Military service

Section 109 of the Constitution states that: "As a general rule every subject of the State is equally bound to serve in the defence of his country for a specific period of time, irrespective of birth or fortune. The application of this principle and the restrictions to which it shall besubject shall be determined by law."

The Constitution provides the legal authority to impose compulsory service in Norway. Principally, nobody is exempted from this obligation, although it was assumed when the Constitution was adopted that only men would be required to do compulsory military service. The Constitution, therefore, does not prohibit women from being required by law to do military service. However, to date, the Storting has not decided that this obligation should be imposed on women.

Furthermore, section 109 states that more specific provisions for the application of the law will be laid down in later legislation. This was done, inter alia, when the "Military Service Act" was passed in 1854, while military service was not made generally compulsory until 1878. Todays system of military service is based on the "Military Service Act" and the "Home Guard Act," both adopted in 1953 (with later amendments). An amendment to the Acts from 1979 states that women who volunteer to serve in the Armed Forces, also become subject to the same rules for mobilization and service as men.

Normally, military service starts during the year a male Norwegian citizen reaches 19 years of age, and lasts to the end of the year he reaches 44 years. The service includes a period of initial service, refresher training, and possible additional service in peacetime. In addition, there is the obvious service obligation if the Armed Forces are mobilized. The initial service variesin time (see table on page 52).

Some persons liable for compulsory service are exempted from serving in the Armed Forces. These fall into the following categories:

• Conscripts who do not satisfy the medical requirements as to fitness (unfit).
• Conscientious objectors.

An application for exemption from military service is handled by the Ministry of Justice. If the Ministry approves the application, the applicant must spend 14 months in civilian service instead of doing military service. If the application is rejected, he must state whether he agrees to do his military service. If he does not make such a declaration by a specified date, the authorities must initiate legal proceedings.

Since 1982 the number of applicants wishing to do civilian service has been as follows:

1985:	2 094
1986	2 497
1987:	2 360
1988:	2 281
1989:	2 286
1990:	2 539
1991:	2 666
1992:	2 542
1993:	2 358
1994:	2 061
1995:	2 110
1996:	2 302
1997:	2 385

Every year, a number of these applicants return to the Armed Forces, either at their own wish, or because their application was rejected. In recent years this has applied to about 25 per cent of the total number of applicants.

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Map showing some of the more important duty stations

No.	Duty Station	Type	Services of the Armed Forces
1.	Høybuktmoen	Boarder Guards/Educational Unit	Army
2.	Banak	Air Station	Air Force
3.	Porsangmoen	Educational Unit	Army
4.	Olavsvern	Naval District	Navy
5.	Andøya	Air Station	Air Force
6.	Bardufoss/	Air Station	Air Force
	Heggelia	Educational Unit	Army
7.	Skjold	Educational Unit	Army
8.	Setermoen	Div 6 Educational Unit	Army
9.	Sortland	Coast Guard	Navy
10.	Sørreisa	Radar Station	Air Force
11.	Harstad	Training Unit	Navy
12.	Evenes	Air Station	Air Force
13.	Ramsund	Naval Base	Navy
14.	Lødingen	Naval District	Navy
15.	Bodø	Main Air Station	Air Force
16.	Ørland	Main Air Station	Air Force
17.	Hysnes	Training Unit	Navy
18.	Værnes	Air Station/School/Training Establ.	Air Force
19.	Gråkallen	Radarstasjon	Air Force
20.	Haakonsvern	Naval Base/School/ Training Establishment/ Naval District	Navy
21.	KNM Harald Hårfagre	Basic Training	Navy
22.	Sola	Air Station	Air Force
23.	Kjevik	School/Training	Air Force
24.	Evjemoen	Basic Training Establ.	Army
25	Stavern	School/Training Establ.	Air Force
26.	Heistadmoen	IRF-bataljon	Army
27.	Oscarsborg	School Navy	Navy
28.	Horten	Naval District	Navy
29.	Rygge	Main Air Station	Air Force
30.	Fredrikstad	School/Training Establ.	Army
31.	Oslo	HMK Guard	Army
32.	Helgelandsmoen	School/Training Establ.	Army
33.	Mågerø	Radar Station	Air Force
34.	Hvalsmoen/Eggemoen	School/Training Establishment	Army
35.	Lahaugsmoen	School/Training Establ.	Army
36.	Gardermoen	Air Station	Air Force
37.	Kongsvinger	School/Training Establ.	Air Force
38.	Trandum/Sessvoldmoen	School/Training Establ.	Army
39.	Haslemoen	School/Training Establ.	Army
40	Terningmoen	School/Training Establ.	Army
41.	Jørstadmoen	School/Training Establ.	Army

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Initial military service in NATO and some other countries

1. In these countries the short period of national service is followed by compulsory refresher training at frequent intervals.
2. Selective conscription.
3. Up to 24 months service in certain ranks.
4. Service in the Coastal Artillery is 9 months. Those assigned to military service in the Home Guard may get 6 months initial service in the Army. Chaplains, doctors, psychologists and dentists have 12 months of service.

Many countries have refresher training in addition to the national service, particularly in the Army. Moreover, in some countries the period of service is differentiated, so that certain specialists have a longer period of national service than other conscripts. In several countries, including Sweden and Denmark, persons most suitable are chosen to be officers, and thus do a much longer period of service than others.

Source: IISS, The Military Balance 1997-98.

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Women in The Armed Forces

No compulsory military service for women

Norwegian women are not obliged to do ordinary military service. They may apply voluntary for admission to the Armed Forces schools, to do initial military service which offers an opportunity to take Officer Candidate Schools, and for enlistment.

Declaration of willingness

After the first period of basic training, women must sign a declaration of willingness where they accept the same obligations and rights as men in accordance with the "Military Service Act" and the "Home Guard Act." This declaration of willingness implies, among other things, an obligation to appear for refresher training, mobilization, and in time of war.

Terms of service

Women have the same terms of service and opportunities for advancement as men. Special rules apply, however, for education and service during pregnancy, when giving birth, or during breastfeeding. These provisions, together with those for leave of absence for welfare reasons, are based on the same guidelines as apply to other public servants.

All training in the use of weapons is the same for men and women. Officers duty to obey posting orders is the same for both sexes. The same applies to the conscripts obligation to serve in peacetime and in war. In the Strategic Plan for Equal Rights in the Armed Forces from October 1996 specific measures have been made to ensure real professional equal rights between women and men in the Defence Sector. Norway is today one of the few countries which allows women into all kinds of combat duty. In 1995 Norway got the first female submarine commander in the world.

Women who are unemployed upon completion of military service, have the same right to a daily unemployment allowance as men who have completed their service.

Schools

Armed Forces schools on all levels, from basic training to higher education, are open to both sexes. This also applies to the Defence Sectors quota at civilian educational institutions. Women compete for admission on equal terms with men, except that physical requirements are slightly modified.

Initial service

The training provided by the Armed Forces to doctors, psychologists, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians and chaplains is open to both sexes.

Female nurses

Female nurses who are not permanently employed in the Armed Forces may, after entering into a voluntary contract, receive a short period of training which obligates them to serve in case of mobilization.

Service abroad

In principle, all service abroad where Norway has personnel (e.g. in NATO and the UN) is open to women. However, cultural conditions in the countries concerned may require some restraints in ordering women to certain posts/areas of service.

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The Spokesman System in the Armed Forces

The Spokesman System in the Armed Forces has developed over many years. The system of platoon representatives can be traced back to 1912, while the present system is based on rules adopted in 1972 or later.

The Spokesman System is the cooperative organization which assembles all representatives for the conscripts, and representatives of the administrative and military leadership at all levels of the Defence Sector. The system is intended to serve three main purposes:

• to strengthen community spirit and enhance a relationship of trust between officers and men
• to promote the well-being of the conscripts and their joint influence onservice conditions
• to increase the effectiveness of each unit and of the Armed Forces in general.

The Spokesman System, as an organization, includes bodies of representatives at the local, regional and central levels (see chart).

The Local Committee and the Unit Committee make up the local management of the organization. The Local Committee consists of representatives from each platoon, representatives of the officers, and the company commander, who is the chairman. The platoon representatives are elected by the conscripts in each platoon. The platoon representatives elect a company representative to represent them on the Unit Committee. The Unit Committee consists of company representatives, a welfare officer and the unit commander/station commander, who is the chairman. The Unit Committees have specific powers of decision including the use of the welfare office.

The Regional Council is internal regional working committees which get together before every ordinary National Conference. The members of these councils are the principal spokesmen from the units in the different regions. The country is divided into 8 Regional Councils.

There are several bodies at the central level:

The National Conference is the highest liaison body in the Spokesman System. This conference elects the Central Committee of Spokesmen in the Armed Forces, on the recommendation of the respective Regional Councils. In addition to the 11 conscript representatives, this Committee includes two representatives from the Ministry of Defence, two representatives from Headquarters Defence Command, and two of the chairmen of the Unit Committees, one from North Norway and one from South Norway.

The Central Committee has its own secretariat which is composed of conscripts and officials from the Ministry of Defence. The conscripts are elected at the annual National Conference and set the guidelines for next years activities.

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Military Courses and Special Education during Initial Service

The Armed Forces has a need to train personnel in a number of fields, not least for the use of advanced technical equipment. Therefore, personnel in all the services are offered courses in a number of different specialities. Some of these courses require special qualifications, others are open to everybody.

The courses include training in communications, firefighting, transport, logistics service and military police service. There are also courses to train personnel as teleprinter operators, photographic assistants, basic training instructors, radar operators, gun captains, and small aircraft assistants. Information about which courses are offered in each of the Services is available during basic training.

Special training

The Armed Forces select personnel to be trained as special forces. This training is demanding and requires high motivation by the participants. This type of training includes:

The Naval Diving and Special Forces School. The school trains ordinary divers, mine divers and special naval service units.

Army Ranger School. The school trains special parachute units.

Study of the Russian language at the Norwegian Defence School of Intelligence and Security.

Information about this type of training may be obtained from the Armed Forces Recruiting and Media Centre.

Officer Candidate Schools

In all three services it is possible to undergo Officer Candidate Schools training during initial service. Candidates for these courses are selected during basic training, where further information is available. The training lasts 6-8 months (dependent on the branch of service). Not all the courses are offered at every call-up however. After completion of initial service the Officer Candidates are transferred to the mobilization forces.

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Enlistment

The technical materiel in the Armed Forces is highly sophisticated. In order to achieve effective use of the materiel, the personnel in charge of daily operation and maintenance must receive relatively long and thorough training. When long training is required, dependence on conscripted personnel results in minimal utilization of individual capability. Therefore, the Armed Forces have chosen to use enlisted instead of conscripted personnel in these fields.

Enlisted personnel in the Army and the Air Force are called grenadiers. In the Navy they are called seamen, able seamen or engineer assistants. The first contract is for three years, with an option to renew it for one, two or three years. Thus it is possible to enlist for six years.

Information about the qualifications for enlistment and conditions during the period of enlistment may be obtained from the Armed Forces Recruiting and Media Centre.

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Officer training

The Armed Forces offer education in many different fields. Some of the schools are listed below. Further information may be obtained from the Armed Forces Recruiting and Media Centre. (See the adress p. 5).

Officer Candidate Schools

All three Services have their own officer candidate schools, offering basic education for operative, administrative and technical officers. Army Officer Candidate Schools:

(The school's name, abbreviation, and location. Note: Norwegian abbreviations are used).

Officer Candidate School Infantry (Troendelag)	BSIT	Trondheim
Officer Candidate School/ Infantry/North Norway	BSIN	Harstad
Officer Candidate School/ Field artillery	BSFA	Haslemoen, Solør
Officer Candidate School/ Army Air Defence Artillery	BSLV	Gamlebyen, Fredrikstad
Officer Candidate School/ Cavalry	BSK	Rødsmoen
Officer Candidate School/ Army Engineers	BSIV	Hvalsmoen, Hønefoss
Officer Candidate School/ Army Signals	BSHSB	Jørstadmoen, Lillehammer
Officer Candidate School/ Army Ordnance	BSHT	Helgelandsmoen, Hønefoss
Officer Candidate School/ Army Medical Corps	BSHS	Lahaugmoen, Skedsmo
OCS/Army Transport Quartermester and Ordnance Corps	BSHT	Sessvollmoen

Technical Schools in the Army:

Royal Norwegian Navy Officer Candidate Schools:

BSKA trains operative officers for the Coastal Artillery, while BSMA trains technical and administrative officers for the entire Navy, as well as operative officers for the Navy itself. The Naval School of Physical Education trains officers for all the services. The school is located at Haakonsvern, Bergen.

Royal Norwegian Air Force Officer Candidate Schools:

The training required to become an operative officer takes two years, irrespective of the Service. The first year is spent at school, followed by one year's practice as an officer. Education at the technical schools takes from one to three years, followed by compulsory service. As a rule, the compulsory service lasts as long as the schooling. Training to become a pilot or navigator lasts approximately 30-35 months. The compulsory service is 12 years for pilots and 8 years for navigators.

Joint education for all three Services:

Military Academies

Education at a Military Academy consists of two stages. Stage 1 takes two years and gives the necessary qualifications to compete for admission to Stage 2. Applicants for admission to Stage 1 must have completed Officer Candidate School or course and at least one year's service as an officer. Stage 2 also takes two years, and normally one need to have had military duty after Stage 1 in order to enter this education.

Staff Colleges

Education at the Staff Colleges takes place in two stages. Staff College I provides basic staff education and lasts up to 3 1/2 months. At this stage the military branches are separated and it takes place at the Army Staff Cpllege (FSTS I). Staff College II lasts for 7-10 months, depending on the branch of Service.

Other Schools

The Norwegian National Defence College offers courses lasting up to half a year for military and civilian officials, representatives for the media, the educational system, business and organizations working within the concept of total defence.

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Norwegian military ranks and the British and American equivalents

The Army

The Navy

The Air Force

* Designations apply only to the Royal Navy, and not to the Royal Marines.