Every year on February 18, our country celebrates the Day of the Food and Clothing Service of the Russian Armed Forces. It is celebrated by all servicemen and specialists related to this service, which is part of the Logistics System of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. This service is of the greatest importance both in peacetime and in wartime, since the principle "a well-fed soldier is the basis of the army", known since ancient times, remains unchanged today.
Until the middle of the 17th century, there was no organized food system for military personnel in our country. The state simply did not release funds for the army for food, so all the worries about food were assigned to the soldiers themselves, who purchased food for themselves and feed for horses at their own expense, including from the received salary. At the same time, the service people who were sent to the collection, brought part of the food with them from home, and partly purchased from local residents. Food was usually prepared using whatever utensils were at hand. For example, as noted by the chroniclers, under Prince Svyatoslav, meat was not boiled in cauldrons, but baked on coals. Bread was usually baked in peasant ovens, and then just taken with you.
Everything changed radically in the Peter the Great era, after Peter I, on February 18, 1700, established in Russia a special position of general-provisions, who was responsible for the procurement and distribution of grain reserves for the needs of the army. Along with this, similar posts were introduced in each regiment, and the people appointed to these posts were called food maisters. At the same time, the first norms of food rations for soldiers were formed. On the basis of the decree of Peter I, the okolnichy SI Yazykov was appointed to the post of "general-provisions".
In fact, a new Order was created in Russia, which, in accordance with the name of the position of its chief, began to be called provisional. This event marked the beginning of the centralized provision of the army with food products and determined the date of the birth of the food (provisions) service. With the introduction of provisions (cereals, flour) rations for the soldiers, as well as the provision of funds to them for the purchase of meat, vegetables and salt in Russia, an organized food system began to take shape, at the same time the process of forming control bodies for the supply of food and fodder to the troops was under way.
On the same day, February 18, 1700, a "Special Order" was formed in Russia, to which Peter I entrusted the duties of supplying the regiments with equipment, uniforms and salaries, as well as horses, weapons and carts. With the creation of a truly regular army in Russia under Peter I, all soldiers and officers were dressed in a uniform uniform, which was strictly regulated and issued for a certain period. The initiator of fundamental changes in the army of our country, especially in matters of its clothing supply, was General-Field Marshal D. A. Today, it is the date of February 18 that is celebrated as the Day of the Food and Clothing Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, most recently this service celebrated its 315th anniversary.
During this time, the service has come a long way, which included all the wars and conflicts in which the armed forces of our country were involved. The most serious test for the food and clothing service was the Great Patriotic War, which demanded a huge strain on resources from the entire country. For all the years of the war, the forces of the Red Army procured 3.6 million tons of grain products only on the territory of the Soviet Union, of which 2 million tons were sent to the needs of the front, and the remaining 1.6 million tons were delivered to meet the needs of the civilian population. For all the years of the Great Patriotic War, our armed forces received over 38 million overcoats, over 11 million pairs of felt boots, 73 million tunics and a large number of other items of clothing, without which it was also impossible to imagine victory in this terrible war.
Centuries change each other, the names of positions, the norms of the allowance of servicemen and their composition change, but the food and material service still continues to exist in the Armed Forces of our country, performing a very important task of organizing full-fledged and high-quality clothing and nutrition for all Russian military personnel. Today, with all the numerous nuances of army life, no one will deny the fact that the food standards for the Russian Armed Forces are established in accordance with the requirements of physiological standards, and also meet the criteria for a rational and balanced diet. The organization of catering for military personnel has become a real science today.
According to the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense, at the present time in the Armed Forces of the country, servicemen are provided with food at 21 food rations. The main rations of these rations include more than 40 different types of food. Thanks to this, it was possible to achieve a wide variety of dishes, and the food itself for the military is organized today in more than two thousand canteens and galleys.
The army canteens are being transferred to catering with elements of a full-fledged "buffet". As of February 2015, 835 canteens were transferred to this form, which required the equipment of about 1, 4 thousand salad bars. Every year, more than 700 thousand tons of various foodstuffs are spent on the allowance of Russian military personnel. At the same time, more than 44.5 million units of dishware and household equipment, as well as almost 6 thousand units of special equipment, are operated in military canteens today. Especially to improve the life and living conditions of the servicemen of the Russian army, more than 6, 5 thousand tea rooms were equipped in the units, for which 101, 3 thousand tea pairs and 25, 7 thousand teapots were supplied to the troops.
The clothing supply of the military is also represented by impressive figures. More than 50 million different items of clothing are constantly in personal use, more than 15 million units are issued annually. The provision of servicemen of the Russian army is organized today according to 54 standards of supply with the use of more than 3 thousand items of clothing. At the same time, in the past few years, progress in improving the clothing supply of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation seems to be more and more obvious. Since 2014, all Russian conscripts, as well as cadets, have been provided with travel bags - unique sets for personal hygiene of military personnel.
Also in Russia, the transition of the Armed Forces to the wearing by all categories of servicemen of an all-season set of field uniforms (VKPO) was completed. This kit stands out for its functionality and allows Russian military personnel to perform all types of combat and special missions in the most varied climatic and weather conditions of our vast country.
On February 18, the Military Review team congratulates all servicemen and civil servants, as well as veterans of the food and clothing service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on their professional holiday!
Materials from open sources
