National Defence Training Association of Finland
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National Defence Training Association of Finland (Finnish: Maanpuolustuskoulutus ry) is a voluntary organization providing safety and security training to all Finnish residents over the age of 15 and supplemental military training for all Finnish citizens over the age of 18.
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[edit] Organization
The National Defence Training Association of Finland is a voluntary organization, the members of which are the main NGOs active in the field of Finnish total defence. In addition, the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Finnish Defence Forces are members of the association. The other members are
- Kadettikunta (Corps of Cadets, the voluntary ideological organization of career officers)
- Maanpuolustuskiltojen liitto (League of the National Defence Guilds)
- Maanpuolustusnaisten liitto (League of the National Defence Women)
- Naisten valmiusliitto (League for Women's preparedness)
- Reserviläisliitto (Reservists' Association)
- Reserviläisurheiluliitto (Reservists' sports Association)
- Sininen Reservi (The Blue Reserve, a naval reserve association)
- Sotilaskotiliitto (Soldiers' Home Association)
- Suomen Metsästäjäliitto (Finnish Hunter Association)
- Suomen Rauhanturvaajaliitto (Finnish Peace-Keeping Veterans' Association)
- Suomen Reserviupseeriliitto (Finnish Reserve Officers' Association)
As an organization, the association is divided into 21 districts corresponding to the Regions of Finland. After the Defence Forces structural reform, the voluntary national defence district also corresponds the military district of the Defence Forces. Each district works closely with the military authorities in the area.
[edit] Training
The National Defence Training Association of Finland organizes four types of training. Safety training is non-military training aimed at the general public with the objective of increasing first aid skills and overall crisis preparedness. Preparedness training is also non-military but offered mostly to the persons in municipal or church administration. The objective of the preparedness training is to increase the capability of the civil organizations to remain active in different crisis scenarios ranging from nature disasters to military crises. About one half of all training given by the association is safety and preparedness training.
The military training offered by the association is given with the Finnish Defence Forces weapons under the direct supervision of career military personnel. The training is offered to full-aged Finnish citizens only and on many courses, only Finnish Defence Forces reservists are accepted. The aim of the military training is to give the reservists better personal capabilities to act as a part of a squad. In addition, the association organizes leadership and trainer education.
[edit] Reform
In January 2007, the Finnish Parliament passed the Act on Voluntary National Defence. The Act transforms the National Defence Training Association of Finland from a private association to a body of public nature, although the Association still retains some forms of a usual association. From 2008 onwards, the board of the association will have nine members, four of whom will be elected by the member NGOs and the rest by the Finnish Council of State. In addition, the duties and rights of the voluntary persons involved with the association are more clearly defined.
