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Between memorial commitment and desire to serve, more and more young people are turning to the army. Voluntary national service, which will be rolled out in September, attracts more candidates than available places, despite divided opinions on the international context and the prospect of military engagement.
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Flag bearer at 22 years old. Near Poitiers, Maddy Pontoizeau takes this role very seriously. For her, it is a form of commitment, she says: “We must not forget that the young people who went into combat at the time were our age. It is very important to remember that they left people behind them.”
Pay homage to past generations, but also commit to the army for the future. Elise Laurent, a high school student from Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain), is already thinking about it, she confides: “In today’s world where there are tensions being created, people need to feel ready to fight for their nation and for themselves in general.”
Is there a revival of patriotism among young people? In any case, there is interest in the voluntary national service which will be deployed in September. The Army received more than enough applications: 2,400 for only 1,800 places to fill. This is the case for Julien Gonzalez, at 20 years old, he hopes to be selected: “It’s a long-standing project. I wanted to join the national police. So I suffered two failures in the competition. I decided to try national service.”
If he is selected, he will learn, for example, how to use drones or the Caesar cannon from hired soldiers. Lieutenant-Colonel Mathieu Brulais, head of the Army recruitment marketing office, explains: “There is a real meaning to this commitment which is not just there to fill the ranks. There is a real mission at the end of this national service.”
Even if 56% of 18-24 year olds approve of this new formula for national service, others, such as high school students, are more cautious in view of the international context. One of them says: “I don’t think I have the stage to go into the army. Fighting, in fact, going to war, that doesn’t really tempt me”another adds: “It never really crossed my mind. It’s not a job that interests me hugely, but I respect the people who do this job.”
By July 1, all armies combined, 3,000 young volunteers will be definitively selected to carry out their service.
