Military service
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For military service in the meaning of (branches of) an army as military defense organisation, see armed forces.
 |
The introduction of this article is too short. To comply with Wikipedia's lead section guidelines, it should be expanded. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and read the lead section guide to make sure the introduction summarizes the article. |
Military service is service in an army or other military organisation, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft (conscription).
A volunteer military does not require mandatory military service.
[edit] Countries that never had, or abolished, mandatory military service
[edit] Argentina
Argentina suspended military conscription in 1994 and replaced it with a voluntary military service, yet those already in service had to finish their time in service.
This came as a result of political and social distrust of the military, dwindling budgets which forced the military to induct fewer conscripts every year, the experience of the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War which proved the superiority of professional servicemen over conscripts and a series of conscription-related brutality scandals which came to a head with the murder of Private Omar Carrasco at an Army base in 1994, following a brutal disciplinary action.
It should be noted that military conscription has not been abolished; the Mandatory Military Service Law is still in the books and might be enforced in times of war, crisis or national emergency.
Conscription is known in Argentina as la colimba. The word colimba is a composite word made from the initial syllables of the verbs correr (to run), limpiar (to clean) and barrer (to sweep), as it was perceived that all a conscript did during service was running, cleaning and sweeping. Conscripts themselves were known and referred to as "colimbas".
[edit] Australia
- See main article: Conscription in Australia
Although various levels of conscription were in force during times of conflict (The World Wars, Korea, Vietnam), Australia currently has no conscription. All forms of conscription were abolished by the Whitlam Government in 1972.
[edit] Belgium
Belgium suspended military conscription in 1994.
[edit] Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina abolished compulsory military service as of January 1, 2006.[3]
[edit] Canada
- See main articles: Conscription Crisis of 1917 and Conscription Crisis of 1944
In Canada conscription has never taken place in peacetime. Conscription became an extremely controversial issue during both World War I and World War II, especially in the province of Quebec.
[edit] Costa Rica
Costa Rica abolished its military in 1948. See Military of Costa Rica
[edit] Czech Republic
The Czech Republic abolished compulsory military service on December 31, 2004. See announcement by the Minister of Defence and related BBC News article.
[edit] France
Modern conscription was invented during the French Revolution, when the Republic wanted a stronger defense and to expand its radical ideas throughout Europe. The 1798 Jourdan Act stated: "Any French is a soldier and owes himself to the defense of the nation". Thus Napoleon Bonaparte could create afterward the Grande Armée with which he set out on the first large intra-European war.
France suspended peacetime military conscription in 1996, while those born before 1979 had to complete their service (see related BBC News article); since the Algerian War of Independence (1954-62), conscripts had not been deployed abroad or in war zones, except those volunteering for such deployments.
[edit] Hungary
Hungary abolished mandatory military service by November 2004, after the parliament had modified the constitution, ending a long-standing political dispute. To restore drafting, a two-thirds vote in parliament is needed, which is unlikely in the short term. The country is currently developing a professional army, with strong emphasis on "contract soldiers" who voluntarily serve 4+4 years for a wage.
[edit] India
India has never had mandatory military service, either under British rule or since independence in 1947. It maintains the world's second largest army which is purely voluntary in nature.
[edit] Iraq
Saddam Hussein's large Iraqi army was largely composed of conscripts, except for the elite Republican Guard. About 100,000 conscripts died during the First Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm. In the intervening years, Iraq's military suffered from decay and poor leadership, but there was still compulsory service. One program of note was "Ashbal Saddam" known as "Saddam's Cubs" where children were trained to defend Iraq through "toughening" exercises such as firearms training and dismembering live chickens with their teeth. Following the Second Gulf War where the original military was disbanded, the Iraqi Army was recreated as a volunteer force with training overseen at first by the Coalition Provisional Authority and later by the American presence.
[edit] Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland has always had a fully volunteer military. See the Irish Defence Forces. The threat of conscription being extended to Ireland in the First World War contributed to the creation of the Irish Free State in the 1920s. (Also see: United Kingdom below).
[edit] Italy
Italy had mandatory military service, for men only, until December 31, 2004. The right to conscientious objection was legally recognized in 1972 so that a "non armed military service", or a community service, could be authorised as an alternative to those who required it.[1]
The Italian Parliament approved the suspension of the mandatory military service in 2004, with effect starting from January 1, 2005, and the Italian armed forces will now be entirely composed of professional volunteer troops, both male and female.[2]
[edit] Japan
Japan's Self Defence Forces have been a volunteer force since their establishment in the 1950s, following the end of the Allied occupation. As the Japanese constitution expressly prohibits Japan from maintaining any offensive military force, conscription will most likely not be an issue in the near future.
[edit] Latvia
Latvia abolished military service on 1 January 2007.[3]
[edit] Lebanon
Lebanon previously had mandatory military service of one year for men. On 4 May 2005, a new conscription system was adopted, making for a six-month service, and pledging to end conscription within two years. By 10 February 2007 it did.[4]
[edit] Luxembourg
Luxembourg has a volunteer military. See the National Museum of Military History.
[edit] Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia abolished compulsory military service as of October 2006.[5]
[edit] Montenegro
President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović has, as of 30 August 2006, abolished conscription for the military.
[edit] Morocco
Morocco eliminated compulsory military service as of August 31, 2006.[4]
[edit] Netherlands
The Netherlands established conscription for a territorial militia in 1814, simultaneously establishing a standing army which was to be manned by volunteers only. However, lack of sufficient volunteers caused the two components to be merged in 1819 into a "cadre-militia" army, in which the bulk of troops were conscripts, led by professional officers and NCOs. This system remained in use until the end of the Cold War. Between 1991 and 1996, the Dutch armed forces phased out their conscript personnel and converted to an all-volunteer force. The last conscript troops were inducted in 1995 and demobilized in 1996. Formally, the Netherlands has not abolished conscription; that is to say, the laws and systems which provide for the conscription of armed forces personnel remain in place, and Dutch citizens who completed their military service prior to 1996 can still, theoretically, be mobilized in the event of a national emergency.
[edit] New Zealand
- See main article: Compulsory Military Training in New Zealand
Conscription of men into the armed forces of New Zealand came into effect in 1940, and was abolished in 1972.
[edit] Portugal
Portugal abolished compulsory military service on November 19, 2004. See an announcement by the Minister of Defence.
[edit] Romania
Romania abolished compulsory military service on October 23, 2006.[5] This came about due to a 2003 constitutional amendment which allowed the parliament to make military service optional. The Romanian Parliament voted to abolish conscription in October 2005, with the vote formalising one of many military modernisation and reform programmes that Romania agreed to when it joined NATO.
[edit] Slovakia
Slovakia abolished compulsory military service on January 1, 2006.
[edit] Slovenia
Slovenia's Prime Minister Anton Rop abolished mandatory military service on September 9, 2003. See the official press release.
[edit] South Africa
South Africa under the apartheid system had two years of compulsory military service for white men, followed by camps at intervals. This was abolished in 1994. See End Conscription Campaign.
[edit] Spain
Spain abolished compulsory military service in 2001. See an announcement by the Minister of Defence. Military and alternative service was nine months long and in recent years the majority of conscripts chose to perform alternative, rather than military, service.
[edit] United Kingdom
The United Kingdom introduced conscription during both world wars. For the first two years of World War I the British relied on volunteers. But by 1916 the need for yet more soldiers to replace losses at the front, forced the British Government to introduce conscription under the Military Service Act. Conscientious objectors received relatively harsh treatment in the 1914-18 war. Most had to do war-related work of a non-military sort. Some went to jail.[citation needed]
Ireland was initially exempt from conscription in the First World War, but it was extended to Ireland on April 9, 1918. This led a Conscription Crisis in Ireland and was a decisive factor in pushing the country into seeking its independence. The poet W.B. Yeats wrote to Lord Haldane in protest: "...it seems to me a strangely wanton thing that England, for the sake of 50,000 Irish soldiers, is prepared to hollow another trench between the countries and fill it with blood." Also in protest, Lady Gregory declared "women and children will stand in front of their men and receive the bullets, rather than let them be taken to the front."
Conscription was reintroduced in 1939 at the start of World War II. Not only was conscription used for the three branches of the armed forces, it was also introduced to aid in coal mining with the Bevin Boys, and later in the war with the introduction of conscription of women into the Women's Land Army to help with agricultural production. Conscientious objectors were treated more tolerantly, but could still go to prison if they refused war-related work. Northern Ireland was exempt from conscription in the Second World War, and was also excluded from the post-war National Service.
After World War II, the Government introduced National Service, which was abolished in 1963.
[edit] United States
The United States has employed conscription intermittently. For example, in 1863 the imposition of a draft during the Civil War touched off the New York Draft Riots. Conscription was next used after the United States entered World War I in 1917. The first peacetime conscription came with the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940. Active conscription ("the draft") ended in 1973. Currently, male U.S. citizens, if aged eighteen through twenty five, are required to register with the Selective Service System, whose mission is "to provide manpower to the armed forces in an emergency" including a "Health Care Personnel Delivery System" [6] and "to run an Alternative Service Program for men classified as conscientious objectors during a draft." No one has been prosecuted for violating the conscription law in the USA since 1986.
[edit] Countries with mandatory military service
- Green: No armed services
- Blue: No active conscription
- Orange: Plan for conscription to be abolished within three to five years
- Red: Active conscription
- Gray: No information
Many countries have mandatory military service:
[edit] Albania
Albania has compulsory military service.
[edit] Austria
Austria has mandatory military service for fit male citizens from 18 to 35 years of age. Service lasts for six months since 2006. Conscientious objectors can join the civilian service (called Zivildienst) for nine months.
Since January 1, 1998, females can join the military service voluntarily.
[edit] Belarus
Belarus has mandatory military service for all fit men from eighteen to twenty-seven years of age. Military service lasts for eighteen months for those without higher education, and for twelve months for those with higher education.
[edit] Bermuda
Bermuda, although an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, still maintains conscription for its local force. Males between the age of eighteen and thirty-two are drawn by lottery to serve in The Bermuda Regiment for a period of thirty-eight months. The commitment is only on a part time basis, however. Anyone who objects to this has the right to have their case heard by an exemption tribunal.
[edit] Brazil
Males in Brazil are required to serve 12 months (24 months in the air force, 36 in the navy) of military service upon their 18th birthday. Most often, the service is performed in military bases as close as possible to the person's home. The government does not require those planning to attend college or holding a permanent job to serve. There are also several other exceptions, including health reasons, for which one may not have to serve. Those who intend to attend to the military academies needs to be aprooved in entrance tests.
[edit] Bulgaria
Bulgaria has mandatory military service for male citizens from eighteen to twenty-seven years of age. Currently (2004) the duration of the service depends on the degree of education. For citizens studying for or holding a bachelor degree or higher the service is six months, and for citizens with no higher education it is nine months.[6] During the last ten years the duration of service has rapidly dropped (from two years in 1994) and, as Bulgaria adopts a professional army, mandatory service will be replaced with voluntary service on 1 January 2008.[7][8]
[edit] Chile
Chile has mandatory military service for male (https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ci.html) citizens between eighteen and forty-five. The duration of service is twelve months for the army and twenty-four months for Navy and Air Force.
[edit] China (PRC)
Conscription has existed in theory since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949; however, because of China's huge population and therefore the large number of individuals who volunteer to join the regular armed forces, a draft has never been enforced.
Conscription is enshrined in Article 55 of the Constitution, which states: "It is a sacred duty of every citizen of the People's Republic of China to defend his or her motherland and resist invasion. It is an honoured obligation of the citizens of the People's Republic of China to perform military service and to join the militia forces." [2]
The present legal basis of conscription is the 1984 Military Service Law, which describes military service as a duty for "all citizens without distinction of race (...) and religious creed." This law has not been amended since it came into effect. [1] [4]
Military service is normally performed in the regular armed forces, but the 1984 law does allow for conscription into the reserve forces.
Hong Kong and Macau SAR residents however, as of 1997 and 1999 are forbidden from joining the military.
[edit] Croatia
Croatian law prescribes military service for male citizens from eighteen to twenty-seven years old. The duration of the normal military service is six months (as of 2004), while conscientious objectors can apply for civilian service which lasts for eight months. Conscription is regularly postponed for students until the end of their studies, as long as they apply before they turn twenty-eight years of age.
Over the last decade or so, the duration of military service has been halved and civilian service was introduced together with the streamlining of the professional army. Should this trend continue, the mandatory service may eventually be completely replaced with voluntary service.[9]
[edit] Cyprus
Cyprus has compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot men between the ages of eighteen and fifty. Military service lasts for twenty-five months. After that, ex-soldiers are considered reservists and participate in military exercises for a few days every year. Conscientious objectors can either do thirty three months unarmed service in the army or thirty eight months community work. See official pages by the Greek Cypriot National Guard. Legislation and practice relating to civilian alternatives to military service remained punitive in nature, although new legislation which came into force in 2004 reduced the length of such alternative service. The Special Committee, which makes recommendations on applications for conscientious objection, proposed a blanket rejection of applications based on ideological grounds where applicants do not declare particular beliefs. AI called for a re-evaluation of the Committee’s methods and for the authorities to establish an alternative to military service of a purely civilian nature, outside the authority of the Ministry of Defence. Amnesty International The Annan Plan for Cyprus that was rejected in the 2004 referendum mandated the demilitarisation of the island and the disbanding of both Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot forces.
[edit] Denmark
As described in the Constitution of Denmark, § 81, Denmark has mandatory service for all able men. Normal service is four months, and is normally served by men in the age of eighteen to twenty-seven. Some special services will take longer. Danish men will typically receive a letter around the time of their 18th birthday, asking when their current education (if any) ends, and some time later, depending on when, they will receive a notice on when to attend to the draft office to be tested physically and psychologically. However, some may be deemed unfit for service and not be required to show up.
Even if a person is deemed fit, or partially fit for service, he may avoid having to serve if he draws a high enough number randomly. Persons who are deemed partly fit for service will however be placed lower than those who are deemed fit for service, and therefore have a very low chance of being drafted. Men deemed fit can be called upon for service until their 50th birthday in case of national crisis, regardless of whether normal conscription has been served. This right is very rarely exercised by Danish authorities.
Conscientious objectors can choose to instead serve six months in a non-military position, for example in Redningsberedskabet (dealing with non-military disasters like fires, flood, pollution, etc.) or foreign aid work in a third world country. [10].
[edit] Egypt
Egypt had a mandatory military service program for males between the ages of eighteen and thirty. Females of comparable age serve in a civilian program. Conscription is regularly postponed for students until the end of their studies, as long as they apply before they turn twenty-eight years of age. By the age of thirty a male is considered unfit to join the army and pays a fine. Males with no brothers, or those supporting parents are exempted from the service. Males serve for a period ranging from fourteen months to forty-eight months depending on their education; high school dropouts serve for forty-eight months during which they finish their high-school education. College graduates serve for lesser periods of time, depending on their education, and college graduates with special skills are still conscripted yet at a different rank and with a different pay scale with the option of remaining with the service as a career. Some Egyptians evade conscription and travel overseas until they reach the age of thirty, at which point they are tried, pay a $580 fine (as of 2004), and are dishonorably relieved of their obligation to serve in the army. Such an offense, legally considered an offense of "bad moral character", prevents the "unpatriotic" citizen from ever holding public office.
[edit] Eritrea
Eritrea has a mandatory military service program for both men and women aged eighteen through forty. The term of service is eighteen months. There is no alternate service. The Eritrean government is well-known for hunting down draft evaders. Draft evaders often flee the country to nearby countries.
[edit] Finland
Finland has mandatory military service for men of a minimum duration of six months (180 days), depending on the assigned position: those trained as officers or NCOs serve for twelve months (362 days), specialist troops serve for nine (270 days) or twelve months, while rank and file serve for the minimum period. Unarmed service is also possible, and lasts eleven months (330 days). Since 1995, women have been able to volunteer for military service. During the first 45 days, women have an option to quit at will. Having served for 45 days, they fall under the same obligation to serve as men except for medical reasons. A pregnancy during service would interrupt the service but not automatically cause a medical discharge.
Non-military service of thirteen months (395 days) is available for men whose conscience prevents them from serving in the military. Men who refuse to serve at all are sent to prison for six and a half months (197 days) or half the time of their remaining non-military service at the time of refusal. In theory, male citizens from the demilitarized Åland region are to serve in customs offices or lighthouses, but since this service has not been arranged, they are always exempted in practice. Jehovah's Witnesses' service is postponed every two years until they, at the age of twenty-eight, are exempted from service. Military service has been mandatory for men throughout the history of independent Finland since 1917. Soldiers and civilian servicemen receive a daily salary of 3.80 € (days 1 – 180), 6.50 € (days 181 – 270) and 9.00 € (onward from day 271).
Approximately 20% are trained as NCOs (corporals, sergeants), and 10% are trained as officers-in-reserve (second lieutenant). In wartime, it is expected that the officers-in-reserve fulfil most Company Commander positions. At the beginning of the service, all men go trough same basic training of eight weeks. After this eight week period it is decided who will be trained as NCOs or officers.
Having completed the initial part of the service as a conscript, the soldier is placed in the reserve. Reservists may be called for mandatory refresher exercises. Rank and file serve a maximum of 40 days, specialists 75 days and officers and NCOs 100 days. Per refresher course day, the reservists receive a salary of about fifty euro. The service is mandatory; it is not possible to refuse an order to attend the refresher exercise, only postpone. As of late though, the option to opt for non-military service has been made available as the Finnish Defence Forces has made ongoing budget cuts, reflected in the number of reservist exercises annually.
The length of non-military service has been criticized as "punitive and discriminatory" by Amnesty International[7] because it is over twice as long as the minimum six-month military service. Several motions to shorten it have been made in the Finnish Parliament but none have passed. Proponents point out that those serving as conscripts serve in theory 24 hours per day (especially when in the field), as opposed to those who have opted for non-military service, who (depending on the post) typically serve only during office hours. The Commander of the Defence Forces incumbent, Juhani Kaskeala, recently criticized the role of the civilian service as a punishment and as a way to avoid duty. He proposed that its length should be 12 months or, in par with the longest military service, and the tasks should related directly to security.
There are no general exemptions for the conscription. Study, work or other civilian activity is not grounds for exemption nor automatic postponing. The law requires employers, landlords etc. to continue any pre-existing contracts after the service. For medical reasons, exemption or postponing can be given only by a military doctor. If the disability is expected to be cured, there is no exemption, and the service is postponed.
Over 80% of Finnish males serve in the military. Often there is great pressure from family members to do armed instead of civilian service. Finnish World War Two veterans are highly respected in Finland, and not undertaking military service may be considered an offence towards veterans in the family. There has also been a prevailing social assumption that masculinity can only be proved by army service, and, consequently, not doing so can lead to the stigmatisation of non-conscripts as not "real men". This has recently started waning as being considered an old-fashioned perspective, but it still holds in some more traditional occupations such as teaching. Additionally, the youth are often frightened that employers do not hire men who have performed civilian service.
The national security policy of Finland is based on a credible independent defence of all Finnish territory. The Constitution of Finland expressly permits only United Nations or OSCE military operations abroad. Furthermore, the maximum number of military personnel abroad is limited to 2,000 (out of the 900,000 available reserve). Contributions to the UN troops comprise only professional soldiers and trained, paid reservists who have specifically applied to such operations. Therefore, there is no "expeditionary wars" argument against conscription.
Political opposition to conscription is rather marginalized and heavily associated with Communist or anarchist groups. Particularly, the "Defenders of Peace" (Rauhanpuolustajat), who opposed military readiness, were supported by the Soviets during the Cold War era. Therefore, opposition to conscription is still heavily associated with anti-patriotism and Communism.
[edit] Germany
Germany has mandatory military service of nine months for men. Women may volunteer and are allowed to perform similar jobs as men. A conscientious objector may petition for permission to do civilian alternative service, "civilian service" (Zivildienst) instead for nine months, which is usually accepted. A third option is to become a foreign development aide (Entwicklungshelfer) for at least eighteen months. Overall, however, during the past few years, the number of men being drafted has declined significantly.
Besides several exceptions, military service is compulsory for all men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-three years. Those who are engaged in educational or vocational training programs prior to their military assessment are allowed to postpone service until they have completed the programs and can be called upon to perform their national duty at any time thereafter. This, however does not apply for students who want to take up courses at university.
[edit] Greece
As of 2006, Greece (Hellenic Republic) has mandatory military service of twelve months for men. Although, Greece is developing a professional army system, it continues to enforce the 12-month mandatory military service despite earlier promises that the draft will be reduced to six months. Women are accepted into the Greek army, they are not obliged to join as men are. Soldiers receive full health insurance and a salary of approximately nine euro per month for privates and twelve euro for the rank of draft corporal and draft sergeant. The wages are not sufficient to sustain a draftee serving his tour away from his place of residence and most draftees depend on their parents to support them financially while they are on their tour. Conscientious objection to military service
The length of alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors to military service remained punitive at 42 months. Amnesty International was also concerned that the determination of conscientious objector status fell under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence, which breaches international standards that stipulate that the entire institution of alternative service should have a civilian character.(Amnesty International)
[edit] Iran
Iran has mandatory military service for men. Duration of military service is dependent on some conditions and circumstances, but it is usually 21 months in normal conditions on top of the three months of initial training. Exceptions are those who cannot serve because of injury or disability or some social conditions. More information can be found at Police Web Site (in Persian). Students are exempt as long as they are attending school. The higher the education of a man, the higher his rank will be in the military. These days, students who have admission plus financial support from a foreign university, can get exception by putting a bail (about $5000). Many times, when the government has financial problems, those who are living abroad or even those who are inside the country who have to serve in the military can get permanent exemption by paying about $5000 to the government.
[edit] Israel
Israel has mandatory military service for both men and women. All Israeli citizens are conscripted at age 18 or the conclusion of 12th Grade, with the following exceptions:
- Haredim are eligible for a deferral during their religious studies, which essentially becomes an exemption.
- Israeli Arabs are exempt from conscription, although they may volunteer. The men of other non-Jewish communities in Israel, notably the Druze, Bedouin, and Circassians, are conscripted; women are not though may volunteer.
- Religiously observant Jewish women can apply for an exemption from army service. Although some choose to serve, many opt to serve voluntarily in civilian "national service" (sherut leumi).
- Young women are not inducted if they are married or pregnant.
- Candidates who do not qualify on grounds of mental or physical health.
Typically, men are required to serve for 3 years and women for 1.5 years. Officers and other soldiers in certain voluntary units such as Nahal and Hesder are required to sign on for additional service. Those studying in a "Mechina" (pre-induction preparatory course) defer service until the conclusion of the program, typically one academic year. An additional program (called "Atuda'i") for qualified applicants allows post-secondary academic studies prior to induction. See also: Israel Defence Forces.
There is a very limited amount of conscientious objection to conscription into the IDF. More common is refusal by reserve soldiers to serve in the West Bank and Gaza. Some of these conscientious objectors may be assigned to serve elsewhere, or are sentenced to brief prison terms lasting a few months to a year and may subsequently receive dishonourable discharges. See also: Refusal to serve in the Israeli military.
After their period of regular army service, men are liable for up to 45 days per year of reserve duty (miluim) until they are their early forties. Women in certain positions of responsibility are liable for reserve duty to a limited extent, until they are twenty-four years old, married, or pregnant.
[edit] Korea, South
South Korea has mandatory military service of 24 to 27 months.[8] There are no alternatives for conscientious objectors[9] except imprisonment.
There are many reported instances of American citizens of Korean descent being forced to serve in the South Korean military. Under South Korean law, one is considered a citizen if one's name is entered into the Korean Family Census Register, or hojuk. At least two of these cases involved individuals whose names had been recorded on the Korean Family Census Register, without their knowledge. [11].
[edit] Malaysia
As of 2004, Malaysia has mandatory national service of three months for a selected group of both men and women. Twenty percent of 18-year-olds are selected through a lottery system to join this program. Trainees are not trained to use firearms. The first training date was February 16, 2004. See Official Information from Malaysia National Service Training Department.
[edit] Mexico
Currently, all males reaching eighteen years of age must register for military service (Servicio Militar Nacional, or SMN) for one year, though selection is made by a lottery system using the following color scheme: whoever draws a black ball must serve as a "disponibility reservist", that is, he must not follow any activities whatsoever and get his discharge card at the end of the year. The ones who get a white ball serve in a Batallón del Servicio Militar Nacional (National Military Service Battalion) composed entirely of one-year SMN conscripts. Those with a community service interest may participate in Literacy Campaigns as teachers or as physical education instructors. Military service is also (voluntarily) open to women. In certain cities, such as Mexico City and Veracruz, there is a third option: a red ball (Mexico City) and a Blue ball (Veracruz), which entails serving a full year as a recruit in a Paratrooper Battalion in the case of Mexico City residents, or an Infantería de Marina unit (Navy Marines) in Veracruz. In other cities which have a Navy HQ (such as Ciudad Madero), it is the Navy which takes charge of the conscripts, instead of the Army.
Draft dodging was an uncommon occurrence in Mexico until 2002, since a "liberated" military ID card was needed for a Mexican male to obtain a passport, but since this requirement was dropped, absenteeism from military service has become much more common.
[edit] Norway
Norway has mandatory military service of nineteen months for men between the ages of 18.5 (17 with parental consent) and 44 (55 in case of war). Beginning in 2006, the armed forces will also invite females to take a pre-service medical examination, but they will not be drafted unless they sign a declaration of willingness. The actual draft time is six months for the home guard, and twelve months for the regular army, air force and navy.
The remaining months are supposed to be served in annual exercises, but very few conscripts do this because of lack of funding for the Norwegian armed forces. As a result of this decreased funding and greater reliance on high technology, the armed forces are aiming towards drafting only 10,000 conscripts a year. The remainder, for the most part, either are formally dismissed after medical tests or obtain deferral from the service because of studies or stays abroad.
Some, such as those who choose vocational course paths during high school (for example, carpenters and electricians) opt to complete their required apprenticeships within the military. While some Norwegians consider it unfair that they have to complete the compulsory military duty when so many others are dismissed, others see it as a privilege and there is normally high competition to be allowed to join some branches of the service.[citation needed] Employers often show favorable regard to those who complete their military service, although many do not care.[citation needed]
The Norwegian armed forces will normally not draft a person who has reached the age of 28. In Norway, certain voluntary specialist training programs and courses entail extended conscription of one to eight years. Pacifists can apply for non-military service, which lasts 12 months.
[edit] Poland
Poland has a compulsory service term of nine months for all mature men (three months for those with higher education). However, many of them are considered unfit for mandatory military service during peacetime. Effectively, many tens of thousands of men are drafted each autumn. Alternative service can be requested, e.g. in the police force. This is only valid if you are not attending an educational facility. Students born in 1983 or later can volunteer for military preparations, so they can serve in the military for 6 weeks during their summer break after they finish fourth semester. After joining the European Union, many young men moved abroad in order to avoid the draft and the quite low conditions within the Polish Army. Also many, facing very high unemployment in the country, join the forces voluntarily to serve the term and later gain opportunities to get well paid jobs within the military or police. In the autumn of 2006, the Polish parliament decided to phase out the draft by 2010 and make the Polish army an all-volunteer army.[12]
[edit] Russia
The conscription system was introduced into Imperial Russia by Dmitry Milyutin in the 1870s. As of 2002, Russian Federation has a mandatory two-year draft but most Russians try to avoid it. The most widely used ways to avoid the military service are:
- Studying in a university or similar place. All students are free from conscription, but they can be drafted after they graduate (or if they drop out). Graduated students serve one year as privates, but if they have a military education, they have the option to serve two years as officers. Persons who continue postgraduate education, or have a doctoral degree (Candidate of Sciences) are not drafted.
- Getting a medical certificate that shows that a person is unfit for service. Sometimes such certificates are false and can be made for a bribe.
- Bribing military or civilian officials responsible for draft.
- Just not going to a draft station – draft-dodging. This can be a criminal offence, punishable by up to two years in prison.
- A rarely used way is having more than two children, or one child younger than three years. (The latter will be dropped from the law in 2008).
- There are other legal (described in the law) or illegal ways to evade the draft.
In Russia, a person cannot be conscripted after he turns twenty-seven.
In 2006, the Russian government announced its plans to gradually reduce the term of service to 18 months for those who will be conscripted in 2007 and to one year from 2008 on and to drop some legal excuses for non-conscription from the law (such as non-conscription of rural doctors and teachers, of men who have a child younger than 3 years etc.).
As a result of draft evasion, Russian generals have complained on numerous times that the bulk of the army is made up of drug addicts, imbeciles, and ex-convicts, which in turn has lead to an overall decline of the morale and function of the Russian armed services. Conscripts often face brutal hazing and bullying upon their entrance into the military, known as dedovshchina, some dying as a result. Suicide among Russian conscripts is at an all-time high.
See also
- Only eleven percent of Russian men enter mandatory military service.
- Dedovschina.
- Russian draftee’s legs and genitals amputated after hazing incident.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atRDcEEUoj8
[edit] Serbia
Serbia has compulsory national service for all men aged between 19 and 35. In practice, men over 27 are seldom called up. Service is usually performed after University studies have been completed. The length of service was 9 months but has recently been reduced to 6 months (2006). There is also an alternative for conscientious objectors which lasts 9 months. Serbian nationals living outside of the country were still expected to complete national service, however, they may defer it if it will seriously impact their career in the country where they currently reside. This can be done by contacting the embassy in the country of residence (if under 27), or must be done by contacting the army directly (if over 27).
Mandatory military service does not exist in Kosovo.
[edit] Singapore
In Singapore, the NS (Amendment) Act was passed on 14 March 1967, under which all able-bodied male citizens of 18 – 21 years of age were required to serve 24 months of compulsory national service in the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force, or the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Upon completion of full-time NS, they undergo reservist training cycles of up to forty days a year for the next ten years.
The majority of conscripts serve in the Singapore Armed Forces due to its larger manpower requirements. Almost all conscripts undergo basic military training before being deployed to the various services, the police, or Civil Defence; conscripts do not have the opportunity to choose their assignment. Conscripts, known as National Servicemen, hold leadership positions as Specialists or commissioned officers.
Singapore used to have one of the longest mandatory military service periods for males, at thirty months prior to 2005. It also has special policies for ethnic Malays, because of possible conflicts in allegiances with neighbour Malaysia, and some are Malays are assigned to service in the Singapore Police Force or Singapore Civil Defence Force.
[edit] Sweden
Since 1902 military service is mandatory in Sweden. All Swedish men between age 18 and 47 can be called to serve with the armed forces. The number of drafted have changed over time, but during the Cold war it was about 90%. Today, less than one third of the country's eligible 19-year-olds are actually drafted each year. Military service used to comprise between 8 to 15 months of training, but recent reforms have changed this to 11 months for all.
Men may choose to do unarmed service, for instance as a firefighter. Generally, unarmed service is shorter than armed.
Since 1980 women are allowed to serve in the armed forces. As of 2002, Sweden's government asked the army to consider mandatory military service for women. See Sweden considers mandatory military service for women.
[edit] Switzerland
Switzerland has the largest militia army in the world (220,000 including reserves). Military service for Swiss men is obligatory according to the Federal Constitution, and includes 18 or 21 weeks of basic training (depending on troop category) as well as annual 3-week-refresher courses until a number of service days which increases with rank (260 days for privates) is reached. Service for women is voluntary, but identical in all respects. Conscientious objectors can choose 390 days of community service instead of military service. Medical deferments and dismissals from basic training (often on somewhat dubious grounds) have increased significantly in the last years. Therefore, only about 33% of Swiss men actually complete basic training.
- See also: Swiss Civilian Service
[edit] Taiwan (ROC)
The Republic of China has had mandatory military service for all males since 1949. Females from the outlying islands of Fuchien were also required to serve in a civil defense role, although this requirement has been dropped since the lifting of martial law. In October 1999, the mandatory service was shortened from twenty-four months to twenty-two months; from January 2004 it was shortened further to eighteen months, and from 1 January 2006 the duration has decreased to sixteen months. The ROC Defense Ministry has announced that should voluntary enlistment reach sufficient numbers, the compulsory service period for draftees will be shortened to fourteen months in 2007, and further to twelve months in 2008, if trend persists.
ROC nationals with Overseas Chinese status are exempt from service. Draftees may also request alternative service, usually in community service areas, although the required service period would be longer than military service. Qualified draftees with graduate degrees in the sciences or engineering who pass officer candidate exams may also apply to fulfill their obligations in a national defense service option which involves three months of military training, followed by an officer commission in the reserves and four years working in technical jobs in the defense industry or government research institutions.
The Ministry of Interior is responsible for administering the National Conscription Agency. Ministry of Interior site on Consciption Administration
[edit] Turkey
In Turkey, compulsory military service applies to all male citizens from twenty to forty-one years of age (with some exceptions). Those who are engaged in higher education or vocational training programs prior to their military drafting are allowed to delay service until they have completed the programs. The duration of the basic military service varies. As of July 2003, the reduced durations are as follows: fifteen months for privates (previously eighteen months), twelve months for reserve officers (previously sixteen months) and six months for short-term privates, which denotes those who have earned a university degree and not have been enlisted as reserve officers (previously eight months).
For Turkish citizens who have lived or worked abroad of Turkey for at least three years, on condition that they pay a certain fee in foreign currencies, a basic military training of twenty-one days (previously twenty-eight days) is offered instead of the full-term military service. Also, when the General Staff assesses that the military reserve exceeds the required amount, paid military service of one-month's basic training is established by law as a stopgap measure, but has never been practised in reality.
Although women have in principle are not obliged to serve in the military, they are allowed to become military officers.
Conscientious objection of military service is illegal in Turkey and punishable with imprisonment by law. Many conscientious objectors flee abroad mainly to neighbouring countries or the European Union (as asylum seekers or guest workers).
[edit] Ukraine
The options are either reserve officer training for two years (offered in universities as a part of a program which means not having to join the army), or one year regular service. In Ukraine, a person cannot be conscripted after he turns twenty-five. Ukraine is planning to switch to a professional full-time army and abolish conscription in the next 3 to 5 years.
[edit] Comments
English Colonial Legacy
There is a high correlation between nations that do not have mandatory military service and those which were once a part of the British Empire. The list, which includes Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Burma, Canada, Ceylon, Guyana, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Oman, New Papua Guinea, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Sierra Leone, South Africa, The Gambia, The United States of America, Zambia and Zimbabwe form the vast majority of states without mandatory military service. Nepal, Butan and the United Arab Emirates also nations without mandatory military service, were heaviliy influenced in their development by the British Empire. Liberia, the ad-hoc colony of a colony, also is without mandatory military service.
[edit] References
- ^ Law n. 772, 15 December 1972 [1] (Italian)
- ^ Law nr. 226, 23 August 2004 [2] (Italian)
- ^ http://www.wri-irg.org/co/rtba/latvia.htm
- ^ "The Islamization of Morocco", by Oliver Guitta, The Weekly Standard, October 2, 2006
- ^ Romania drops compulsory military service, United Press International, 23 October 2006
- ^ "Bulgarian military service reduced", BBC News, May 17, 2000. Retrieved 31 May 2006.
- ^ Amnesty International 2006 report about Finland
- ^ "Lee, Roh Pledge Political Reform", Korea Now, December 12, 2002. Retrieved 31 May 2006.
- ^ "Korean pacifists fight conscription", BBC News, May 5, 2002. Retrieved 31 May 2006.
