In a context of international tensions, arms race, and ten days after Emmanuel Macron’s speech on Russia and Europe calling on the French to increase their commitment, how are young people in military training doing?
On Wednesday, March 5, in a televised speech, Emmanuel Macron addressed the French people with a solemn message: «the homeland needs you and your commitment«. A message marked by the suspension of American aid to Ukraine and the threat of U.S. disengagement.
The President had, in particular, emphasized the need to strengthen the country’s military capabilities by highlighting «additional investments that have now become essential». But how do these statements resonate within the armed forces? Military personnel express mixed feelings between acceptance and fear of escalation.
A 20-year-old young soldier, enlisted for two years, confides: «there is a sense of fear, but for now … It’s something distant and close at the same time«. For him, the turning point announced by Emmanuel Macron remains, for now, a political declaration that does not yet translate into action on the ground, but he is aware that it could change «in the coming months or years, it will eventually materialize, but it’s still unclear«.
On the other hand, 27-year-old Ismael Kebaili, enlisted since May 2020, now a member of the air force logistics at the Istres air base, feels a «before and after» since Emmanuel Macron’s speech. He recounts: «we talk about it among ourselves, both among the soldiers and the non-commissioned officers. There are concerns, we feel tensions. This feeling, we hadn’t felt it since October 7, with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict«.
The young air force soldier states that the war in Ukraine is still a topic among the troops: «at the level of orders from superiors, we have information, but nothing concrete«, he says. Unlike others, he does not yet feel a change in mentality within the troops after the presidential address. «We follow the news on our own, then we discuss it with our superiors, but nothing official«.
Ismael Kebaili also mentioned that «the hierarchy organizes meetings to keep us informed and explain how we could be called upon during conflicts«. He adds:
We know that it can escalate at any moment, and we may be a little afraid of being drawn into something bigger than us. But if we have committed, it means we are ready.
Ismael Kebaili, air forceto France 3 Provence-Alpes
The topic also arises among their families. While the families of the two soldiers support them in their project, some have expressed concern. «In my family, it’s mostly my mother who will get scared. Since the president’s speech, she has been worried, I had to reassure her a bit«, says Ismael.
Furthermore, the French army is already involved in the conflict, but without direct intervention in Ukraine, at least for the moment, Ismael Kebaili reports: «we support Ukraine. We have been conducting maneuvers and exercises in Romania since 2022, and sometimes in Poland«. These training and missions are also a way for the army to provide strategic support.
However, it is important to note that depending on the units, not all soldiers are exposed in the same way. «I am not in a combat unit, I am more in logistical support. It is unlikely that I will be sent to the front. However, artillery marine members or paratrooper commandos know they will be deployed directly«.
But ultimately, war is a reality that is an integral part of military commitment: «when we commit, we are aware of the risk of going to war. If we don’t, it means we are misinformed«. A realization shared by the 20-year-old soldier for whom preparation began in vocational high school: «I studied with the National Navy from the second year, in vocational high school. During my training, we were already being trained for war, with simulations of pirate ship attacks, specific strategies«.
If his perception of war has not evolved much: «my vision has just materialized. J’ai une vision moins romantique de la situation. Paradoxalement, l’intensification du conflit en Ukraine semble renforcer la détermination des jeunes en formation militaire : “Ça me motive à me surpasser pendant les entraînements.” Cette détermination est accompagnée d’un suivi psychologique avant et après les missions, jugé essentiel par ces jeunes. “Ça permet de vider notre sac et de comprendre aussi ce qu’il se passe.”
Dans un contexte de tensions internationales et d’appels à un engagement accru, les jeunes en formation militaire se trouvent face à des sentiments contrastés. Certains expriment de la peur et des inquiétudes quant à une éventuelle escalade, tandis que d’autres perçoivent le tournant annoncé comme encore flou et lointain. Les déclarations politiques récentes du président Macron ont suscité des discussions au sein des troupes, mais sans encore entraîner de changement de mentalité général.
Les familles des jeunes militaires soutiennent en grande partie leur engagement, bien que certaines expriment des inquiétudes. Sur le terrain, l’armée française est déjà engagée indirectement dans le conflit en Ukraine, notamment à travers des manipulations et des manœuvres en Roumanie et parfois en Pologne. Les entraînements et missions actuelles sont perçus comme un soutien stratégique sans intervention directe pour le moment.
Il est à noter que tous les militaires ne sont pas exposés de la même manière selon leur unité. Certains, comme Ismael Kebaili, se trouvent en soutien logistique et sont moins susceptibles d’être envoyés au front. Cependant, les membres de l’artillerie de marine ou les commandos parachutistes ont conscience qu’ils seront déployés directement sur le terrain. Pour eux, la réalité de la guerre fait partie intégrante de leur engagement militaire : «Lorsqu’on s’engage, on sait qu’il y a un risque de partir en guerre. Si on n’en est pas conscient, c’est qu’on est mal informé.» C’est ce que partage un militaire de 20 ans, dont la préparation a commencé dès le lycée professionnel, où des simulations d’attaques de bateaux pirates et des stratégies spécifiques étaient déjà au programme.
Bien que sa vision de la guerre n’ait pas beaucoup évolué, il la voit désormais de manière plus concrète et moins idéalisée. Ironiquement, l’intensification du conflit en Ukraine renforce sa détermination à se surpasser lors des entraînements. Cette détermination est accompagnée d’un suivi psychologique avant et après les missions, jugé essentiel pour vider leur sac et comprendre ce qu’il se passe.
Dans un contexte de tensions internationales et suite à l’allocution d’Emmanuel Macron appelant à un engagement accru des Français, les jeunes en formation militaire se retrouvent face à des sentiments contrastés. Un jeune militaire de 20 ans, engagé depuis deux ans, exprime une part de peur tout en considérant que la situation actuelle reste à la fois lointaine et proche. Il reconnaît que les déclarations politiques peuvent se concrétiser dans les mois ou années à venir.
Ismael Kebaili, âgé de 27 ans et membre de la logistique de l’armée de l’air, ressent un changement depuis l’allocution présidentielle et évoque des inquiétudes et des tensions parmi les militaires. La guerre en Ukraine reste un sujet de discussion au sein des troupes, bien que les informations officielles ne se soient pas encore concrétisées. La hiérarchie tient les troupes informées des possibles sollicitations lors des conflits, mais certains soldats ressentent une certaine appréhension quant à l’éventualité d’être impliqués dans des situations de plus grande envergure.
Les familles des militaires les soutiennent dans leur engagement, bien que certains proches expriment des inquiétudes. La préparation psychologique et le suivi des soldats avant et après les missions sont considérés comme essentiels pour gérer les éventuelles conséquences de leur engagement dans un contexte de conflit éventuel. Ismael confides, «In my family, it’s mainly my mother who is getting scared. Since the president’s speech, she has been worried, and I had to reassure her a bit.»
Furthermore, the French army is already positioned in the conflict, but without direct intervention in Ukraine, at least for now, as Ismael Kebaili reports: «We support Ukraine. We have been conducting maneuvers and exercises in Romania since 2022, and sometimes in Poland.» These trainings and missions are also a way for the army to provide strategic support.
However, it is important to note that not all soldiers are exposed in the same way, depending on their units. «I am not in a combat unit, I am more in logistics support. It is unlikely that I will be sent to the front. However, members of the marine artillery or paratrooper commandos know that they will be deployed directly.»
Ultimately, war is a reality that is an integral part of military commitment: «When we enlist, we are aware of the risk of going to war. If we are not aware, then we are misinformed.» A 20-year-old soldier shares this observation, noting that his preparation for war began in vocational high school: «I started studying with the French Navy in my sophomore year of high school. During my training, we were already being trained for war, with simulations of pirate ship attacks and specific strategies.»
While his view of war has not changed much, he says, «My perspective has just become more concrete. I have a less romanticized view.» Paradoxically, the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine seems to have strengthened his determination: «It motivates me to push myself during training.» He emphasizes the importance of psychological support before and after missions, saying, «It helps us to unload and understand what is happening.»
SOURCE
Deja una respuesta