Dropout of conscripts in national service reduces

The dropout rate of conscripts in the national service reduced significantly this year, said the Finnish Defence Forces in a press release on Tuesday.

In the January 2024 intake, more than 12 000 recruits started their national service in Finnish Defence Forces contingents.

Following basic training, training branch, special training and unit training phases, 16.1 % of those who started in January have interrupted their national service.

The figure is 2.6 percentage points lower than the figure for the intake that started a year earlier (January 2023) and 3.3 percentage points lower than the figure for the intake that started two years earlier (January 2022).

The 16.1 % dropout rate for the January intake is the lowest since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to the easing of the coronavirus situation, the reduction in dropout rates may have been particularly influenced by development measures targeted at preliminary health examinations.

“More personnel resources have been allocated to preliminary health examinations, and the examinations have likely been conducted more effectively than during the coronavirus period. This is possibly reflected in the lower dropout rate,” said the Head of the Field Medicine Services Unit, Commander (Med.) Petri Kangaspunta.

The most significant reason for interruptions in the January 2024 intake has been the transfer to the E-service eligibility category, which means a temporary exemption from service due to health reasons.

Although health reasons remain the most common cause for interruptions, the number of E-classifications has somewhat decreased compared to the corresponding numbers for the two previous January intakes.

Kangaspunta estimated that the reduction in E-classifications may be influenced by the efforts aimed at reforming the service eligibility classification.

“The reform of the service eligibility classification aims to ensure that even those with lower physical capability can complete national service in a role that does not pose a risk to their health. In this regard, there has been good cooperation between health stations, basic units, and personnel, and I hope that this will also be reflected in the number of interruptions in the long term,” Kangaspunta said.

In addition to physical health reasons, mental health and behavioral disorders are also behind the interruptions.

The Deputy Chief of the Defence Command Finland Training Department, Colonel Vesa Helminen, reflected on the impact of societal challenges on national service.

“The well-being of young people in society is also reflected in the Finnish Defence Forces. We strive to improve the situation on our part during national service. We continuously monitor the well-being of conscripts through discussions between conscripts and staff, feedback surveys, and by developing training to be as meaningful as possible. A lower dropout rate is definitely a positive thing, and we hope that this downward trend will continue in the future,” Helminen said.