On October 5, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov gave a press conference in the club of military observers at the Press Service and Information Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry, in which he highlighted a number of issues of further reforming the Russian Armed Forces.
First, the Deputy Minister noted that the Ministry of Defense is currently facing the task of improving the quality of the rank and file of the army and navy. This task applies equally to both conscripts and contract soldiers. He admitted that "the quality of today's contractors leaves much to be desired."
In the new look of the Russian Armed Forces, which should be created by January 1, 2017, it is planned that the number of contractors will be increased to 425 thousand people (currently there are about 200 thousand contractors in it). The army will have 220 thousand officers, and the rest will be conscripts. The army should be about 1 million people. Every year they plan to recruit 50 thousand contract soldiers. As a result, the army and navy will have up to 50% of contract employees.
Pankov said that the selection mechanisms for candidates for contract service will be worked out anew. So, in order to become a contract soldier, a candidate must meet certain criteria that have been developed by specialists from the Ministry of Defense. Age 19-30, education must be at least secondary. A young person must be fit for health by all medical criteria or with minor disabilities.
In addition, there is now an annual compulsory certification of servicemen who serve on a contract basis. This certification will show which of the 200,000 current contract soldiers will continue to serve in the Russian army. After selection by the specialists of the Ministry of Defense, the future soldier under the contract will undergo training at a training center or military unit (from 3 months to the program of secondary vocational education) and only after passing the exam, he will be sent to military service for military service. The selection of candidates will take place on the basis of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It will be occupied by military registration and enlistment offices and mobile propaganda (recruiting) points. The recruiting centers will include his boss, technical staff, agitators and a system administrator.
At the same time, the health certification of employees under the contract will be carried out at least once a year, and their physical fitness will be checked on a quarterly basis.
As the Deputy Minister of Defense noted, different levels will be offered to serve as a non-commissioned officer in the Armed Forces. Currently there are five of them. The first level is military service in positions that are associated with the operation and use of weapons and military equipment (for example: driver mechanics, gunner operators, company technicians). At the second level, they will serve as squad commanders, tank commanders, and crew chiefs. At the third level, sergeants will serve as platoon commanders, unit foremen, and senior technicians. The fourth and fifth levels are sergeants of the new category, sergeants-managers and sergeants-administrators.
It is also planned that at the higher stages of their career, contract sergeants will be able to occupy managerial positions from the chief sergeant of the army level (these are master sergeants of the regimental and brigade level) to the chief sergeant of the Russian Armed Forces.
At the same time, the deputy minister added that this is not a prospect for the present day and not even for tomorrow. The positions will be verified more than once. As a successful example, he cited US Army NCOs who rightfully consider themselves the backbone of the US Army and are proud of their service.
Secondly, Nikolai Pankov announced that the Russian army is leaving the barracks, they will be replaced by hostels and service apartments. According to him, the old concept of "barracks" should become a thing of the past.
Third, he spoke about the increase in pay for contract servicemen. On October 7, the State Duma of the Russian Federation should consider in the second reading the draft law "On monetary allowances for servicemen and the provision of separate payments to them." In accordance with this law, a contract soldier in the Russian Ground Forces will receive 28-35 thousand rubles a month, depending on the military position held and on the length of service.
The reform also provides for the improvement of food, food, medical and sanatorium-resort provision of servicemen, their retraining for civilian specialties, compulsory life and health insurance of the military.
Fourthly, Pankov said that women and foreigners will still be able to serve under contract in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
