Colombian Congress Weighs Extending Military Service to Age 28

The Colombian Congress has begun discussing a bill that seeks to expand the possibilities for voluntary enlistment in military service for young people between the ages of 24 and 28. The initiative, introduced by Senator Jota Pe Hernandez —who is close to the president-elect— proposes modifying the current conditions for accessing this type of service.

The proposal comes at a time when security and the strengthening of the Public Force are at the center of the agenda of the new government of Abelardo de la Espriella, which has announced a policy aimed at restoring the operational capacity of the Military Forces and giving them a more prominent role in the national security strategy.

Colombian Congress weighs extending military service to age 28

The bill does not seek to make military service mandatory for older citizens, but rather to expand the age range of those who could voluntarily join the Military Forces. The initiative seeks to allow people between the ages of 24 and 28 to perform military service if they choose to do so.

Currently, Colombia’s system establishes age limits for enlistment in military service, excluding many citizens who, for academic, work-related, or personal reasons, were unable to complete it during the established period.

Senator Jota Pe Hernandez argues that expanding the age range would allow the country to take advantage of the willingness of young people who want to join the Military Forces but have already exceeded the traditional enlistment age. According to supporters of the bill, the measure could also increase the number of available personnel to address the country’s security challenges.

The proposal must go through several stages in Congress before becoming law. During the legislative debate, discussions are expected on issues such as the necessary resources, training conditions, benefits for those who join under this system, and the impact it would have on the current structure of the Military Forces.

In this regard, the senator behind the bill argued that his proposal “is fully compatible with the Constitution” and cited Chile and Argentina as examples of countries that have recently followed a similar path.

Hernandez said that “the reform seeks to address three concurrent objectives: first, to expand opportunities for training, discipline, and development for young adults in an age group characterized by high unemployment rates, informality, and poverty; second, to strengthen the operational capacity of the Military Forces by incorporating individuals with greater physical and cognitive maturity; and third, to create a public policy instrument aligned with the goals of reducing youth poverty.”

In Colombia, the face of mandatory military service continues to have a very defined profile: a young man between the ages of 18 and 24 —the age range established by law— belonging to the most vulnerable sectors of society.

Although the current law —from 2017— establishes that all Colombian men within that age range must define their military status and may be incorporated, in practice the burden of recruitment falls mainly on young people with fewer resources.

Labor Minister Antonio Sanguino recently explained that 98% of those currently serving mandatory military service come from lower-income socioeconomic groups. The figure reflects a historical reality: while thousands of young people from families with fewer resources end up being incorporated into the Military Forces, those from middle- and upper-class backgrounds often find different ways to avoid it.

Among the main ways to postpone or avoid incorporation are continuing university studies, accessing benefits established by law, presenting medical conditions that prevent service, or proving specific family circumstances.

In addition, many young people with greater resources have more information, guidance, and financial capacity to complete the necessary procedures and resolve their military status without having to go to a barracks, not to mention the practice of buying exemptions, something that continues to exist in the country despite being completely illegal.

For lower-income sectors, on the other hand, military service can become an experience that interrupts studies, informal jobs, or personal projects. Although the Military Forces provide compensation and benefits during the service period —which under the Petro administration increased from 300,000 to 1,750,000 pesos per month, bringing it in line with the minimum wage— critics of the model argue that there is an unequal social distribution of the sacrifice imposed by mandatory military service.

In the case of women, military service is voluntary. The debate over who ultimately fulfills this obligation has reopened discussion about the fairness of the system and the need to review a model that, in practice, falls mostly on Colombia’s poor young people.

Security, Defense, and the De la Espriella Government’s New Approach

Hernandez’s initiative —introduced by a lawmaker close to the new government— coincides with one of the main priorities announced by President Abelardo de la Espriella, who has proposed a shift in direction from the security policy implemented during the previous administration.

The new administration has emphasized the need to strengthen military and police presence in different regions of the country, increase the State’s response capacity, and adopt a firmer stance toward illegal armed groups and criminal organizations.

Within this context, the debate over military service takes on a broader political dimension. For its supporters, expanding the age for voluntary enlistment would make it possible to have more citizens willing to contribute to national defense and provide an alternative for those who want to gain experience within the military institution.

However, the initiative could also spark discussions about the type of Public Force Colombia needs and about the relationship between security, citizenship, and voluntary participation. Critics may question whether increasing the number of Military Forces personnel is the right response to the country’s problems of violence and crime.