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In the reserve

Once you have completed the conscript service part of the liability for military service, you will be mustered out in the Finnish Defence Forces’ reserve. As part of the reserve, your competence and know-how will be sustained by refresher training exercises. In addition, voluntary training exercises and training events will be arranged for the reservists.

The Finnish Defence Forces’ reserve comprises approximately 900,000 Finnish citizens. The wartime strength of the Finnish Defence Forces is 280,000 soldiers, and this strength is resupplied by other reservists as applicable.

As a person liable for military service you will be part of the reserve until you turn fifty or sixty. Those in the rank and file transfer into the auxiliary reserve at the end of the year when they turn 50, whereas the reserve officers and non-commissioned officers remain in the reserve until the end of the year when they turn 60.

This site provides you information on the rights and benefits of reservists as well as on refresher training exercises.

Regional Offices serve the reservists

The Regional Offices look after all matters relating to reservists. You are always welcome to visit your Regional Office to get information about your set wartime placement, refresher training exercises as well as voluntary national defence. You can also obtain an excerpt from the conscript register with your personal details. The conscript register comprises the personal identification and military training information necessary for placement purposes.

You can also update at the Regional Office the details concerning the studies you have completed after mustering out as well as all competence acquired that may impact on your wartime placement.

As part of the FDF reserve, you need to keep the Regional Office aware of your home place of residence by notifying the Population Register Centre of home address changes.

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