Sweden considers recalling retired officers up to age 70 for military service

Brussels – Sweden intends to raise the upper age limit for the enlistment of former officers from 47 to 70 years old. The proposal, announced yesterday (14 July) by a committee appointed by the Scandinavian country’s government, is part of a series of initiatives that Stockholm is considering to strengthen its defense. 

The report emphasizes the shortage of military personnel and therefore the need to extend the duration of conscription. The proposal would apply to all military personnel who have served at least one year as career or reserve officers. The country had already reintroduced partial conscription for men and women in 2017 and, after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, deeply rethought its security doctrine.

Stockholm, which officially joined NATO in 2024, is diligently doing its homework. After already doubling defense spending from 2020, bringing it to 2.4 percent of GDP, it announced that it would increase it to 3.5 percent by 2032. 

The government had long been considering expanding the size and capabilities of the army, air defense, and increasing the stockpile of ammunition. The lack of personnel, especially army officers and professionals, has long been considered a significant obstacle. Already last autumn, Defense Minister Pål Jonson announced to his EU counterparts his intention to increase the size of the country’s armed forces from 88,000 to 115,000 personnel, including professional soldiers, conscripts, civilian employees, and the National Guard. 

“We are making big investments in military defense,” Jonson said at a press conference on Monday. “But we will also have to continue working to strengthen the supply of Armed Forces’ personnel,” he stressed.