Around 1,600 Danish recruits began their new military service on Sunday, which now lasts 11 months instead of four, as Denmark accelerates efforts to strengthen its defense under pressure from Arctic security concerns and the war in Ukraine.
Denmark announced in 2024 that it would expand conscription to include women for the first time and extend basic service from four to 11 months, while the number of conscripts is expected to rise from 5,000 to 7,500 annually by 2033.
Greenland deployment
The new group of recruits arrives as Denmark prepares to send conscripted soldiers to Greenland for the first time later this month, with a platoon of more than 100 soldiers taking over operational duties from professional soldiers for one month.
The deployment carries added political weight, as US President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to annex the semi-autonomous Danish territory, citing national security reasons, a demand flatly rejected by the governments of Greenland and Denmark.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at the recent NATO summit in Ankara that her country is ready to defend every inch of the Alliance's territory, and of its own.
A recruit's view
Silas Nor, a 19-year-old recruit from the western Danish town of Varde who started his first day of service, said he welcomes the longer duration.
Recruits will first undergo five months of basic training followed by six months of operational service. The Danish armed forces are also introducing new training programs, including a drone squadron at the Special Operations Command.
Denmark's system works as a lottery for all healthy young adults turning 18, though for years it has been made up almost entirely of volunteers, with the lottery used only to fill remaining spots. Neighboring Sweden, Finland and Norway, along with Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, also have mandatory military service.
