Lawmakers debate shorter military service as Defense Minister reports growth in voluntary enrollment
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Lawmakers are debating the Defense Ministry’s bill to reduce the duration of mandatory military service from the current 24 months to 18 months, which was previously endorsed by the Cabinet.
Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan indicated that the move will not have negative consequences regarding the number of personnel.
He added that many citizens are voluntarily signing up for military service under the Homeland Defender program, which offers various benefits and career opportunities. Servicemembers who’ve completed six months of service are eligible to apply for the 5-year option.
“I believe the appeal has increased significantly. Here, of course, we focus on the Homeland Defender program because it is more forward-looking in terms of career opportunities,” said Suren Papikyan, responding to a question from one of the MPs about public interest in voluntary military service.
Papikyan noted that many ex-servicemen are also signing up for the program.
“In 2025, we are talking about roughly a thousand citizens,” the Minister of Defense of Armenia said.