So as I'm sure many of you know, Sweden has mandatory military service at age 18 or 19. (Don't remember right now) Now you may think that it's obvious I have to serve, but the problem is I'm not just Swedish. I have dual citizenship with Canadian and Swedish passports, and I was born in Canada and have been living here ever since. Because I'm a Swedish citizen, will I have to serve the standard 1 year? (I'm 15 by the way)
Do I have to serve? (Sweden)
The Other Guy
Spam King
Not sure about that... welcome to the forum nonetheless.
FutureMedic
Active member
AZ_Infantry
Active member
Why are you here if you haven't/don't want to serve?
AFSteliga
Token Canadian Moder'eh'tor
AZ: I think the main idea behind the question wasn't a lack of willingness to serve.
The best idea might be to go to a Canadian Forces Recruiting Center and ask them about it. If they don't know, they should at least be able to point you in the right direction to get the info you need regarding dual citizenships and service in either nation's military.
Welcome to the Forums, by the way.
The best idea might be to go to a Canadian Forces Recruiting Center and ask them about it. If they don't know, they should at least be able to point you in the right direction to get the info you need regarding dual citizenships and service in either nation's military.
Welcome to the Forums, by the way.
EagleHammer
Active member
Personally, i am going to serve in 2009 in the Swedish army, so i can probably answer your question. Even tough i think if your of Swedish heritage you should be proud to serve, anyway, in 2009, Sweden is only going to recruit like 15 tousand men and women, and they mostly whant to serve (like me). Just say that you don't whant to serve or have university studies or make up a dissease, nevertheless, before you can be excluded from the military you need to go and ''mönstra'' if you healthy of course, but that only takes like a day but is manditory, but if you don't what to serve you don't have to worry about it very much.
Hi and welcome to the forums Mammoth
I just found this on the official Swedish National Service Administration site (Pliktverket.se)
So I guess you should have to worry about serving both in Canada and Sweden. :smil:
You can also contact them here if you should have any more questions about this:
http://www.pliktverket.se/sv/Kontakta-oss/
I just found this on the official Swedish National Service Administration site (Pliktverket.se)
http://www.pliktverket.se/upload/5/engelska.pdf
So I guess you should have to worry about serving both in Canada and Sweden. :smil:
You can also contact them here if you should have any more questions about this:
http://www.pliktverket.se/sv/Kontakta-oss/
A Can of Man
Je suis aware
Who knows, a short stint in the Swedish military might be a good way to prepare for a career in the Canadian military if he so wishes.
I guess I'll answer a bunch of questions here:
Why get a Lee-Enfield rather than a Mosin Nagant?
Well why not get both? :santam16: But the Lee-Enfield has 10 rounds which is double the legal limit for rifles in Canada, but is still legal because it's historical or whatever. So that'll be my first rifle.
Why am I here if I don't want to serve?
Well I don't really know if I want to. Sweden hasn't been in a war in a bazillion years so I'm not so worried about being blown to shreds. What would stop me is if it interrupts my education, like going to university or even graduating high school if the age is 18. I would however like to improve my Swedish (It's good but not fluent), and I'd like to get all tough and whatnot and learn some skills. It could also be a sort of pride because my dad served and I'm sure my grandfather did too.
As for a career in the Canadian Military, I don't think I'd want to. I'd rather be a pro photographer (Yeah kind of a dream, but I'm not too bad with my mom's SLR) so maybe some day I'll be an embedded journalist or something.
Now a few short questions:
Is it possible to choose or influence what you're assigned to? My dad was a rifleman and said he didn't have any say in what he was put into. Would it be totally random or do they pick something that best suits you? (I'm about 5' 4" and 96lbs so maybe in a tank for me)
Will they call me and ask if I want to enlist or do I have to go and tell them?
Where would I serve? We have a house near Skövde (My uncle lives in Gothenburg too) and I think people serve there, but who knows..
Why get a Lee-Enfield rather than a Mosin Nagant?
Well why not get both? :santam16: But the Lee-Enfield has 10 rounds which is double the legal limit for rifles in Canada, but is still legal because it's historical or whatever. So that'll be my first rifle.
Why am I here if I don't want to serve?
Well I don't really know if I want to. Sweden hasn't been in a war in a bazillion years so I'm not so worried about being blown to shreds. What would stop me is if it interrupts my education, like going to university or even graduating high school if the age is 18. I would however like to improve my Swedish (It's good but not fluent), and I'd like to get all tough and whatnot and learn some skills. It could also be a sort of pride because my dad served and I'm sure my grandfather did too.
As for a career in the Canadian Military, I don't think I'd want to. I'd rather be a pro photographer (Yeah kind of a dream, but I'm not too bad with my mom's SLR) so maybe some day I'll be an embedded journalist or something.
Now a few short questions:
Is it possible to choose or influence what you're assigned to? My dad was a rifleman and said he didn't have any say in what he was put into. Would it be totally random or do they pick something that best suits you? (I'm about 5' 4" and 96lbs so maybe in a tank for me)
Will they call me and ask if I want to enlist or do I have to go and tell them?
Where would I serve? We have a house near Skövde (My uncle lives in Gothenburg too) and I think people serve there, but who knows..
KJ
Active member
If you don´t want to, no you don´t have to serve in the Swedish Armed Forces under the particular circomstances you wrote in your original post.
Furthermore, if you don´t want to serve don´t take up a slot that someone really wants by applying only to have a change of heart a few weeks/months into your service..The spots are few and far between as is.
Having said that.
IF you decide you want to serve and actively apply to do so you will have an oppurtunity at your (mönstring) to ask for a specific assignment.
Your wishes will be taken into account but you will be placed where the Armed Forces needs you the most.
If you decide to go to one of the original Jägarschools you will have to do a second screening.
This to determin if you are physically and mentally fit enough for the training and service at one of before mentioned schools.
If this is the road you choose you will be given a reserve place of service if you should not make it through the training.
The job of the mönstrings station is to put the right man at the right job.
They don´t always succeed, but they will not put a guy with a 2 in strength in a Jägar unit for example.
There are several units trainng in the area you mentioned and getting an assignment for one of them should be rather easy.
That is my opinion and don´t take it for gospel.
If you have further questions that I have not addressed post them and I will answer them when I can.
It may take awhile though because I am rather busy right now.
And as for you reference to when Sweden were last at war.
You have a point in that Swedish soil haven´t been occupied in a few hundred years.
That doesn´t mean you can´t apply for a unit that is out in the world making a difference.
I´ll let you do your own research on that if you are interested in following that path.
The few, the proud, serve.
//KJ.
Furthermore, if you don´t want to serve don´t take up a slot that someone really wants by applying only to have a change of heart a few weeks/months into your service..The spots are few and far between as is.
Having said that.
IF you decide you want to serve and actively apply to do so you will have an oppurtunity at your (mönstring) to ask for a specific assignment.
Your wishes will be taken into account but you will be placed where the Armed Forces needs you the most.
If you decide to go to one of the original Jägarschools you will have to do a second screening.
This to determin if you are physically and mentally fit enough for the training and service at one of before mentioned schools.
If this is the road you choose you will be given a reserve place of service if you should not make it through the training.
The job of the mönstrings station is to put the right man at the right job.
They don´t always succeed, but they will not put a guy with a 2 in strength in a Jägar unit for example.
There are several units trainng in the area you mentioned and getting an assignment for one of them should be rather easy.
That is my opinion and don´t take it for gospel.
If you have further questions that I have not addressed post them and I will answer them when I can.
It may take awhile though because I am rather busy right now.
And as for you reference to when Sweden were last at war.
You have a point in that Swedish soil haven´t been occupied in a few hundred years.
That doesn´t mean you can´t apply for a unit that is out in the world making a difference.
I´ll let you do your own research on that if you are interested in following that path.
The few, the proud, serve.
//KJ.
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EagleHammer
Active member
Yes, it is possible to influence your assignment, but they will probably put you in one that you fit in the most. (This is what they said when i did it), they will look for a place near your home, but you can be put anywhere.
The won't call you but will send a letter.
Your right that you wan't have to worry very much about getting shoot at, beacuse the limited combat and few losses that have occured is by volunters in Afghanistan.
The won't call you but will send a letter.
Your right that you wan't have to worry very much about getting shoot at, beacuse the limited combat and few losses that have occured is by volunters in Afghanistan.
AussieNick
Forum Digger
It's only a year. Suck it up, be a man, go and do the job the Swedish military tells you to do.
A Can of Man
Je suis aware
Yep, sometimes the military can be absolutely brilliant in terms of putting you in the right place.
They gave me NBC specialist, the most book and eye intensive MOS... basically gave it to a guy who didn't speak much Korean at all, read slower than most 1st graders and got a D- in chemistry.
Funny enough, it turned out really well. Just how did they know? Sometimes it scares me.
They gave me NBC specialist, the most book and eye intensive MOS... basically gave it to a guy who didn't speak much Korean at all, read slower than most 1st graders and got a D- in chemistry.
Funny enough, it turned out really well. Just how did they know? Sometimes it scares me.
Well it's not like I'd have any other choice. :mrgreen: I don't really have a problem with serving, it's just not very convenient at that age.
AussieNick
Forum Digger
I say it'll be good for you at that age.
KJ
Active member
Everyone who serves makes a sacrifice, however the military will let you get an extension to let you finish school first.
Much like the US DEP program.
//KJ.
I guess for someone living in canada its not obvious to serve in a military force of anykind. think of it this way, you are lucky enough to have two diffrent countries that wil recruit you, and one of them even has mandatory service. why lucky? because no matter what education you interrupt, no matter what job you get, serving in the military will, and i gurantee it, change your life. you will go from being a kid to being a man. I say go for it.