When the new Danish conscription training is introduced in 2026, military mental training will be included as a mandatory part of the education. The focus is on strengthening soldiers' mental readiness early in the training.

The Danish Armed Forces are now integrating mental training as a permanent part of conscription training starting from 2026. The programme, called Military Mental Training (MMT), is based on practical techniques and theory with the aim of strengthening soldiers' mental readiness. MMT has already been tested in several units, and the results show a reduction in dropout rates among conscripts.

– It's about making the implicit explicit. Most people already use certain techniques unconsciously, but now they are given tools to handle stress more consciously, says military psychologist Halfdan Koot in a press release from the Danish Armed Forces.

A special training programme, “MMT Train the Trainer”, is used to educate instructors who are in turn expected to teach conscripts. Since 2021, around 1,200 people have been trained. The programme is aimed at both military and civilian personnel within the defence, including social counsellors and HR employees.

A survey from 2021 showed that many military employees requested more education in stress management and mental training but experienced obstacles such as lack of time and knowledge. The new initiative aims to prevent rather than address problems afterwards.

The programme uses, among other things, OSC, operational stress control, as a tool to identify and discuss psychological strain. – We see that young people today demand concrete tools and more transparency. MMT offers exactly this, says Halfdan Koot.

The Conscription Council is positive about the development. Council member Emmely Søgaard Hansen believes that the longer conscription requires conscripts to be mentally equipped from the start.

– It is really good that they receive this knowledge before they are in situations where it is truly needed, says Lise Frehr Holm Nielsen, also a member of the Conscription Council.