A good idea from Romania: paid military training

Voluntary basic military training could be joined by Romanian citizens — men and women over 18 who have not yet turned 35 by the start of the program and who have not previously served in the military, either as professionals or as reservists. At the end of the training, which would last up to four months, participants would be placed in the army's operational reserve, though those who wished to become professional soldiers could also continue.

The Ministry of National Defense put out for public consultation on Friday the implementing rules of the law on the population's defense preparedness. The legal basis for the voluntary program itself is already included in the law adopted in January, and the current draft prepares its implementation. The ministry's goal is to increase the number of reservists with basic military knowledge, on whom the Romanian army can rely if necessary.

The training would consist of eleven weeks of basic training and five weeks of specialized preparation. Applicants would learn to use light infantry weapons, take part in shooting practice and field exercises, and would take the military oath at the end of the first month. According to the army's recruitment website, the exercises include hand-grenade throwing, tactical marches and the use of gas masks. Participants would be provided with accommodation, food, equipment and medical care, and would also be paid during the training period. According to the ministry, the total benefit for the whole program is equivalent to three gross average salaries, paid out in four monthly installments. Based on 2026 calculations, this amounts to a net 4,033 lei per month, plus an additional 217 or 239 lei depending on rank.

Anyone who fails to complete the program through their own fault must repay the benefit received and the costs of the training incurred up to that point. According to the army, employers must keep the participant's job open during the training period, while the employment relationship is suspended as provided by law. Applying requires at least six months of residence in Romania, knowledge of Romanian, a certificate from a general practitioner, and a successful psychological fitness test. According to the recruitment website, completing the program does not require a specific level of education, but anyone who later wants to apply to become a professional soldier must have completed at least ten grades of schooling. After the four months, participants would join the army's operational reserve or could apply for a professional military career. Reservist status may also entail obligations later on: under the law, reservists can be called up for training and specific tasks in peacetime, and in an emergency, during mobilization or in the event of war, they can be deployed according to defense needs.

The ministry emphasized that applying is voluntary and that the program does not reintroduce mandatory conscription. According to the announcement, information on the timing of the training and the number of places offered will be provided separately. The training locations listed on the recruitment website include Bistrița (Beszterce), Bucharest, Constanța, Brașov and Sfântu Gheorghe (Sepsiszentgyörgy).

Ugar