My great uncle Seth Abrahamson (1892-1964), the younger brother of my grandmother Lydia, was conscripted to serve in the Swedish military.
My great Uncle Anders (Andrew) Olof Söderstrom (1888-1960), the husband of my great aunt Ruth, also served in the Swedish military before his emigration to the United States in 1910.
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| @1907 Anders Olof Söderstrom in uniform |
A sad commentary on the unrest in the world at this time:
Mainly because of the escalating unrest in the Baltic, at the beginning of this year (January 1 2018) Sweden reintroduced mandatory military conscription. 4000 young people born in 1999 were picked from a pool of about 13,000 men and women. The Swedish Armed forces is reportedly planning for 4,000 troops called this year and 4,000 called next year for basic training. This is about 4% of those born in 1999 (eligible for the 2018 draft) and 4% of those born in 2000 (eligible for the draft in 2019).
And yes, this time both men and women will be called to serve equally.
A very interesting, informative piece about military fears in Sweden today can be found in the Atlantic article "Why Sweden Brought Back the Draft" click → HERE
Matthew 24:6 (King James Version)
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled:
for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
