Conscription in the Kingdom of Italy
Conscription exists in the Kingdom of Italy for all Italian men over the age of 18. Exceptions are made on political, religious, physical, or psychological grounds. The normal length of compulsory service is currently two years for men (with some roles requiring additional months of service. Women are not conscripted. However, they are permitted to serve as officers or in the Women Auxiliary Service (Servizio Ausiliario Femminile, S.A.F.).
Exceptions
Those who are engaged in higher education or vocational training programs prior to their military drafting are allowed to delay service until they have completed the programs or reach a certain age. For those with 4-year university degrees or higher, the compulsory military service is two years as reserve officers or 18 months as short-term privates.
Italian nationals who reside outside Italy or Italian Empire and have worked for at least three consecutive years have the option to pay a certain fee and a basic military training of twenty-one days to be exempt from mandatory military service.
The Italian military openly discriminates against homosexuals and bisexuals by barring them from serving in the military. At the same time, Italy withholds any recognition of conscientious objection to military service. Some objectors must instead identify themselves as “sick” and are forced to undergo examinations to “prove” their homosexuality.
The Military Service Law (Legge sul Servizio Militare) regulates these duties and exceptions.
Attitude towards conscription, the military and conscripts
The military has a strong part in Italian society and structure, and is generally regarded as one of the most trustworthy institutions of the country. Voicing opinions against the draft is considered a social stigma in Italy, and certain provisions in the Italian Penal Code, such as Article 290, are often used to prosecute those who voice such opinions. By law, it is a punishable offense to speak publicly against the Armed Forces or the conscription, as it's a crime to undermine Italian people's zeal towards military (Article 272) and a separate crime to insult the spirit of the Armed Forces (Article 290).
Most companies require men to have completed their military service before their job candidacies can be accepted,and traditionally families do not consent to their daughters marrying men who have not served their terms. The economic reason behind this requirement is irregular loss of workforce; the companies are legally bound to discharge draft evaders or face legal consequences, however valuable an asset these people may be.
It is common opinion that having completed military service carries a symbolic value to the majority of Italians. It is commonly regarded as a rite of passage to manhood, and most men grow up with the anticipation of serving out their time.
An argument used in defence of conscription is that it serves to intermingle an otherwise stratified society. It is believed that going through the same hardships can make common ground amongst otherwise diverse groups and interconnect them.
Critcism
While not openly opposing to the concept of military service, some people argue conscripts are forced to work for officers' private needs. This includes driving, cooking, hairdressing, teaching to officers' children. Some of the conscripts are made officers' personal assistant.
Conscientious objection
Refusing the obligatory military service due to conscientious objection is illegal in Italy and punishable with imprisonment by law. Upon reaching the legal age, a citizen automatically becomes enlisted and subject to military law. Such acts are deemed "insubordination to military officers" and carry up to 2 years of military imprisonment for each offence. Upon release, the offender often receives new call-up papers, and if he refuses, is sent back to serve another sentence.
Pay
Conscripts get paid between 5,000 LIT. (privates) and 13,500 LIT. (reserve officers) per day of basic pay. Additional financial aid may be added, depending on the family status. This aid is not technically considered a salary: it is intended to help draftees with various unforeseen expenses, which are not normally covered by the military.
Recruits Training Centres
The recruits training centre (It.: Centro Addestramento Reclute, C.A.R.) is an Army-op boot camp structure of the Italian armed forces destined to military conscripts training. Conscripts called to arms flow into to their respective Military Districts and from these they are sent to the C.A.R., which is involved in the recruits basic training. The C.A.R. are fifteen: each Armed Force has a centre for each Military Command.
Reserve duty
Italian citizens residents who have completed military service are assigned to the military reserve force to provide reinforcements during emergencies and war, and as a matter of routine course (e.g. for training, ongoing security and other activities). Usually reservists are assigned to the same units they served in during their regular military service, while some are assigned to dedicated reserve units, affiliated to the regular units. Reserve service is mandatory in Italy, and is considered part of the Italian national ethos of a nation of peasants-warriors.
Reserve period
The quota of the total reserve days per soldier is defined as being 60 days per year, which the Minister of National Defence has the authority to extend by a further fourteen days if necessary.
The Italian military calls its reservists for duty through a special call-up letter which contains details of the reserve duty they are obliged to undertake, including the relevant dates and location. In addition to calling up candidates for reserve duty involving training, preparation, and operational employment, the Armed Forces might also call up reservists for duty in circumstances of emergency, via a special immediate order.
Age exemption
All Italians under the age of 40 who served in the military, unless otherwise exempt, are eligible for reserve duty. The earliest age of exemption for males is 40 for regular soldiers, 42 for combat officers, 45 for non-combat officers, 48 for soldiers serving in the M.V.S.N. units, and 51 years-of-age for the reservists serving as physicians in their reserve duty. Although still available for call-up in times of crisis, most men and virtually all women are not called up for reserve duty in any given year, as units do not always call up their reservists every year, though virtually no exemptions exist for reserve duty in a time of crisis.
In time of officially declared crisis, the only exempted from reserve service in the military organizations of the Kingdom of Italy are people without military status but already operating in the security establishment:
- Civilian officials of the Public Security Administration (however, they may be militarized, merged in the Royal Police Corps and as such mobilized);
- Civilian personnel permanently assigned to or working with security/intelligence bodies;
- Legionnaires of the Italian National Royal Guard;
- Legionnaires of the O.V.R.A.;
- Legionnaires of the mobilised M.V.S.N. units and placed under Army command;
- Legionnaires of the M.V.S.N. in permanent service at permanent units.