Academic literature on the topic 'Months conscript service'

Abstract:Claims of sexual violence against female conscripts by military commanders abound in the Eritrean National Service (ENS), but hitherto there has been no attempt to subject these claims to rigorous empirical scrutiny. This article is a partial attempt to fill the gap. Based on data collected through snowball sampling from 190 former conscripts in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, South Africa, Kenya, and Sweden who fled from the ENS, supplemented by data from systematically selected key informants who were interviewed in depth, it examines the extent to which female conscripts serving in the ENS were subjected to sexual violence and harassment by their commanders, including at the Sawa military training camp. The extensive data, based on the perceptions and experiences of respondents who served on average about six years, suggest that sexual abuse is rampant throughout the ENS, particularly among female conscripts who are assigned to work at the camp subsequent to the six months of military training.

Relevance. One of the most reliable and robust indicators of the health of military personnel is dismissal due to health reasons, it is practically not affected by external distortions, and dismissal-related nosologies are determined in hospital and subsequently approved by military medical experts.Intention. Analysis of the dismissal rate due to health reasons among conscripts in the Republic of Belarus for 16 years (2003-2018).Methodology. We conducted a statistical analysis of annual medical reports about the state of health and morbidity of conscripts (form N 3/MED) and annual reports about medical examination (form N 5/CVVK). Dismissal rates for the entire service time and for the periods I (0–6 months), II (7–12 months) and III (13–18 months) were identified and analyzed. Dismissal-related nosologies were correlated with the codes of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Behavioral Disorders and Injuries, 10th revision (ICD-10).Results and Discussion. The average annual dismissal rate for conscripts from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus for 16 years from 2003 to 2018 amounted to (15.62 ± 0.58) ‰, including (8.11 ± 0.36) ‰ in the first period of service, (5.24 ± 0.28) ‰ in the II period and (2.27 ± 0.09) ‰ in the III period, i.e. 51.9, 33.5 and 14.6 %, respectively in the structure of dismissal for the entire period of service. The main reasons for the dismissal of conscripts from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus were mental and behavioral disorders (ICD-10 chapter V), digestive diseases (chapter XI), diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (chapter XIII), cardiovascular system diseases (chapter IX) and skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases (chapter XII) with levels of (4.74 ± 0.35), (2.74 ± 0.31), (2.13 ± 0.18), (1.80 ± 0.30) and (0.73 ± 0.09) ‰, respectively. In the structure of dismissal, the rates of these diseases amounted to 77.7 %. When analyzing the leading classes, during the periods of service the military-epidemiological significance of dismissals due to mental disorders and behavioral disorders (chapter V), cardiovascular system diseases (chapter IX), skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases (chapter XII) turned out to decrease, and military-epidemiological significance of dismissals due to diseases of the digestive system (chapter XI) increased. In addition, during periods of service the number of dismissals of conscripts with certain infectious and parasitic diseases (chapter I), with injuries, poisoning and some other consequences of external causes (chapter XIX) increased. Most commonly, conscripts were dismissed from the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus due to diseases of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum (K20–K31 according to ICD-10), personality and behavioral disorders in adulthood (F60– F69), neurotic, associated with stress, and somatoform disorders (F40–F48), other heart diseases (pericarditis, endocarditis, etc., I30–I52) and mood disorders (affective disorders, F30–F39). In the structure of dismissal, percentages amounted to 13.7, 9.1, 6.3, 4.1 and 4.1 %, respectively; in total – 37.3 %.Conclusion. The medical and statistical indicators of dismissal can help calculate the likelihood of health disorders associated with daily life and military service, and determine the strategy of the medical service in taking measures for recreation and rehabilitation of potential and actual conscripts.

AbstractObjectiveTo analyse changes in food choices, diet-related risk factors and their association during 6 months of military service.DesignLongitudinal cohort study in Finland, where all men are liable to military service and a clear majority of each age group completes service. Dietary intake data were collected by self-administered questionnaire before and at 6 months of service. Three dietary indices based on food frequencies were developed to characterize the diet: Sugar Index, Fibre Index and Fat Index. Thirteen diet-related risk factors were measured at the beginning and at 6 months of service.SettingMilitary environment, two geographically distinct garrisons.SubjectsMale conscripts aged 18–21 years (n 256) performing military service.ResultsDuring 6 months of service, positive changes concerned more frequent use of fibre-rich foods (P = 0·011), improved body composition (BMI, waist circumference, muscle mass, fat mass and percentage body fat, P ≤ 0·003 for all), decreased systolic blood pressure and increased HDL cholesterol (P < 0·001 for both). Negative changes concerned more frequent use of sugar-rich foods and increased total cholesterol, TAG and blood glucose (P < 0·001 for all). The consumption of fibre-rich foods was inversely associated with anthropometric risk factors at baseline and with sugar-rich foods at both time points.ConclusionsDespite more frequent consumption of sweet foods, military service with a unified, nutritionally planned diet, a controlled environment and high physical load has a positive effect on conscripts’ health risk factors. The negative changes in blood lipids and glucose may reflect more varied free-time eating.

Abstract Introduction Injuries are the major cause of morbidity and loss of active training days in military populations. Previous investigations have mainly focused on lower extremities. This study evaluated the incidence, diagnosis, and risk factors of upper extremity injuries requiring hospitalization in a large cohort of Finnish conscripts during a 5-year period. Materials and Methods A total of 128,714 male military conscripts, who served 6–12 months in compulsory military service, were studied. Injury hospitalization data were obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Register. The main outcome variables were hospitalization due to any injuries to the upper extremity and hospitalization due to traumatic shoulder dislocation. Background variables for risk factor analysis included length of military service, age, body height and weight, body mass index, and physical fitness. Results Overall person-based incidence rate for hospitalization due to upper extremity injury was 743 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 697–791) per 100,000 conscripts per year. Shoulder joint dislocation was the most common injury: incidence rate of 103 (95% CI: 86–122) per 100,000 conscripts per year. Trend during follow-up years 1998–2002 was decreasing concerning on any upper extremity injuries (odd ratios [OR] 0.90; 95% CI: 0.86–0.95, P &lt; 0.001). Body mass index &gt; 25 increased a risk for any injuries of the upper extremity (OR 1.29; CI 95%: 1.10–1.51) and, especially, for shoulder joint dislocation (OR 1.88; CI 95%: 1.26–2.80). Conclusions Overweight young men were at greater risk for upper extremity injuries. The incidence rate of traumatic shoulder joint dislocation was considerably higher than reported previously. In conclusion, preventive measures such as reducing the body weight of overweight young men should play an important role in reducing the incidence of upper extremity injuries.

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine some of the motivations and longitudinal consequences of military service in L2 Swedish for L1 Finnish conscripts in Finland’s only Swedish language garrison. Cross-sectional data (N = 42), analyzed with Bayesian path analysis, indicates that promotional instrumentality enhanced participants’ L2 ideal selves, but integrative orientation did not. The L2 ideal self predicts L2 learning intentions in the army, but only among learners with low L2 proficiency at the beginning of military service. Longitudinal data (N = 17), analyzed with a Bayesian model selection procedure, shows that after six months in the army, participants reported higher levels of L2 proficiency, lower levels of L2 use anxiety and more positive attitudes towards L2 speakers than at the beginning of military service.

The aim of the study is to assess the micronutrient status in the autumn and winter periods of conscripted military personnel serving in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (Arctic); to perform a comparative analysis of the laboratory and clinical methods used to determine micronutrient insufficiency. Materials and methods of research. The study involved 154 conscripts (all male) aged 18-25 years, healthy, service experience in the Arctic – from 4 months. In the autumn (2 points) and spring (one point) phases the following issues were studied: a set of physical health indicators; laboratory indicators of 8 vitamins (A, E, D, C, B1, B2, B12, folic acid) and 8 minerals (Fe, Ca, P, Co, Mn, Cu, Se, Cr) in the blood; symptoms of vitamin deficiency. The state of health, physical fitness, morbidity and hospitalization of the subjects were evaluated. Research results and their analysis. Data were obtained on the prevalence of hidden (subclinical) forms of vitamin deficiency, including more than 50% – for folic acid, vitamins A, E, D, C, as well as all the studied minerals - in the autumn-winter period, which is more dangerous in terms of the incidence of respiratory infections in organized contingents. The classical view of the prevalence of hypovitaminosis in the spring was revised, which was only partially confirmed for vitamins C and B1. It was found that the classical methods of diagnosis based on clinical symptoms used to determine manifest forms of hypo-and avitaminosis are ineffective for early detection of subclinical forms (prehypovitaminosis). The necessity is substantiated of wider implementation of modern means of laboratory diagnostics of micronutrient deficiency in the body using a proven method of freezing transported samples in combination with already used hygienic methods.

Goal: To study and asses the role of hormone imbalance (blood TSH, T3, T4, their antibodies, prolactin, cortisol and testosterone levels) in the development of acute glomerulonephritis in adaptational problems in the contingent of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia. Material and methods. To achieve the goal of the study 150 military servicemen (conscripts), aged 18-22, who were hospitalized for acute glomerulonephritis during the first 6 months of their service, were examined. The control group consisted of 50 practically healthy servicemen. Apart from common clinical and laboratory and instrumental examinations, blood serum levels of cortisol, testosterone, prolactin, TTG, T3, T4, antiTG and antiTPO were determined by immuno-fermentative analysis taking into account their circadian rhythms in young organism. Results. In patients with acute glomerulonephritis with acute nephritic syndrome and isolated urinary syndrome extensive increase in prolactin levels, cortisol levels and in T4 levels was observed in relation to comparison group. In both study groups, other data were within normal range in relation to comparison group. Conclusion. In acute glomerulonephritis the adaptation process of young organism is accompanied by certain phase shifts in endocrine system, which manifests with hyperprolactinemia, increased cortisol and thyroxine levels. Prolonged duration of these increased levels can lead to overexertion of the protective adaptation reactions of body and ultimately to their exhaustion. Taking into consideration the abovementioned changes, we consider it necessary to carry out hormonal tests when examining patients with acute glomerulonephritis, and in case of detecting deviations - take the patients under endocrinologist’s follow-up.

Abstract Military morale is a concept widely used to describe the motivational element of soldiers’ will to fight or “the energy that drives soldiers to perform qualitatively better in stressful conditions, characterised by enthusiasm and persistence when engaging in collective, i.e. unit-level activities”. This longitudinal study explored the interlink-ages between perceptions of military morale, the Big Five personality traits and select socio-demographic characteristics among the conscripts of the Estonian Defence Forces and predicting directly measurable individual and collective types of military morale. Moreover, the fluctuation of military morale over the training cycle of conscript service (11 months) was tracked. The findings indicate that at the start of military service, individual morale has a low or medium statistically significant correlation with conscripts’ personality traits, with Conscientiousness and Neuroticism demonstrating the strongest relations; however, the correlation with Neuroticism was negative. Additionally, when viewed throughout the course of the entire training cycle, the morale demonstrated a U-shaped progression, i.e. high at the beginning, dropping in the middle and rising back up at the end of military service. At the same time, socio-demographic variables demonstrated little or non-significant role in predicting individual or collective morale. The results indicate that morale fluctuates over time and is affected by personal characteristics. For practitioners, these results could help to reinforce the positive impact of morale on collective and individual performances.

ABSTRACT Introduction Back pain is a major reason for sick leaves and disability pension in primary health care. The prevalence of back pain among adolescents and young adults is believed to be increasing, and back pain during military service predicts unspecified back pain during later life. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of back pain among conscripts in compulsory Finnish military service during the period 1987-2005. Materials and Methods The Finnish Defence Forces recruit all men aged 18 years for compulsory military service, and new conscripts enter the service twice a year. Before entering the service, all conscripts must pass a medical examination and conscripts entering the service are generally healthy. Health care in Finnish military service is organized by the public Garrison Health Center, and all medical records are stored as part of the Finnish health care operation plan. For this study, we randomly selected 5,000 men from the Finnish Population Register Centre, according to their year of birth from five different age categories (1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, and 1989). Results We gathered 4,029 documents for the analysis.The incidence of back pain varied between 18% and 21% and remained unchanged during the examination period.The risk factors for back pain were smoking (risk ratio 1.35,P-value &lt;.001),elementary school only as education (risk ratio 1.55, P-value &lt;.001), and back problems reported before military service (risk ratio 2.03,P-value.002).Half of the back pain incidences occurred during the first months of service. Conclusions The prevalence of back pain among male Finnish military service conscripts has not changed in the last 25 years. Twenty percent of conscripts suffer from back-related problems during their military service. The majority of the visits to health centers occurred in the first service months. The risk factors for back pain include smoking, low education level, and musculoskeletal disorders in general. Educating the young people about harms of tobacco and supporting education is a way to influence the back pain prevalence. Strength of this study is a good generalized population sample of young Finnish adult males because of the fact that the Finnish military service is compulsory for all men. All medical records of all visits to the Garrison Health Care Centre were available, and all the conscripts filled the same pre-service questionnaire, minimizing the possibility of selection bias. The sample size was also large. Weakness of this study is that the service time changed during the study period and in the latest conscript group born in 1989, data collection and the data available for this cohort was limited, because nearly half of the conscripts had not yet started their service. The Finnish military service is compulsory only for men and because of the low number of female conscripts, they were excluded from this study. Diagnoses were also missing from 70% of the back-related visits, and these visits were recorded as back pain-related visits according to the reason for seeking care.

ABSTRACT Introduction In the spring of 2014, there was an outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) gastroenteritis in four Norwegian military camps—the largest outbreak ever reported in Norway. YE is usually transmitted via food, and the gastrointestinal disease caused by the bacterium is considered a public health problem in several countries. Common symptoms of YE gastroenteritis are abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Post-infectious complications can occur after YE gastroenteritis, the most common of which are erythema nodosum and reactive arthritis. Based on self-reported data, we describe the duration of illness, the duration of any absence from service, and the incidence of symptoms of post-infectious complications in two groups of servicepeople: one diagnosed with YE gastroenteritis and the other with an unspecified acute infectious gastroenteritis. Materials and Methods The Norwegian Armed Forces Health Register (NAFHR) is a central health register that contains data from conscripts and from military and civilian personnel in the Norwegian Armed Forces. In this study, we identified all individuals with a diagnosis of YE gastroenteritis in the NAFHR in the period from January 1 to June 30, 2014 (n = 128) as well as all those with a diagnosis of an unspecified acute infectious gastroenteritis in the same period (n = 323) to participate as controls. In October 2018, a link to an internet-based questionnaire was distributed by e-mail to all identified individuals. The questionnaires collected data on the duration of illness, the duration of absence from service, and the incidence of symptoms of post-infectious complications. Results Of all those who received the questionnaire, 72 (59%) were included in the YE group and 117 people (36%) were included in the control group. Half of those in the YE group were ill for more than 13 days, while almost all (90%) of those in the control group recovered after 1 week. There were no differences between the groups in the incidence of symptoms of post-infectious complications during the 6 weeks after recovery. There was a significantly larger proportion of officers than conscripts in the YE group who reported symptoms of post-infectious complications. None of the respondents reported symptoms of post-infectious complications in the 6 months after the termination of military service. Conclusion One strength of this study is that we were able to investigate a large outbreak of YE gastroenteritis in a group of individuals with good underlying health. Weaknesses are the low response rate, especially in the control group, and the fact that we sent out the questionnaire &gt;4 years after the acute gastroenteritis occurred. YE gastroenteritis among personnel in the Norwegian Armed Forces was associated with a significantly longer duration of illness and a longer duration of absence from service than that resulting from an unspecified acute infectious gastroenteritis. However, YE gastroenteritis was not associated with more symptoms of post-infectious complications.

Sedan början av 2000-talet har Försvarsmakten genomfört en mängd förändringar med sin organisation och personal. Nedskärningarna av förband tillsammans med ett ökat fokus på internationella insatser i början av 00-talet har under slutet av 10-talet förändrats till en tillväxt av förband samt en återgång till ett nationellt fokus. Yrkesofficerarnas profession har förändrats genom införandet av ett tvåbefälssystem under slutet av 00-talet från ett enbefälssystem, likväl som att värnplikten lades vilande 2010 och anställda soldater introducerades i organisationen. Sedan 2018 är värnplikten återinförd med utbildning av soldater och gruppbefäl, 9 respektive 11 månader. Från och med sommaren 2021 återinförs 15 månaders värnpliktiga, som övertar befattningar i krigsorganisationen som tidigare bemannats av yrkesofficerare. Studien utforskar vad detta införande innebär för yrkesofficersprofessionen, vilka konsekvenser som uppstår likväl som hur införandet bör implementeras. Genom intervjuer av åtta respondenter från Trängregementet i Skövde utforskas införandet ur yrkesofficerarnas perspektiv. Studien tar hjälp av Bolman och Deal’s fyra perspektiv på organisation och ledarskap samt Runsten och Werr’s modell för kunskapsintegration för att förstå och tolka organisationsförändringen. Införandet av 15 månaders värnpliktiga omfattar yrkesofficerarnas förväntningar på förändringen, som baseras från tidigare erfarenheter men innehåller även farhågor och positiva förväntningar. Erfarenheten att utbilda dessa värnpliktiga saknas idag på grundutbildningskompanierna, denna kunskap återfinns hos äldre yrkesofficerare i högre nivåer - varvid ett utbyte av gamla erfarenheter i dagens kontext är en framgångsfaktor. Införandet påverkar även utbildning och övningar för förbanden, då värnplikten sker under en längre tid samt att de värnpliktiga ställer ett ökat ansvarstagande hos plutonchefer. Professionen för främst specialistofficerare förändras, genom att värnpliktiga innehar samma grad som specialistofficerare likväl som att expertisen för specialistofficerare kommer ta längre tid att uppnå. En maktförskjutning sker från yrkesofficerare till värnpliktiga, vilket främst påverkar unga specialistofficerare. Studien rekommenderar Försvarsmakten att överse nuvarande styrdokument och uppdatera dessa, samt vidare utveckla yrkesofficersprofessionen. Studien rekommenderar Försvarsmakten att med nuvarande indelning i trebefälssystemet att sergeantsgraden är lämplig för de värnpliktiga och att en förstegsutbildning är bäst lämpad för att utbilda och öva sig till ställföreträdande plutonchef. Om Försvarsmakten inför värnpliktiga plutonchefer i framtiden bör detta föregås av en analys utifrån den militära professionen och trebefälssystemet.
Since the early 2000’s the Swedish Armed Forces has conducted several changes concerning its organization and personnel. The downsizings of units as well as an increased focus on international operations in the early 2000’s have changed to a growth of units and a return to a national focus. The professions of professional officers have changed with the transformation from a single-command system to a two-officer system in the late 00s, as well as the pause of national conscript service in 2010 and introduction of professional soldiers within the organization. The national conscript service was reintroduced in 2018, for soldiers and squad leaders between 9 and 11 months. During the summer of 2021, 15 months conscript service will be reintroduced. These new conscripts will take over the positions previously manned by professional officers in the wartime organization. The study explores the reintroduction’s affects for professional officers, what consequences that occur as well as how the reintroduction should be implemented. Through interviews with eight respondents from the Logistics regiment in Skövde the reintroduction is explored through the professional officers’ view. The study seeks guidance from Bolman and Deal’s four perspectives on organization and leadership and also Runsten and Werr’s model for integration of knowledge, to be able to understand and interpret the organizational change. The reintroduction of 15 months conscripts includes professional officers’ expectations of the change, which is based from earlier experiences but also includes concerns and hopes. There is a lack of experience to train this new category of conscripts today at company level, the ability to do so is found in older officers in higher echelons – therefore an exchange of old experiences in the context of today is a criterion for success. The reintroduction also affects the training and the field exercises, because the conscript service is prolonged and the conscripts require an increased responsibility from the platoon leader. The profession for non-commissioned officers (NCO) changes - through the use of the same rank by conscripts and NCO’s. It will also take longer time for NCO’s to achieve expertise within their profession. A shift of power occurs from professional officers to conscripts, which mostly affects junior NCO’s. The study recommends the Swedish Armed Forces to overlook its current steering documents and to update these, and also to further develop its military profession for all officers. The study recommends the Armed Forces that with the current officer system, the rank of sergeant is well suited for these conscripts and the conscripts service should be based upon a pre-training concept to be able to succeed as deputy platoon leader. If the Armed Forces introduce conscripts as platoon leaders in the future, an analysis should be conducted prior to the change, concerning the military profession and the three-officer system.

In 1914, the Indian Army was not prepared either conceptually or materially to participate in a high-intensity conventional war. It was an occupation force geared for policing purposes and launching punitive expeditions across the frontiers of India. Before the First World War, the industrializing/industrialized nations of West Europe depended on mass armies based on short-service conscripts. The Indian Army comprised of long-service volunteers numbering to 180,000 men. Sepoys and sowars were enlisted for a service of 3 years, but with the option of continuing serving for 18 years. The recruits were trained for 10 months and then they joined the regiments. After the end of 18 years’ service, they became eligible for pension. Most Indian soldiers signed for long service. For the regiments that enlisted in north India, accommodation for families of the personnel was fixed at 5 per cent of the strength. The Indian soldiers lived in hovels made of earth, which were filthy and dilapidated, hence, unsanitary. Overcrowding and unsanitary conditions of the Indian soldiers’ lines caused diseases such as tuberculosis and so on....