COVID-19 and the Finnish Defence Forces 

In week 11, in conscript training, each brigade-level unit introduced a model dividing conscripts into three groups: A, B and C. Each group takes turns taking a one-week leave followed by two weeks of training.  

Information about the adjustments to the model was provided on 26 March. The adjustments will be in effect starting from 30 March. As a result, each period will be two weeks long. In other words, the conscripts will take turns taking a two-week leave followed by two weeks in service. Regardless of the changes, all conscripts must return to their unit after leave by the usual reporting to service time. 

The conscripts in the different groups (A, B, C) will not be in contact with each other in the garrisons. The groups move by different routes, have their meals at different places and do not share any equipment. 

These arrangements are introduced for the purpose of maintaining readiness and ensuring the Defence Forces’ ability to fulfil its statutory tasks and execute its critical tasks  in normal conditions.

In some brigade-level units, company level units or smaller units, adjustments may have been compelled to be made involving the execution of the maintenance of readiness, provision of executive assistance and guard duty so that the afore-mentioned statutory obligations will be fulfilled. Conscripts receive specific instructions involving their brigade-level unit from their supervisors. 

The purpose and importance of washing hands and observing hygiene when coughing is emphasized; this is behavior is monitored in service. Cleaning and disinfecting measures are also intensified in the garrisons. 

All garrisons test conscripts for the coronavirus and if someone tests positive, he is isolated from healthy persons, and all measures available are taken to prevent others from being exposed. Specific training and leave arrangements are also made with the aim of preventing the spread of the virus. 

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 under medical control.

Updated on 27 March .2020 at 16.00

In conscript training, the majority of brigade-level units will introduce a 2+2+2 model by 30 March. This means that there will be two weeks on leave per six weeks in service. The Jaeger Brigade, Lapland Air Command, part of the Coastal Fleet and part of the Air Force Academy will make an exception. 

The makeup of two weeks on leave will be as follows: Weekend leave + 5x Exemption from other service + Weekend leave + 5x Exemption from other service + Weekend leave. National holidays in the middle of a week count as “national holidays”.

”Weekend leave” stands for leave on Saturday and Sunday, and “Exemption from other service” stands for days off from Monday to Friday. 
In brigade-level units which follow the 1+1+1 model, the makeup of a leave period is a follows: Weekend leave + 5 x Exemption from other service + Weekend leave. 

Conscripts must report back to service by the usual reporting to service time. 

During a leave period, daily allowance is paid as usual for all days in that period. In addition, a food allowance in the amount of 13,50 e/day is paid for days marked as Exemption from other service.  

Conscripts will be covered by their normal health care also when on a leave period, in other words, they may seek medical care at the garrisons also during this period. 

The days off marked as Exemption from other service are considered days in military service, so they do not affect the date of mustering out. 
These leave periods do not reduce the number of conscripts’ regular leaves, such as personal leave or exemplary conduct leave. 

In some brigade-level units, company level units or smaller units, adjustments may have been compelled to be made involving the execution of the maintenance of readiness, provision of executive assistance and guard duty so that the afore-mentioned statutory obligations will be fulfilled. Conscripts receive specific instructions involving their brigade-level unit from their supervisors. 

Adjustment measures involving conscript training will be continued until further notice until the end of the year, but depending on the epidemic, the FDF is prepared to make adjustments with flexibility. After the acute phase of the COVID-19 epidemic, specifications will be made in the training instructions of persons liable for military training, and restrictions will be stepped down. Due to the nature of conscripts' service conditions, measures to step down restrictions will follow those of civilian society with some delay. The Defence Forces’ COVID-19 restrictions and safety margin are stricter than in civilian society, because in garrison conditions infectious diseases spread faster and the personnel’s ability to function must be secured in all circumstances. 

Updated on 21 April 2021 at 14.50.

An exemption- from -other service period is followed by a 3+3-day safety period. The safety period includes a three-day stay-home period at the end of the EOS period during which external contacts should be minimized. Another period of three days starts immediately after returning to the barracks, also with the aim of minimizing contacts. 

Updated on 21 April 2021 at 14.50.

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 military oath and affirmation ceremonies of contingent 2/2021 will be held without an audience at the garrisons because of the COVID-19 situation. The events will be streamed online.

Updated on 21 April 2021 at 10.50

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 Defence Forces has modified its national and international exercise activities according to the coronavirus challenge.  The Finnish Defence Forces has cancelled its participation in several international exercises. The manner of executing national exercises is considered case by case. 

Exercise activities continue in modified form. Capability to carry out the main task will be maintained - protecting the health of the personnel and conscripts. 

The Defence Forces keeps monitoring the situation and the effects of the measures taken based on which decisions will be made regarding the execution, scale and duration of exercises this spring.  If necessary, exercises will be cancelled based on risk assessment. Final exercises are conducted mainly in brigade-level units’ local training areas and other FDF training areas.  

At the moment, health is the Defence Forces’ main consideration when it comes to directing activities.  Only soldiers in good health are able to contribute to the maintenance of  the readiness required of the Defence Forces and provision of support for the rest of society.  The Defence Forces is the best equipped to maintain defence capability by modifying  the means of executing exercises and taking all the measures available to ensure the health of the soldiers. 

Updated on 22 April 2020 at 9.00

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.

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

The Defence Forces applies a 14- day voluntary quarantine with regard to persons arriving in Finland from abroad.  The Covid -19 restrictions and safety margin applied by the Defence Forces are stricter than in civilian life, because in garrison circumstances the spread of contagious diseases is faster and the personnel’s ability to function must be maintained in all circumstances.

You may enter service only if you are healthy.   If you are ill or have been exposed to the coronavirus and you can not report for service at the time instructed, get a medical certificate by 5 July 2021 and inform your regional office.    

Making trips abroad is not recommended before military service.  A recommendation to undergo a voluntary 14-day quarantine in Finland has been sent to persons arriving in Finland to do their military service.   If you arrive in Finland after 21 June 2021, you will not be allowed to enter your brigade-level unit when in quarantine. Instead, you have to contact your regional office or your brigade-level unit.  

Updated on 21 April 2021 at 15.10.