Gallery: 1,136 young people start conscript service in October
In total, 1,136 young people, including eight women, started conscript service in the Estonian Defense Forces as part of the final call-up of the year in October.
550 young people, including six women, started service as part of the First Infantry Brigade. 411 young men started service as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, 108 young men and two women as part of the Cyber Command, while 67 of those who started service in October joined the Support Command, the Defense Resources Agency said.
"This time, 55 percent of those called up decided to voluntarily fulfil their national defense obligations," Marlen Piskunov, director-general of the Defense Resources Agency, said. "I am pleased with the growth of this trend because the motivation of these call-up selectees to serve in the defense forces is high and they have thought their decision through."
Among them those for whom the defense forces are of special interest and national defense very close to their hearts, as well as those who simply consider conscript service to be their duty as citizens and want to better fit this obligation in their life cycle.
The majority of those who started service in October have secondary and basic education and many also have a category B driving license.
Fourteen young men and one woman came from abroad to start conscript service in Estonia. Most of them came from Finland, but also from Australia, Honduras and the United Kingdom.
A total of 3,518 young people have started conscript service this year. An average of 47.3 percent of the three call-ups of the year has made their decision voluntarily. Fifty-four women have started conscript service this year.
This year, there are a large number of those entering voluntary conscript service with their entire school class. In July, 17 classes or altogether 137 young people from schools across Estonia started service together. In July last year, young people from four schools went to serve together as a class.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Roberta Vaino