400 young men begin mandatory military service

Around 400 young men have started their nine-month mandatory initial military service at the Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion, the Lithuanian Armed Forces announced on Tuesday, as reported by LRT.

The first days of service will involve familiarising the recruits with military order, service conditions, and receiving uniforms and equipment. They will also meet their direct superiors.

For the first three months, the conscripts will train at the Grand Hetman Radvila Training Regiment in Rukla, where they will participate in a basic soldier course. The training will cover fundamentals of tactics, weapon handling, topography, first aid, communication procedures, and other essential military disciplines.

After completing the basic course, the soldiers will continue their service at the Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion, where they will be assigned specific roles within units.

“During the nine-month service period, conscripts will gain military preparedness, develop discipline, responsibility, leadership skills, initiative, and the ability to work in a team. These qualities are valuable both in military service and civilian life,” the Armed Forces stated.

Upon completion of mandatory service, the soldiers will join the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ reserve and be prepared to perform national defence duties if required.

The Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Battalion is one of the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ Land Force combat units, with the primary task of training and maintaining combat-ready soldiers and units capable of executing national defence missions.