Digging trenches and manning machine gun posts. It’s all in a day’s work for conscripts in Norway’s army on exercise in Latvia. The training is part of their national service that dates back 200 years.

Norway is one of the few countries in the western world that still has national service. Any citizen between the ages of 18 and 44 can be called upon to defend the country if it comes under attack. When teenagers reach 17, they have to submit a form online. That is then reviewed and the army selects around 15 percent of that age group for conscription. This piece shows conscripts on exercise in Latvia. Footage includes soundbites and shots of them building defense positions and reading maps.

This version includes graphics and voiceover.