On June 21 the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania approved the amendments to the Law drafted by the Ministry of National Defence which enable increasing civilian and military personnel of the National Defence System by drafting more Continuous Mandatory Initial Military Service conscripts, admitting more cadets to the Military Academy of Lithuania and employing more civilian personnel.
“The decisions will allow to be more flexible in planning and implementing military unit manning. They are also necessary given the growing needs of the Armed Forces, including junior officers, which is solved by increasing cadet quotas,” says Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas.
Increasing personnel demand
Expanding the margins of Continuous Mandatory Initial Military Service conscription from 3,400 to 4,400 would ensure the needed level of manpower for the Lithuanian Armed Forces, including a sufficient, steady and timely manning of military units and combat training. The current number of conscripts amounts to 3800–4000.
The number of active reserve troops called to annual exercises is also increased to the margin of 5,000 from 2,500, with regard of the need for reserve in the Lithuanian Armed Forces. To date, the number varied between 1,500 to 4,000.
Maximum annual quotas for cadet admission raised to 440 from 320 would mean up to 110 new cadets at the Military Academy of Lithuania each year and a gradually growing number of officers which would satisfy the need at the National Defence System.
The number of civilian contract staff at the Lithuanian Armed Forces will grow from 1800 to 2050 to meet the increasing needs for civilian personnel ensuring medical care, catering, warehousing, infrastructure maintenance, provision and other services. Three military facilities are planned to be built until 2023 in Šiauliai, Vilnius and Šilalė regions, it alone will require additional 150 or so contract staff.
