Military Service – Recruitment

Portugal is with many difficulties with recruitment for the Armed Forces since the compulsory period of military service for the young people finished by law.

The Forces are served by a professional effective staff (about 4.00 soldiers and 3.000 officers in the Army) respecting the country compromises with NATO.

However, people are getting old and it is necessary to think in ten years because there isn’t any attraction by the actual professional and salary in the Forces.

In the three stages of recruitment – applying – selection and incorporation young people do not seem attracted to serve and when applies, give up after in a big proportional quantity.

This is a problem that responsible staff thinks to solve in three ways – Marketing for the young people giving them opportunities to adventure and new experiences – Inviting young people to try war games and instruction in one day as they were soldiers. And for the ones already convinced to apply, to allow them to be counseled by an expert through other time it serves by contract and getting him/her qualifications for after in the civil life apply easily for work having qualifications.

And another bet is being done. How to incentivize feminine applications. A big social study is going on about how to approach this issue.

This is the American way of acting – creating battle heroes and real 12-Inch Soldier Doll ordered by Ronald Reagan to Marvel to create the famous action figure became a Toy Legend. G.I. Joe was an "action figure".