Last year, four out of ten candidates did not successfully complete their training within the Defence Ministry, according to Het Nieuwsblad.
Despite sometimes having up to four candidates for a single vacancy, Defence Chief General Frederik Vansina noted that many recruits fail to finish their training.
The military union ACMP-CGPM highlighted issues with dilapidated barracks and inexperienced, unmotivated instructors.
Union President Yves Huwart mentioned that young recruits often arrive with unrealistic expectations, partly due to promotional videos.
“No, in Defence, you won’t regularly be descending from a helicopter with a rope,” Huwart stated.
The Defence Ministry has already made efforts to improve training support.
These efforts include better infrastructure, extending basic training from nine to ten weeks, and providing recruits with more time to improve their physical condition.
The Defence Minister Theo Francken’s office reported that dropout rates have since reduced to around 35%.
