Finnish Conscription

Finnish military services 350,000 men reserve 30,000 men of age annually 79% of male population completed training in 2009 On a scale from 1-5 – will to defend the country 4,0 – overall rating for training time 4,0 – satisfaction with the training 3,5 – satisfaction with conscript leaders 3,7 – satisfaction with employed trainers 3,9 Future of the conscription system working group Chairman Risto Siilasmaa Group composition –Appointed by the chairman and minister of defence –No civil servants –Critical, experienced and entrepreneurial team Key principles –Question everything –Nothing is sacred –Present all findings, positive and negative –Be concrete 2

Evaluation of the alternative systems 1.Exceeds minimum requirements for operational capability? – Relative to operational purpose – How to measure objectively? 2.Expense to the society in direct budgetary costs and, more importantly, in gross economic costs tolerable? – How to measure indirect benefits and costs? 3.Other factors affecting the overall fit for purpose evaluation? – Certain benefits and costs are impossible to measure 3

Background: Conscription or Professional Armed Forces? Future of Finnish Defence

Members of NATONot allied The Defence of The Territory Crisis management

The way towards professional armed forces % 45% 50% 39% 62% 40% 10% 16% 20% 28% 40% 34% 17%

Cost analysis Future of the Finnish Defence

Conscription 250,000 Selective Conscription Voluntary Conscription 16% Professional Armed Forces 60, billion -8.6 billion No return Welfare effects -2.7 billion

COST OF DEFENCE MODELS Evaluated Dimensions Labour force Capital Costs Gross Domestic Product Tax Revenue Household Demand Total Cost for Society

Professional Armed Forces Need for infrastructure 60,000 Personnel 15,000 Conscripts 19,000 26,000 more people Salaries Billion Materiel Billion Rents Billion Operating costs Billion –> Billion / year 4.9 Billion/year 2.7 Billion/year

90% of funds are invested to 10% of the troops MATERIEL SHORTAGE IN THE ARMY

400 milj. € more Finland can not afford a professional army. 10%

2.7 Mrd€ Cost increase of materiel +4-8% / annum THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE FINNISH MILITARY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE Personnel costs +2 % / annum Massive aging of army materiel between Operations and real estate

Operational capability Future of the Finnish Defence

CONSCRIPTION <> CONSCRIPTION Unsuccessful Conscription Functional Conscription 37,5 hours working weeks 5 – 6 training days a week, no limited working hours Training of individualsProducing wartime units No measurement of training results Measurement of training results against hard targets Conscripts used for secondary tasks (cheap labour) Training war time units as priority No clear purpose Clear purpose (Defence of the homeland)

JANFEBJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECMARAPRMAYJUNJUL Conscription Training System - Production of Wartime Units UNIT TRAINING 9 weeks SUMMER INTAKE In July UNIT TRAINING 9 weeks WINTER INTAKE In January WINTER INTAKE In January BASIC TRAINING BRANCH and JOB TRAINING SPECIALISTS LEADERS BRANCH and JOB TRAINING SPECIALISTS LEADERS SPECIALISTS LEADERS RESERVE UNIT RESERVE UNIT + Refresher Training for Reserve Units BASIC TRAINING

men allocated SIZE OF THE RESERVE start pass 15v Wartime reserve 10v

General conclusions Future of the Finnish Defence

Dimensions Mission of the Defence Forces Total Cost for Society Professional Force or Conscription

Giving up conscription: WHY? The mission of the Defence Forces is changed from defence to crisis management Continuous forced uncoordinated cuts in the Defence Forces spending Training results not sufficient in relation to capability requirements No need for big reserves Difficulties getting motivated conscripts

Professional vs Conscription Professional ForceConscription No recruitment baseRecruitment Limited working HoursEffective use of the week No reserves for defenceReserves for defence Crisis management tasksDefence of the country Higher costsCost-effective Weak link to societyPositive effects on society

Conclusions for Finland Future of the Finnish Defence

23 Support for other Authorities Effects on Society Participation in International Crisis Management Economy Meaningful and motivating for Conscripts Defence of Finland

Bde area of operations 30 x 50m 2 Professional Armed Forces per 1 km 2

Positive effects on society -Connects the different actors in society -Promotes social values, national defence will and social peace -Provides young men and women with versatile skills, some of the most significant of which include leadership training, driver training and first aid training -Teaches social and group skills -Prevents social exclusion -Facilitates immigrant integration -Promotes public health -Provides data and material for research -Produces a military reserve that can also support other authorities -Produces personnel for crisis management tasks -Acts as a recruitment channel for the Defence Forces and other authorities.

The conscription system be maintained 1 The entire male age group fit for service undergoes military service training There are no grounds for a transition to professional forces Military alliance would not have considerable impacts on the conscription system In the next few years, the Defence Forces must undergo a structural reform, which at the same time will secure the position of the conscription system Military service remains voluntary for women Voluntary military service for women is supported especially by providing more information The special know-how of conscripts is utilised more extensively than before

Financial latitude is created to avoid constant forced cost cuts 2 Investigating the possibilities of transitioning partly to a four-month term of service Introducing other reforms that create financial latitude

Operating models are developed further 3 Developing a conscript information system that provides the Defence Forces with more information about the conscripts and vice versa Utilising the call-up events as a platform, which allows for the individual, various authorities and actors to meet and exchange information that benefits both the individual and the different actors Developing the initial survey and feedback systems in a way that allows for giving open feedback and learning from good practices Developing a centralised social reservation register Improving the cooperation between different administrative sectors and authorities

The position of conscripts is improved 4 Improving the financial standing of conscripts Connecting conscription with the lifelong educational system where credit is given for the skills acquired during military service in civilian studies and the working life as well as possible Developing different reward systems for conscripts Promoting healthy lifestyles among conscripts Implementing the "timeout" operating model in all municipalities

5 Resources are allocated Supporting instructors of conscripts in their demanding work and especially paying attention to supporting young instructors Increasing the number of the training personnel in military units that train conscripts

Thank you!