Personnel

The fundamental and irreplaceable investment of the National Defence System is well-trained troops sophisticated in modern warfare and determined to defence their Motherland in the event of war and capable of operating in composition of multinational units and wide-spectrum and varied intensity operations. Therefore military training receives substantial attention and persistent need to deepen professional knowledge and skills as well as the pursuit of high qualification is a distinctive feature of the military.

Requirements for the military just like characteristic military training are determined by the military post, military service, and military qualification. In peacetime military service in the Lithuanian Armed Forces is conducted on a voluntary basis - via professional and voluntary military service. Military volunteer service troops do not conduct military service on a permanent basis, they are called in for the minimum of 20 days per year (most often during weekends), or for service or training events of longer duration. Volunteer troops conduct military service at the expense of their regular occupation or full time job. Members of the professional military service are employed by the Lithuanian Armed Forces on a permanent basis, i.e. military service is their chief and direct occupation.

Professional military service personnel in the Lithuanian Armed Forces numbers up to 7,000 along with approximately 4,200 volunteer troops. The maximum admissible number of military personnel is approved by the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania by a law on an annual basis.

Conscription
Military training is characterised by particularly high requirements for endurance, discipline and responsibility, therefore a careful selection of those suitable for war service is conducted in the primary stage of enrolment. Only persons without previous conviction records who meet age, education, physical fitness and health condition and other criteria are allowed to take part in the selection.

Young people selected for military service are not only responsible but are also unafraid of novelties and challenges and seek to acquire military training and relate their future with the armed forces. Professional specialists of distinct areas, such as medics, IT and other specialists that do not receive training in the Armed Forces but are crucial for the completion of the objectives of the Armed Forces.

Selection criteria depend on the aspired military rank and other requirements for a specific position. Graduation from the General Jonas Žemaitis Lithuanian Military Academy grants the military rank of an officer therefore entrants of this training institution must meet other criteria than those who aspire for other military ranks. Some of the military positions require specific knowledge and skills.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces is an institution of military defence of the Republic of Lithuania, therefore military service members must not only have the required knowledge and personal features but also be devoted to the state so that they could defend it in the event of war. For that reason only citizens of the Republic of Lithuania can become the military of Lithuania as the defenders of our motherland. When young people join the military they make an oath to the Republic of Lithuania in a formal environment and sign a nominal letter of oath.

The following military training institutions operate in the National Defence System to ensure the requirements of military training at different levels:

● General Jonas Žemaitis Lithuanian Military Academy which provides education and training for cadets to receive the first officer rank and arranges tactical level career, qualification and specialisations courses for officers.

● Training and Doctrine Command of the Lithuanian Armed Forces implements Military Training Policy in the National Defence System and trains Lithuanian troops capable of completing a spectrum of military tasks.

● Other specialised military training centres training specialists required in the Lithuanian Armed Forces (Land, Air, Navy, military engineers, reconnaissance specialists, etc.)

As the requirements for the Lithuanian Armed Forces vary, military training institutions must also adjust their programs to ensure high level and high quality military training. Lithuanian military are delegated to foreign military training institutions (Baltic Defence College as one of them) both to acquire basic military training and to enhance qualification.