8-month service:
Soldier’s basic course (SBC) – 12 weeks
In the first months of the conscript service soldiers acquire the main skills of a single fighter.
In the basic course you learn about arms, orientation and first aid, you also acquire skills for forest camps, knowledge about the basics of tactics, behaviour in the Defence Forces and legislation.
The level of basic knowledge is checked with a theoretical and practical soldier’s exam. Those who pass it successfully are awarded a badge.
Soldier’s specialty basic course (SSBC) – 6 weeks
The soldier’s specialty basic course provides knowledge and skills necessary for such specialists as riflemen, machine gunners, anti-tank grenade launchers, drivers, paramedics, etc. The length of the course depends on the complexity of the specialty. The specialty training terminates with a 3-week combat pair course where conscripts train the performance of combat tasks as members of combat pairs.
Unit course (UC) – 17 weeks
The course teaches co-operation as a member of a squad, platoon, company and battalion
11-month service:
Those conscripts who select the 11-month service option take longer specialty courses. This applies to conscripts who graduate from the junior NCO course or reserve officer course, pass signals or IT training, or serve on the ships of the Navy.
Junior NCO course – 8 weeks
The course is divided in two: the NCO basic course of 4 weeks and the NCO specialty course of 4 weeks.
The basic course gives the future NCOs kernel knowledge necessary for a squad commander. The specialty course teaches a definite specialty, such as anti-tank action, fire control or signals and leadership of the respective teams.
The objective of the junior NCO specialty course is to teach the performance of a squad commander’s tasks in peacetime and wartime, i.e. to lead a 10-man squad. A great emphasis is laid on practical exercises.
In the junior NCO specialty course conscripts can supplement their knowledge in the tactics of squad combat (defence, attack, guerrilla war, ambush), pedagogy, military psychology, leadership, combat engineering, medicine and signals, they are also taught to apply the above skills as squad commanders. The squad commander course ends with an NCO examination.
In the course of the squad commander course suitable candidates for reserve officer courses are selected.
Reserve officer course for conscripts
In the reserve officer course conscripts who have passed the junior NCO course learn to command a platoon or four squads in peacetime and wartime conditions. In this course the earlier knowledge is supplemented by in depth training in platoon tactics, military psychology, leadership, medicine, signals, pioneer operations, infantry anti-tank action and other subjects. The reserve officer courses are held by the Battle School of the Defence Forces in Võru at Meegomäe. Every graduate of the NCO or reserve officer course has the right to apply for studies in the Military Academy.