At the weekend's national council meeting, the future development of Denmark's Home Guard was discussed with a focus on operational reinforcement, increased volunteer engagement, and improved support structure.
According to a press release from the Danish Home Guard (Hjemmeværnet), representatives from the entire volunteer force gathered for the second national council of the year. The goal is for the Home Guard to consist of at least 20,000 active volunteers by 2028 and for the organisation to be strengthened operationally, technologically, and in terms of competence.
The national council is the Home Guard's highest advisory body and consists of 22 volunteers and 7 permanent staff. The body discusses both daily operations and long-term strategic development. At the meeting, the importance of strengthening both the recruitment and training systems, as well as increasing the use of the volunteer reserve, was emphasised.
Simultaneously, work has begun to identify areas where support for volunteers can be improved, particularly considering the increasing number of operations and changing mission conditions. In addition to the national council, military union organisations are also involved in the process.
At the meeting, there was also discussion on how the national council can clarify its role within the organisation through improved communication. With support from the consulting firm Ingerfair, a development programme focusing on leadership and message delivery was conducted.