Internet addiction gets Finnish conscripts out of army

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Link

HELSINKI (Reuters) - A number of Finnish conscripts have been excused their full term of military service because they are addicted to the Internet, the Finnish Defense Forces said Tuesday.



Doctors have found the young men miss their computers too much to cope with their compulsory six months in the forces.


"For people who play (Internet) games all night and don't have any friends, don't have any hobbies, to come into the army is a very big shock," said Commander-Captain Jyrki Kivela at the military conscription unit.


"Some of (the conscripts) go to the doctor and say they can't stay. Sometimes, the doctors have said they have an Internet addiction," Kivela said.


There are no official figures for the Internet addict dropout rate.


"They get sent home for three years and after that they have to come back and we ask if they are OK ... they will have had time to grow up," Kivela said.


Finland called up 26,500 men in 2003, nine percent of whom were relieved of duty for medical reasons.


However, the Internet drop-outs have not dented national pride in "sisu," a Finnish quality of being tough and resilient.


"We are very proud of our Finnish men. Eight-two percent of all Finnish men manage their whole military service," Kivela said

Looks like none of our Finnish members will be joining the military any time soon

 

[The Last Conformist]

I'm not convinced that the optimal solution is sending them back to their computers.

(That said, I'd hate being deprived from 'Net access for any extended period of time. So sue me!)

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Wow, theyre lucky over there in Finland. In the U.S. to get out of the army you have to pretend to be gay.

 

[IglooDame]

Wow, theyre lucky over there in Finland. In the U.S. to get out of the army you have to pretend to be gay.

Well, technically, in the U.S. to get out of the army you only have to not join the army, what with it not using the draft and all.

 

[thestonesfan]

It's a good thing Finland keeps a conscripted army, that's for sure.

Seriously, why?

 

[Riesstiu IV]

Just in case Sweden or Russia invades. They have to be especially careful about the Swedes...

 

[thestonesfan]

I suppose it doesn't hurt the kids to get out and exercise and learn a few things. We could probably use some compulsory military service here.

 

[cgannon64]

Honestly, Sweden and Finland are the same country. An any other crazy countries that occupy there.

 

[thestonesfan]

You never know when another Gustav will come around. Crazy Swedes.

 

[cgannon64]

Did you know there was a Hurricane Gustav?

And no, I was not trying to find out who Gustav was.

 

[The Last Conformist]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=94849

 

[thestonesfan]

I think I meant Gustavus, actually. Whichever crazy Swede started all those fights back then.

 

[Riesstiu IV]

Are you refering to Gustavus Adolphus?

Edit: Beaten to it by Conformist!

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Well, technically, in the U.S. to get out of the army you only have to not join the army, what with it not using the draft and all.

Yeah but once you join, they wont let you change your mind and leave.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I think I meant Gustavus, actually. Whichever crazy Swede started all those fights back then.

For possibly good reasons, Swedish kings long used both Swedish and Latin name-forms; Gustavus is simply the Latin form of Gustav (also spelt Gustaf).

Gustavus II Adolphus is in modern Swedish always called Gustav II Adolf.

 

[Kyborgi]

I'm relatively addicted to internet and still thinking of military job. Its those nerdo fatsos that can't even run a mile that are dropping out. And seriously, who needs that kind of people in the army anyway. The conscription is only way to keep even relatively considerable defense in country this small. We could hire about 50000 mercs with the money conscription costs and we get 1,5M troops for that. Difference that high in numbers makes up for the better training, even if 20% of the conscripts were incapable of fighting and would drop out.

 

[crystal]

Weird, I haven't heard about this before. Anyway, at least I would be somewhat ashamed just to leave the army because of Internet addiction...

 

[E-Raser]

Vice versa, I would be ashamed to leave my internet connection for just serving in the army
GO FINLAND GO!!!
If other countries would follow this the world would be free from wars!

 

[E-Raser]

..but on the other hand the increasing traffic would make internet quite slow. I am not sure anymore....

 

[EdwardTking]

It is a cover story .. those nerds have been identified.. as the..
21st century elite and .. re-allocated to electronic warfare units...