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The number of Estonians entering the eight to 11-month mandatory military service last year was the highest in the last 11 years with many volunteering to start before they are called up, reported ERR News.
In 2012, 3,406 new conscripts began their duty in the Defense Forces, said a spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense yesterday.
“In a period of demographic decline, the high number of new conscripts is a good result,” said Kairi Rikko of the Defense Resources Board.
A third of new recruits signed up before they got the call, many waiving their options to defer. The move allows them to choose the unit in which they will serve.