What and how to teach future officers of the Russian army. Army drill: what drill training teaches in the modern army Army - school of life
About, what do they teach in the army There are a considerable number of legends, some of which present everything in a good light, others in a bad light. Let them say that last years In the Russian army, tragic and negative events occurred related to hazing, which resulted in a wave of refusals to undergo compulsory military service; serving in the army is not just the sacred duty of every young Russian. The words “honorable duty” have a long origin, but today this duty sounds to some people as an ironic and mocking reminder that freedom of choice is empty words. But is it?
Army - life lessonsHonorable duty - is there a need for an alternative?
It is now possible to choose who and where to serve. According to the law, a person of military age who has strong pacifist or religious beliefs has the right to serve the required 3 years in alternative service to the state. Most often, the alternative is nursing homes, boarding schools for sick children, etc. social institutions. IN Lately A symbiosis of military service to the fatherland is developing - with direct service to God, when isolated monasteries or temple complexes need manpower and security, for which the Ministry of Defense arranges military units at such complexes. But it's true army - school of life, allowing young guys to prepare themselves for further challenges. It is clear that in such a unit there will be no mandatory training with the use of weapons, and all personnel will be able to calmly spend their personal time in communication with clergy and in prayer. But to serve in the regular army, in combat unit- the dream of many conscripts looking for their first step in the army career ladder, as well as those wishing build your character, and there is a reason for this. Many law enforcement agencies are happy to hire people who have combat experience or have simply served in serious units. For example, GRU special forces soldiers who have successfully completed their “7 circles of hell” during military service have a huge advantage when recruited for work in the criminal investigation department, in rapid response units, in riot police and in reputable security companies.
Hazing is a thing of the past
The notorious “hazing,” this frightening word for conscripts, has become a real scourge of the army since the 70s. During the years of weakening control over the relationship between old-timers and “spirits”, young employees, several tragic incidents across the country became a black mark for the army. Because of this, many accusations against the Ministry of Defense spread, saying that the soldier they don't teach you anything in the army, they just mock him. But starting literally in 2008, the government took a number of measures to improve the situation in the army, and today we can forget about “hazing.”
Being drafted into the army, a conscript simply will not meet a conscript soldier who has been serving for more than a year. Thanks to this, the development of the character of the current soldier takes place without the intervention of any “grandfathers”. Serving the Motherland is the right thing to do!
You can talk about the army: its foundations, rules, traditions, rituals, to a person who did not serve, who was not deprived of a certain freedom, albeit temporarily. Sitting in a narrow family circle or being in the presence of close friends, there is an opportunity to boldly, openly, and not in a low voice, talk about the many problems, troubles associated with the military organization and, as a result, reluctance to serve. But if, by chance and, most importantly, due to the absence of serious illnesses, you happen to try on a green robe with shoulder straps, taste a soldier’s share, and at the same time porridge, forget what happened before. You have a long and eventful road ahead. At the same time thorny and memorable, filled with both difficult obstacles and unbridled fun. Brothers, you are in the army!
I once had a chance to hear this brave cry, which marked the beginning of an adventure that lasted exactly a year. Many colleagues who are in the army to this day were zealously indignant: “why are they, drivers of tractors and other agricultural equipment, hard workers, prominent, honored people in their village, forced to serve for a year and a half, while I, a guy from big city, some kind of journalist, albeit with higher education, little white-handed girl, who has never known real work before, will I get away with just one?” To this question, however, I myself did not know the answer and simply shrugged my shoulders in confusion. Relations with the guys improved over time, of course, but some envy in their hearts, I think, still remained.
The first and most important thing you must understand when coming to serve is to forget your position in civilian life, who you were and what you did.
It is certainly worthwhile to respect yourself, to feel a certain pride in past merits and achievements. No other way. If you do not respect yourself, you will never achieve respect in the eyes of others. Earn the authority of an obedient dog in the army that can be trained, controlled and manipulated. But there’s no need to be too proud of your past achievements. The army is a true cross-section of society, here everyone, successful and not so successful, employee and worker, is just a part, a small detail of a huge military mechanism. Suppose you, in your humble opinion, are a respected person. They spent a long time in a noble, cultured society. You think that nothing unites you, nothing connects you with an ordinary guy from the village, and you actually have nothing to talk about with him. But believe me, when this guy starts regularly feeding you hungry, and therefore angry, lard (this is a popular product in the Warmia), you will definitely become kinder and change your point of view. And the point here is not at all about a tasty dish or your self-interest, but about the unity of unfamiliar people, mutual support, mutual assistance. Surely, this village philanthropist will become your good friend. That's how it works!
Second. Always be yourself.
Third. Maintain your composure.
It is very important to be psychologically resilient to different scenarios. Of course, under stressful conditions, emotions often prevail over reason, but clarity of mind and a sober outlook on things should be your main weapon. Don't constantly think about why you are here. Consider the army as one of the significant stages of life that must be overcome with dignity and honor. Don't get into heated arguments with officers. You are on their territory and forced to play by their rules. At the same time, be ready at any time to make specific proposals, competently explain your position, and justify your point of view. By presenting yourself as a calm, sensible, reasonable person in your interactions with officers, you are creating an excellent springboard for building, if not friendly, then equal, respectful relationships.
Fourth. Take initiative wisely.
Get ready for the fact that your work will not always be appreciated, noted, or even rewarded. In the army, the fate of clearing snow, dishes, and barracks is destined for everyone, but it’s not worth working harder than others. The indomitable desire to earn praise and recognition by all means is the wrong strategy, a utopian solution. Distribute your forces correctly, take into account your own capabilities. Talking about your skills, talents or remaining silent is a controversial issue. For example, a soldier-artist may be working on a portrait of an officer's wife during moments of exhausting, intense work of his colleagues, but there is also the possibility that during moments of their sweet, sound sleep. The choice, like a prisoner, is completely in your power.
Fifth. Enjoy everything that happens.
It is obvious that you are a forced person, limited in freedom of action and behavior. But when else will you truly enjoy the taste of halva, compete with experienced men in winter football competitions, and enthusiastically watch a meaningless Western action movie in the city cinema? A lonely home plate, which you don’t always want to wash, will magically turn into a hundred similar devices in an army kitchen, and a well-drawn computer game the weapon will be replaced by a real machine gun assigned to you personally. He, like a girl, requires attention, care, affection. Excellent training, however, for future relationships.
In the army, close attention is paid to physical training. You are guaranteed to become stronger and more resilient, but do not forget to develop intellectually, read more and communicate with smart people.
It is possible that my advice is incorrect, superficial, and divorced from life. I served in the Air Force and Air Defense forces, I did not know the true difficulties and hardships that the guys from airborne units, strength special purpose. I'll say one thing. In all situations, remain, first of all, a person, and people will definitely be drawn to you.
#conscription #service #army
The beginning of a new life means new worries, new difficulties. Preparing your uniform is your responsibility. Getting up and down: practicing the first commands, practical training. Charging in the army. What a new recruit needs to know about her. Adaptation to army everyday life. Drill drills: training won’t hurt Taking the oath. The first important event in the life of a soldier. Distribution by duty station. Obtaining weapons and military equipment
A little about the first days. Personally, I remember them in the army for handicrafts - sewing, exercises, getting up and down.
Sewing on young soldiers' first shoulder straps is not for the faint of heart. You should have seen how yesterday's mother's boys, who had never held a needle in their hands, mastered the wisdom of applying insignia to their uniforms! It was necessary to alter sewn emblems at random, buttonholes attached at the wrong end, and shoulder straps turned the wrong way. It must be said that the first lesson in soldiering was a great success - it became clear to everyone that soldier’s work is indeed work, hard and not always pleasant. Today everything is much simpler - you no longer have to sew on insignia.
So the day filled with worries and troubles has passed and evening has come, and with it lights out - time to go to bed. And if you think that we were allowed to sleep peacefully, then you are deeply mistaken. In training, cadets are given only 45 seconds to rise and hang up, which is very disciplined, coordinates and makes them feel the spirit of soldierly unity. Moreover, for the correct implementation of these elements of the daily routine, there is training: Sometimes fifteen times a day. At first it’s really hard - new buttons are tightly held by new loops, your hands don’t obey, tension makes it difficult to think, things fall into the wrong place and when you lift them up it’s no longer possible to find them... There are a lot of reasons for not meeting the required standard. Relax! It’s just that the qualities necessary to defend the Motherland are being brought up in you.
Treat it like a competition or training. Let the sergeant think he is training you. But no! You are doing this for yourself. And when you tune in to the correct perception of these rituals, only then will you begin to enjoy the fight against time and will not find yourself among those lagging behind. What in modern army not very nice.
In addition to morale, I recommend preparing practically. Loosen the buttons first, try to carefully trim the loops so that the buttons can be easily fastened and unfastened. At least you won't be the last. Compliance with lifting standards is not a mockery of soldiers. You can trust me. This is a necessity on which your life and the lives of your comrades and commanders may depend. A well-trained soldier is ready to engage the enemy in a minute. And it may turn out that a delay of even half a minute will be enough for the enemy to enter your unit’s location. I’ll leave it to you to figure out what happens after this. Now decide whether it is fair or not that they require you to comply with the standard when lifting.
I’ll give you my example, which will convince you that it is advisable to rise in the army as quickly as possible. One day, the cadet who slept next door to me put on my boots. Naturally, I had to put on the rest - his. I realized that I was wearing someone else’s shoes immediately, but the opportunity to change my shoes appeared only after a few minutes. During which I squeezed my feet with his boots a couple of sizes, the result was a swollen leg, a trip to the medical unit...
Mornings in the army begin with exercises. In order to feel what it is like, you immediately need to attach a couple of kilograms of additional weight to each leg and try to run at least a short distance. I think that you will immediately feel all the “charm” of such an easy run in army boots. Add to this the feeling of unworn shoes and improperly wound foot wraps. To sharpen the sensations, imagine three lines of guys just like you and try to run in such a company again. This is one of the mandatory elements of regular army exercises.
Our first exercise was very unusual. We were ordered to keep up with the sergeant for one kilometer. Purely psychologically, this technique worked one hundred percent; by the end of this endless kilometer we fully felt that no one would babysit us, that the army was not our home and difficulties would be encountered at every step.
I dare to assure you that in the army everything falls into place very quickly. The sergeant ran quickly. And it was so painful that, while covering the last three hundred meters, I could only think about one thing: “When will this all end?!”
We finally crossed the finish line, but what a pitiful sight it was! We gasped for air, wheezing and groaning, and our mouths were full of disgusting sticky saliva. To top it all off, the sergeant decided to “please” us and promised: “Tomorrow we will run three kilometers.”
“Mom dear! - I thought. “I’m dying here after such a distance, my legs are weak, I’m covered in sweat, it feels like my lungs are being torn to shreds, and tomorrow I’ll suffer again, but ten times worse.” I spent a day with this thought.
Morning next day didn't bode well. My brain was itching with the thought: “What should I do? How can I avoid this nightmare?
But whether you like it or not, you must be in line and do what you are ordered to do. After some time of running in formation, I determined for myself that I would never leave the race, no matter what the cost. “I’ll wait, I’ll be patient,” I told myself. “A few more steps, more, more...” Sometimes I really wanted to stop and say: “That’s it, I can’t, I can’t do it anymore, I’m tired, my lungs, my legs won’t stand it.” I really wanted to do just that.
But since I accepted the goal of not being last, I tried to stick to it, although I succeeded with great difficulty... Minutes and seconds seem endless, every step reverberates throughout my whole body.
I don’t know what I would do if I ran one and a half to two kilometers. It seemed to me that I could no longer move at all. I think that I was not the only one who had a similar condition, because somewhere after a kilometer of running, one of the cadets broke down and said that he couldn’t do it anymore. Now I understand that our pace that day was designed for such a development of events. In order to clearly show what happens to those who are ready to be last.
The sergeant stopped the platoon and said: “I understand everything. You will run with me these three kilometers and a couple more additional ones.” I learned my lesson, and, thank God, not by my own example. I reached the end and remembered the first army truth. “You shouldn’t be the last,” it says.
The final stage of the three-kilometer run took place at a completely different, less intense pace. The lesson is over. After two days of such races, they announced that the next day we would have to cover 6 kilometers. I wasn't worried. I knew that I would make it, that the pace chosen by the sergeant did not exceed human capabilities. I won't be the last. Which means I won’t be Punished.
Someone reading these lines will think that this is a mockery of the soldiers, that the insidious old-timers are deliberately inventing this in order to annoy the young soldiers. This is wrong. Everything is somewhat more complicated. I decided at one time that in war it is not only those who shoot and fight better who survive. These, of course, are also important skills. But the chances of survival are greater for those who have endurance and who are better at running long distances. What is capturing someone else's trench? This is moving with all the ammunition over uneven terrain, sometimes several hundred meters. And if you lose your breath, you, despite your impressive size, will not be able to deliver a more or less competent blow. You are dead. In an attack that has not yet begun.
Retreat does not always mean loading into vehicles and moving to another location or marching towards another fortified area. Often this is continuous movement for several days, in one direction or the other. This is a grueling task - leaving the environment and breaking through to your own people. In a war with others equal conditions It’s not the healthy “jocks” who win, but the lean, hardy marathon runners. That's why running training is designed to save your lives. Remember this and practice. This can be very useful.
Among other things, in the first days, the realization of the fact that you are here for a long time has a very strong impact on morale. After five or six days spent in new conditions, you usually begin to think that life in the army is difficult and that such a life will last almost indefinitely. This happens not only in the army. Remember - you probably had to do a job you didn't like for some time. At the same time, you repeat: “When will these beds end (dishes, laundry, homework)?” The easiest way to escape from these thoughts is not to look at the end of the field, but to monotonously do the work, no matter how tedious it may be. Just start and just finish. And then time will pass much faster. You can try it. Same with the army. At the beginning of your service life, the day when you go home seems infinitely far away.
In the army I learned a simple truth. You just have to live here. Do not count the days remaining until demobilization - with this attitude they will drag on for a very long time. Live. Enjoy life. She's great in the army too. You will find a lot of new good friends, learn things that you would never have learned in that previous life, you will begin to understand people better, you will understand who is worth what in critical situations. Breathe deeply. And never think that you are the most unfortunate of all living on Earth. This is wrong. After a couple of months of service, you yourself will come to realize this fact. My job is to tell you about this in advance.
And after finishing your service, you will most likely warmly remember your army friends for many years and; perhaps commanders.
Now I would also like to talk about those who hang themselves, shoot themselves, and run away. A couple of weeks after the start of my service, I joined a detachment with one guy, who immediately told me that he had already written 37 letters home and that night, during the deployment, he would write 12 more. “I feel so bad here,” he complained. - Everyone offends me. But if I feel really bad, I will run and hide. But the sergeant will get it.”
I imagined what kind of life awaited this cadet after he got to Sergeant, and I realized who these people were, running away, shooting, hanging themselves, for the most part. I believe that they are pre-programmed not to fight difficulties, but to escape from them. This is probably a question for specialists, and I do not have such education, but due to my life experience, I think that for the most part these are, to one degree or another, sick people. From that day on, I realized that I was in no danger of either escaping from the army or attempting suicide. I calmed down and began to serve.
Here I may encounter misunderstanding and hatred from those people who lost their loved ones in the army. I repeat - this is my opinion, which may be different from the correct one. When I talk about ways to survive in the army, I primarily care about those who still have to serve. I'm sorry if I hurt anyone with my lines.
Once again I want to repeat the rule that you already know or guessed existed. In the army it is better not to stand out. It's safer this way. Stick to the golden mean. In this case, you will not make enemies and will serve your entire term quite calmly. The fact that I give advice here does not mean that I myself have always put it into practice. Life is often more complex and varied than the most coherent theory, and in any particular case it is not always possible to act in full accordance with the rules, but still try to adhere to the general law.
There is a category of conscripts who want to change the army and make it better, kinder, more honest and therefore come into conflict with the existing system. None of them have yet managed to break it. Occurring exceptions, unfortunately, only confirm this rule. The current position of the army is proof of this. In some cases the system bends, sometimes it bends, and sometimes it breaks. Moreover, as a rule, it breaks those who try to influence it with greater force. Remember this too. You wouldn't want the system to break you. So be as flexible as possible.
Of the things that I didn’t really like at first, I’d like to mention drills. The task seems simple - to teach soldiers to walk in formation, raising and lowering their legs in unison. Moreover, you need to raise your legs to a certain height, without touching the comrade walking in front and without exposing your legs to the blow of the one walking behind. To do this, we were drilled for hours on the parade ground, training us to keep our legs suspended. The task is actually not as easy as it might seem at first glance. I recommend practicing. Again, first putting on boots. I think that you will get unspeakable “pleasure” after the first thirty seconds. In our unit, the time the leg was held in the air depended on the presence of sadistic tendencies in the sergeant. I wish you a good sergeant.
And finally the quarantine period has expired, you have learned the text of the oath, acquired new knowledge and acquired the necessary skills. Now a special event is coming in your life - the day of taking the oath. Having uttered her words, everyone must sign that he really did it. From this moment on, he becomes a full-fledged soldier, who can already be entrusted with weapons, sent on guard and judged for failure to comply with the orders of commanders and other offenses.
In principle, all this should happen no later than two months from the date of arrival at the military unit, but in reality two weeks are usually enough to master the basics of marching, the main duties of a soldier, the meaning of the Military Oath, the Battle Banner of the military unit and military discipline. Until this moment, young soldiers are kept together and are not allowed to live together with older soldiers. This period of adaptation makes it possible not to traumatize the psyche of the young recruit so much and calmly bring him to the point of signing the words that he undertakes to defend the Fatherland. After signing, he begins to defend the Motherland together with his grandfathers, who are ready to show how this very Motherland is defended.
Taking the military oath, like any ceremonial army event, is furnished with all possible ritual paraphernalia. For example, you will be given the Military Oath in front of the State Flag Russian Federation and the Battle Banner of the military unit.
The event is led by the commander of the military unit, and it is he who issues the order, which indicates the place and time of taking the Military Oath. Before this, you will be provided with explanatory work about the meaning of the Military Oath and the legal requirements regarding the defense of the Fatherland.
At the appointed time, the military unit, with the Battle Banner and the State Flag of the Russian Federation and with an orchestra, lines up on foot in full dress uniform with weapon. Usually the unit commander begins this event with a reminder of the meaning of the Military Oath and the honorable and responsible duty that is assigned to military personnel who have taken the Military Oath of allegiance to their Fatherland.
After this, you will be called out of the ranks one by one to read the text of the Military Oath, after which all you have to do is sign on a special list in the column opposite your name and take your place in the ranks.
This is followed by congratulations and the playing of the National Anthem. A note is made on the military ID and service record card of the military unit by the chief of staff of the military unit indicating the date of your swearing-in. All.
You are now soldiers who have taken an oath that gives you responsibility. Including criminal law. I hope I didn't intimidate you. At one time I read the oath and, as you can see, I was not held accountable. You must understand that these are really not empty words, but your oath. And if millions of soldiers had not taken this oath before you, then such a country as Russia would no longer exist. And it is unclear what would have happened to you, to your parents, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. In the meantime, we all take an oath to the Motherland that we will defend it for what it once defended and will continue to defend us in the future. This is a universal mechanism that you may not like at the time of service, but is certainly useful before and after it.
It should be noted that the day of taking the Military Oath is a non-working day for a military unit and is celebrated as a holiday. Which involves distributing eggs in addition to the holiday weekend diet.
The lists that you will be included in as a person who has taken the Military Oath will be stored at the headquarters of the military unit in a special folder, numbered, laced and sealed with a wax seal, and then will be archived. To remind you on occasion that you took the oath and signed it. Remember this.
After this ceremony, prepare to be assigned a place where you will serve. Theoretically, the arriving reinforcements are distributed among units after studying the business qualities of each serviceman and taking into account his state of health, profession, specialty obtained before entering military service upon conscription, characteristics and conclusions on professional suitability issued by the military commissariat and many other details. But, I think so. most likely you will have to take the place vacated after the demobilized “grandfathers” left the unit. Although we conducted tests to determine the level of intelligence, the results of which I did not see, I regularly put crosses and numbers.
The distribution is again accompanied by a ceremony with a brass band, an anthem, formation on the parade ground, a speech about the military path of the unit, its heroes and awards, about successes in the combat training of units and about the honorable and responsible duty that is assigned to military personnel. Then one or two servicemen completing their military service upon conscription, and one or two newly arrived servicemen, are given the floor. This ritual should emphasize the continuity of generations and inspire you to serve “as your grandfather served...”. I don’t recommend speaking on behalf of the younger generation, much less promising anything absolutely outstanding. Before you speak any words, you need to know whether they can be kept. In the worst case, you will be remembered and your promises made in public will be remembered for a very long time.
I once had a case when African students who worked in our construction team, before starting work, gave a fiery speech that they would not disgrace the honor of the representatives of their homeland and would work hard on a construction site. After which, over the next two weeks, they went in different directions: one of them, with the words “Kasasira rubbed his palm,” apparently went to treat his sore hands, the other went to see his sister who had unexpectedly appeared in Moscow, the third explained his departure by saying that “it’s very hot here.” you". But the Africans were people who did not take an oath to us and were therefore free. Everything will be wrong for you.
You have become a full-fledged part of the army with all the ensuing consequences.
Now you need to get weapons - you won’t defend your homeland empty-handed, will you?
Everything related to weapons in the army is bureaucratized beyond measure. Any manipulation with the machine is recorded in a log. And this is correct - otherwise it is simply impossible to avoid the theft of weapons. Therefore, when you take a weapon, do not let it go. The loss of weapons is a serious war crime and is punished extremely harshly. Remember this. Carefully process the surrender of weapons. In this situation, it is better to play it safe.
Let me give you an example of the improper use of weapons.
When I was a young lieutenant, I heard a story, whether it’s true or not, I can’t say, but I laughed for a long time. Officer-pilots, driven there from all corners of Mother Russia, served at one distant Siberian “point”. Why “herded” - this is our practice: “flew” on vodka - to the “point”; “flew” on “immoral” - also on “point”; squandered his property - if not to prison, then to prison. So the aces of the air empire gather in one place, and from there similar stories spread.
So, they somehow sent a major to the “point”, followed by an order to demote him to captain, but no one knows for what. Yes, and he is silent, but he doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t play cards, and his wife hasn’t left yet. There was silence for a week, the second, the personnel were already starting to worry - something was too well-mannered. A month later, on my birthday ( Air Force) managed to lift the veil from this mystery. It turns out that he served as a major in the Volga region and was the commander of a helicopter crew. We flew on some mission and got a little drunk. And since “a little bit” is a loose concept in the army, one can only guess how much was drunk, after which the “heroes” wanted to swim. Fortunately, below, under the “airplane’s wing”, among the wooded and swampy terrain, where there is no place for a normal helicopter to land, a small river flowed. Since, in such moments, it would be said - but it will be done, they lowered the helicopter over this very river, just to the height of the rope ladder. Everyone jumped into the water and let's frolic. It's hot, the water blows cool. Our major could not stand it - he switched the helicopter to autopilot and also jumped down. Time flies quickly, after an hour the kerosene ran out, the helicopter became lighter, apparently, and lifted up. After another thirty minutes the crew was no longer able to reach the stairs. And an hour or two later, due to the exhaustion of the remaining kerosene, the helicopter performed one of the elements of aerobatics - landing on water, with further immersion in it. At the same time, the crew watched everything that was happening from the side.
The order to assign weapons and military equipment to soldiers is given by the unit commander. Order number and names of persons to whom weapons and equipment are assigned military equipment, are entered in special forms. Name small arms, its series, number and date of issue are recorded in your military ID and in the list of weapons assigned to personnel.
Now you, and only you, are responsible for ensuring that your weapon fires at the right moment and does not misfire. And therefore I recommend that you be especially careful about maintaining it in exemplary condition. This might save your life someday.
Before the delivery of weapons and military equipment with replenishment, classes are conducted to study their combat capabilities, as well as safety requirements. This is not just a formality. Pay special attention to this - too many soldiers die when handling weapons or equipment carelessly.
The most common deaths occur when reloading or cleaning a machine gun, or when turning on a car or other self-propelled equipment. It happens that in such situations there are people in front of or behind the car who are injured due to the driver’s negligence. The result is a coffin for one, prison for another.
I once observed a construction battalion worker who decided to check how much gasoline was left in the barrel, and to make it easier to see, he lit a match and brought it to the hole in the container. The gasoline vapors in the barrel exploded, tore off the top lid, and half the head of the unlucky soldier was blown off. The spectacle, I must say, is terrible. He lived after that for another three days.
There are, of course, besides tragic and anecdotal cases. For example, this: one fighter slept in a car park on the driveshaft of a parked KamAZ. They found him when the car was started.
Now I will give the stories that eyewitnesses told me. Therefore, I will try to preserve the storytellers’ style of presentation.
Training shooting range. It must be said that there is an abundance of mushrooms on the territory of the landfill, and therefore local residents They continuously climb through all the cordons. So, the soldiers have already prepared for shooting, when the OP notices a granny with a basket advancing in short dashes on the field. Naturally, an emergency call is made, the old woman is caught and taken to the commander.
- Grandma, motherfucker, don’t you know there’s shooting here! They could have killed you!
“Aaaand..., honey, why am I completely stupid,” the grandmother objects. “I’m listening, but if they start shooting, I’ll immediately hide behind those plywood,” and points to the life-size targets in the field...
This happened scary tale in Siberia, there is a small military town N... On the territory of this military unit, the destruction of outdated military equipment, mainly aviation, began. Among them were solid rocket boosters. For those who don’t know, I’ll explain - small rockets are attached to the aircraft to ensure quick takeoff from a short runway or from the deck, well, in general, this is more for older models of aircraft.
Two young talents arrived in this unit - newly minted warrant officers. I don’t have any special knowledge, but I have a great love for technology and entertainment. I especially liked racing a motorcycle along the runway - basically “Hot Shots 3”.
One day, on a clear, sunny day, they took this very accelerator and mounted it on a Ural motorcycle, between the cradle and the motorcycle. They also buckled up themselves. Girlfriends were invited to a test flight, but they decided to watch from the outside. And so they accelerated a little and... turned on the ignition!!! Unfortunately, the “pilots” did not take into account the power of the accelerator; there was a roar, and they and the motorcycle disappeared.
Of course, they began to investigate the emergency, and search teams were sent in the intended direction of the flight. The invited experts considered something for a long time and said that if the accelerator had stood vertically, the motorcyclists would have taken off 6 km, but we don’t know... So, unfortunately, neither the guys nor the motorcycle were found.
This incident is completely anecdotal and is unlikely to have happened in reality, but since I remembered it, I’ll probably tell you about it, keeping the style of presentation. Moreover, it is still instructive.
Here in the north, a lot of snow falls in winter, so when spring arrives, having accumulated on the roofs, it naturally becomes a direct threat to the lives of people and “warrant officers”...
Well, that means, spring has come... Everything began to slowly thaw - snow, ice, the hearts of girls, saleswomen in beer stalls... Life, as they say, began... The hearts that serve in this Seimas school began to thaw, therefore, caring for the lives of students , the lieutenant colonel ordered a couple of soldiers to take shovels and use them to throw off the snow that had accumulated on the roof over the winter... No sooner said than done. Showing even greater concern for the students, this same lieutenant colonel ordered the major to tie the soldiers performing such an important task with a rope, so that if they fell, it would be possible to save them... No sooner said than done. Tied up. And everything seemed to be normal at first - but no... The major comes to the lieutenant colonel and says that, supposedly, an emergency happened - one of the soldiers fell and broke his leg...
Lieutenant colonel; “I ordered them to be tied!”
Major: “Well, he was tied... Only we took a long rope...”
Naturally, shouting and insults towards the major... Well, okay - we need to take the guy to the hospital... They drive up the GAZ-66 and, that means, load the guy into the back... And it seems like everything should be fine - but no... The major comes to the lieutenant colonel and says that another emergency happened - this guy broke his second leg...
Lieutenant Colonel: “How could this happen???” What follows is selective abuse, affecting both the major’s relatives and himself.
Major: “The fact is that when we loaded the car into the car, we forgot to untie the rope from the guy...”
You need to remember that the laws in the army, many guidelines, rules, norms, written and unwritten laws, no matter how ridiculous they may seem at first glance, are written in blood. And I would not like a new page of these laws to be written with your blood.
Other materials
There are several types of training in the military. The most common is training in what is called combat, that is, in combat units, when a person is given equipment or a weapon and told: use it. In this case, the soldier comes to something on his own, something is suggested to him by those who have been suffering with the same equipment or weapons for some time. In this regard, the practice of succession is widespread: before resigning, a soldier prepares a replacement for himself in the business in which he is busy.
Absolutely all units practice a young soldier's course, lasting about a month, designed to train soldiers in drill training for the oath, teach army discipline and other basics of soldier's life.
There are also training units in the army, colloquially “training units”. Here soldiers are trained in a narrow specialization for six months. Sometimes – eleven months (in reconnaissance training units). Over such a period of time, even with low quality training, a soldier acquires some basic skills in his craft. After completing training in such a unit, soldiers are sent to regular troops, as a rule, according to the specialization they acquired in training.
It is very important that not all soldiers go through training units. The vast majority are immediately sent into active service. The only possible form of training for them is the transfer of experience from call to call. Only after six months of training and another six months of independent practical work the soldier turns out to be sufficiently prepared to serve in a responsible position.
A contracted soldier has the opportunity to receive a promotion by attending an officer or warrant officer course for additional training. But this activity is quite pointless, because it really doesn’t give anything other than drills and another portion of humiliation. Therefore, it is difficult to even call this action study.
For officers, the issue of training is taken much more seriously. Officers become either after graduating from a civilian higher educational institution, where there is a military department that provides some basic training, or after graduating from a special higher military educational institution. Theoretically, graduates of military universities are better prepared than graduates of civilian ones - it’s not just that they’ve been training them for five whole years. And even more so, they have a better idea of what a real military collective is, since they themselves spent a decent chunk of their lives in it. However, both of them in the troops quite quickly adapt to army conditions, acquire the necessary command skills and some technical skills. Both of them have to master a lot practically from scratch.
It is interesting that career officers in their higher military educational institutions undergo something very similar to military service for ordinary soldiers. Only everyone here is on the same conscription course, so their leaders, who occupy sergeant posts, immediately stand out among them. They can behave very impartially with fellow students, trying to instill something similar to hazing in the troops. We should not forget the senior courses, which in relation to the young certainly reproduce elements of hazing.
In our time, the quality of human material has decreased enormously, especially in moral and intellectual terms. Accordingly, the quality of human material in the army has decreased, and even to a greater extent than in civilian life, since the majority smart people prefers non-military educational establishments. Military universities are increasingly turning into a receiver for people who were unable to enroll anywhere else. But there are also pleasant exceptions, however, they are such only in comparison with other similar establishments modern Russia; They still can’t hold a candle to the Soviet ones. Many military men in high positions openly say that they are not going to send their children to these military universities, because when they themselves began to serve, the atmosphere in them was much more humane. They even admit that in the current situation they themselves would not go to study to become military officers. This alone makes you think.
Often, a condition for occupying a certain military position is to undergo additional training. Usually it gives nothing and is a series of endless drinking sessions with other officers “improving” their qualifications. In reality, additional training is nothing more than an empty formality. Most of those who arrived to undergo it already have real experience work for a given position, they simply need a formal basis to be appointed to such a position. If there is no experience, the officer, in this wild kaleidoscope of drinking sessions mixed with classes, manages to learn only individual points, but he does not receive complex, complete knowledge. He will receive it while already in office, in the process of daily work.
In general, one can state extremely poor training of personnel in armed forces. But we shouldn’t be too dramatic about this. Modern military training is sufficient and adequate for the use of outdated equipment. Training in combat methods also meets the needs of society: troops are given so-called “counter-terrorism” training, focused on conducting local operations. I dwelled on this in the chapter dedicated to contract soldiers.
The authorities are trying to simultaneously preserve and introduce high-precision and highly effective weapons. I have no information about the quality of training of military personnel for its use and planning of operations using it. Is it possible to refer to the books of Maxim Kalashnikov, where he states a very weak level of such training and says that the generation of Soviet senior officers who knew how to plan and implement the most ambitious operations on a planetary scale is dying, leaving no worthy successors. Modern senior officers are not taught to fight with the best armies planets with complex applications the latest weapons. As I understand it, Soviet officers did not learn this in military universities, but in practice, passing on their real experience to their successors. Now this institution of succession is being destroyed.
As for the actual operation of highly effective modern weapons, it is obvious that it is impossible to transfer the experience of its use through succession due to the insignificant (one-year) service life of conscripts. The authorities are trying to find a panacea in contract soldiers, but, as shown above, they are unlikely to live up to expectations. As a result, inexperienced commanders of global operations will have to command inexperienced performers.
The most important problem of military education in Russia has become the modernization of the officer training system. Changes have been made to the training and education of military school cadets. But new sections are still being added, and the list of planned topics is constantly expanding. At the same time, the programs contain a lot of unnecessary things, while many issues remain outside the scope of training.
Reasonable initiative should not be punished
Not a single military training program provides for the development of initiative in future officers, the ability to generate their own solutions. Of course, it is necessary to know the fundamental laws, principles and rules of warfare, but very often commanders in battle have to make decisions relying solely on their own intelligence.
The educational process is also an art that requires talented people
Close attention has been paid to nurturing initiative and independence of officers since the formation of the regular Russian army. Officers were given the initiative to act in accordance with the “case” and “custom” of the enemy. For “lack of judgment” in battle, an officer was subject to severe punishment. It was especially emphasized that in military regulations“Orders are written, but times and occasions are not,” therefore in military operations one must have “reasoning,” in accordance with the circumstances, and not adhere to the Charter, “like a blind wall.”
Unfortunately, officers began to gradually lose these abilities. " After the war, during operational-tactical exercises and exercises, it was customary to say that the decision of a particular commander did or did not meet the requirements of the charter,” Army General Gareev testifies. – But a solution to a specific problem cannot and should not comply with statutes or other theoretical provisions. It can be viable only if it takes into account all the shades of the prevailing conditions, corresponds to the specific situation and ensures the most effective completion of the task.…
The most terrible enemy of rational military art is stereotype and dogmatism. The power of military art lies in creativity, innovation, originality, and therefore in the surprise of decisions and actions for the enemy ».
The future officer needs fundamental knowledge of the history of military art. But not for elevating it to the rank of dogma, but for comprehension and creative application to modern conditions. Although the classical theories of war as developed by Sun Tzu, Vegetius, Machiavelli, Clausewitz, Svechin, and Hart require adaptation to the current era, they remain fundamentally valid. The logic of war and strategic thinking is as universal and infinite as human nature itself.
Cadets of military schools should receive such knowledge that would give them the opportunity to quickly master any military specialty. Considering that the concept of armed warfare and military equipment changes radically over the course of 5–10 years, the future officer must be able to learn and independently acquire knowledge.
An example in this was shown by Alexander Suvorov, who by the age of 20 independently studied and thoroughly knew all the campaigns of Macedon, Hannibal, Caesar, Conde and other then famous commanders. Later he mastered seven foreign languages, including Turkish and Finnish, mastered mathematics and other sciences perfectly. And he didn’t lose a single battle.
At a military university, teachers must do everything possible so that the cadets completely forget their school training in the form of “training” in passing the Unified State Exam. Future officers need to be taught to think independently, and not to be trained as lecturers, as is done in school. Cadets need to be oriented towards an independent search for the necessary solution to problematic issues, and not on the ability to find the right option from the set presented.
The study of natural sciences, and above all mathematics and computer science, provides great assistance in the development of creative thinking. All concepts of future armed warfare are based on the use of information technology. Therefore, without knowledge of computer science, without the ability to apply algorithmic methods for solving problems of optimal planning and control, it is impossible to become a future commander. Each student must carry out calculations using spreadsheets, work with databases, create algorithms and write programs in high-level programming languages.
An important role in the development of a future commander is played by the study of the humanities, primarily pedagogy and psychology. The commander is required to have the ability to convince people.
Combat, political and physical training
It is of utmost importance combat training . The main method of teaching should be visual, and not verbal, as in most military universities at present. The main educational time should be devoted to demonstrating and practicing practical actions - it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times, but even better - to do once than to see a hundred times.
For high-quality training, constant internships of cadets in military units are necessary. Currently, internships are carried out only in the final year of cadets’ training. As a result, after graduating from college, officers need additional training and adaptation to the peculiarities of service in a military unit. Internship in military units at the end of each course at a military university will contribute not only to better training of future officers, but will also allow commanders of military units to select a reserve in advance to fill vacant officer positions.
In addition, close interaction between military universities and military units allows you to solve many problems in the training and education of cadets. Unfortunately, most military universities do not use this huge potential.
No less important is political preparation. Throughout the history of the Russian army, they tried to involve officers in politics, to win them over to their side, based on various convictions and beliefs.
The tsarist government forbade officers from turning to politics. When promoted to officer, a subscription was given with the following content (its text remained unchanged until 1917): “ I, the undersigned, give this subscription that I have not belonged and will not belong in the future to any Masonic lodges and secret societies, Dumas, Boards and others, no matter what names they exist, and that not only members of these societies by obligation, through an oath or word of honor, he was not, and did not visit and did not even know about them, and through agreements outside the lodges, Dumas, Councils, both about societies and about members, he also did not know anything and obligations without forms and didn't take any oaths».
Such oaths had a detrimental effect on the political training of officers and were one of the reasons for the confusion of the officer corps during the events of February–October 1917. The political disengagement of officers became possible only as a consequence of their political ignorance, and their practical actions were often determined by the prevailing political situation, and not by ideological positions.
« The pursuit of leaving the army out of politics and public views seems now to be nothing more than the fruit of clerical philosophies“,” stated Tsarist Major General Vladimir Voronetsky, who headed the headquarters of the 13th Army Corps until July 1916.
The role of political training of the officer corps is determined by the following circumstances.
Firstly, the army is an instrument of power. The officer corps cannot wander in the political darkness: it must be politically enlightened and involved in the state tasks that the authorities are solving. The officer must be an active bearer of the state and national idea.
Secondly, the political preparation of war, the political aspect of the war itself require high political qualifications of not only senior, but also senior and junior officers.
Third, the war itself requires the officer to be able to manage and direct the energy of the masses to achieve victory, and without ideology it is impossible to cope with this task.
Fourth, attempts by political parties to use officers in the struggle for power require not only political vigilance, but also political insight, the ability to see the common good of the state behind the actions of individual parties, groups and individuals.
Fifthly, officers should be considered as the most important personnel reserve of the state.
Therefore, the most important area of training for military school cadets should be political training. At the same time, the political training of cadets is more than just the sum of classes and seminars. This is a complex and multifaceted methodological complex that allows you to solve many issues in the development of a future officer. Simply communicating about political issues is only half the battle. It is necessary to enter into a discussion on controversial provisions. Only then will the future officer become competent in making political decisions and will be able to convince and educate conscripts, who may be members of various political parties and movements.
Now physical health Russian citizens have decreased significantly. Experience Chechen wars showed a weak level physical training and many officers of the Armed Forces. There is no need to talk about the level of training of soldiers at all. That's why in military schools it is necessary to address issues of strengthening and maintaining the health of cadets. It would be of great benefit to include martial arts in the training program. There are such programs in China, Korea, and Japan. We also had such experience when, for example, boxing was included in the program of Suvorov schools, and jujutsu - in cadet schools.
Studying martial arts also helps to develop composure, attentiveness, the ability not to lose sight of details, and to penetrate into the enemy’s plans. The methods of psychophysical education used in martial arts are also used for the purpose of developing certain moral and volitional qualities, self-regulation skills that allow one to withstand stress and overload. military service. Martial arts classes contribute to the development of activity and determination.
We are taught by those whom we have taught ourselves.
The decisive role in the training of future officers belongs to the leadership. Unfortunately, the Department of Education of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, when it was headed by Ekaterina Priezzheva, did a lot for the collapse. Many military academies and universities were liquidated, and the teaching staff was reduced sevenfold. We switched to the three-level Bologna system, which resulted in a decrease in the quality of training (by the way, the Minister of Defense, Army General Sergei Shoigu, has already canceled it).
The most important role in the training of future officers is played by teachers at military schools. At the same time, the level of training of teachers themselves has sharply decreased in recent years. This is due to the lack of combat experience among some teachers, and sometimes even military service. One of my acquaintances from a military school went through the “combat path” from lieutenant to colonel, sitting at the same table in the same room and teaching cadets the regulations of the Armed Forces. Another colleague at the Military Academy, while writing a Ph.D. dissertation on the operation of combat missile complex I went to the Central Museum of the Armed Forces to see what this complex looks like in real life.
That's why it makes sense to rotate teaching officers and military officers, sending the first on a long trip to the troops to update and replenish their knowledge, and sending the most trained officers from the troops to military schools for teaching work. For example, in the United States, after the Gulf War, officers who had received combat experience were sent to teach at the National Defense University, military colleges and training centers in Forts Leavenworth, Knox, Benin and others.
In our civilian universities, more time is now devoted to the study of fundamental sciences, and highly specialized disciplines are included in the curriculum special courses and seminars. This ensures that each student can make a choice in studying special disciplines, in accordance with their abilities and inclinations, which gives graduates the basis for mastering any specialty within the university profile.
This experience, I think, is also useful for the Ministry of Defense. Increasing the time for studying fundamental sciences due to some reduction in highly specialized disciplines and their more flexible distribution would contribute to a rapid increase in the number of military specialists used in various fields of activity.
