The French Armed Forces have begun accepting applications for voluntary military service and plan to recruit about 3,000 people by September, French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin announced at a press conference Monday.

"Today, January 12, we are opening the recruitment of the first group of young volunteers who will complement the ranks our armed forces. For this group, we will select 3,000 young men and women aged 18 to 25," Vautrin said.

She added that the 2026 recruitment is being carried out later than planned for subsequent years, in connection with which a simplified application submission scheme has been introduced, via the aforesaid ministry's website, special telephone numbers, or in person at recruitment points.

The application process will last until April, and the selection of candidates will be based on the results of a medical examination, as well as a personal interview and a security check. The service is scheduled to start between September and November, and the term will be ten months.

“As we assume, every fifth conscript with extensive experience or a degree will receive specialized missions in strategic sectors. One such sector immediately comes to mind, and that is cybernetics,” the French Minister of the Armed Forces said.

In turn, the chief of staff of the French Armed Forces, General Fabien Mandon, said that after completing their training, these recruits are also expected to be engaged in missions to eliminate the consequences of natural disasters, as well as to prevent and combat terrorism. All tasks that will be set before the recruits will cover solely the national territory of France, including all its overseas territories.