COVID-19 and the Finnish Defence Forces 

The conscript training of the July contingent returns to normal service and leave arrangements if the COVID-19 situation in the brigade-level units allows, with the following changes:

– All of those already in military service, and those who have just begun their service have been divided into three cohorts: A, B and C.

– Everyone starting their military service will have a continuous 12-day service period in the beginning without passes or leave (no Family Day during the first weekend).
Conscripts belonging to different cohorts will not interact with each other in garrison. The cohorts use different routes to move from place to place and eat at different locations.

A normal service and leave rhythm means that generally, training is conducted during the weekdays and the weekends are off. Exceptions to weekend passes are caused by, for example, readiness and executive assistance periods and longer field exercises. The use of the 4+2 leave arrangement (four weeks of training, two weeks of leave) will be discontinued.

The Finnish Defence Forces is an organization for emergency conditions and can quickly and flexibly adjust its activities for the situation. If the COVID-19 situation deteriorates, the brigade-level unit commanders may reintroduce the necessary restrictions. 
The purpose and importance of hygiene involving coughing and washing of hands has been underlined particularly and it is monitored during military service. Cleaning and disinfecting measures have also been increased in garrisons. 

As a new contingent starts in July, we will pay special attention from the beginning to how the conscripts are doing and how they are adapting to military life. During the rest of 2022 the Finnish Defence Forces is expanding the phase feedback pilot started in the spring of 2022 to include all company-level units training conscripts. The phase feedback enables developing and improving the training-and-service arrangements already during service.

There are no conscripts in military service who belong to the risk groups defined by the Finnish Institution for Health and Welfare. There are some conscripts who have asthma, but in order to enter military service, one has to have their asthma under control.

Updated on 15 July .2022 at 7.30

Conscript, it is important for you to follow the instructions below if you get sick on leave. These measures are intended for preventing the spread of the coronavirus and reducing the risk of others being exposed.  
1. Inform your brigade-level unit. It will provide you with more specific instructions if you cannot return to the garrison due to your state of health.  The brigade-level unit is the only authority that has the right to give a conscript permission not to return from leave in time The brigade-level units will provide their conscripts with the necessary contact information.  

2. If you also need instructions regarding your situation from health care personnel, contact either the health centre of your garrison by phone (office hours, partly also during the weekend) or the Defence Forces’ centralized health care phone service: 
tel. 0299 576888 service in Finnish 
tel. 019 2242800 service in Swedish
NOTE! If you call the centralized phone service, do not hang up. You are on hold even if you have not heard the announcement.

3. Follow the instructions provided.

Family members: this procedure and phone numbers are for conscripts only. These phone numbers and personnel do not answer inquiries or questions. Please note that we are not allowed to give out any information involving the health of a person at least 18 years of age. So, keep in touch with your conscript for his state of health. 

Added on 18 March 2020 at 17.00

Due to the nature of conscripts' service conditions, the Defence Forces wants to have the summer contingent vaccinated to prevent the emergence of wide-spread COVID-19 transmission chains. If necessary, vaccinations may be carried out by the Defence Forces after the entry into service of the 2/2021 contingent, and all conscripts in service would be vaccinated. 

Uppdated on 21.4.2021 at 10.50

There are local differences in garrisons regarding visits to the areas. Please consult the garrison in question before planning your visit. From 17th August onwards visits to garrisons are possible if the visit does not endanger the conscripts' and personnel's split into groups A, B and C. You must follow the hygiene rules set by the garrison and health officials.  

Until further notice, visits by interest groups and family members are not allowed at garrisons. 
Normal rules apply to keeping contact in other ways.

Updated on 10 August 2020 at 11.40

At the military oath and affirmation ceremony at the end of the basic training phase the soldiers give a festive promise to defend their country. At this traditional  ceremony, the conscripts are promoted to rank and file service grades.

The arrangements of the military oath and affirmation ceremonies of contingent 2/2022 vary depending on the unit.

Updated on 2 August 2022 at 10.50

Koronaviruksesta johtuen varusmiesten poissaolot koulutuksesta voivat muodostua pitkiksi. Yksinomaan koronapandemiasta aiheutuvat poissaolot eivät lähtökohtaisesti ole syy palveluksen keskeytymiseen. 

Lainsäädännölliset perusteet palveluksen keskeyttämiseen tulevat asevelvollisuuslaista. Asevelvollisuuslain lisäksi palveluksen keskeyttämisestä on määrätty Puolustusvoimien sisäisissä normeissa. 

Koronan tuomat muutokset eivät vaikuta laissa säädettyyn palveluksen kestoon tai alkamis- ja päättymisaikaan.

Päivitetty 4.2.2022 klo klo 10.45

The measures taken due to the coronavirus do not affect the training selections involving conscripts.
Selections for reserve officer training will be made during NCO Course 1 as usual. The Army Reserve Officer Course will be organized and COVID-19 countermesures will be put in place. More information in Finnish on the Army website. 

Updated on 22 April 2020 at 9.00

Reservist training exercises and the Defence Forces voluntary exercises are always organized based on regional and case-specific consideration. National and regional restrictions and all lessons learned during the epidemic are accounted for in the execution of an exercise. These lessons are applied to all reservist training and, in fact, several innovative solutions have been implemented in the organization of exercises. 

The Defence Forces emphasizes that you should not participate in an exercise if you are sick. In case a reservist seeks exemption from a refresher training exercise due to a sickness (i.a. COVID-19), he must send a medical certificate to the regional office which had sent him his exercise order. 

If a reservist feels unwell on the morning the exercise starts, and he has not had an opportunity to get a medical certificate in writing, he must immediately inform the regional office which had sent him his exercise order and take immediate measures to get a written medical certificate. In such a case, before the exercise starts, the reservist must receive an authorization from the regional office not to join the exercise and agree to provide a medical certificate.

If you have any questions involving refresher training exercises, please contact the regional office which sent you your exercise order. 

Updated on 21 April 2021 at 15.00.

The Finnish Defence Forces is returning to a normal exercise schedule as much as possible, taking protective measures into account if there is a new wave of COVID-19. International exercises are looked at on a case-by-case basis. Possible exercise cancellations or changes to them are notified separately. 

National and international exercises always account for local conditions and instructions in effect – while looking after the health of regular personnel, conscripts and reservists. 

Only soldiers in good health are able to maintain the readiness required of the Defence Forces and provide support for the rest of society. The Finnish Defence Forces is continuing to implement measures that help protect the health of our soldiers.

Updated on 15 July .2022 at 7.30

The Defence Forces has recommended that its personnel work from home to the extent permitted by their work duties. Precise instructions involving hygiene have also been provided for the entire personnel. 

Personnel in training duties in the garrisons follow the same A, B, C model as the conscripts. 

Persons who have stayed abroad less that 14 days ago or think they may have been exposed to the coronavirus are not allowed to enter the Defence Forces’ facilities and areas. This restriction applies to the Defence Forces’ own personnel, conscripts and women performing voluntary military service and FDF cooperation partners. 

Updated on 18 March 2020 at 15.50

The Defence Forces does its utmost to protect the health of conscripts and personnel both in normal conditions and during the coronavirus epidemic. For the Defence Forces, health and well-being are a priority in all of its activities no matter what the conditions are.

The Defence Forces has taken measures to slow down the spread of the coronavirus epidemic and to have its impacts in control in the garrisons. The Defence Forces has modified its activities and implemented changes, for example, to conscript service arrangements. These measures are aimed at ensuring the safety of conscripts and women performing their voluntary military service, and the occupational safety of personnel.

Anyone in military service has the possibility and obligation to seek FDF health services if necessary. If a conscript has concerns for his state of health, he should consult a doctor at his brigade-level unit’s health centre. 

There are no conscripts in military service who belong to the risk groups defined by the Finnish Institution for Health and Welfare. There are some conscripts with asthma, but in order to participate in military service, one has to have one’s asthma cared for and under control.

The Defence Forces is prepared to provide special treatment for anyone in military service having asthma or having contracted an illness.  For example, we have capability of testing people for coronavirus infection.   If a need arises to provide special treatment for a conscript with asthma or some other illness, he is instructed to go to his brigade-level unit’s health centre for consultation, and health care services’ instructions are followed.

Puolustusvoimissa eristyksen- tai karanteeninomainen aika varusmiehillä on seitsemän (7) vuorokautta.

Koronaan sairastuneet varusmiehet ovat varuskunnassa eristyksenomaisissa olosuhteissa vähintään 7 vuorokautta. Parantuneet varusmiehet voivat palata toimintaan mukaan aikaisintaan 7 vuorokauden kuluttua oireiden alkamisesta, ja kun 7 vuorokauden jaksoon on sisältynyt vähintään yksi (1) oireeton päivä. Oireettomassa tartunnassa vuorokaudet lasketaan positiivisen näytteen antopäivästä.

Mikäli varusmies on altistunut koronalle, toimitaan saman seitsemän vuorokauden säännön mukaan. Koronalle altistuneiden karanteeninomainen aika päättyy 7 vuorokauden jälkeen, jos terveydenhuollon tekemä koronatesti on negatiivinen. Vuorokaudet lasketaan viimeisestä altistumispäivästä.

Jos varusmiehellä todetaan varuskunnan ulkopuolella korona tai altistuminen, toimitaan tartuntatautiviranomaisen ohjeiden mukaisesti. Kuitenkin jos tartuntatautiviranomaisen eristys- tai karanteenimääräys on alle 7 vuorokautta, noudatetaan Puolustusvoimissa voimassa olevaa 7 vuorokauden sääntöä.

Päivitetty 4.2.2022 klo klo 10.45

Quarantining measures are used to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus both in garrison and elsewhere in society. Every coronavirus (COVID-19) case will be looked at on a case-by case-basis on the brigade-level, and measures and decisions are implemented on medical grounds. 

A single case may affect individuals or larger groups, depending on the time and place of infection, and the size of the exposed group of people.  A confirmed coronavirus case and measures taken will change the training and leave arrangements of the company-level unit in question.  In practice, this may mean longer periods on duty or on leave than originally planned. Therefore, quarantining may be done either at home or in garrison, depending on the situation. 

These cases are very unfortunate, both for the individual and for the Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish Defence Forces strives to support the conscripts and their welfare by all means available, particularly in cases where quarantine will lengthen the time spent on duty. 
 

The National Defence University has provided precise instructions against COVID-19 on the NDU website. 

Updated on 18.3.2020 at 15.10