UK SHOULD ADOPT SWEDENS CONSCRIPTION MODEL

[@jensmillgard]

Swede here. Military training as a conscript in the 70s helped me grow as a citizen.

[@mogges]

During the 1950s, 60s, and into the 70s, around 55,000 people completed their military service in Sweden each year, regardless of the branch. This means approximately 55,000 young men annually in the Navy, Air Force, Army, and Coastal Artillery. When the Swedish Army was at its largest in 1964, it could arm 800,000 soldiers. And that was just the army. As late as the late 1980s, there were still 45,000 completing their military service every year.

[@matsv201]

I saw one of the Mountains rooms full of Equipment in the early 00s just prior to it benig demilitarized. It was like the gun room with matrix.. but full of trucks... Rows and rows and rows of trucks.. I have no clue how deep it went, but as far as they eye could see basically

[@SonsOfLorgar]

​@@matsv201 the stockpiles were built to sustain those ~1m service members plus war time civil defense needs, production and repairs and general rationing for up to a year of uninterupted defense in depth and partisan war across the whole country... There was litterally lakes of oil, mountains of grain through to tobacco for snus, cigarettes and full on steam locomotives! Several of the old mobilisation preserved steam locomotives are now rolling and pulling passengers at our museum railways such as the Ravlunda-Sankt Olof line in Scania.

[@henrikanton3428]

I am a Swede and did my service in the late 80-s. It is a very good experience for 18-year old kids. I got a lot of good values and it is good to get out of your home and learn to make your bed in the morning and the disciplin. Many of us continued to become reserve officers.

[@Joelice]

Im from sweden and i like the model, its very rare that ppl dont want to go, and if they dont it comes out in screening and they wont get 'picked'. They ofc could get picked.. most ppl see it as a way to pay back to society. This is the cost for a free contry and i like that every one gets reminded of that

[@maritgranstromstudley208]

Another Swede here...I fully agree with you that it is a very good model.

[@matso3856]

I just wanted to add some groups always get forced to join, for ous it's the mechanics. We just don't have enough school's to just pick a few

[@znail4675]

There was also the option to do weapon free service for those that flatly refused to carry a weapon.

[@sirseigan]

I agree. "Gör din plikt innan du kräver din rätt" (= "Do your duty before you demand your rights"); it is a good way of thinking in my opinion. Democracy and freedom do not come for free and I agree that it is good for people to learn and be remembered of that. I am all for mandatory screening but I think we should expand it and go back to screen everyone, not only do a partial screening, each year. I am also for mandatory "societal duty" but I think that it should be extended way beyond military service to also include a (even) bigger portion of "civil duty" or "weapon free duty" with the aim of strengthen the country's readyness to manage different forms of crisis (not only war but wildfires, floods, landslides, blackouts, blockades, starvation, pandemics, refugee surges etc etc etc) in a robust way. A system were everyone knows were to go, what to do and who to report to in times of different forms of crisis. It is cood for a country to get a common aim, to work together and that people feel like the are a part of a bigger society not just exist within one. It creates a stronger and more united society. Humans need an adversery from the outside (be it an enemy or natural adversery, imaginary or real, in the future or here and now) in order to unite. If not people start conflicts within and division occurs. Therefore it is good to train the whole society in how to handle a outside threat of different sorts.

[@ingegerdandersson6963]

Looking back to before the could war ended there were many who were forced to serve (only men). Some even had to go to prison for refusing to serve. It was only after the could war they decided that they didn’t need everyone that past the tests but then the world changed and there were need for more people again.

[@annaolsson5441]

My take as a Swede it also is about crisis management , not only defense and military can be called in when we have floods, fires, accidents it also means that more people in the country know how to deal with power outs , cold, emergency healthcare, etc and are mentally prepared both to fight and help civilians ( a lot of our forces do UN service help refugees etc) Also if you do not want to do military service you do civilian military service ie non combat positions in the society.

[@tobias_dahlberg]

I did my service in 2020-2021 here in Sweden and I loved it. You learn a lot of both specific things and more abstract ideas and values that are great in civilian life as well. One of the biggest things you learn is how to become efficient and collaborate with people you'd normally not be with in civilian life. I'm an atheist, and my section chief was a super religious guy who wanted to become a priest. I'd never become friends with him in the civilian life but in the military I was forced to tackle that. We were respectful towards one another and became very efficient together, even friends. Just as in real life, you can not choose your coworkers, but if you can learn the skills necessary to be a professional and a collaborative team player, you'll have a much better time in civilian life as well. You also learn about what good leadership looks like, even if you're not in a leadership position yourself. I still think about my platoon chief, how he conducted himself and how he lead. He was cool, calm, collected - hard but respectful and fair, and only wanted us to become the best versions of ourselves. I'd say the most valuable lessons you learn in the military are the abstract ones, the way of thinking, looking at problems etcetera. Sure, the practical skills of first aid, handling a weapon, taking care of yourself and your mates in the field, etcetera, was also valuable - but what really sticks and has a wider impact is the more abstract stuff. Having tens of thousands of 18-19 year olds go through the same education every year is a big asset to society is a whole, and I think it brings us closer together. Both women and men do it in Sweden, and I think that is very valuable as well.

[@Hiznogood]

I did my service in the early 80’s and this is exactly what I picked up from that, just as Tobias writes. You learn to cooperate with strangers you normally never would interact with and after 10 months we did our job very fast and effective. There’s also a sense of proud to server you country, to defend and protect your fellow countrymen and women. It gives you some kind of comradely with others that served.

[@vicolin6126]

Swede here: Great idea, but in order to sell it to the common Brits, you will have to repackage it so that it looks to be an original British idea/plan. I have noticed that many Brits go absolutely mental for stuff that says "Made in Britain", and scoffs at foreign stuff in general :) Conscription would work for you, but you have to change the public opinion first about doing mandatory military service, as you otherwise get the people who scream "fascists" very loudly doing protests. In Sweden, conscription is seen as fairly normal these days after being restarted, as a a practice, not that long ago. During the Cold War, it was a "coming-of-age" thing for men.

[@CyrilSneer123]

No the entire idea is ridiculous no matter how you repackage it. Regards, a Brit.

[@Niinsa62]

I did military service here in Sweden way back when. As a conscript. And yes, there would be jail time if you refused, but that was never an issue. You did your time as a conscript, no problem. And I liked it. Not enough to sign up afterwards, but it was a fun time. I felt motivated, and I've never ever been in better physical shape. Gee, I could keep running and just think about things. Like driving a car, windows rolled down. Not even thinking of the fact I was running, it was that easy. I guess it was a bit like school. You have to go to school. And after school, military service. It was just how things were. No problem at all.

[@bombfelix5510]

This also means that the Swedes are proud and like the military, most Swedes have ties to the military, and it is easier to get a civilian job if you have done military service

[@CombatReadyHQ]

Exactly mate, proud of your nationality and nation, and you have a highly disciplined and trained population

[@vansting]

…but to say that Swedes have a proud military tradition is to go far, we have been in peace for 200 years and our military the last 30 years has been smaller then a Lutheran Sunday party

[@johanmetreus1268]

@@vansting Congo, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Mali shows those traditions are being upheld, even with the anaemic numbers we currently have.

[@vansting]

@@johanmetreus1268 That is a long time ago, experience zero today

[@johanmetreus1268]

@@vansting they had no more or less experience back then,, yet the performance was solid....that is why traditions matter..

[@citizenVader]

You have a constant flow of people who are up to date with the education and skills as a soldier, and this means better management and maintenance of gear.

[@rolandaxelsson763]

Hi I did my military service in 1980. After that I was placed in the pesonnel reserve for 20 years. What I mean is that you are on the right track.

[@matsv201]

You where demilitarized due to budget cuts? I think the reserve suppose to be 25 years for first line service and 40 year for total defense.

[@wiljartkarlsson6325]

I'm fr Sweden and did may army service conscription 1981, 14 month .... In that time Sweden could after 1 month have 1.000.000 soldiers ready to take the fight . We must back to that reality to be ready !! Not just in Sweden , we must been ready in all European country

[@Wolf-mv9sq]

Apart from whats been said, a sense of family and community is gained!.

[@CombatReadyHQ]

Very true and great comment and point

[@cynic7049]

As a Swede, your description is pretty good of our current system. Just i one small clarifications. The first phase of the screening is a questionnaire, after they done that less 25% (but the first year since it was reintroduced only 5% was, so it seems they are slowing increasing the testing capacity) is called in for on-site physical and mental testing (obviously the ones that seem to be best suited).

[@CombatReadyHQ]

Thank you and thanks for the comment and information. Appreciate the support and info

[@dannyblackwell2426]

I agree we need a Conscription plan/ model. and also think it be good idea to also push recruitment from job centres all over the UK.

[@CombatReadyHQ]

We do and definitely that’s a great idea as well

[@chriscollardey8155]

One thing I got to say as a ex serviceman . I have nothing against conscription if you are unemployed not studying or not doing an apprenticeship. Those people should be targeted for conscription. But with a security to make sure they're not the wrong candidates. But for people that have issues for jobs have a bad attitude towards life and governments. Say you have to investigate to make you have the right attitude. But the Sweden way is the right way are quite agree with it.

[@felippejonsson6078]

I did my military service 2003, 10 month as a squad leader in the Swedish army. Learned alot, and if the war with russia gets closer we dont need to start from scratch

[@SilverionX]

I'm a Swede that did 11 months of training and I absolutely hated it. I must be the only conscript in history that gained 15+ kilos during my time there. The basic training was fun but then I had the worst posting imaginable. Cleaning the restrooms after some squads got home from a week long field exercises would have been preferable. Which I also did, since I shared barracks with people who actually got to do fun stuff like shoot guns and other military things. That being said, I think it might be the only option for a country that hasn't been at war for the last 300 years or so. To be fair, if you straight up say you don't want to they almost always screen you out or put you in non-combat training instead like fire fighter and stuff like that.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

What station were you in? Guard duty or some kind of command staff assistant?

[@paulozavala3232]

What you also have in Sweden is the Voluntary defense organizarions, in total 18 of them where the Swedish home guard is one of them. Besided the home guard you have the FBU, a voluntary officer Training, The red cross, the operarions engineers, the volunteer air force, the volunteer vehicle association and so on. A lot of them if not all of them have youth branches.

[@matsv201]

According to information that as far as i know is public they doing a 1:3 reduction via online test, then doing a 1:4 aditional reduction via a at place test. Its worth sayint the digital test is fairly cheat proof in both directins. When i did it there was a dude that try to sand bag in the intelelectual and signaling test. The system cought him and forced him to do more and more test untill it was sure he was not sandbagging. He got to be a signalist. Its also worth saying (at least when i möstrade, may not be true today). If you declear that you didnt want to handle a gun, they inqury you to why. Say if its political, relgius or say self health reason and they had preprepaird services for those people. A friend of mine decleared religius reasons so he got to be a airforce fire fighter.

[@peartree8338]

I say conscript every godamn 18 year old. Provide a civilian alternative to soldiering to fill up important areas of society as preschool, schools and the elder care. Heck, you don't like people, then pick up trash for a year. Build on that social contract that swedes most often take for granted.

[@dominicreid4gg.90]

Maybe using a version of the GI Bill would encourage people to join. It definitely would have gotten me seriously considering to join up.

[@Hrotiberhtaz]

I think we in the west should expand your concept of conscription. Everyone doesn't need to make into military service and could be trained in other fields of civilian wartime service. Those who doesn't pass the military exam could be sent to do their service in hospitals, fire departements, engineering repairs, construction, transports etc. Basically everything you need to secure in case of a full scale conflict. The last thing you need is a bunch of people who's main experience in life comes from being unemployed or work in the fields derivatives of social studies. Conscript all 18-19 years with this in mind instead. An enemy who knows that you're entire society is trained to handle the misery of war is deterrence as well. People need to expand their view of what war really is. It's not just soldiers clashing with soldiers. It's every single structure of society being attacked.

[@philipgardner7360]

In Norway they did do 12 months in conscription ( its now 6 months) and then they were placed on the 'Dads Army...They have a permanent battalion ( Telemarks battaion) where they can be called up to or three times during there life up to 45 years

[@bokhans]

Swede here! I did my military service as transport commander. A dream come true driving all kinds of vehicles, from motorcycles with skies to 6 wheel terrain lorries, bandwagons, tractors, 4x4 and snowmobiles. Always a car at my disposal and when there was military maneuvers civilian cars. I got to be a transport commander in Lebanon for the United Nations too.

[@oskartribler5174]

There needs to be an option for someone to completely say no to military. I would not want to fight with someone who doesn't want to be there, and someone who therefore didn't try to do their best during training. In Denmark they can choose to do stuff like firefighting instead of joining the military

[@cynic7049]

No, it do not need to be. Assuming that the ones that make the actual selection is not complete idiots* , that will be taken into account and they know as well as you that those would cause problems. *And if they are complete idiots, we are fucked anyway.

[@SilverionX]

Same in Sweden. There's a whole line for non-combat training.

[@paulineholst1576]

As a Swede and a female it was voluntary for us when I was 18-19 years old. That was 20 years ago. My husband did 16 months as a leader combat unit. So they could take point if needed. As in every man there would be positioned as the head of a team in an air defense tank.

[@Northman-from-the-North]

When I did my military service in Sweden about 35 years ago it was easier to get a job after it was ended.

[@davidrichardson9839]

I live in Sweden and I worked training Swedish officers to speak English well enough to participate in international peace-keeping and peace-enforcing operations for just over 10 years (not 10 years straight, but 10 years of working on the 'captains course' each spring). In those days the 'old' conscription system still operated, so there were a lot of conscripts on most of the bases (I worked with the Technical Services, which is a bit like the REME in the British Army, so there weren't so many new conscripts about). My daughter went through the new conscription process two years ago when she turned 18. My daughter's year group was about 100,000 strong. They all had to complete an extensive on-line survey of their attitudes and health. Then 8,000 of them were summoned to one of two assessment centres, where they generally stayed for two days. During these days the ones who were summoned underwent tests of their physical and psychological states and about 4,000 of them were then selected for military service. The armed forces in Sweden can thus afford to be selective about who they take. If a potential conscript just says that they don't want to become a conscript, they don't have to continue with the selection process (one or two of my daughter's friends were sent home on day 1). There are also several who want to complete military service, but miss out. If you want to join the police force, for example, it helps if you've done your military service (a lot of potential police recruits don't meet the physical standards required, for example). The actual number of conscripts in each year group is governed by how large the military budget is that year. The permanent, salaried members of the Swedish armed forces are all officers. Conscripts who show promise are given NCO ranks and it's those conscripts who are offered permanent, career appointments. I also worked with cadets (ex-conscripted NCOs) who were training to become lieutenants. The Technical Services were quite an attractive proposition because the level of technical training there was very high. Most Swedish officers live off base, btw, so they're much more integrated into local society than is common in other countries.

[@uniformmike05]

Actually, the Swedish regular standing forces are both other ranks (GSS/K and GSS/T), specialist officers and officers. GSS are other ranks (GSS=gruppchef/soldat/sjöman or squad leader/soldier/sailor) where GSS/K are full time contract soldiers and GSS/T are part time contract soldiers. Conscript units are training units, usually 1-3 companies at a regiment, and after finishing conscription the soldiers either sign up to full time or part time units, go to officers school or return to civilian life. Some also join the Home Guard. When Sweden’s armed forces only had conscripts, the only full time soldiers were officers.

[@reuter66]

and its a good way to make "men" out of the immature boys

[@petter5721]

Member of the Swedish home guard since 2012. We now have a lot of new members since 2020.

[@Timoleon87]

Did my service 2007 as a chef. 11 months. Great times!

[@nilswedin8480]

You can have a reward for those who complete the training. Priority access to higher studies would be a good reward and enticement.

[@tony18662]

The Lessons you learn stays with you forever and make you a better version of yourself.

[@PW6805]

Did my military service in Sweden 1989/1990 at P7/FO11 must say it was the best time in my life. You learn how to give and get respect and you have fun even if it was hard sometimes during the exercises. At first i did not not wanna do it cus i had a well payed job at the time, to go down down from 16k SEK a month to almost nothing during the 9 months was hard. The closer i got to the end of the military service the more i wanted to stay, i had so much fun and was learning so much that i still have a good use of in my private life.

[@jacobn4667]

I do think it would be a good idea for conscription, but sending people to prison is not a good idea, because most of the prisons are getting full in the UK and they are short staffed (from what i read on the news). So giving them a big fine and community service might be probably be the best option. (in my opinion)

[@CombatReadyHQ]

Fair enough and fair comment, it definitely needs to be something high enough to make a big enough so that they are afraid to not attend

[@CyrilSneer123]

@@CombatReadyHQ any politician that implements such a ludicrous scheme is going to get removed at the next election. You sound like a right fascist.

[@eisenstahlbrenner3516]

Conscrition is the way forward!

[@jonnyolsson3551]

I like the model, I did my service as ”Kustjägare” Marine Ranger 1980 and havve benefits out of that in the civil life. One thing that is underestimated and not so many talk about is that you meet people that you would not have met. So go for it!

[@matshjalmarsson3008]

(Swedish) Back when I was of the age, almost all got screened, but nowadays very very few are called for screening. Not sure what the punishment for refusing is now, but in the 80ies it was jail time. A fun fact is that it was extremely impopular back then, but now, when very few are called it's become quite popular.

[@Jharug87]

Yea annother swede here, back when it was my turn i simply told them that if they would use me i would use my right to refuse arms. They then told me somehting that meant like Great thx for telling us that now and saving us time go and have a great day. That was it for me... i'm 2 meters or 6'5 and a half tall with scoliosis in my lower back. Ain't no way they could have fit me in anyway. On a side note, i know a guy that refused the arms bit and he ended up working / serving a year as a airport fireman. I don't know if they still do it like that but that's what i had to share.

[@thelifeandtimesofjames4273]

Couldn’t hardly comment because of a floating advert in the way. Anyway. Outside of wartime I’d like to see any conscription brought in by referendum. I quite like the sound of it broadly speaking. But I think it should be ramped up to suit the size of the population. I’d also like to see a community service opt out without the jail threat at first to see what take up is like. Adding an older version seems sensible too. Otherwise it’s just old people who vote dumping on the young. Add a chance for older than 18’s to be added also.

[@PeterRobertsson]

In Sweden we have a "Service Duty" in either the Civil Defence or Military Defence between 16-70 years old and can be called up. Also permanent residents of other nationalities living in Sweden can be called up if a war comes.

[@malcolmspeakman9699]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[@MartinJohansson-nn5dv]

was called up for military service in 1983, I was one of 50,000 that year. It was the first year that women could voluntarily apply. In my company, there were 3 women who trained as company managers for 15 months. Everyone who was considered healthy would do military service, exceptions could be made and receive unarmed service for various reasons, for example shoveling snow at a civilian airport or the civil defense. I often talk to my son about how good training you get in working and behaving in a group. You benefit from this throughout your life, but especially at your first workplace. We started our military service about 2 months after finishing education, so no one had to disappear straight away from their first job. I often joke with my children when we are shopping and someone has dropped their shopping cart in the middle of an aisle and is blocking the entire aisle, 99% of the time it is no one who has done their military service, because we are used to being in a close environment on each other and take into consideration. And an important aspect is that you get a sense of a community, which is missing these days when you think more about yourself. At that time, everyone who had done their military service was already assigned to war in a ready-made unit that called in for rehearsal exercises, and all the equipment was already placed in stores around the country, mostly in stores in the forest, so you went to your mobilization place and got all the equipment you trained on.. Now all this is just old history. It was also fun to get the chance to make boys out of men hahaha

[@OrbusS]

The Conscript system have many social benefits, may not directly connected to the military. An example in Sweden the screening of young men 18-19 years was active over 90 years. It gave enormous amount of data of how health, fitness and education developed through generations.

[@DONTHASSLETHEHOFF]

I'm one of those who isn''t allowed in the army due to my mental health and some records. But don't forget the fact that people like me would be the exact same ones who would have the b*lls to step up and defend my people.

[@searchandsave142]

Great Idea. Wish I was younger I’d join England’s military in a heartbeat.

[@CombatReadyHQ]

And so many people should but they don’t want too

[@ollep9142]

Looking at this from a historical perspective I'd say that conscription is at its best when large numbers are needed. * During the cold war all men in Sweden were screened (at age 18) and then some 80-90% were selected for service, armed or unarmed. The common thought by those recruits was that their service was a mandatory pain that everybody had to endure, but since it was a shared experience it was tolerable. * In the early 90ies the share required to serve was cut down drastically. Those that wanted to serve got accepted and very few of those that didn't want were forced. Most of those accepted were immediately placed as "reserves", only to be called in for service (and military training) in case of mobilization. Suddenly most teenagers didn't have to "waste" a year of their professional career by doing military service, and thus the motivation dropped. * To increase motivation Sweden ended conscription (after about 100 years in use) and went for a professional military. That did increase motivation of the applicants, but was barely enough to fill the small ranks. * Now (about two decades due, in my opinion) it's been decided to increase the force again, and conscription has been reinstated. For now the vast majority of those that state that they don't want to serve won't have to, but that will change as more units are required. I hope it's sufficient to reach critical mass for the idea that it's something that "everybody" does...

[@tonyhagerstrand]

8000 conscripts wow ! In Sweden.

[@gindrinkersline3285]

06:21 "They go back to civilian life." - Sweden has "Total Defence Duty" for all people living in Sweden (citizens & residents) between the ages of 16-70. Civilian/military life are two sides of the same coin. Conscription is one of the three pillars of Total Defence Duty.

[@Nubbe999]

A lot of people that get conscripted are not interested in the military or know what it is. But with time a lot of people like the experience and stay in the military in either as a part-time going in and doing some training from now and then or full-time. In Sweden, there are three options after conscription. To leave it all behind, to be in the military part-time or full-time. The Swedish basic training also gives young people a lot of knowledge they can use in civilian life, so it's not a waste of time. For example, some get driver license on trucks, medical training, mechanical training, it-training and so on. If conscription is not an option I would recommend a 2-3 week mandatory training for everyone between 18-25 that could be split up into sections. Where people will learn the very very basics. Like medical care, how to communicate on the radio, how to survive without water and food. And things like that. So when/if the time comes and they will be needed in the military there will not be a need for a long training period but people will just need to learn to shoot and things like that.

[@1891726]

as someone wrote here in the comments , our politicians stuck their heads in the sand and took on conscription. Between 1960 and the 1970s, we were able to mobilize 800,000 men in defiance of war. You could be placed in the Navy, and the Air Force but most likely you were placed in the Army. Around 55,500 did their military service annually. When my father did his conscription in Boden (northern Sweden) and shot with GRK (Grenade Launcher) between 1981 and 1982, 45,000 men still did their conscription every year. Unfortunately, they put everything down, we who were born in 1989 never got the chance, unfortunately. today, only 8,000 men are called up annually, but this will be increased to 14,000 by 2028. Then some politicians want to increase the intake of conscripts. Otherwise, I think it is a good thing that they have started with this again

[@Niinsa62]

My nephew did conscript military service here in Sweden a year ago. As a medic. Now he is studying to be a nurse. So yes, conscription might give you a career, even if it is not in the military. Also, short story, it has to do with practicing with tourniquets, conscripted soldiers might be extremely motivated, and willing to take pain.

[@haydoncooper3744]

Oooooh! Coffee sounds great!

[@CombatReadyHQ]

Thank you for watching and supporting. I know you’ll love our coffee use code combatready10 at checkout for 10% off

[@ingvartorma9789]

As a Swede, I have been in the military and will soon return and then in the Home Guard, that Great Britain should take after Sweden. I have not heard of Britain having what Sweden has and that is Volunteer Command Training and Home Guard youth. Young people from the age of 15 can join this and get an insight into military life and you are part of this until they have to do the mustering for their conscription and those who have been part of the Volunteer Command Training and the Home Guard's youth, are selected as trainee officers during their military service. What also needs to happen, if it is not already happening in the UK, is for employers to show proper interest in those who have officer training in the military. In Sweden, commanders with different degrees are very highly valued among Swedish companies. This is because the entrepreneurs know that the Armed Forces have the best training of commanders and thus are also good managers in all possible companies if the commanders want to leave the military. What is also good for Britain with conscription like Sweden has is that this helps young people to mature faster, learn to take responsibility and they learn to take their own initiatives, and they learn discipline, listen and be able to give orders. It seems that in Great Britain they scan patriotism and pride in their country and they want to defend their country and no one should take it away from them. This prevails strongly in Sweden that one is a patriot and proud of Sweden, because when Russia started its full-scale invasion war in Ukraine. So in just a few months, 10,000 men and women applied to join the Home Guard. More young people want to do their conscription to defend Sweden from attack and now as a NATO country to defend its allies. Many Swedes consider it their duty to protect those who cannot protect themselves with weapons and those who need help against the enemy. Because this is needed in civil life. It sounded a bit that the British Defense only takes in 3000 to do their conscription. Because in Sweden and starting in 2024, it has increased to 8,000 who will do their military service every year. Sweden has opened up old decommissioned regiments and you have to build a new regiment in my city Kiruna that should be able to train between 350 and 450 soldiers every year and that there has to be room for the American military as well, because they have to be in 11 different places in Sweden. Within a few years, this will increase to 10,000 who will do military service every year.

[@tlelarsson]

A swedish take on the matter: do believe the swedish model is also a great way of bridging the military with the sociaty in general, which is very important in creating legitimacy for a military in a country.

[@MartinLundström-l4v]

Conscription with the main objective to create UNITY and cohesion. 100% the right durection ( SWEDEN )

[@Utlathram80]

I don't think it's a good idea to "make" people join the armed forces. Definitely gotta keep the volunteers open. The military just needs to make better adverts or something. Better and useful trades ect

[@Chiller11]

I think conscription not only instills a concept of service but also diversifies the military. It’s best if there are no deferments so that conscripts of all ethnic and socioeconomic are selected. Too often lower socioeconomic young men/women can be over represented in military service.

[@AdurianJ]

Conscription in the UK is not a good idea. Your armed forces are tiny and can easilly be solved with better pay and conditions for contract soldiers. Just getting conscription as a way to indirectly wage dump will cause rifts in the force. Conscription would only make sense for territorial units in the UK as they can't be expected to be deployed in operations abroad unless the conscription time is multi year.

[@danielkarlsson9326]

i was part of the last batch eligible back in 1008-2009 before the puse of the conscription until 2014-2015. back then it was a sentence of 1 year in prison if you tried to evade it illegally. Sadly i was not allowed to do the military service nor the civilian one due to medical issues. The old conscription was abit diffrent then the one we have today with only the lads beeing ordered to do it by law whilst ladies was free to skip it, but generally every guy wanted to do it as it was abit like becomming a man more or less. usually alot of moaning from some of the guys about how they had better things to do in the modern day and how it was just unneeded, But akmost all was usually happy and proud to have done it afterwards. Whats important is that you need to have excercises yearly to train and evolve their capabilities. Another thing worth mentioning is that we can see a Decline in young mens health and stability in all from getting a good job to be able to find a stable relationship after we paused the mandatory conscription in 2009. What we have currently is 10.000 a year at most instead of 45-55.000 conscripts. They are however trying to rebuild the infrastructure to restart the mandatory conscription and it is seen by positive eyes from the youngsters who will be eligible. We and Finland are generally the most positive countries towards military concription in the world if i remember it correctly. bwat regards.

[@guygabriel6251]

We had!

[@PeterRobertsson]

The issue isnt only that they bring their military skills into their civilian lives and work, after a few years they have skills from their civilian lives that will be useful for the military as well. Its a two way street. During the cold war a truck driver for example from the civilian life would be placed as a soilder and a military truck driver when drafted. Dual-use skills....military-civilian-military-civilian....

[@stephenmiles7450]

Although I agree with you with the spineless government that we have it will never happen.

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

Sweden has the same problem with officers. People quit after a few years. It’s not sustainable. Problem: It doesn’t pay enough for it to be a good career choice. Solution: Pay your officers and give them benefits.

[@primeflux1]

Another Swede here, did the conscript service in the early 2000. The system works fairly well. But it is also a unfair system unless everybody serves. The state basically "steal" a year worth time from the person and need to compensate for that fact. That compensation can be money, skills and knowledge or other benefits. For the government to use both the carrot and the stick. Conscript in Sweden is over 100year old (with a stort brake in 2010s) which mean the society as a whole have adapted and know the benefit and effects the service has to person, including the carrier enhancing benefits for the civil workforce. There should also be a civil service (non-armed) as a compliment. There is also a need for an example firefighters, medical and other skill for a redundant civil life during a war. Also it would force an adaption of your training methods and military pedagogy. The Swedish ones are quite different from the UK ones.

[@henrikwennmark8046]

I did my military service in sweden in the swedish Navy. I proud to served my country. When I did the service if you didn't report to your unit in time after 48 hours you got national wanted by the police. You could get one month in jail every year until you had finished your service. The big advantage with conscription is that pepole in general are trained to follow orders and why it's importent to follow orders under some circumstances. And you get a general population thats get more critical to things out of the ordenary. For example you have made your millitary service and start a civil carrier and start to work with infrastructure or systems that is critical for society. You are already trained to be causes with information around what you working on and witch consequences it can be if information and up in wrong hands. When the war in Ukraine started many Swedish men in the age of 50+ contacted the millitary to join hemvärnet(the swedish national gaurd). To join the hemvärnet you need to have completed at least basic training. If the swedish gourmet for some reson think they need my services i will report to duty becuse it's all about my freedom and my rights. And if some body trys to mess with that they are gone get in trouble.

[@peterwesterback5875]

From the eastern side of the sea of bothnia I have understood that the youth of Sweden have some difficulties to understand the concept of Värnplikt (duty to serve) and are not turning up. The numbers I have seen in the papers the yearly intake is around 5000 out of a population of 10 mil. You could have a look at the Finnish defense forces youtoube regarding conscription, here we have yearly about 21000 doing their service from a population of 5,6 mil. After your basic you are in the reserves until the year of your 50th birthday for privates and 60th for NCO and Officers hence we have a ready force of 280 000 and a total reserve of between 900 000 and 1 000 000. Yes, armed service is not for every one but if you opt out you have to do one year of civic duties because they are needed too. Should you refuse that as well then you are in fore jail time.

[@AXXeYY]

next year 8000 CONSCRIPTS in sweden

[@mukkaar]

I mean way I look at conscription it's like taxes. You need to pay back to your country for living and being raised there. I don't think conscripted people should be sent to some foreign wars like say Iraq, with maybe exception some NATO war and obviously main job, which is defensive war. Ofc, if people want to, that's different, but I don't think people should be forced to do so. But other than that, I do think it's necessary thing if you just don't have enough troops for viable wartime force.

[@thomaseriksson6256]

You need refresment courses each 3-5 year too

[@peterkensborn8035]

You also need to bear in mind, that just because a conscript choose to not continue in the armed forces, he is still is attached. All Swedish men and women that served will get a so called "krigsplacering" , meaning that they will be attached to a military unit. (Or in the reserve) When being "krigsplacerad" you might be called to do rehearsal exercise, up to 2 times per year. (Some other have to answer if they actually called them twice, I never did any, but that was of course before "the everlasting peace" happend in the mid 90's and the Swedish Armed Forces scrapped a large portion of all units and regements)

[@znail4675]

The entire point of the Swedish conscription is to train people for the reserve ie "krigsplacering". This is rather different then how things are in countries that don't have conscription.

[@swedenmc6593]

I was in the army in the 1987 -88 i like it 🤓🇸🇪 after i was a man 💪 ? 😂🤣 , seriusley i was preferd for war and im still 💪 lern a LOT , best Wayne to proteckt the country 🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🤘

[@Dorimeme187]

inb4 Israel, South Korea and Singapore.

[@RedBone-q2v]

Immediate military conscription for all UK!!!!!!! Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦

[@Peacefulnessxxx]

Better to increase the amounts of volunteers by taking good care of service personnel just like Napoleon Bonoparte. Give them rights and privileges even the reserves at least a blue card like the nhs plus healthcare. For every soldier it should be one decent house full insurance provided for everything like a warrior caste in defence of liberty and the national interests.

[@trevdestroyer8209]

Napoleons army was made up of conscripts tho

[@paulineholst1576]

As a Swede and a female it was voluntary for us when I was 18-19 years old. That was 20 years ago. My husband did 16 months as a leader combat unit. So they could take point if needed. As in every man there would be positioned as the head of a team in an air defense tank.