Table 5: Military Service Ages (part 4 of 4)

Military service ages
Country Compulsory military training in schools from: Optional school programme towards obligatory military service from: Admission to military training establishments from: Volunteers legally accepted for training from: become fully incorporated in active units Performance of military service optional from: Registration for obligatory military service Call-up for obligatory military service Liability until: Reserve duties until:
Slovakia     15 18       18 S 30 55
Slovenia       16/17     18 19 27  
Spain       18       19 S    
Sudan               18 33  
Sweden             17/18   24 47
Switzerland             18/19 19/20 26 34
Syria             17/18 18/19   45
Taiwan     15         18/19 40  
Tajikistan       18       18 27  
Thailand     14 18       20    
Trinidad and Tobago       16 16          
Tunisia     18   18     20    
Turkey     15 18?       19/20 40  
Turkmenistan     16         17 30  
Uganda       18            
Ukraine     17 17       18 25 40
United Arab Emirates 15       18          
UK     16 16            
USA       16     18 19/20 26  
Uzbekistan 14             18    
Venezuela 15           18   50  
Viet Nam nk           16/17 18 27 45
Yemen               18 30  
Zimbabwe 16     18       18    

Notes:

  • f. United Arab Emirates. Age for officers and women only; others not known.

General Explanations

  • S obligatory military service referred to currently suspended
  • nk precise age not known
  • 16/17 format used when the legislation refers to a calendar year of the seventeenth birthday or in similar circumstances.
  • <18 specific rules (usually of parental permission)  apply the age stated without their being an explicitly stated minimum age
  • ? evidence unclear or ambiguous