Prepare for the service

If you are selected for the service, you will receive the order to enter into service either at the selection event, or the order will be sent to you in the mail. This order will contain the details as to when and in which brigade-level unit you are to start the service. You may start the service at the earliest during the year when you turn 18 following your birthday.

Before your service starts, it is worth getting increasingly fit and taking care of your health as well as of your finances. You may in advance familiarise with versatile service tasks here. For service experiences concerning the voluntary military service for women, see here. 

Read more about preparing for the service here. 

MarsMars getting fit!

The Finnish Defence Forces gives to all those starting their service access to a free-of-charge fitness training programme, the MarsMars application. Allowing you to measure your fitness level, the application then guides you forward by a progressive fitness programme tailored for you. Prospective conscripts have access to a tailored three-month fitness regime before arriving at the garrison area. 

The MarsMars application also features a tailored three-month fitness programme for those intending to undertake the voluntary military service for women. Consisting of physical resilience, strength and flexibility exercises, the programme includes a few practical fitness exercises that intend to simulate the missions conducted while in service. 

NDTA courses

National Defence Training Association (NDTA) develops women’s opportunities for participating in voluntary national defence, and organises related training and familiarisation activities that cater for skills in military readiness. For instance, the course Intti tutuksi naisille [Familiarise with the military as a woman] can be attended by persons considering the voluntary military service for women, or by those interested in familiarising with the everyday life in conscript service in a garrison environment. Moreover, the course Sotilaan perustaidot naisille [Soldier’s basic skills for women] offers all eighteen-year-olds and above a chance to familiarise with conscript training contents and topics.

For more about the NDTA courses, please see here.

Getting all in order

It is a good idea to prepare for the service by getting all matters relating to civilian life in order beforehand.

1. Let your employer or studying place know well in advance about your service start.
2. Get your finances (including loan payment schedules) in order. You may apply for the conscript allowance at Kela, the Finnish Social Insurance Institution. 
3. Please be prepared to serve for altogether 8,5 months (255 days), 11,5 months (347 days), or 5,5 months (165 days) in total, depending on the service task. The exact number of days will be specified during the basic training phase and training branch phase while in service.