How old must I be to join the Defence League?

You can become an active member from the age of 18. Before that it is possible to join as a junior member.

Can I contribute to the Defence League in other ways?

Yes. An honorary member can be an Estonian or foreign citizen who has rendered outstanding services to the Defence League. A supporter member can be an Estonian or foreign citizen who recognises the aims of the Defence League and helps to achieve them. A junior member can be an Estonian citizen aged 7 to 18; those under 18 need the consent of a parent or guardian. A junior member must be at least 16 to be a member of a district, and so of a malevkond.

Whom do I ask about joining?

Feel free to write to Kelli, the chief of personnel of the malevkond: kelli.kont@kaitseliit.ee

What if I have no recommenders?

Do not worry. Fill in the forms and applications. If everything else is in order, you are certainly welcome as a member.

How much must I take part in the activities of the Defence League?

Members of Tamme malevkond should take part in the activities of the Defence League for at least 48 hours a year.

How much does it cost to be in the Defence League?

Members pay a membership fee of 12 € a year or are exempt from it on special conditions.

Join us | Tamme malevkond | Tamme malevkond

Documents needed for joining

an application (for those under 18, the junior member’s application);
a valid health certificate. A person with a valid right to drive a motor vehicle (of any category) does not need to present a health certificate: on the application, under annexes, tick the box “EI” (no) for the doctor’s certificate;
two 3×4 cm document photos, or a digital photo of 3×4 cm (also found on eesti.ee after logging in), sent to personal@tammemalevkond.ee.

Next, find two recommenders among the active members of the Defence League (anywhere in Estonia). If you do not know anyone in the Defence League and have no recommenders, stay in touch with the chief of your malevkond or the chief of personnel. They will invite you to events and help you get to know people in the Defence League!

The decision to admit a member is made by the board of the malevkond.

If you have no valid health certificate (no right to drive a motor vehicle)

The candidate must go to their family doctor and ask for a certificate for joining the Defence League. An assessment against the requirements for group 1 motor vehicle drivers is enough (as for applying for a category A or B driving licence). When the family doctor has issued the certificate, the candidate can print or download it at digilugu.ee.

Where to get the forms and where to take them

The forms are available at the district staff (Riia 12, entrance from Võru street, the former old main building of EPA). A duty officer is there round the clock. Completed forms go to the same place (in an envelope marked “Tamme malevkond”; let personal@tammemalevkond.ee know) or digitally to personal@tammemalevkond.ee.

Bring to the meeting with the malevkond’s representative, if you have them

an identity document,
driving licences,
a document proving education,
certificates of (state) medals received,
the military service record (file),
other documents important for the Defence League, or copies of them (for example demolition work papers).

And that is all. See you on the battlefield!

Joining the Defence League and leaving it is voluntary and follows the Estonian Defence League Act, which the internal rules specify further.

Members of the Defence League are active members, honorary members, supporter members and junior members. An active member must be an Estonian citizen at least 18 years old.

A member of the Defence League is a citizen loyal to the state, who respects our national ideals, statehood and the constitutional order of Estonia, and whose work and service in the Defence League is a position of honour.

A person cannot become or be an active member if:

their state of health does not meet the health requirements for an active member;
a court has appointed them a guardian because of restricted active legal capacity;
they have been punished for an intentionally committed criminal offence in the first degree and their data have not been deleted from the criminal records database under the Criminal Records Database Act;
a court judgment that has entered into force has taken from them the right to work in the public service;
they are restricted from working with young people within the meaning of the Youth Work Act;
they have taken part in the persecution or repression of Estonian citizens because of their political beliefs, loyalty to Estonia or social class;
they have been released from a public service post for a disciplinary offence less than one year ago.

Active members of Tamme malevkond must meet these conditions:

take part in at least one shooting session a year (indoor or outdoor range);
take part in at least one field exercise (except members of the general platoon);
not be absent from the general meeting without a reason;
pay the membership fee of 12 € a year or be exempt from it;
the minimum participation is 48 hours a year. About six exercises (weekends) a year would be good.

Join us

Four steps to membership

Fill in the application

Add a health certificate and a photo

Find two recommenders

The board decides