good, and morale in the armed forces is not a
source of unusual concern to the national leadership. There are few
exhortations to put extra effort into political indoctrination; a
large, heavily armed security force to counter a possibly unreliable
army has not been created; and there are less elaborate ceremonial
affairs involving the forces than is typical of the Eastern European
countries.

Romania has had compulsory military service at all times within the
memory of the draft age group, and it is accepted as a routine fact of
life. Exemptions from the draft are few, and a large proportion of them
reflect upon the man because he cannot meet the qualifications for
service. The tour of duty is brief. The standard of living in the
country is low, and service life may offer some of the back-country
young men the best opportunities for travel and excitement that they
have yet experienced.

Medicine

Physicians required in the armed forces are ordinarily recruited from
medical schools but may be called from their practices or from hospital
residence assignments. They then attend a military medical institute in
Bucharest for specialized instruction in procedures and practices that
are peculiar to military medical work.

Emergency treatment is given military personnel in the most convenient
facility, whether or not it is a military clinic. The same is true for
the civilian population. Inasmuch as military facilities are equipped to
cope with wartime casualties, they are often better able to deal with
emergencies or disasters than nonmilitary hospitals, although they are
seldom kept at wartime strengths during peacetime. They were especially
commended for their assistance during the great floods that occurred in
the spring of 1970.

Military Justice

The national penal code enacted in 1968 applies both to military
personnel and to the public at large. A special section of the code,
however, deals with military crimes. These are crimes committed by
military personnel or by nonmilitary personnel on military installations
or infractions of military regulations. In theory, any court may pass
judgment on a military crime, but the military court system employs
specialists in military law who are better able to understand the
seriousness of crimes committed in relation to the military
establishment. Military courts seldom surrender cases over which they
have jurisdiction to civil courts.

There are two types of milita