The Federal Government plans to remove the maximum age limit for reservists in the army, according to various media reports.
It comes as Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA) aims to increase the number of military reservists from 6,000 to 20,000, Het Nieuwsblad, Gazet van Antwerpen, and De Standaard reported on Wednesday.
Currently, candidates face strict age limits. Reservists aspiring to join the infantry or serve as sailors cannot be older than 34, while officer recruits must be under 50.
Reservists can continue working in their civilian professions, except for a few weeks per year when they serve the Defence forces after undergoing intensive military training.
Volunteers may join infantry units if they are in "excellent" physical condition or contribute to the army in roles such as cooks, sailors, physiotherapists, cybersecurity experts, doctors, or nurses.
"We lose a significant amount of potential due to these rigid standards. We will eliminate them," said MP Peter Buysrogge (N-VA), chair of the Defence Commission in Parliament.
The only remaining age restriction will be linked to retirement age.
