Minister Tanner gives the starting signal for “military service committee”

Today, June 2, 2025, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner gives the starting signal for the newly constituted “military service commission”. Under the direction of militia officer, Major General Erwin Hateseder and the deputy chairman, Dr. Walter Feichtinger, today a total of 23 commission members come together for the first time in the Federal Ministry of State Defense. As of today, the group from experts will take advantage of the Minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner and subsequently for the Austrian federal government in order to develop alternative models for the further development of military and community service as well as questions about personnel filling the militia. The Commission should present a report with three proposals by the end of the year at the latest.

“The security policy situation in Europe has deteriorated dramatically due to the war on European soil and through worldwide foci of crisis – this is also the case for Austria. In addition, natural disasters or possible blackouts have become increasingly important against this background. It is therefore important that we do not consider the commission to take these challenges with the personnel.

23 Commission members take on their work
In total, the commission consists of 23 members and is divided into voters and members with a consultant function. The members come from the Federal Ministry of the State Defense, the Foreign Ministry, representative of the Ministry of Finance, representative of the Federal Chancellery, Civilian State Agency, from the economic sector, from the field of militia, from the social partnership area or representatives from the youth field. Future meetings of the Commission must be convened and managed by the chairman if necessary. All members perform their function on a voluntary basis.

Tasks of the Commission
The Commission consisting of subject experts from different areas, deal with the topic of professional filling the militia and with the future design of conscription. In addition, the Commission will deal with the further development of the community service, since the topics are inextricably linked. The aim is to quickly restore the full commitment of the Federal Army for all operational tasks as well as to ensure increased exercise. For this purpose, the Commission is to work out a report with three proposals by the end of the year at the latest, which will then be presented to the Federal Minister of State Defense.

Commission members – listing

Commission members entitled to vote:

Federal Ministry of State Defense (BMLV) – Erwin Hateseder (Chair)
BMLV – Walter Feichtinger (Deputy Chair)
BMLV/Directorate General for Defense Policy – Günther Barnet
BMLV/General Directorate for national defense – Günter Schöpf
BMLV/General Directorate Presidium – Christoph Proksch
Community service agency – Ferdinand Mayer
Civil protection – Josef Farda
Federal Chancellery (BKA)-Dagmar Szalkay-Ttschnig
Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) – Peter Part
Federal Ministry of European and International Affairs (BMEIA) – Thomas Starlinger

Advisory commission members:

Federal school spokeswoman – Mira Langhammer
Federal Youth Representation – Anna Schwabegger
Sponsoring organization Civil Service/Austrian Red Cross – Peter Kaiser
Austrian Union Confederation – Alexander Prischl
Workers’ Chamber of Vienna-Matthias Piffl-Stammberger
Chamber of Commerce Austria – Reinhard Marak
Chamber of Agriculture Austria – Erich Angerler
Industry association – Peter Koren
Austrian militia association – Armin Richter
Labor Market Service (AMS) – Markus Litzlbauer
Youth section BKA – Peter Dornstädter
Austrian presidential Chancellor – Andreas Rotheneder
Crisis safety office BKA – Peter Vorhofer