For the first time, the Ministry of Defence of Estonia is organising a reservist week from April 28 to May 5 ahead of the Spring Storm annual exercise, to highlight the role of reservists as a key force in Estonia’s national defence.
According to the Commander of the Defence Forces, General Martin Herem, Estonia’s security and national defence depends on the commitment and will of our reservists to contribute to national defence, and societal support from families and loved ones as well as from employers and companies plays an important role in this. “The reservist week will focus on highlighting the most important link in Estonia’s national defence, our reservists,” said General Herem. “It will also be an opportunity for companies to get involved with special offers for reservists or through showing their support in other ways, but the aim of the week is to communicate what the reserve force is all about.”
The week will be marked by various events and campaigns geared towards reservists and their families. The aim of the reservist week is to make reservists more visible in society and to underline their role in defence.
The week will start April 28 and end May 5, just ahead of the start of the Spring Storm exercise. The week will include displays of military equipment used by Estonian Defence Forces across several cities in Estonia, a football tournament for reservists and a media campaign. Different Estonian companies will also offer discounts to reservists or launch various products sporting the Estonian digital camouflage print to show their support for reservists during the week in the run-up to the reservist training.
According to Martin Reisner, Director of the Defence Resolve Development Department at the Ministry of Defence, the reservist week is an opportunity for Estonian companies to support Estonia’s defence and defenders. “Estonia has some 90,000 reservists, who make up a significant part of our paying population,” Reisner added. “Companies can use the reservist week to get involved, demonstrate their support for defence and market their products to reservists.”
Companies wishing to participate in the reservist week campaign can send their proposals to the Ministry of Defence by April 15 by emailing [email protected] or by filling in the form https://forms.gle/mYedEGeqXi61xXGv6. The offers will be displayed for reservists on the military service website, as well as notified to all reservists before the start of reservist week. Additional information on the reservist week can be found on the website of the Ministry of Defence. https://kaitseministeerium.ee/et/reservvaelaste-nadal.
Additional information: [email protected]