State Secretary Hartmann visits basic training in Wilhelmshaven

On Monday, 19 January 2026, the Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Defence, Sebastian Hartmann, will visit Wilhelmshaven to gain an impression of the German Navy's basic training. The visit is the first by a representative of the Federal Ministry of Defence to a basic training unit since the New Military Service came into force.

January is a good historical date, as it was exactly 70 years ago in 1956 that the first recruits of the then German Navy moved into the Ebkeriege barracks in Wilhelmshaven.

During his visit to the Wilhelmshaven training and protection company, the focus will be on personal dialogue with the recruits as well as a tour of this modern training facility. The company, which has been training recruits since October 2025 and is home to soldiers protecting the infrastructure of the Heppenser Groden naval base, was set up within a year. The company commander is Lieutenant Captain Schildwächter.

The swearing-in ceremony for the first members of the Reserve Operations Company with around 280 posts took place on 13 November, one day after the founding day of the Bundeswehr and on the day the new military service was announced. On that day, 94 recruits from the "Wilhelmshaven training and protection company" on the town hall square in the city of Jade in the presence of Lord Mayor Feist and hundreds of visitors. A good reason for the State Secretary, who is himself a reserve officer in the German Air Force, to take a look at the navy.

It is intended that State Secretary Hartmann will accompany parts of the training operation and will be present at the Career Centre of the Bundeswehr in Wilhelmshaven was informed by the head, Captain Christian Clausing, about the procedure for recording and assessing voluntary applicants in conjunction with the New Military Service.