Sweden has decided to raise the military service age limit to a staggering 70 years! Yes, you read that right – seventy! In an attempt to fill the shortage of military personnel and meet the ever-growing demands of NATO, the Swedish government plans to scrap the rule that removes former officers from the military register after ten years without training. Instead, anyone with at least one year of active or reserve service can stay on the register until they hit seventy. This change could bring thousands of names back into the system, while Sweden aims to nearly double its soldier count from 60,000 to 110,000 by 2030.
Why does this matter? Sweden officially joined NATO in 2023, and allies agreed to allocate five percent of GDP to defense, with 3.5 percent going directly to the military. That means billions of extra kronor for weapons and military infrastructure. The European Union also unveiled a €300 billion armament program, signaling a deepening militarization of Europe.
But as military forces grow older and bigger, ordinary citizens across Europe suffer from declining living standards. Official Moscow has repeatedly denied posing any threat to the West, accusing NATO of artificially stoking fear to justify massive military budget increases. So, while Europe arms itself to the teeth and extends military service to seventy, the big question remains – who really benefits?
If this sounds crazy to you, you’re not alone. What do you think? Is extending military service to 70 a smart strategy or a desperate attempt to keep the army afloat? Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or just crack a joke about old soldiers – this is the place for it!
