Student at the time of "H". Chief of General Staff - on new approaches to military training at universities
In Russia, the system for training human mobilization reserve is being improved. This is a kind of second front, which will come to the aid of the Armed Forces during an emergency period.
Just bring people into the army is not enough. It is necessary that they already had a military specialty, owned weapons, could competently work on complex military technology. And here on the agenda is the question of how in a new way it is possible and necessary to train reservists in higher educational institutions of the country. The urgency of this problem is indicated by the fact that the President of the country raised it in his Address to the Federal Assembly.
The head of state proposed to change the system of military training in higher education institutions so that students, while maintaining the current procedure for granting them deferments, had the opportunity to complete military training during their studies and subsequent military gathering and receive a military specialty. "This mechanism will allow to train the necessary number of reservists for the most demanded, first of all technical military specialties, while not calling them into the Armed Forces," the Supreme Commander emphasized. He instructed the government and the Security Council to submit concrete proposals on the organization of a new system of training students from all Russian universities.
Such work in the Ministry of Defense has already begun. I want to emphasize that it is carried out as openly as possible. We discuss all major and fundamentally important issues not only with the rectors of universities, but also with the student community.
With the creation of a new system of military training in higher educational institutions, young people will also be offered a new scheme for the performance of their military duties. On the one hand, it will become more consistent with their interests and opportunities, on the other, it will require students to make a lot of effort to master one of the military occupational specialties on the training bench.
It is known that now the opportunity to undergo military training while studying with enrollment after the military gathering and graduation from the university to the reserve with the assignment of the officer’s military rank are held only by those universities where there is a military department or a military training department uniting several military departments. Students of higher educational institutions, which include a military training center, can also receive military training in the process of training and passing after the assignment of the military rank of military service as an officer. However, the number of higher educational institutions, where at the present time there are military departments or military training centers, is small - only the 72 university, or about 7 percent of the total number of educational institutions. Therefore, students do not always have the opportunity to undergo military training during their studies.
In this case, one more important circumstance must be kept in mind. Now in the Armed Forces and other federal bodies of executive power, where military service is legally provided for, the number of servicemen under contract is significantly increasing. At the same time, the number of soldiers and sergeants serving in military service is reduced. As a result, students lose the chance to get a military specialty during conscription.
What do the defense ministers see in the future system of military training for university students? First of all, its structure must clearly correspond to the needs of the Armed Forces. In particular, it is necessary to train in higher educational institutions not only officers, but also sergeants (foremen), as well as soldiers (sailors) of the reserve.
In addition, whenever possible, it is necessary to prepare students for those military occupational specialties that are related to their future civil specialties. At the same time, it is proposed to pay special attention to the military training of medical students, as well as to the flight personnel of aviation schools. It seems to be expedient that all of them should be trained in appropriate military training programs.
Already decided not to increase the number of military departments of universities. Another approach has been chosen: on the basis of the existing departments, we propose to create interuniversity military training centers that will cover not only the “base” university, but also nearby educational institutions. At the same time, it is worthwhile to preserve the “military day” system, with the only difference that the specific day of the classes will be assigned not to courses, but immediately to the universities. They, in turn, “synchronize” their educational programs with military training programs. Where this will not be possible due to the remoteness of existing military departments, we will offer other forms of training, including using the base of universities of the Ministry of Defense and military units.
The procedure for maintaining inter-university military training centers will not differ significantly from the same procedure adopted for existing military departments and faculties of military training. That is, to a large extent their content will be carried out at the expense of the universities themselves - in proportion to the number of students studying there.
When organizing military training at the university, we plan to allocate 2-2,5 for the year to theoretical training, and practical training will be carried out during military training and will be at least three months. Now, I remind you, the duration of these fees does not exceed 30 days. In our opinion, such a balance will ensure the necessary quality of student training in specific military occupational specialties. Moreover, this period of training is comparable to that adopted in training units and military units, where soldiers-recruits are trained.
Within the framework of the new order of military training of university students, a system of objective quality control of such training will be created. So, after successful completion of a qualifying exam, a student will receive a diploma of graduation from an institution only after successful completion of military training and passing a qualification exam in a military specialty.
If a student receives an unsatisfactory mark during the qualification examination in the military specialty, the military rank of soldier (sailor), sergeant (foreman) or reserve lieutenant will not be assigned to him. This citizen will have to serve conscription on a general basis.
In general, it seems fair if military training becomes part of the main educational program at a higher educational institution, and a student will receive a diploma of graduation from an educational institution only after successful completion of military training and passing a qualifying exam in a military specialty.
It should be noted that the creation of a new system of military training for university students is not an easy task, requiring a lot of organizational work. Transformations in this area, in particular, will require amending the current legislation, as well as organizing qualitative interaction both at the level of federal executive bodies and between state authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The initiative of the schools themselves is also not superfluous.
We very much hope that these proposals will primarily interest the student community. Indeed, in the long term, given the serious professionalization of the Armed Forces, every high school student who is fit for military service for health reasons will be able to fulfill his constitutional duty.
It is also worth noting that the new system acquires a special relevance in view of the changes recently introduced in our legislation. This is a ban on holding posts in the state and municipal civil service by those who escaped military service without legal grounds. The proposed form of military training in higher education institutions will allow students, without interrupting their studies, to fulfill their constitutional duty and continue to adequately and legally work in government and state bodies in the future.
Thus, the new system of military training of university students, developed in accordance with the Message of the President of the Russian Federation, will be a real positive step. It will allow the armed forces to expand opportunities in training specialists in the most complex and sought-after military occupational specialties. And yet - to ensure the maintenance in the required volumes of a military-trained mobilization human resource. A lot of "advantages" it gives to students. They will have the opportunity not to interrupt their studies in high school for military service. In addition, young people will receive a military specialty at the same time as they receive higher education. They will have the opportunity to improve the knowledge and skills acquired during the period of training in a civilian specialty at a higher educational institution and during the development of a military training program at a military gathering. These citizens will expand employment prospects after graduation. For them, in particular, the way to a state civil or municipal service will be opened, favorable conditions have been created for the achievement of professional and personal life goals.
Once again I want to repeat that all this work is going on as openly as possible. And the leadership of the Ministry of Defense is ready to discuss any proposals aimed at creating an effective system of military training for university students.
Business card
Valery Vasilyevich Gerasimov was born on September 8, 1955 in Kazan. In 1977 he graduated from Kazan Higher tank team school. He commanded a platoon, company, battalion in the Northern Group of Forces and the Far Eastern Military District.
After graduating from the Military Academy of Armored Forces in 1987, he served in the Baltic Military District and the North-Western Group of Forces. In 1997, he graduated from the Academy of the General Staff. He commanded the Moscow, Leningrad and Central military districts. In November, 2012 became Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces - First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.
What will the new system of military training
Army
1. It will expand the scale of training soldiers and officers in the most complex and sought-after military occupational specialties.
2. That part of recruits and contract volunteers who will join the army after graduation will be able to manage sophisticated military equipment and weapons without serious additional training.
3. This system will provide the country with military-trained human mobilization reserve.
For Students
1. This system ensures that young people will study at a civilian high school without interruption for military service on conscription.
2. In addition to the basic civil profession, students will receive high-quality military training at a higher educational institution with practical mastering of one or several military specialties.
3. Future graduates will fulfill their constitutional duty at the same time as they receive higher education.
4. The new system will help students improve the knowledge and skills gained in civilian specialty at the university, as well as during military training during the passage of army training.
5. Receipt of military training at a higher educational institution will simplify the possibility of employment, including for state or municipal service, after graduation from a university. The way there for young people who have escaped the service without legal grounds is now closed.
Appeal
Last year, the Armed Forces began to form scientific companies from volunteer students. The first such unit in the summer was registered in Voronezh on the basis of the N.Ye. Air Force Academy. Zhukovsky and Yu.A. Gagarin. In the fall, two similar companies set up at the St. Petersburg Naval Academy and the Moscow-based 820-m National Missile Warning Warning Center. There were plenty of candidates for special soldiers - in some places the competition for applicants was three people per seat. Hard selection passed the most talented students.
In total, five such units should appear in the Armed Forces. Therefore, in the coming years, some army high schools and military units on the 12 months will turn into a soldier alma mater for students who are ready to combine scientific studies at the university with conscription service. In each scientific company will gain from 80 to 100 talented young men.
Science is science, but officers will not completely tear off the service of soldiers-scientists from traditional army rules. Each recruit will be taught how to shoot, give him basic ideas about combined arms combat and actions in defense and offensive. In a word, the minimum of military knowledge and skills that ordinary recruits comprehend during the course of a young fighter is also mandatory for soldier-students. However, their main service purpose and function is research work in the interests of the country's defense.
By the way
Developing new approaches to military training of students in universities, the Ministry of Defense is simultaneously looking for ways to attract them to the army service. Last year, the rectors of some higher educational institutions of Russia unexpectedly came to the aid of the generals.
The essence of their initiative is the following: instead of the obligatory call-up of graduates for 12 months, in order to give students the opportunity to go to the barracks and spend three months a year there on the last three courses. And the 90 days that are missing until the full soldier’s term can be “compensated” by classes at the military department of the university.
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