, that in the private sector, then it must be assumed that the abandonment rate will also evolve towards that of the private sector, from 2 % today to 11 %” , had estimated VRT NWS last December.
“We already note that more than a hundred of these soldiers have resigned to preserve their current retirement rights. For the moment, we can keep them ‘internally’ with temporary contracts, “said an officer to him. And to add: “They are now waiting to see what is going on, but they can quickly leave if the conditions are less good than in the private sector”. Here they are now fixed.
Photo: Belgian defense