On July 14, 2026, at a military base outside Riga, Latvia, high school students participating in mandatory national defense training navigated a pine forest in full combat kits, practicing reconnaissance and patrol base exercises. Latvia, a nation of 1.8 million people bordering both Russia and Belarus, implemented mandatory “National Defense Training” for high school-level students in 2024 to build crisis preparedness and basic military skills among 16- to 18-year-olds.
Mandatory Defense Training for Latvian High Schoolers
The curriculum for students aged 16 to 18 includes first aid, crisis preparedness, and target shooting with air rifles, according to the Defense Ministry’s Youth Guard instructors. These summer camps build directly upon classroom lessons taught throughout the school year. Over a 19-day period, students live much like soldiers, experiencing military drill, combat tactics, and weapons handling.
Instructor Klāvs Bernhards emphasized the practical tactical lessons imparted during the forest exercises. Surveying the distance between platoon members, Bernhards noted that if a drone drops a bomb while trainees stand close together, none will survive, whereas spreading out ensures some survival.
Live-Fire Exercises and Weapon Handling at Summer Camp
Trainees turning 18 also practice firing live rounds from the Heckler & Koch G36, the assault rifles used by Latvia’s armed forces. Eighteen-year-old trainee Markuss Celms recounted his experience handling the service rifle. Although warned to grip the weapon properly to avoid breaking a collarbone, Celms stated he experienced less recoil than anticipated and did not flinch.
During patrol base exercises, Celms utilized an airsoft replica while providing overwatch security for his platoon. Elsewhere on the base during the lunch break, the crack of gunfire echoed from a live-fire exercise while students ate chicken and couscous from cardboard lunch boxes.
Did You Know? Latvia made “National Defense Training” mandatory for high school-level students in 2024, incorporating target shooting with air rifles, first aid, and crisis preparedness into the curriculum for teenagers aged 16 to 18.
Regional Security Concerns and Official Perspectives
While instructors noted that ticks and mosquitoes posed the primary physical threats during the forest exercise, Latvian officials emphasize that broader security concerns are anything but hypothetical. Foreign Minister Baiba Braže stated that Russia continues to probe European countries using hybrid tactics and pressure. Braže told The World that Russia tests various means across multiple nations, making it a serious issue that requires strict prevention and counteraction.
This educational initiative operates alongside a broader national effort to reinforce Latvia’s defenses, which includes restoring military conscription for young men and raising defense spending to nearly 5% of GDP. Braže, who also serves in the country’s National Guard, expressed belief that military training builds individual and societal confidence.
Student Experiences and Future Outlook
Reactions among the student trainees vary. Madara Ziberte, 16, stated that the training provides helpful reassurance amid regional uncertainty, pointing to the war in Ukraine and Latvia’s proximity to Russia. Ziberte expressed an intention to join the military in the future.
Conversely, 17-year-old trainee Diāna Spruğevica joined primarily to challenge herself and understand her sister’s experiences in the Latvian military. Spruğevica joked that army life might not suit her long-term preferences for eating and sleeping over strict discipline. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Santa Lenerte expressed contentment spending her summer making friends at the camp rather than going to the beach. For the remainder of the training, instructors planned to teach students how to pack an emergency 72-hour survival kit, navigate using coordinates and a compass, lob dummy grenades, and assault a fortified position.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Latvia make national defense training mandatory for high schools?
Latvia implemented mandatory National Defense Training for high school-level students in 2024.
What age group participates in the Youth Guard training camps?
The curriculum and summer training camps are designed for 16- to 18-year-old students.
What firearms do trainees handle during the program?
Trainees practice target shooting with air rifles and airsoft replicas, while students aged 18 practice firing live rounds from the Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle.
How do you view the integration of military-style survival training into high school curricula for nations facing regional security pressures?
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