The hoax about the start of “Military Service for those born in 2008” in Spain

The desire to attract visits leads many media outlets to succumb to sensationalism and sometimes also to a lack of journalistic ethics.

The military vehicles on display in Vigo to mark Spanish Armed Forces Day
The program for Spain's Armed Forces Day 2026, which will be held in Vigo

Sometimes these bad journalistic practices affect our Armed Forces, contributing to confusion and sowing discredit about them in public opinion. Lately, these headlines have appeared in various media outlets:

• Granada Hoy, 6.25.2026: "The BOE makes it official that military service is back: this is what military service will be like in Spain for those born between 2007 and 2008."
• Huffpost, 6.26.2026: "Confirmed by the BOE: military service begins for those born between 2007 and 2008 with 'salaries' of 2,400 euros per month."
• El Español, 6.28.2026: "The BOE confirms it: military service begins for young people born between 2007 and 2008 with salaries of up to 2,400 euros"
• Ok Diario, today: "It's been confirmed by the Government and it's now official: Military service for those born in 2008 begins in Spain in September."
• La Razón, today: "It's now official according to the Government: Military service for those born in 2008 begins in Spain in September."
• Diario de Avisos, today: "Confirmed by the BOE: Military Service begins in Spain for those born in 2008."

These headlines suggest that compulsory military service has been reinstated in Spain, since that is what is known in our country by expressions such as "mili" and "military service", especially if those born in 2007 and 2008 are considered subjects.

These news articles include texts that refute those headlines, indicating that it is an offer of places for volunteer reservists, and not a call to mandatory service for Spaniards of certain ages. Therefore, it is false that "mili" or military service is returning for those born in a specific year. Of course, these media outlets do not include this clarification on their social media, nor in search engines or news aggregators like Google Discover.

What these media outlets are doing is a practice known as "clickbait," which usually consists of headlines that entice readers to click on the link to access the news story, using various tricks. It's a way to get visits using various tricks and, in this case, with a hoax.

It should be remembered that compulsory military service was abolished in Spain in 1999, by means of Law 17/1999, of May 18, on the Regime of the Personnel of the Armed Forces, whose Article 170 established the figure of the voluntary reservist, indicating that any Spaniard could opt for "the places of voluntary reservist that are called for Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and troops and sailors, provided that they accredit the educational levels that are determined by regulation for each category and, where appropriate, specialty". The first call for applications for volunteer reservists was published in December 2003, and since then other offers have been published periodically.

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Photo: Ministerio de Defensa.