Armin Utz

Armin Utz faced a decision in 2021 after twelve years in the German Armed Forces: stay on or start over in civilian life? In his mid-thirties, this decision involved more than just his dream job and self-fulfillment. For Armin, who is now 39, it was many pragmatic reasons that ultimately led to his decision: A degree program to become a teacher at a Realschule (intermediate secondary school offering an expanded general education) in English and Geography at the KU. “After such a long time with the military, the Bundeswehr funds a second vocational training program, a master craftsman’s certification, or a degree program through the Vocational Advancement Service, because much of what you gain from your work with the military cannot be applied in the civilian job market”, Armin explains. Armin doesn’t want to miss this opportunity, because if you stay with the federal government, you lose your entitlement to further training. On top of that, Armin has to make this decision at a time when many positions are being cut in the Bundeswehr. A large portion of the defense budget from the Cold War had flowed into the economy during the years of peace at the beginning of the new millennium, leaving the Bundeswehr increasingly dilapidated. That’s why Armin decides to pursue a degree. But just a few months later, with the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he begins to question his decision: “After all that time in the military, I felt obligated to be with my comrades; it was a terrible feeling, as if I were sneaking away. At University, I felt like I was in the wrong place.” After talking with his former superior, who encouraged him to wait and see for now, Armin stayed at the KU and is now about to take his first State Examination.

Even during exam periods, though, the thought lingers that things could have been easier for him. “Yet I was always continuing my education in the military and never forgot how to learn. But at University, I see a huge disconnect between the daily life of a teacher and the learning involved in the degree program. It’s much more theoretical than in the military. There, the situations were all about the practical application of what I’d learned. I kept asking myself whether what I was learning actually made sense.” But Armin made a very conscious decision to pursue a teaching degree program and is sticking with it. After all, he wants to remain a public servant, is thinking about his pension benefits, and above all: “I worked a lot in the training of young soldiers in the military—I really enjoyed working with young people.” His decision to teach at a Realschule (intermediate secondary school offering an expanded general education) also has practical reasons: “These are the guys I know from the military, with whom I have a good connection”—and besides, the program is shorter while offering the same pay. Armin makes his decisions pragmatically—perhaps with less idealism than his younger fellow students, but all the more thoughtfully and purposefully. His choice of subjects also fits with Armin’s methodical approach: Geography and English, because that keeps the door open to the military. “The program offers me the opportunity to join the Bundeswehr’s Geoinformation Service, and studying English is also a good prerequisite for that.”

He doesn’t find it strange that he’s usually the oldest in seminars and lectures, because he’s worked a lot with young people before. He sees the age gap as a positive thing: “I view things with more perspective; in your early 20s, you tend to overreact to things and worry more, whereas I can take a more relaxed approach.” Armin is glad he started his studies so late, as he’s certain his stress levels would have been much higher had he begun right after high school. He looks forward to the coming months with a sense of calm. The current plan is to start his practical teacher training in the fall. For that, he’d like to move back to southern Bavaria; he’s originally from the Rosenheim area. His combination of subjects is in high demand, so his job prospects are good—whether with the German Armed Forces or in schools!