The Belgian army is looking for a crisis manager, De Morgen revealed on Wednesday. The required candidate will have to ensure that the military remains battle-ready, in spite of a decline in the number of personnel and financial problems.
Defence is on the brink: according to its policymakers, €2.4 billion will be required during the new parliamentary term for the army to remain in a state of readiness. It will effectively lose some 40% of its manpower over the next few years because of personnel retiring. 12,000 new recruits must be taken on by 2025, which is a daunting task.
It is for these reasons that a crisis manager is being sought after, a general who would devote themselves full time to finding a solution to the personnel crisis being felt throughout the Belgian army. General Marc Thys' name has been put forward for the job. The ground forces commander is known for his modern approach, but his tenure ends in July 2020. He did not wish to make any comment.
The Brussels Times
