The Ministry of Defence invites youngsters to sign up for next January’s National Defence Service (VAD), as confirmed by the ministry’s press-service.
It is planned to hold two conscription rounds in 2024 – one in January and one in July. The ministry hopes to recruit up to 850 people.
Minister of Defence Ināra Mūrniece invites youngsters to sign up for VAD voluntarily in order to learn skills and knowledge to be able to defend Latvia in a critical moment.
“We continue developing VAD in order to provide youngsters who signed up voluntarily a choice of the type of service they want: eleven-month training in National Armed Forces (NBS), serve in the National Guard or undergo a reserve officer training course,” said Mūrniece.
Volunteers can sign up for the type of service they want by listing their desired station in the appropriate form.
If possible, volunteers will be provided with their service location as close as possible to their home. Up to 50 youngsters – higher education students – will be able to sign up for a five-year reserve officer training course.
This number of recruits is set for 2024 in order to provide a high quality training process.
It is important to keep in mind that the first conscription round will conclude in June 2024.
Similarly to the first conscription round, in the second one, when recruits start their training in January, Latvian citizens will be invited to sign up voluntarily at www.klustikaravirs.lv.
If the necessary number of recruits is not found for the eleven-month service in NBS, the remaining recruits will be selected at random on the 10th of August 2023.
Before the selection, all recruits that qualify for military service will be given a number. Then these numbers will be randomly picked. In order for residents to receive information about military recruitment, they need to have a valid e-mail address to which a notification to attend examinations will be sent.
If residents do no have an official e-mail, the notification will be sent to their declared home address or issued in person.
According to the Law on the Official Electronic Address, as of the 1st of June, an e-mail is mandatory for Latvian citizens – men aged 18 to 27. Citizens can create an official e-mail at www.latvia.lv.
It was previously reported that
the 15th of May marked the end of the first National Defence Service conscription round. 488 Latvian citizens signed up for it, including 11 women and six citizens living abroad.
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