The Austrian Armed Forces conduct a detailed suitability test for military service on approximately 50.000 conscripts every year.
This one-and-a-half-day process, conducted at the military command centers, effectively serves as the country's largest mass screening, providing representative data on the physical and mental health of young adults. The examination includes clinical tests as well as psychological screenings to determine fitness, temporarily unfit, or unfit for service. According to recent analyses, approximately 85 percent of those examined now have at least one medical diagnosis, underscoring the importance of this assessment for preventative health monitoring.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner emphasized the role of the Austrian Armed Forces in the early detection of health risks. For many young men and women volunteering for military service, the conscription process represents the first comprehensive medical examination since their school days. Medical records document a significant increase in metabolic disorders, particularly obesity, as well as a rise in postural problems affecting the spine. Furthermore, a long-term trend shows that while conscripts are on average getting taller, their body weight is increasing disproportionately. A growing proportion of those being assessed now weigh more than 90 kilograms, which directly impacts the military fitness rate.
The decision regarding fitness for military service rests with the regional conscription commissions, which operate in Vienna, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Styria, Carinthia, and Tyrol. These commissions consist of officers, physicians, and psychologists and decide by majority vote, with the approval of a physician being mandatory for a fitness assessment. In addition to determining military suitability, the Austrian Armed Forces offer those affected specific recommendations for further treatment during the final consultation. This includes information on specialist medical care for visual impairments, allergies, or orthopedic conditions that often go undetected without this assessment.
Supplementary analyses show that psychological test results are becoming increasingly relevant for assessing fitness for duty. The stress thresholds and psychological resilience of young adults are a growing focus of military psychological services. Through the systematic collection of this data, the Austrian Armed Forces can not only plan personnel requirements for the upcoming service year, but also serve as an early warning system for public health. The results of the assessments are anonymized and incorporated into statistical reports, which are used as a basis for public health strategies and prevention programs outside the military.