Denmark expands conscription to include women, extends service to 11 months

Denmark has officially expanded its conscription system, a move that will see service extended to 11 months and women officially included in the draft. The changes, which took effect on August 3, aim to strengthen the nation's defense in the face of a more volatile geopolitical landscape, including Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and past pressures from former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Greenland.

Approximately 1,600 new recruits began their extended 11-month mandatory service across 14 locations nationwide. Women now constitute about 20% of this year's conscripts. The service includes five months of basic training covering essential skills like marksmanship, first aid, and physical conditioning, followed by six months of operational duty, which may involve surveillance or drone operation.

The legislative push for this expansion was passed by the Danish parliament in June of the previous year. The reform significantly increases the service duration from the previous four months and broadens the conscription pool to include all individuals aged 18 and over, regardless of gender. The annual number of conscripts is also set to rise from the current level of around 5,000.