Belgium’s armed forces recruited nearly 3,000 professional soldiers in 2025, marking the country’s strongest military intake in five years, according to new figures obtained by MP

Axel Weydts from Defence Minister Theo Francken.

The Belgian military enlisted 2,993 professional personnel last year, compared with 2,789 recruits in 2021. The sharpest increases were recorded among officers and non-commissioned officers, reflecting growing interest in long-term military careers.

Officer recruitment climbed from 352 in 2021 to 509 in 2025, while the number of non-commissioned officers rose from 1,017 to 1,181. Volunteer enlistments, however, declined slightly over the same period.

The armed forces also brought in around 800 reservists in 2025 — nearly double the number recruited four years earlier. Reservists typically combine civilian work or studies with part-time military service.

Women are increasingly joining the ranks as well, particularly in senior positions. Recruitment of female officers has risen by almost 58% since 2021, underscoring efforts to diversify the military workforce.

Belgian defence officials attribute the rise in recruitment to heightened international security concerns and increased defence spending across Europe, which have boosted the appeal of military careers.

Weydts, a former army officer, said the figures demonstrate that “many committed Belgians see their future in Defence.”

He added that the military is seeking candidates for a broad range of roles beyond frontline combat, including engineers, technical specialists and IT professionals. Photo by Markus Rauchenberger, Wikimedia commons.