Finnish soldiers with the Nylands Brigade, prepare to load into U.S. Marine Corps medium tactical vehicle replacement cargo trucks during exercise Freezing Winds 22 in Dragsvik, Finland, Nov. 26, 2022. Task Force Red Cloud, headquartered by elements of Combat Logistics Battalion 6 (CLB-6), is deployed to Finland in support of Exercises SYD 2022 and Freezing Winds 2022 to enhance U.S. and Finnish select interdependence in the maritime domain; solidify bilateral maritime maneuver within the Finnish littoral environment; and foster strong relationships between U.S. Marine Corps and Finnish Defense Force sustainment units. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Maxwell Cook)

Conscript’s daily allowance in Finland was increased last week by five cents. Soon the brave soldiers defending us from Russia, will be able to earn almost 6.15 euro a day.

Finland’s daily allowance is much lower than that of any other Nordic country. According to Iltalehti the Conscripts’ Union demands that politicians take the livelihood of conscripts seriously at a time when it would be increasingly important to get young people to perform their military service

Mats Uotila, chairman of the Conscripts’ Union is quoted saying:

“Even after a small increase, the daily allowance is so small that many conscripts have to resort to their savings, parental support or even debt to cope with the costs of the service,”

Uotila also tweeted that:

“Still, even many prisoners earn more than the conscripts who toil in the service of the fatherland. The daily allowance is much lower than in the other Nordic countries.”

There is of course an elegant solution to all this. Stop making military services a sacrifice. Men nor women should not be forcibly ripped from their homes, to serve at abusive wages.

Interestingly, Denmark has nearly tripled the length of mandatory military service amid previously unimaginable threats to its sovereignty. Despite the possible danger, ranks are overflowing with volunteers. Why is that? Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that they are some of the best-paid conscripts in Europe. If we cease to abuse the youth with exploitative pay, we might find out that they are willing to serve without compulsion.

The entire piece can be read here.