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Men in Finland must join the military or do alternative civilian service at some point between 18 and 30 years of age; it is voluntary for women. In peacetime, just 13,000 people serve in the military, 4,500 of them civilians. If needed, Finland has a potential strength of 280,000, consisting of the younger and best trained reservists, with another 590,000 reservists under the age of 60 who have had military training.<\/p>\n
Since the invasion, Finland has significantly increased its military budget \u2014 and with it, the frequency of the training exercises that are fundamental for new soldiers and reservists.<\/p>\n
In a recent exercise in Espoo, the conscripts practiced how to cordon off a building, stealthily approach it and apprehend suspects, ideally without killing them. During the training, one suspect managed to escape, a lapse officers will analyze.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Sofia Nurmi, 19, a volunteer who was part of the exercise, had hoped to serve in the country\u2019s vast forests but was assigned to the military police, who largely serve in cities. Her training has helped her, she said, especially in overcoming her \u201cfear of dark places.\u201d She wanted to stay in the military police, but hasn\u2019t made the grade, she said, disappointed. Now she thinks she will apply to be a border guard \u2014 a better chance to serve in the forests.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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In another training session, two platoons of soldiers fought a battle through a computer simulation, with one team on the attack and another, in a different room, trying to defend. The simulated exercise is normally repeated on real terrain, with real equipment, their guns equipped with lasers and with sensors on their belts, so they know when they are \u201ckilled.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The reality of Russia\u2019s aggression in Ukraine, officers say, has provided stronger motivation to the conscripts and reservists, while enhancing training on the use of drones, computers and defenses against hacking and disinformation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWar can happen,\u201d said Eetu Niemela, 20, who works in construction and drives a snowplow in winter. After his training, he said he was thinking about applying to police school and working as an international peacekeeper. He said he was glad Finland had joined NATO, adding, \u201cWe never can know what\u2019s going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their commanding officer for the bombing exercise, Col. Vesa Laitonen, 53, said that Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine had improved the morale and dedication of the conscripts. \u201cNow they know why they\u2019re in military service,\u201d he said. \u201cNow we can answer the question.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Finland has fought numerous wars with Russia through the centuries, and it has strong memories of the 1939 \u201cWinter War\u201d and World War II. It beat back the Soviets but lost territory and had to keep a form of neutrality.<\/p>\n
Ever since, this country of some 5.6 million people has had to depend on itself, and it has continued to do so even after joining the European Union and now NATO.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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It has one of the largest artillery forces in Europe, makes its own rifles and ammunition and cooperates on defense with Sweden and other Nordic countries. The conscripts go through traditional basic training \u2014 improving physical fitness, learning to use rifles and other equipment, understanding first aid and practicing maneuvers in the field.<\/p>\n
Gen. Timo Kivinen, Finland\u2019s chief of defense, remembered his own conscription 45 years ago, when leaders were less solicitous to new recruits.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course the leadership culture has changed over time,\u201d said General Kivinen, 63. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say training is softer, but how you lead them and communicate with them is different.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we don\u2019t develop our training system all the time as part of societal development, it doesn\u2019t work,\u201d General Kivinen said. \u201cConscription creates more resilience than only military capability.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Women were first allowed to volunteer in 1995. Since then, 12,000 have completed training, said Kati Makkonen of the Finnish defense forces. As volunteers, she said, women tend to be more motivated, and those who stay are rising in the ranks, though not yet to general.<\/p>\n
Nora Nordstrom, 21, and Lumi Joutsen, 20, joined this year. They live in a coed barracks room on the military island of Santahamina, home of the Guard Jaeger Regiment and the Finnish National Defense University.<\/p>\n
They are part of the same unit and train together with no special treatment for the women, they said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThere\u2019s a bit more running than I expected,\u201d Ms. Nordstrom said, laughing, but she comes from a military family, so she knew what to expect. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ms. Joutsen said she always knew she would volunteer. While she is treated equally with the men, she said, \u201cI feel some extra pressure on us to do well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both women said they had not had problems with the male recruits. \u201cSometimes we forget the whole thing and work together as human beings,\u201d Ms. Nordstrom said. \u201cIt surprised me a little.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ms. Nordstrom dropped out of training in 2022 with an injury but decided to start again. \u201cWhen the war started it was a very surreal feeling, wearing these clothes,\u201d she said. \u201cThis was war, knowing how close it was to us and we\u2019re here doing this stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n