The President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, September 30, signed a decree on the beginning of the autumn conscription in the RF Armed Forces. The text of the corresponding decree was published on the Kremlin's official website. The call will be held in standard calendar terms, from October 1 to December 31, 2015, and will concern Russian citizens aged 18 to 27 years. In total, 147,100 people are planned to be called up for military service this fall, the document says. By the same presidential decree, soldiers, sailors, sergeants and foremen will be transferred from the ranks of the armed forces at the end of their military service.
It should be noted that according to the results of the spring draft of 2015, about 150 thousand recruits were sent to the Russian Armed Forces, of whom 485 were drafted from Crimea and Sevastopol, and in total more than 700 thousand people of draft age were called to the Russian military registration and enlistment offices. At the same time, 450 people were sent to serve in scientific companies, including about 50 Muscovites who passed the preliminary selection with a competition of about 6 people per seat. Today, the most talented candidates who are inclined to scientific work and have higher education are sent to such a service. Applicants are pre-selected by representatives of military research institutes. Currently, there are 8 scientific companies in the RF Armed Forces; in the future, it is planned to create 4 more such units.
The conscripts of 2015 have the opportunity to immediately choose between ordinary military service in the ranks of the armed forces, or conclude a contract for 2 years with all the privileges of a career soldier accompanying such a decision. Graduates of higher educational institutions can exercise this right immediately after graduation, other young people after three months of military service. The essence of such a contract service seems quite tempting, since it guarantees future conscripts living in a hostel, not in a barracks, civil days off once a week, as well as a stable salary. At the same time, having signed a contract for 2 years, the conscript undertakes to serve this period in full. Dismissal from the army in this case is considered impossible. It is obvious that such a model of service will be chosen by those young people who are going to link their future with the army. At the same time, conscript service will remain relevant for everyone who is going to repay their debt to the Motherland, but are not interested in building a military career.
At the same time, the Ministry of Defense has recently been doing a lot to make conscription more attractive. So, relatively recently, the soldiers were completely freed from all types of chores, which were transferred to civilian structures. The time freed up as a result was allocated for combat and physical training. For example, the time spent on physical training of military personnel has been increased to 25 hours a week (4-5 hours every day), according to the official website of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
In addition, progress has been made in improving the nutrition of the military. A step-by-step transition to the organization of meals for servicemen with elements of a full-fledged "buffet" providing a choice of main dishes is underway. Showers and washing machines appeared in the disposition of military units. Changes have also been made to the daily routine of conscripts. In particular, the duration of night sleep was increased by 30 minutes, and in the afternoon the soldiers had 1 hour of rest (sleep).
Also, on September 29, 2015, the Ministry of Defense explained the new procedure for issuing military uniforms to conscripts before they are sent directly to military units. The popular Russian blogger Denis Mokrushin spoke about this in detail. In his blog, he described the changes in the issuance of military uniforms.
1. Instead of an all-season complex of field uniforms (VKPO), recruits will be given a daily uniform (in military use - "office"). A feature of this uniform is the different color schemes, which are different depending on the type of troops in which the conscript falls. So, conscripts who got into the airborne troops or the Aerospace Forces (aerospace forces) receive blue uniforms. The sailors will be dressed in black, and the ground forces will be dressed in green.
2. Recruits will be able to receive VKPO already upon arrival at the unit at the place of service.
3. Order No. 300 "On approval of the Rules for wearing military uniforms, insignia, departmental insignia and other heraldic signs in the RF Armed Forces and the Procedure for mixing items of existing and new military uniforms in the RF Armed Forces" will be amended, according to which "office" the uniform, which was earlier for soldiers, sergeants, foremen and cadets, will now become everyday. Denis Mokrushin recalls that earlier, a field outfit was considered a daily uniform for these categories of servicemen.
4. Directly at the recruiting station, conscripts will be issued a sleeve sign with the image of the state flag of the Russian Federation and a badge "Armed Forces of Russia". A patch with the name of a serviceman will also be produced at public expense. Previously, servicemen bought all the sleeve insignia and stripes on their own for their own money in the unit.
5. In everyday form, conscripts will go home after being discharged from the armed forces to the reserve, since the VKPO has long wearing periods, it will need to be handed over.
Denis Mokrushin notes that the hastily introduced waist belts in 2013, which until recently did not have a metal buckle properly processed, due to which the belt itself quickly deteriorated and wore out, were refined, all cutting edges were rounded. At the same time, the recruits who ended up in the Airborne Forces and the Aerospace Forces were “unlucky” with a green waist belt, which contrasts strongly with their blue uniforms. Such a belt is issued, since they are also entitled to receive the VKPO.
New summer boots made by BTK
Since the call is in the autumn and is held in the cold season, the recruits will be given underwear, as well as T-shirts (blue - VKS, khaki - all the rest) and vests (navy). At the same time, the blogger complained that at the recruiting station, only summer boots will be issued to recruits (they will be able to get insulated boots only upon arrival at the unit). So that the conscripts do not freeze during the process of being sent to the unit, they will be given warm socks, in addition, an instruction was sent out about a strict ban on lengthy building on the street in the cold season.
Recruits of the autumn draft of 2015 will continue to receive an "army travel bag" (they began to issue it in the spring of last year), which includes 20 items: two-in-one shampoo-shower gel for men; shaving gel and after shave gel; toothpaste (75 ml) and a toothbrush; hand cream; travel gel for washing; antiseptic hand gel; antifungal foot gel; deodorant roller for men; razor and cartridge with replaceable blades; comb; nail clippers; sewing kit; a set of plasters; towel; folding silicone glass with a lid; hygienic lip balm; mirror. All components from the bag have a design of the established sample with the symbols of "Voentorg" and "Army of Russia".
The logisticians who selected all this economy are sure that such kits will allow conscripts to feel comfortable enough even in the unfamiliar conditions of an army barracks or a naval cockpit. To the pluses, they attribute the fact that servicemen will not have to spend money on the purchase of hygiene products necessary in a soldier's life. This kit is designed for the entire period of compulsory military service - that is, for exactly one year. It is worth noting that these are rather bold calculations, and it is very difficult to imagine a soldier who will use one tube of toothpaste for a year, even doing it very economically. So, servicemen will have to deal with the purchase of "consumables" for the travel bag for their hard-earned money in the same "Voentorg".
It has already become a tradition to issue bank cards to servicemen, to which they receive money allowances, and SIM cards for communication with relatives. An innovation of the 2015 draft campaign was the registration of soldiers for service. Starting this year, for each conscript soldier, a special electronic card is created, which contains all his personal biographical data: information about his profile specialty, health status, driver's license, and so on. This electronic document makes it easier for the recruit to be assigned to a position that matches his skills.
In addition, in 2015, the list of diseases with which service in the ranks of the RF Armed Forces is now allowed was expanded again. For example, conscription service became available for recruits with 2nd degree flat feet, as well as scoliosis (curvature of the spine from 11 to 17 degrees). In turn, disabled people of groups I and II were spared from the long passage of the military medical commission, they just need to provide all the necessary documents that would confirm their state of health.
In 2015, draft changes also affected draft evaders. Since 2015, citizens who have not completed military service before the age of 27, without proper justification, are not issued a military ID. Together they can get their hands on only an ordinary certificate. In addition, citizens who do not have a military ID are no longer eligible to apply for positions of municipal and civil servants.
