Light Recruitment and Female Participation: Moving Towards a Modern, Inclusive Defence Culture Among Young People

National defence is an issue of growing importance in the European context. The war in Ukraine and the growing tension with Russia have altered the defence policies that have prevailed since the Cold War. This situation has intensified the debate on the need to reestablish a broader military service at the European level. The main objective of the survey study was to evaluate the viability and acceptance of a non-compulsory recruitment model among Spanish university students and analyse their perception of the importance of increasing the presence of women in the armed forces as a way of modernizing and making the defence system more efficient. The results reveal that a significant segment of university students showed interest in participating in this model, especially those who perceived professional career opportunities and the contribution to national security as the strongest motivations. In contrast, financial compensation was not a statistically significant predictor of willingness to enlist. Moreover, female participation in the armed forces is perceived as relevant by the majority of respondents, reflecting a growing awareness of gender equality in the military. Through multivariate analysis, distinct profiles of students with varying attitudes towards light military recruitment were identified, highlighting that men still have a greater willingness to enlist in light military service at present. This study underscores the importance of increasing knowledge about light military recruitment and implementing strategies that promote greater female participation in the Armed Forces.