Editing Latvian National Armed Forces (section)

=== After restoration of independence (1991–present) ===
[[File:Latvian Soldiers, San Gregorio, Spain, NATO Trident Juncture 15 (22523462580).jpg|thumb|250px|Latvian soldiers during the NATO exercise "Trident Juncture 2015"]]
The origin of the current Latvian armed forces can be traced to the establishment of the Latvian National Guard or [[Latvian National Guard|Zemessardze]] on August 23, 1991, which served as the first organized defence force after the restoration of the independence of Latvia. Unlike other Soviet republics, it is one of the military forces in the Baltic states that were not formed from the [[Baltic Military District]]. From the beginning, the reconstituted defense forces were modeled according to NATO standards with assistance from the [[United States]], the [[United Kingdom]], [[Sweden]] etc. 

A notable moment in the history of the armed forces is the accession to the [[NATO|North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] on 29 March 2004, after Latvia received a [[Membership action plan|Membership Action Plan]] in 1999 and, ultimately, an invite was extended to it and six other countries during the [[2002 Prague summit]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=NATO Update: Seven new members join NATO - 29 March 2004|url=https://www.nato.int/docu/update/2004/03-march/e0329a.htm|access-date=2022-02-06|website=www.nato.int}}</ref> Previously, Latvia co-founded the [[Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council|North Atlantic Cooperation Council]] in 1991 and joined the [[Partnership for Peace]] program in 1994.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Latvia and NATO {{!}} Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia|url=http://www.mod.gov.lv/en/node/306/latvia-and-nato|access-date=2022-02-06|website=www.mod.gov.lv|language=en|archive-date=2022-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216104051/http://www.mod.gov.lv/en/node/306/latvia-and-nato|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

Since the 1990s, personnel of the NAF has been deployed to a number of peacekeeping, training and support missions – the NATO Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina ([[Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina|SFOR]]) from 1996 to 2004; the Kosovo Force (KFOR) from 2000 to 2009; the NATO training mission in Iraq ([[NATO Training Mission – Iraq|NTM-I]]) from 2005 to 2006, the NATO International Security Assistance Force ([[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]]) from 2003 to 2015, the [[Resolute Support Mission]] from 2015 to 2021 and others.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-01-22|title=Latvia to maintain troop presence in Afghanistan and Iraq|url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defense/latvia-to-maintain-troop-presence-in-afghanistan-and-iraq.a306864/|access-date=2022-02-06|website=eng.lsm.lv|language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Emblem of the Ministry of Defence of Latvia.jpg|thumb|147x147px|Cap badge of the field uniform]]
In 2007, Latvia abolished conscription, switching to a professional, volunteer-based service model.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ERR |first=LSM, ERR {{!}} |date=2022-07-06 |title=Latvia to establish new military base, reinstate conscription |url=https://news.err.ee/1608649141/latvia-to-establish-new-military-base-reinstate-conscription |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=ERR |language=en}}</ref> However, after the start of the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]] in 2014, calls for reintroducing mandatory military service reappeared, with the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|full invasion]] of Ukraine by Russia in 2022 being a decisive boost to this momentum, despite initial skepticism from the top leadership in the NAF and the Ministry of Defence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-02-02 |title=Latvian army commander does not support mandatory service |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defense/latvian-army-commander-does-not-support-mandatory-service.a441638/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=eng.[[lsm.lv]] |language=en}}</ref> In July 2022, Defence Minister [[Artis Pabriks]] announced a plan for the re-introduction of military service – officially called the National Defense Service ({{Langx|lv|Valsts aizsardzības dienests}}, VAD) – first on a voluntary basis and then in compulsory form at a later date for physically and mentally capable males aged 18–27, starting from January 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-05 |title=Latvia plans new military base, return of compulsory national service |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defense/latvia-plans-new-military-base-return-of-compulsory-national-service.a464196/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref> The [[Government of Latvia]] supported the plan in September, with the next required step being the approval of the [[Saeima]]. The Cabinet also supported the proposed transitional period from 2023 to 2028, that the length of the service would be 10 months and that service can be postponed until 26 years of age. Alternative service options would involve serving in a National Guard unit on a part-time basis for 5 years; civil service or special military courses for students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Government supports return of mandatory military service in Latvia |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defense/government-supports-return-of-mandatory-military-service-in-latvia.a472492/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}</ref>