About 1,600 Danish recruits began service on Monday under a new extended 11-month scheme as Denmark accelerates its defense buildup, spurred by security pressures in the Arctic and the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
Denmark announced in 2024 that it would expand the scope of military service, including women for the first time, and extend the standard length of service from four to 11 months. The number of new recruits is expected to increase from 5,000 to 7,500 per year by 2033.
The new recruits enter service as Denmark prepares to deploy conscript soldiers to Greenland for the first time later this month, with a company of more than 100 soldiers serving for a month, taking over operational tasks from professional soldiers.
The deployment also has additional political significance, as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that the semi-autonomous Danish territory should become part of the United States and emphasized that he wants this for the sake of protecting national security, Reuters notes. His request was flatly rejected by the governments of Greenland and Denmark.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a NATO summit in Ankara last month that her country was ready to defend every inch of the military alliance's territory, including Denmark.
Silas Knorr, a 19-year-old recruit from the western Danish town of Varde, said he welcomed the longer service period.
"Now we have 11 months and it seems to me that you can really get into it, experience it fully and get a much deeper understanding of military affairs," he said.
Conscripts under the new scheme will undergo five months of basic training, followed by six months of operational service. The Danish Armed Forces are also introducing new conscription programs, including service in a drone platoon at the Special Operations Command.
The Danish program operates through a lottery system, in which all able-bodied young men over the age of 18 participate, but for many years the country's army has been composed almost entirely of volunteers, with the lottery used only to fill remaining quotas.
Sweden, Finland, and Norway also have conscription programs, as do the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.