“Apart from a sufficiently strong
army, it is the defensive skills of the citizens that scare away potential
aggressors.
In the government's proposal to
expand the armed forces, including doubling their numbers - which,
unfortunately, will be very costly - special attention should be paid to the
proposals for much cheaper obtaining additional military-trained citizens, or
even soldiers.
They will be soldiers of their choice, volunteers, which
gives a greater guarantee of their involvement in this service. As Napoleon
Bonaparte used to say, the moral strength of soldiers determines victory more
than their number.
The plans include, first of all,
training volunteer students for military service at civilian universities in
fields that are not run by military schools. They will get scholarships for
this, and then serve five years in the army. Second, incentives for soldiers to
continue serving in the military after being eligible for a retirement pension,
for a financial allowance. Third, the introduction of voluntary minimal
military service (compulsory military service will not be reinstated). These volunteers,
after 28 days of basic training, and then 11 months of specialist training,
will have the right to enter professional military service or return to
civilian life. In plain clothes, they will be reservists for the army, and
their incentive will be a guarantee of employment in the public administration.
Easier recruitment, higher wages and
controversial sources of funding are to increase the army from 120,000. up to
250 thousand soldiers.
It will be up to the legislator to
reconcile this military disposition with administrative efficiency, but I
suppose it can be done. Just like you can reconcile hobby passions or functions
of a juror with employee reliability.
Efficient armed forces plus civic
reserves are the most important element of the state's strength and dignity,
which also counts in everyday international, but even more economic, relations.
It is no coincidence that some countries flex their military muscles, which
unfortunately turns into the so-called hybrid wars. And the army is not only a professional
army, but also mobilization reserves, needed especially in the event of a
threat and conflict.
The expansion of civilian
participation in the armed forces will also increase the understanding of their
role in the country and strengthen the necessary respect for the army of a
democratic state. The army cannot be an isolated environment from society, as
it is supposed to serve it and be supported by it like any other public
profession."
No one in Lithuania reads the thoughts of Napoleon Bonaparte. Therefore, we introduced a system of coercive involuntary conscription. Our government representatives like to read the adventures of soldier Schweik. There's also written about war, actually about how to act to lose one. That's how we do it.
