Finnish Defence Forces

The Finnish Defence Forces (Finnish: Puolustusvoimat) consist of 34,700 people in uniform (27,300 army, 3,000 navy, and 4,400 air force). Finland's defence budget equals about 2% of the GDP. A universal male conscription is in place, under which all men above 18 years of age serve from 6 to 12 months, although service for Jehovah's Witnesses is not mandatory and inhabitants of Åland have a different system in place. Also a 13-month-long non-military service is possible. As of 1995, women were permitted to serve on a voluntary basis. The defence is based on a large trained reserve. Finland can mobilize 490,000 trained military personnel in a crisis situation.

Military Ranks

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim is the only person to have held the titles of sotamarsalkka/fältmarskalk (Field Marshal) and later Suomen marsalkka/Marskalk av Finland ("Marshal of Finland"). Note that both sotamarsalkka and Suomen marsalkka were officially not military ranks, but honorary titles. In practice sotamarsalkka was treated like a rank, and it had a distinctive rank insignia. As Suomen marsalkka Mannerheim continued to wear the same sotamarsalkkas insignia.

Related Topics:
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim - Field Marshal

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The rank of sotamies is not actually given to new recruits anymore, although it was used before. The lowest rank is named after the task; in the infantry the rank is jääkäri (Jaeger), artillery has tykkimies (artilleryman), communications has viestimies (signaller), Guard Jaeger Regiment has kaartinjääkäri, and so on.

Related Topics:
Jaeger - Guard Jaeger Regiment

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Old ranks that are not used anymore include: ylivääpeli/överfältväbel (a rank between Chief Warrant Officer and Warrant Officer), kornetti (Second Lieutenant in the cavalry), ratsumestari (a cavalry Captain), prikaatinkenraali (old form for prikaatikenraali) and lentomestari.

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The ranks of the warrant officers (vääpeli, sotilasmestari) fall into disuse, because the training of new NCO's was ended in 2001, and those who have recently graduated from the academy usually hold the rank of a Second Lieutenant or a Lieutenant. Those who hold the ranks of vääpeli or sotilasmestari are soon to be retired. From 2001 on, the National Defence College trains all new officers, which are all commissioned. All NCO ranks are, however, still used for NCO's promoted in the reserve (the highest ranks for conscripts at the end of their mandatory service are lance corporal, sergeant and second lieutenant).

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