The defense wants to attract sports fans with military service

Published 17 July 2024 at 08.42

Domestic. At the Dalregementet in Falun, a pilot project with conscription for young athletes is now starting. The pilot project will be carried out over two years and give young athletes the opportunity to combine conscription with a venture into sports.

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The first entry for this form of conscription, called sports conscription, takes place in June next year.

Sports conscription means twelve months of basic training where military training is combined with sports training. The first group of sports soldiers focuses on cross-country skiing, and in the second year of the project more sports such as biathlon and ski orienteering are planned to be included.

– For the individual, it will be a year of personal development on many different levels. Nils van der Poel is an excellent example of a person who has completed military service and then continued to develop, says Mattias Otterström, battalion commander at the Dal Regiment and responsible for basic training, on the defense's website.

The sports soldiers have scheduled training time where the number hours may vary depending on the educational plan, but everyone has the opportunity to focus on their sport. The same remuneration and benefits as for regular conscription apply with daily allowance, free board, accommodation in accommodation, trips home when on leave and an education bonus after completion of conscription.

Recruitment is ongoing and candidates will be selected for tests at the Duty and Examination Board after the summer . Applying is voluntary, but for those who pass the tests and agree to the training, the duty law applies. Sports conscription involves training as a group leader to be able to lead a group of eight to ten soldiers.

After completing sports conscription, military placement takes place in a shooting battalion with the option of applying for officer training or taking up employment as a soldier. After completed officer training, it is possible to apply for a position as a continuously serving officer or reserve officer.