National Defense | NATO-Finland’s first batch of rookies begins – lessons learned from the war in Ukraine are taken to training

Nearly 12,000 new recruits will start their military service today. This is the first batch of rookies who will start their service while Finland is a member of the defense alliance NATO.

Chief of Staff Training, Colonel Kari Pietiläinen tells in the bulletinthat active international training activities are reflected in the training of new conscripts.

“Conscripts often meet our allies in training,” he says.

Pietiläinen states that in addition to joining NATO, the changes in the security environment are taken into account in the development of skills and training.

“The aim is to get military scientific research information into the field as quickly as possible. The role of the National Defense University and the Research Institute of the Defense Forces as well as the research centers of the defense branches is central here. Lessons learned from the war in Ukraine are implemented by developing the content of training and exercises,” he described.

From the new ones most of the recruits, i.e. about 9,000, serve in the departments of the Army. In addition, approximately 1,500 serve in the Navy and nearly 800 in the Air Force. The Border Guard will accept 340 recruits. There are more than 700 women starting the service.

Conscript service lasts 165, 255 or 347 days, depending on the training.