Five women are set to start military service as volunteers in addition to 1600 male conscripts in Estonia next week.
Five women to start military service alongside 1600 men in July
28th June 2013, 16:57
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The Defense Resources Board will summon more than 1600 young men for compulsory military service who will start service in the HQ and Signals Battalion, Logistics Battalion, the 1st Infantry Brigade's Rear Battalion, Engineer Battalion, Artillery Battalion, Viru Infantry Battalion, Air Defense Battalion, Guard Battalion, Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion, and the Naval Base.
Five women will join the Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion based in southern Estonia as volunteers, the board said.
The amended Defense Forces Service Act that allows women to serve in the defense forces on equal terms with men stepped into force at the beginning of April.
Most of the young men starting service next week have a secondary education.
New conscripts are summoned in January, July and October every year. This year's overall conscription target is 3191. Up to 16 women may enter conscript service on a voluntary basis.