Day one: six ladies desire military service

Photo: Eesti Kaitsevägi

Yesterday, Defence Resources Agency (DRA) received its first six applications from young ladies seeking to make use of first-time opportunity to enter military service on equal basis with men.

The opportunity is provided by the new Defence Forces Service Act, entered into force yesterday. According to DRA PR-adviser Marke Teppor, the ladies filing applications on day one were 19-20 years of age, coming from Tallinn and Harju, Lääne and Lääne-Viru Counties. The number of ladies seeking to serve in the military is definitely not final, as applications may continually be filed via eesti.ee or in writing.

Indeed ladies have come knocking on the DRA door before. However, up to now the agency lacked authority to accept their applications. For instance: last year, 24 young women addressed DRA with interest towards joining military service. They were advised to wait till April or join National Defence League.

The ladies filing applications now go to medical check-up, after which those compliant with health and other requirements will be appointed to service, based on the date of applications. By decree of Minister of Defence, 16 ladies are allowed to be accepted into service this year, six of them in July (for 11 months) and ten in October (for 8 months). Ms Teppor thinks the numbers will be filled. The rest will have to wait till next year, when 38 ladies will be accepted.

For the time being, the ladies will not be able to freely choose the military unit, as separate accommodation and washing facilities are required. Therefore, the initial female soldiers will go to the Võru Kuperjanov Battalion, those joining in October head for Tallinn Combat Service Support Battalion and military units in Tapa. Up to now, some select ladies were able to participate in training at Võru Kuperjanov Battalion, going through basic training for entrance into military school, based on special contracts.

Lately, interest in military service runs high amongst young women. A study done by Centre for Defence Studies, conducted at the beginning of this year among 600 high school aged girls, revealed that 7 per cent were definitely interested in doing military service, with about a quarter saying they might be interested.

Ms Teppor underlined, however, that ladies should not take the decision lightly, as the loads and conditions of service are equal to young men. By entry into service, responsibilities are accepted before state.

«I wouldn’t want them to enter military service without acknowledging that, as men, they will thereafter be persons liable for service in Defence Forces up to 61 years of age, required to attend reserve trainings etc. These could be ladies, for instance, who see military service as their future occupation, for instance,» said Ms Teppor.