More and more men – and even a few women – are applying to join Finnish Rapid Deployment Force (FRDF).
A record 844 people applied to begin this year’s training at the Pori Brigade in Säkylä, Satakunta, some 80 kilometres south of Pori. Of these, 542 were selected to take the entrance examinations, which begin on Monday. Two dozen of these are women.
The entrance exams test the applicants’ physical condition, mental suitability and language skills. They will be used to pick 290 people to begin 20 weeks of FRDF training in July.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the FRDF “can as necessary be put at the disposal of international organizations and institutions”. The force comprises two infantry battalions, one engineers’ battalion, a transport company and a civil-military co-operation company. The force also boasts two naval minelayers as well as military observers and staff officers.