National defense Anton Reed from London has not lived in Finland for a day, but arrived to perform military service – Now he explains why

Fair living in London six years ago Anton Reedin, 23, a letter dropped from the mailbox. It stated that Reed had been released from Finnish conscription.

Reed received the letter because he has Finnish citizenship in addition to British citizenship.

“It read that you don’t have to come when I haven’t lived in Finland at any point,” Reed recalls.

Now Corporal Reed has almost completed his service in the Karelian Brigade. Reed returns home in June after nearly a year of military time.

Defense Forces does not compile conscripts on a domestic basis, so there is no exact information on the number of foreign conscripts to perform.

About 50–60 Finns abroad serve in the Karelian Brigade every year. Foreign expatriates come to the conscript service from all over the world – both from the United States and Australia, but also from Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe.

Born to a Finnish mother and a British father, Reed has lived in Britain all her life. Reed’s mother’s family is from Joensuu, so she has spent her childhood and youth holidays there.

“I’ve only been in Finland in the winter and summer, but I’ve never spent more than maybe four weeks a year here.”

Reed’s grandparents live in Joensuu. On his army leave, he has spent the night with them. There is not a hint of a local dialect in Reed’s speechand the occasional English words slipping into sentences reveal that most of life so far has been spent abroad.

Dual citizen may be exempted from military service on three different grounds.

If a male dual citizen has lived outside Finland for the last seven years, he or she will be released from military service. A Finn living elsewhere can be ordered to work if he or she moves to Finland before the end of the year in which he or she reaches the age of 30.

Exemption can be obtained even if you have not lived abroad for seven years. In this case, the dual citizen must prove that the place of residence is not in Finland and that, for example, the family, place of study and place of work are in another country.

The third ground for release is military service abroad.

Defense Forces after receiving the letter, Reed left the military case in the report. He first went on to study for a master’s degree in paleobiology.

“When I graduated from university, I started thinking that maybe it would be now opportunity to perform voluntary service. “

Reed thought that visiting the army is an important part of Finnishness. In addition, he wanted to develop himself and participate in national defense.

“It’s important and a matter of my heart.”

Reed is comfortable in India.

“It’s quite a family atmosphere here right now.”

“All the hardest things have given the best memories, overcoming challenges and so.”

Russia’s attack on Ukraine by Finland’s eastern neighbor has not curtailed the expedition of the expatriate Finn’s defense.

“I can say that Finland’s will to defend and its own willingness to defend have not changed in any way. My own mind is the same that has always been and always will be. ”

What if Finland got into a war and had to come to defend a country where it had never lived?

“Of course, I’ve been wondering what if such an invitation came. That’s part of the reason I’ve come here. It’s close to my heart, ”says Reed, adding that it’s important for him to defend his own family, culture, and country.

Read more: Poll: Finns’ will to defend their country is now greater than ever

When the time to return home in June is coming, Reed heads back to London, where a girlfriend and job search are waiting.

Before that, however, it is planned to celebrate Midsummer in Finland. Reed already has a few Finnish Midsummer behind him.

“Midsummer is It’s a lot of fun, and it’s still weird that the sun doesn’t set here. ”