Deployed as a doctor abroad in the Federal Armed Forces

Alexandra Dejonckheere knew at the tender age of three what she wanted to be when she grew up: a doctor! And when she was ten years old, she knew where she wanted to work, too: in the Bundeswehr – Germany’s Federal Armed Forces! “I felt my calling early on,” says the 36-year-old. Shortly before taking her secondary school leaving exams, the Abitur, she applied to become a medical officer – and was accepted. She studied medicine in Kiel, completing the military part of her career during the semester break: shooting, bivouacking, troop practicals. After all, anyone working as a doctor in the Bundeswehr not only has to be able to save lives – they have to learn how to protect themselves and others, too. 

What does she like about the Bundeswehr? “I like the variety: There are new challenges every day,” she says. She also loves the camaraderie – the “incredible solidarity” between the soldiers, which is something that gives her strength. And: “I want to help as many people as possible – and contribute to keeping Germany safe.” She works as an army doctor in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France, where around 650 Bundeswehr soldiers are stationed as part of the Franco-German Brigade.  

As a young mother, Dejonckheere had to overcome obstacles to be able to serve in Mali. 

In 2020 she was pregnant with her second child when the news broke that the battalion was to be deployed in Mali the following year. For Dejonckheere, there was no doubt in her mind: “I’m going into action with my soldiers.” But what happens next showed that in the Federal Armed Forces, too, traditional gender roles have not yet been overcome. Her own doctor in the armed forces thought the mission would be too dangerous for a mother of two small children. Without consulting her, he declared her unfit for duty. “I found that overbearing,” she says. Dejonckheere stood her ground and in 2021 was deployed to Mali for four months. She quickly realised that she was especially needed there: a lot of soldiers suffered from back and neck pain, and some sustained joint injuries. The bulletproof vest weighing more than ten kilos, took its toll – as did the extensive equipment that the soldiers had to carry through the desert in temperatures exceeding 50 degrees.  

Chinese medicine in the German army 

The doctor treated the soldiers with painkillers, ointments and splints. But that was often not enough. A Chinese doctor taught her how to use acupuncture needles. And sure enough – the treatment worked. The soldiers were often pain-free within just a few hours. After returning from Mali, Dejonckheere continued her training – in acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine and applied kinesiology, a method that uses muscle responses to detect hidden health issues. “My goal is not just to treat symptoms but to truly keep my soldiers healthy.” Because, as Dejonckheere puts it: “For a combat-ready Bundeswehr, we need fit, resilient soldiers. And my job is to ensure exactly that.”