Armed Forces of Shoassau
The Armed Forces of Shoassau operates on land and in the air, serving as the primary armed forces of Shoassau and is made up of the Shoassau Army and Shoassau Air Force. Under the country's militia system, regular soldiers constitute a small part of the military and the rest are conscripts or volunteers aged 19 to 34 (in some cases up to 50). Because of Shoassau's long history of neutrality, the Shoassauan Armed Forces do not take part in conflicts in other countries, but do participate in international peacekeeping missions. Shoassau is, however, a member of WEDA, though they opted not to be involved in operations in Terehan nor during air campaigns over the Qahazar peninsula. The Shoassau Army is mostly based in its casern, the Centre militaire Caserne in Saint-Cirq-Lapopie. The general staff is based in the capital, Staventer, the État-Major. The army is under civilian control, with the King as Commander-in-Chief. The Minister of Defense, François Belmarc, oversees army operations. The professional head of the army is the Chief of Defense, who answers to the minister and holds the rank of general.
The regulations of the Shoassau militia system stipulate that the soldiers keep their own personal equipment, including all personally assigned weapons, at home (until 2007 this also included ammunition), or in an armory. Compulsory military service applies to all male Shoassauan citizens, with women serving voluntarily. Males usually receive initial orders at the age of 18 for military conscription eligibility screening. About two-thirds of young Shoassauan men are found suitable for service, while alternative service exists for those found unsuitable. Annually, approximately 20,000 persons are trained in basic training for 18 weeks (23 weeks for special forces).