My thought is as old as the world, or instead of a preface
Not so long ago, the Moscow government "generously" announced its desire to help those previously convicted, released from prison, with employment. The story of one of the central TV channels was even devoted to this.
I don't remember all the subtleties, but it was about the following: a person with a criminal record will not be able to get a managerial position, but, they say, he will be able to work as a builder, nurse (nurse) or "even" as an engineer.
The deliberate prejudice towards people who have gone through prison is once again downright striking and annoying! Once the stumbled one (moreover, it is still not clear whether all the circumstances were properly considered when the court appointed him a punishment), our narrow-minded "trade and office" society puts the stigma: "Convicted !!!" And after all, none of the "clean and spotless" and does not try to think about the fact that people go to prison are different and in different ways. It is one thing to be a seasoned criminal with five or six “walkers”, and quite another to get “there” for the first time for a theft or a fight (in which his role was not really established, maybe the unfortunate defended himself - our justice does not like to understand this). Where there! One has only to start talking about people who have been behind bars, as stupid glamorous young ladies exclaim: "They are murderers, rapists!" I just want to answer: “Who told you, you fools! Have you actually read the criminal code ?! - Do you know why a person can be there?
However, I apologize to the readers for such a long introduction. I hope that there will be no girls belonging to the above category among them. So, my idea is very simple and old as the world - why not start correcting and re-educating people who have committed crimes through military service? I would like to make a reservation right away that I suggest using both former and those serving sentences (more on this below) prisoners not in economic or construction units, but in the most militant ones!
O! I already anticipate what a hubbub will be raised by the "liberals" who have read my article up to this point … "This madman proposes to give weapons to yesterday's murderers and rapists! He wants us dead! " - they will howl. Well, let them howl, and I'll move on.
What kind of prisoner can become a soldier?
First, not to rapists, definitely! Those who "earned" such an "unpleasant" article in general still have to prove their right to continue to exist! So I propose to consider this issue closed. As for the killer, the killer is not the same killer. Again, there are hired killers (which we denote by the English word killer, but I hate to litter the truly GREAT AND POWERFUL RUSSIAN LANGUAGE, and therefore I will write, if possible, without using borrowed words). There are everyday murderers who took the life of their drinking companion (or drinking companion, worse, when just their household members). But there are also those who lynched the scoundrels who did not receive in full, thanks to "the most humane court in the world." In addition, our criminal law contains the concept of "negligent homicide." And so I have absolutely nothing against re-education through military service and the war of the last two types of murderers.
Secondly, no one says that people who have just changed their prison uniform for camouflage will immediately be given a weapon, and even with live ammunition. In order to avoid all sorts of troubles in this sense, I suggest that the commanding staff of the units, staffed by yesterday's prisoners, form an unusual one.
And now about everything in more detail. To begin with, not every inhabitant of places of deprivation of liberty can be taken into the army. First of all, here it is worth paying attention to juvenile criminals serving sentences in educational colonies.
According to statistics, it is they, the "youngsters", having "rewound" one term, continue their journey "along the slippery slope." Therefore, it is very important to nip the very possibility of such a future in the bud. And it doesn't matter that underage prisoners have not yet turned 18 years old for military service. Let us remember that after the failure of the campaign against Russia (and there could be no other outcome), Napoleon also drafted those who had not reached the age of majority into the army. In 1813 - 16-17-year-olds, and in 1814 it reached 15-year-olds. Of course, 15-year-olds are a clear overkill, but such a step is a great commander (and he is still great, let's argue with that, not everyone will be able to organize an assault on the fortress at 24, and at 27 to command an army and conquer not much, no less - the whole Italy) decided from complete despair. But at the age of 16, many adolescents are already moving into the category of fully formed young men who, in terms of their physical indicators, are in no way inferior to other 20-year-olds. By the way, at the head of an army of 16-17-year-old soldiers, Napoleon defeated the coalition troops several times in 1813 until he was defeated in the "Battle of the Nations" near Leipzig. So do not forget that they were defeated by "numbers": the Allies had 300,000 soldiers against 120,000 French!
I already anticipate another attack of "righteous howl" from the same "liberals", they say, to hire minors is a violation of the rights of not just a person, but almost a "child"! Well, I immediately parry a possible blow. And the placement of a teenager (sometimes at least 14 years old) for barbed wire, inadequate sleep, food, hard labor, beatings from "bumps", bullying by the prison authorities, and finally, a disciplinary isolation ward (DIZO) is not a violation the rights of a teenager, almost still a child ?! And for what ?! - For some burglary, whether it was three times wrong! Come on, if theft, and if the murder is in a state of necessary defense (in this case, they should be exempted from liability, but believe me, in our courts an acquittal, and even in the case of a corpse, is extremely rare). Yes, many readers may not know who the "bumps" are. Will explain. These are foremen in educational colonies. As a rule, from among those who cooperate with the authorities and for this are left there until the age of 21, although, as a general rule, at the age of 18, convicts from “children's” are transferred to adult colonies.
Now stretch your imagination and imagine a picture. An officer comes to the educational colony, several inmates from 16 to 18 years old are summoned to him, with whose personal affairs he managed to work hard. All the guys have an unenviable past: the term is from 5 to 10 years, and they sit for much more than half. And the arriving officer suggests: “Right now (tomorrow or the day after tomorrow) I am taking you to another place. There, in a couple of months you will be turned into real soldiers from "prisoners". There will be no washing kilometers of floors, no beatings, no punishment cell, no hard work in general. You will learn to work with weapons, run, jump, fight, survive in different conditions. And there will also be a clean bed, a hot shower, excellent food, good sleep for 8 hours a day, and on weekends (there will be strictly 2 a week and holidays too) - sleep without restrictions and a table with various sweets. The arrival of parents is also possible. And for this to happen, you only need your consent. Oh yes, I completely forgot, 3 years of impeccable service and you can go home. You will receive your salary from the very first day of service. But keep in mind, one puncture: an unreasonable fight, theft from a comrade's bedside table, non-observance of the commander's order - you return to the "zone", and the term you have not served is doubled! " Isn't this turn of events much more humane ?!
Personally, I'm just sure that everyone who is called to such a conversation will not just agree, but jump up to the ceiling with joy!
However, speaking of the "youngsters", I just propose to pay special attention to them, as the most, in my deep conviction, the appropriate contingent. The latter does not mean at all that it is necessary to abandon adult prisoners or those people who have already served their sentence, but have this terrible label in our stupid society “conviction”.
Of course, in the case of adults, it is necessary to focus on the general regime, i.e. convicted for the first time. But since our legislation for a number of crimes provides for the appointment of a sentence with serving in a strict regime colony, even if a person is brought before a court for the first time, then one should not give up those who are “on the harsher”. In certain cases, it is possible to give the opportunity to "purify by fire" and twice, and even three times judged. Anyway, the approach should be purely personal.
I would like to point out just a few general rules. First, I repeat, convictions for rape and similar vile crimes cannot be considered at any time. Secondly, you should not change from a prison uniform into a military uniform and the so-called "offended" or "lowered". I really hope that these lines will not be read by children or the faint of heart, and nevertheless, I am obliged to explain these concepts. We are talking about people over whom sexual intercourse was forcibly committed in prison. Why don't they work? - Yes, because their will is already broken in most cases, and for a soldier there is nothing worse. Thirdly, I would not advise taking those who, thanks to cooperation with the prison authorities, have managed to acquire a “warm place” “in the zone”: a caretaker, a librarian, a canteen manager or a contractor. Dodgers, sycophants, opportunists and slaves have no place in those special units where it is worth using yesterday's prisoners! Yes, they are unlikely to agree, because they are in relatively tolerable conditions that allow them to calmly live up to the end of the term, and more often - to earn parole. And vice versa. Impudent, unwilling to work, violators of the regime and regulars of the penalty or disciplinary in the case of juveniles in the isolation ward (punishment cell and DIZO, respectively) are good! Yes, they will require closer attention, yes, they may be dangerous … But! It is insolence and readiness to disobey the laws of a knowingly unjust world that are irreplaceable qualities for a fighter! And the negative attitude should simply be directed in the right direction - against the enemies of the Fatherland!
Finally, in the units I am describing, you should not take people with higher education from the colonies. Why? - Yes, simply because now we are talking about serving as privates, and I am a categorical opponent of a person with a higher education serving as a private. At least to avoid conflict with junior commanders, whose educational level is almost always below the highest level. By the way, prisoners with rare and simply demanded technical specialties (and also linguists) can be offered service as officers as a correction. But this issue should be discussed separately. I promise to write about it, but not here and not now.
Re-education begins or we form the first "special" company
I will tell you about the means by which a person who has ended up in the army from prison, in my opinion, can be successfully re-educated. Here you must first understand why once who has been "behind a thorn", most often returns there again. And the reasons are as follows. First of all, even at large, yesterday's "inmate" often has to do hard and low-paid work, similar to the one he did in prison. The attitude towards him does not change either, remaining at large as bestial as it was on the part of the prison authorities. He only hears from everywhere (when there is a whisper, and when he is screaming): "The judge was in prison, but he is a criminal …". For a reason and without a reason, both relatives and friends will remind a person of the label, and the employer (if a recently released person gets a job) - at any opportunity! The latter, even in the case of a just and fully justified dissatisfaction of a previously convicted employee with working conditions, will not fail to say: “Rejoice,that they even took you! I pay you so much. Consider, you are the first candidate for departure with us! " Hey! "Liberators-human rights defenders", try, refute me!
Finally, there is a third reason. A man (especially a young one) who has come out of the prison gates is full of anger. He is angry at the court, which hid him behind bars (albeit quite justifiably), angry at the prison authorities who mocked him, angry at society, at the state, etc. And "letting off steam" is a must. And so that this very "steam" does not "burn" again innocent people, why not let it into the "pipe", directed again at the enemies of the Fatherland?
As for the first two reasons, shooting and hand-to-hand combat is still much easier than digging ditches, unloading wagons, or washing floors and dishes. I'm not even talking about how much more enjoyable and interesting such an occupation is, and most importantly, there is a future with such an occupation! After all, you can become a sergeant, and if your head is on your shoulders, then later - and an officer! Sorry, I'm getting a little ahead of myself. But the most important thing is not even that. In the units where yesterday's prisoners will serve, the commanders are simply obliged to treat them HUMANLY.
Gradually, I came close to highlighting issues directly related to the performance of yesterday's prisoners of military service.
Naturally, I do not propose to immediately form a whole regiment, staffed with such personnel. But who's stopping to start with a company. In this case, it will not be difficult at all to appease our powers that be. After all, security measures can be the simplest - to place this company in the immediate vicinity, as they say - behind the fence, the division to them. Dzerzhinsky. What to inform the newly minted soldiers who have arrived for service.
And now I will dwell on what the command staff should be. First, the company commander himself. Perhaps, there are three main requirements: a person who perfectly knows military affairs, a commander who not only knows everything himself, but also knows how to teach a soldier intelligibly, which he proved at his former duty station, and finally, the most important thing is HUMAN! I would even say kind, a kind of modern "Suvorov", a real "father to the soldiers", which is also confirmed by stories from the previous duty stations. And with the stories of not the authorities, it is necessary to find the soldiers who served in his platoon or company! But in relation to the higher authorities, our company commander can be anything. It is not at all required that it was an exemplary officer ready to click his heels. Rather, on the contrary, commanding such a unit requires independence, the ability to make decisions without hesitation, and even the ability to argue and defend one's point of view.
Secondly, for a company with such not the simplest personnel, a deputy commander for political and educational work (hereinafter referred to as a political officer) is required. His main task is not just to maintain discipline and order, but to find a way to the hearts of yesterday's "prisoners" dressed in army camouflage. Well, and helping the commander in establishing relations with subordinates. Therefore, what is needed here is not a professional soldier, but a person who himself went through prison! Yes Yes. And he passed as a condemned person. But! The one who managed, after serving his sentence, to independently take the true path. It is also implied that such a political officer could serve only once, and after being released from prison, he must live at least 5 years, or better - all 10. It is here that it is very desirable to have a higher education (any, and it’s just great if a person received it after the colony), but secondary technical is acceptable. In the latter case, I would like the political officer to have time to work in a leading (again, any) position. A number of the same requirements are imposed on the political commander as for the privates who have just been "dragged out" from behind bars: this should not be "offended", and the crime he committed should not be from the category of vile (vile, here it is necessary evaluate not by the formal severity, but by the essence). But in the case of the political commander, it is absolutely not necessary that while serving his sentence he was a kind of "thieves" or a violator of the regime. If a person meets all of the above indicators, but does not have any idea about military affairs (by the way, he may not serve in the army before), then it is not a sin to arrange for him a training course lasting from three to six months with mandatory assignment officer rank (not lower than lieutenant). Now, indignation from the professional military may be pouring in. Like, how is this, courses for one person! For now, I'll just say, take my word for it, it will justify itself. Finally, the age of the political officer. Well, let's say no more than 40 years.
Thirdly, the three platoons of the first such company should be, like the company one, from career officers. It is clear that a platoon officer is, by definition, a young, just beginning officer. Therefore, here the same requirements as for the company commander are simply impossible. Let's just dwell on the stable knowledge gained in the school, and again, on the HUMANITY of these officers. Well, since our company is not at all simple, it is quite permissible to recruit convicted platoon officers in the order of correction. Fortunately, yesterday's officers are sitting with us in a separate colony, it will be easier to search. Needless to say, not for all sorts of crimes ?! - I think all readers have already understood this a long time ago. Let me give you a couple of examples: it may be an officer convicted of a fight (including responding with a fist, in general, for a case, to an insolent "boss") or, say, an officer who suffered the fate of Colonel Budanov. You can offer to command a platoon in our company and officers who have been sentenced to a restriction on military service. But theft (especially robbery or robbery) is already an undesirable article for an officer, it is not an officer's business - to steal. Upon arrival at the place of service, the platoon officers who were released from the colony for this must immediately (on trust) be restored to their previous military rank. But the responsibility, if they do not justify their trust, will be much more serious than the rank and file. However, more about responsibility.
Finally, fourthly, junior command personnel or squad leaders should be recruited from people free, but previously convicted, like the political officer. In order "not to spread the thought along the tree", I will say that all the other requirements for them are the same as for the political officer. The only difference is education. For junior sergeants, a complete middle is enough. Just as in the case of the political officer, the presence of conscript service is not required, to fill the gaps in military knowledge for future sergeants, you can arrange short-term courses (not 3-6 months, as for the political officer, but 1-2 months, and that's enough).
It was not by chance that I began to describe our company from the commanders. The commanding staff must be fully ready for a month or two before arriving at the location of the rank and file. So that by the time the soldiers arrived, both officers and sergeants had time to get to know each other. So that the company commander has time to determine the merits and demerits of each of them. In addition, before the arrival of the soldiers, the company commander should have an exclusive right: to refuse any of the commanders and demand his replacement. This right of the company commander applies decisively to everyone: from sergeants to the political officer. Already during the training of soldiers, commanders are simply obliged not only to learn to follow all orders of their superior, but also to trust each other without a shadow of a doubt.
Further, privates, yesterday's prisoners, arrive at the location of the company. And from the first second, from the very first formation, in the very first words of theirs, the company commander and political commander should make people understand that they are not enemies or torturers, but those who sincerely want to help them. Any intimidation is simply unacceptable! All recruiting officers in the colonies should have been warned of responsibility about their responsibility. And if one of the newly minted soldiers suddenly has to be reminded a second time about the possible consequences (which is highly undesirable, the conversation should be an adult: they said - understand the first time), then only in person.
In general, the first two weeks should be devoted to a greater extent to the study of future fighters. Possible light physical exercises in the morning, drill, sometimes (but not so that it becomes a mockery) - working off the alarm. After lunch - theoretical studies. And here (just at first) a titanic work will have to be done by the political officer, because the combatant commanders will be doing, in general, the usual and simple thing for them. And he needs to get to know each of the fighters as soon as possible, have time to talk heart to heart, understand who is breathing what. The main thing is that he must do everything possible so that people understand: they have not ended up in prison from prison, but are building a new life, their own life, and this is necessary, first of all, for themselves.
The loads should gradually increase. By the decision of the company commander, somewhere after two or three months of training, you can proceed to work with military weapons. I will not write in all the details of what and how to teach "recruits from behind bars." I will only say that thoroughness and patience will be required from the commanders and the political officer. Maybe I am an incorrigible dreamer, but I think that half a year is quite enough to "mold" real soldiers even from such personnel.
Baptism of fire or cleansing of the "dark" by fire
Now let's move on to the use of fighters with a "dark past". Of course, you have to be a complete idiot to carry out such daunting work as I described above, and then send these ready-made soldiers to dig beds, lay bricks, or simply "drag service" in distant garrisons, for example, in Yakutia. Of course not! I propose to form such units (and in the future - units or even formations) for use in combat operations.
Well, now some of the readers in their minds will ask me a stupid question: "What, we have a war?" I will answer, like an old Odessa resident: "What, no ?!" Yes, we always have a war. The question is, small or large. Such is the fate of our GREATEST, and therefore long-suffering country. We always fight! And we will fight. We have a lot of land, but people - not so that very … That is why the whole world looks at us with its tongue sticking out, swallowing saliva. I apologize in advance to people who think that you have to be so distracted and carry out an "educational program". But some people, alas, need it …
Well, we really don't wage a big war today (and thank God !!!), but small foci are everywhere. We will not list, here the "educational program" is already unnecessary. And here I may no longer be asked a stupid question: “So, after all, there are special forces:“Alpha”there,“Vympel”… There are internal troops. Finally, there is an army, what are they for? " - Yes, I do not argue. But special forces are for special tasks. And the internal troops and the army are conscripts, there are contract soldiers, I do not argue. But the country should keep them (both the first and the second) in case (God forbid!) A big war. And to send such guys to "hot spots" so that they die there in a formally peaceful time … Do you feel sorry for them ?! And the same special forces do not mind ?!
Well, everything … I expect an attack of "righteous" howling not only from the "liberals"! “Yes, this idiot offers companies from yesterday's criminals how to use cannon fodder! Yes, he kept leading to the fact that nobody felt sorry for these people! " - accusations will pour down in my address. I, so you know, generally feel sorry for all our people, except, perhaps, the most vile rapists, pedophiles, "representatives of minorities" and others like them. And the death of one Russian person is a terrible tragedy for me !!! But it's one thing when a guy is simply called to the army to return his debt to the Motherland and is sent to the same Georgia. Meanwhile, he owes nothing to our Motherland! And he was not guilty of anything. But yesterday's prisoner knows what he is sitting for (he knows, believe me). And for him, service is an opportunity to gain a good name again. Cross out the past once and for all. For the sake of this, you can try, you can go under the bullets.
You can … But you don't need to! During those six months of training, about which I wrote, people can be taught not to die beautifully, but to live and win. But even ordinary soldiers are taught. - I agree, they teach. But ordinary soldiers do not have that audacity and, let's call it that, the necessary fighting anger, which is more than enough from former prisoners. And if we add to this the consciousness that the service performed will be followed by complete cleansing from all previous sins? In addition, many representatives of the underworld have qualities that are absolutely irreplaceable in war. Just for a second, imagine how useful the skills of a thief-"fortified" or "bugbear" are when storming the same fortified areas of the enemy. There is another very important feature: people who have been in difficult conditions, but who have not broken down, have a much higher desire to survive and win than those who, a year ago, sat at their desk before lunch, and then went home to their loving parents. …
Conclusion: the soldiers I have described "with a dark past" in any war will be a winner, compared to the usual ones called up "from the outside"!
So, after the first 6 months of service (maybe 4, life will show) our company is ready for business. Well, the heavens are protecting us from a large-scale war, so you can start from the same Caucasus. For example, to instruct, for a start, our soldiers are deeply "cleansing" mountain villages in order to find and free Russian slaves. I hope no one will argue that there are more than enough of such “proud mountain eagles” in the villages. And since our guys are already prepared, after several successful operations on the territory of Russia, it is possible to undertake a raid in Svaneti (this is in the north of Georgia, for those who do not know). More than I am sure that from there they will bring not one or two Slavs, who have already lost hope in the chains. And they will be able to do everything quietly and quickly. Again, thieves' skill will help the soldier.
In general, after several combat operations, the unit will need rest. Here you can selectively let the guys go on dismissal. I did not write, but I hope everyone understands that being in the location, the command staff (including sergeants and the political officer, also from the “former”, but already “from free”) may initially have the right of free access to the city. Well, after the first, let's say, "war", everything has already been tested, to a certain extent everyone can be trusted, and therefore it is not a sin to let them relax.
And then it is already boldly to use our company in all emerging "hot spots", both in the country and abroad. And now there are such places around the world: you and Kosovo in Serbia, and Syria … Conclude an agreement with the governments of these countries on the provision of limited military assistance, and "test" the unit further. But just immediately agree that they (the authorities of these countries) do not plant our guys in trenches, but use them for raids on the enemy's rear, for a lightning breakthrough, etc. Well, so far, of course, from the field of "anti-science fiction", but what the hell is not kidding?..
At the end of the 3-year service life
When I just started my story about how, in my opinion, the recruitment of prisoners should take place, I mentioned that the term of service for them is set for 3 years, remember? So just imagine, having got from the "zone" into the army, a person will go through thorough training in military science for six months, and then he will also receive two and a half years of combat experience. You must admit that by the end of his service life, he is already so "saturated" with the army that the prison in his mind, if it remains, is somewhere very, very deep. And yet, this person will perfectly understand that according to all prison “concepts” (if “Martians” suddenly appear among my readers, I explain, “concepts” are the unwritten internal laws of prison life), return to jail is extremely undesirable for him. In order not to answer the question: "Why?" WWII).
Of course, if one of the soldiers of our company, having served the prescribed three years, does not want to continue "pulling the strap" - this is his personal decision, which the state must understand and accept. It is imperative that the state be extremely honest with people who literally cleansed their name with blood. Definitely, any data on their convictions stored in the main information center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or local information centers (GIC and IC, respectively) are subject to immediate destruction! Moreover, I propose to destroy the personal file of each of these already completely reformed people in his personal presence. Let's say, burn, showing a person the cover (only the cover so that he can believe), right in the company commander's office. And, if the already quite brave soldier refuses to the offer to continue the service, the company commander and the political officer should shake his hand, thank him for the service and sincerely wish him a happy and long life! In the military ID of each soldier who wishes to go to civilian life, it will be written that he served a year on conscription and two more - under a contract. If the former prisoner has already served the term, then a record of the three-year contract service should be made. Such already experienced soldiers can be discharged into the reserve not as ordinary ones, but, say, junior sergeants or sergeants. As a result, a person gets complete freedom, goes through all the documents, like never before had a previous conviction (I forgot that I still need to destroy all other documents indicating his past: the minutes of the court session, a copy of the verdict, a criminal case, etc.), and can also enjoy all the benefits, as a participant in hostilities. The "dark past" cannot serve as a reason for denying him state awards if the company commander considers the fighter worthy of reward. And the awards are both the opportunity to enter a university out of competition, and the right to apply for an apartment, and much, much more … If possible, those who came to our company from an educational colony should also be given the opportunity to complete secondary education. Why not? Is it really not enough three years for a person to go through the program of the last two classes of secondary school in their free time from missions and combat studies ?!
One cannot but mention the exceptional circumstances. If a soldier of our company is seriously wounded, due to which he is not able to serve further, he becomes free and cleared of the "dark past" immediately, right in the hospital. As if he had served all three years. Moreover, the state formalizes his disability and assigns a pension. It doesn't matter if this misfortune happened in the first battle, or later. Well, if a soldier dies in battle, then in addition to a complete posthumous purification, a pension is assigned to his parents (of course, in the case when his parents raised him).
And one more privilege. I have already said that our justice is far from perfect. So, if on the day of the end of service in our company, one of the soldiers suddenly says that he was convicted illegally, but in fact he was not guilty, then the state will also be obliged to pay him the services of a defender an infinite number of times, so that a person used every opportunity to be, albeit in hindsight, justified. Yes, you heard right, such a fighter will be able to sue the state at the expense of the state itself! And if he happened to prove his innocence, a personal apology for such filthy justice from the head of state himself and all other consequences should immediately follow.
I also mentioned the salaries of the soldiers of our company, which should go to their personal account during all three years of service. With the current prices of living, I suggest that it be a sum of money in the amount of 30,000 rubles per month. Not so much for someone who, at any opportunity, is thrown into the very "hell". Further, the order is as follows: our soldiers are fully supported by the state, therefore, in the first six months of service, they, without leaving the location of their unit, will not need money. But then they can freely cash them out (just like all other citizens - through an ATM) or transfer them to family and friends. On the day of the end of service, each soldier, in addition to the money accumulated in the account, must also receive a bonus for impeccable service in the amount of, say, 50,000 rubles.
Since I have started talking about money, I will also announce the salaries I offer for sergeants and company officers. Let the squad commanders (sergeants) receive 50,000 rubles a month, platoon commanders - 100,000, the political officer - 150,000, and the company commander doesn't mind 300,000! Well, in order not to go "into the jungle", we will not stipulate the amount of monetary rewards for successfully completed combat missions, as well as accompanying orders and medals. I will just say that they must also be there.
A glimpse into the future or how a company can grow to a regiment
Well, what if one of the company soldiers (I suspect there will be a lot of them) wants to continue serving? - Perfectly. After three years of continuous combat training and participation in small (and maybe large, who can foresee this?), You can offer him to continue serving in ordinary (not like our unit) military units. But wouldn't it be better to make an ordinary soldier who decided to continue serving as a sergeant and put him in command of a squad in the same company, staffed by yesterday's prisoners? - Naturally, better! After all, he himself is one of "these", and will become for the soldiers of his squad not just a commander, but an understanding senior comrade!
I hope many people already understand where I am heading. Well, yes, I propose to proceed further according to the “snowball” rule, when a battalion will be created on the basis of our company, or maybe a regiment of soldiers with a difficult past. Well, why not ?! In three years the company will show itself, and by itself the proposed direction will justify itself. This means that you can think about the expansion. Accordingly, our company commander will become the commander of a battalion or regiment. Zampolit - commissar of a battalion or regiment. Platoon commanders are company commanders (and maybe battalion commanders). By the way, let me remind you that our sergeants were from free people, but with a prison past. And what if we make for those of them who wish to continue serving 6-month training courses for junior officers, and assign junior lieutenants upon graduation? “Here are some experienced platoon officers. Well, the most intelligent ones can also be considered in the positions of political commissars of the company. The missing officers and sergeants (although the latter, most likely, should be enough, there may be a shortage of platoon and political officers) can be recruited from the outside, following the rules I have already painted in all their glory.
Well, I am grateful to all those who have read this far. Honestly, I don't even hope to get your approval, dear readers. But it is better to express what has long been haunted than to "keep silent in a rag" !!!
Historical experience or continuation follows …
I know, I know that I'm tired, I'll finish now. Let me give you the last reason. Remember, at the very beginning I wrote that my thought is as old as the world? - So here are some examples from history … Yesterday's prisoners were drafted into the army back in tsarist Russia. Take the same Dostoevsky - after 8 years of hard labor, he also served as a soldier. Well, everyone knows about the Second World War. By the way, during the war 935,000 "prisoners" were transferred from labor camps to the Red Army. Our history will not let you lie, yesterday's criminals did not drop the rank of Russian soldier! Many people mistakenly write that the "prisoners" were taken to penal companies - this is not the case. Penalty companies were staffed with guilty soldiers and sergeants, and "prisoners" were sent to assault battalions (again, not to be confused with penalties, in which the fined demoted officers of the Red Army fought). The shturmbats did not spare - it is true. So the people who went there understood that "you live well" the will is not given. And believe me, this very people was also perfectly aware of their guilt. In short, I knew what was going on, and that's it!
There were examples of similar units (and even formations) and our enemies, the Germans. I will not describe in all colors, only I will say that quite efficient examples have turned out. Yes, it is worth emphasizing that Hitler, unlike Stalin, was much more cruel to those who got into such troops. There it was impossible to "cleanse with blood", as in the Red Army.
Well, in the United States, during the war with Spain for the "independence" of Cuba (representatives of the "most democratic" state in the world managed to participate in this too), they were sent straight from the courtroom to the front. There was even a sentence like this: "We are sentencing you to life-long service in the army." How does it feel?
They may remind me that the "prisoners" who fought in the Patriotic War, for the most part then returned to the camps. And here I will not argue! Yes, but because of the need to restore the country, Stalin could not afford to think about the future life of these previously convicted people after the war. He could not, and no one bothers me! And I am ready with you, readers, to share my thoughts on this matter. But! Next time…
