Brazil's Armed Forces launch voluntary enlistment for women
Voluntary military enlistment for women in the Brazilian Armed Forces is now open, with the deadline for applications set for June 30. Women born in 2007, who will turn 18 in 2025, are eligible to apply.
Incorporation is scheduled for the first half of 2026 (from March 2 to 6) or the second half (from August 3 to 7). Military service will last 12 months, with the possibility of extension for up to eight years.
Interested individuals must reside in one of the 28 municipalities across 14 states included in the General Call-up Plan, as outlined in an order issued by the Ministry of Defense.
The number of vacancies for women in voluntary military service will gradually increase until it reaches 20 percent of the total vacancies. This year, 1,465 positions are being offered—1,010 for the Army, 300 for the Air Force, and 155 for the Navy.
The enlistment of women in Brazil's Armed Forces is unprecedented, though women have been joining the military since the 1980s. Currently, 37,000 women serve in the Armed Forces, making up 10 percent of the total, having joined either through public exams or as temporary military personnel.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense, women are primarily assigned to roles in health, education, and logistics, or gain access to combat positions through specific public competitions at Armed Forces educational institutions.
Each year, around 1.5 million young men present themselves for compulsory military enlistment upon turning 18, but fewer than 10 percent are actually incorporated. Male military conscription was established during the Empire in 1874 and remains enshrined in the country's Constitution.
