Kuwait opens volunteer recruitment for new military enlistment period

KUWAIT, Kuwait — Kuwait's Ministry of Defense has opened a volunteer application period for citizens seeking to enlist in the armed forces, according to a joint announcement by the General Staff and the Administrative and Human Resources Authority. Applications will be accepted electronically from July 28 through August 18. Eligibility requirements include Kuwaiti citizenship, age between 18 and 26, medical fitness and good conduct. Applicants with bachelor's, vocational college and high school diplomas, as well as those with lower-level qualifications, are eligible to apply. The announcement also outlined training durations, with a four-month course for non-commissioned officer candidates and a three-month program for enlisted personnel, and detailed the rank assignments corresponding to each educational level. The decision comes during a period of heightened military readiness in Kuwait. In recent weeks, Kuwaiti air defenses have intercepted missiles and drones that entered the country's airspace, with some attacks targeting the Iraqi border crossing and oil and energy facilities, according to the ministry.