National Defence Training Association of Finland
Encyclopedia
National Defence Training Association of Finland is a voluntary organization providing safety and security training to all Finnish residents over the age of 15 and supplemental military training for all Finnish citizens over the age of 18.

Organization

The organization of National Defence Training Association of Finland is decreed in the "Act on Voluntary Defence Activities" . It is constituted as a voluntary association, the members of which are the main NGOs active in the field of Finnish total defence
Total Defence
Total Defence is the name of Singapore's comprehensive defence strategy, adapted from countries like Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria...

. The members are
  • Kadettikunta (Corps of Cadets, the voluntary ideological organization of career officers)
  • Maanpuolustuskiltojen liitto (League of the National Defence Guilds)
  • Maanpuolustusnaisten liitto (League of the National Defence Women)
  • Naisten valmiusliitto (League for Women's preparedness)
  • Reserviläisliitto (Reservists' Association)
  • Reserviläisurheiluliitto (Reservists' sports Association)
  • Sininen Reservi (The Blue Reserve, a naval reserve association)
  • Sotilaskotiliitto (Soldiers' Home Association, a non-profit association that upkeeps Soldier's Homes (Sotilaskoti in Finnish), kind of Canteens
    Canteen
    Canteen has several different meanings:*Canteen , a water container*Canteen , a cafe, restaurant, or cafeteria provided for the use of students, workers, or soldiers at a particular school, office, or military base...

     in all of regular military garrisons in Finland, serving food, sweets and soft drinks, they often have also TV, pool table and magazines and books for customers)
  • Suomen Metsästäjäliitto (Finnish Hunter Association)
  • Suomen Tarkk'ampujakilta (Finnish Guild of Snipers)
  • Suomen Rannikkojääkärikilta (Finnish Guild of Marines)
  • Suomen Rauhanturvaajaliitto (Finnish Peace-Keeping Veterans' Association)
  • Suomen Reserviupseeriliitto (Finnish Reserve Officers' Association)


The purpose of the association is to pursue the advancement of national defence by training, education and emission of information. The government has delegated to the association the public duty to organize voluntary military training and other training serving the military preparedness. To ensure the political control of this activity, five of nine members of the board of the association are selected by the Finnish government, the remaining four being elected by member associations.

As an organization, the association is divided into 21 districts corresponding to the Regions of Finland
Regions of Finland
Finland consists of 19 regions called in Finnish and in Swedish. The regions are governed by regional councils, which serve as forums of cooperation for the municipalities of a region. The main tasks of the regions are regional planning and development of enterprise and education. In addition,...

. After the Defence Forces structural reform of 2008, the voluntary national defence district also corresponds the military district of the Defence Forces. Each district works closely with the military authorities in the area.

Training

The National Defence Training Association of Finland organizes four types of training. Safety training is non-military training aimed at the general public with the objective of increasing first aid skills and overall crisis preparedness. Preparedness training is also non-military but offered mostly to the persons in municipal or church administration. The objective of the preparedness training is to increase the capability of the civil organizations to remain active in different crisis scenarios ranging from nature disasters to military crises. About one half of all training given by the association is safety and preparedness training.

The military training offered by the association is organized as short courses, which the Finnish Defence Forces
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...

 or the Finnish Border Guard
Finnish Border Guard
The Finnish Border guard is the national security agency responsible for enforcing the security of Finland's borders...

 orders and pays. The association organizes the courses ordered by the Defence Forces using its voluntary training personnel. The law states that the association may not organize exercises for units larger than a company.

The purposes of the training courses are
  • to maintain skills and knowledge learned during conscription
    Conscription in Finland
    Conscription in Finland is part of a wider, general "national defense duty" defined in the 127§ of the Constitution of Finland.Conscription can take the form of military or of civilian service. Currently, c.66% of males reaching military age do their military service, while a growing number of ...

  • to train personnel for more demanding duties
  • to familiarize reservists with changes in national defence structures and activities
  • to train units in their war-time composition


In contrast to the refresher exercise of the Finnish Defence Forces, the military courses of the association may be participated not only by military reservists but also by non-reservist men and women. These persons may serve in non-combat duties. All persons serving in a military course ordered by the Defence Forces and organized by the National Defence Training Association are subject to military criminal law during the duration of the course.

The courses where weapons or other Defence Forces equipment are not used are less military in nature, although even they are meant to enhance the capabilities of participants to work in different areas of national defence.

External links

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