The Junior Officer Command Training (JOCT) is a structured military officer training programme in Lithuania designed for students and higher education graduates who wish to become reserve officers while completing their compulsory military service.
During the training programme, all participants receive:
Military clothing, equipment, and necessary ammunition
Food or a fixed daily food allowance of EUR 16.50 per day
Financial allowances to cover household needs
This ensures that participants can fully focus on their military training and leadership development.
Joining the Junior Officer Command Training programme offers multiple benefits:
Acquisition of the profession of a military officer
Award of the rank of Reserve Lieutenant
Completion of compulsory military service in Lithuania
Opportunity to join the Lithuanian Armed Forces and pursue a professional military career
Development of leadership, teamwork, and decision-making skills
Students enrolled in specific full-time study programmes may also be eligible for financial support for studies, including:
Aircraft Piloting, Air Traffic Control, Aviation Mechanical Engineering, Electronics or Mechanical Engineering, Marine Navigation, Marine Power Plant Operation, Marine Electrical Equipment Operation, Electronic Engineering (Information and Telecommunications Technology), Telecommunications Engineering (Telecommunications Technology), Computer Engineering, Family Medicine Residency, Psychiatry Residency, and Orthopaedic Traumatology Residency.
Applicants for the Junior Officer Command Training programme must meet the following criteria:
Men and women aged 18–39
Students or graduates of higher education institutions
No convictions for intentional criminal offences
Medically fit for military service
Have not completed permanent compulsory initial military service
The Junior Officer Command Training lasts three years, with training sessions held on average two weekends per month. Practical exercises and field training take place at military training grounds and military units at the end of each academic year.
Training progression includes:
Year 1: Private soldier training
Year 2: Unit leader (sergeant) training
Year 3: Platoon commander training (military officer)
Participants in the Junior Officer Command Training in Lithuania gain practical and theoretical knowledge, including:
First aid and emergency response
Weapon handling and safety
Land navigation and topography
Physical fitness and endurance
Leadership, pedagogy, and psychology
Military engineering, tactics, formations, and command
History of military art and modern defence principles
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