The military department is seriously concerned about the country's mobilization capabilities. Vasily Smirnov, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, said that the Defense Ministry has developed a bill that radically changes the system of Russian citizens' stay in the reserve.
The generals are in no hurry to publish their proposals in detail. But it is known that we are talking about the creation in Russia of an absolutely new structure - a mobilization reserve. Relatively speaking, this will be the second front that the army command will call under its banners during a war, major exercises or emergencies. In addition, units may appear in the Armed Forces, where former conscripts will serve on a temporary basis.
The military are not going to forcibly drive them into the barracks, nor are they going to tear them away from home and work for a long time. The bill provides for the voluntary entry of storerooms into the reserve army. It might look like this. Before leaving the army, the commander will offer the demobilized conscript to sign a contract, according to which yesterday's fighter undertakes to return to duty from time to time.
To motivate a person to serve in the reserve, the Ministry of Defense will pay a certain amount of money to the reservist every month. How many - the generals have not yet specified. The main thing is that they want to replenish the storage wallet, regardless of whether it is working at the moment or is in a military unit.
The size of the army remuneration and the duration of the contract, apparently, will depend on the military specialty and qualifications of the reservist. People with scarce professions in the troops, for example, operators of air defense missile systems, will probably get more. Repairers or drivers are likely to be smaller. But the latter will not have to leave the family for a long time for army retraining. It is still easier to master the steering wheel of a new military truck or armored personnel carrier than to delve into the intricacies of the electronic brain of the air defense system. It is possible that with some categories of former soldiers, it will not be necessary to conclude a contract at all. Why pay money to an ordinary shooter, if his fire and tactical skills are easy to restore at a short-term military training.
Considering that "technological" positions in the troops will soon be occupied by professional soldiers, the recruiting offices will be engaged in recruiting their civilian substitutes for service in the reserve. There are only a few successful businessmen and rich people in our reserve army. Therefore, the generals hope that the material interest and traditionally benevolent attitude towards the army of yesterday's soldiers will force a considerable number of experienced military experts to respond to the initiative of the Ministry of Defense. They plan to call them for retraining only once a year. So the reservists are not in danger of losing their jobs. Moreover, according to the current legislation, it is prohibited to dismiss such employees. This prohibition will probably remain in the new document. As well as the obligation of employers to pay subordinates who have temporarily left for the army an average monthly salary.
A fundamentally new moment in the life of reservists may be their temporary service at some facilities of the Ministry of Defense. They are not expected in ordinary garrisons. After the transfer of all military units to the category of permanent readiness, divisions and brigades were fully staffed with conscripts and contract soldiers.
However, in some places, instead of reduced regiments, they left bases for storing weapons and military equipment. This arsenal will be used in the deployment of the Armed Forces in a threatening period. However, in order for armored vehicles to drive and fire after a long "hibernation", missiles took off into the air, and planes took to the sky, all this economy must be maintained in a combat-ready state. They want to entrust this task to the reservists.
As Vasily Smirnov noted, in the staff of each storage base there are 6 military posts and several civilians. The General Staff does not see any sense in appointing military professionals there - they are needed in the line units. It is more expensive to equip bases with recruits: unskilled soldiers will only spoil the equipment. But keeping experienced reserve specialists on a rotational basis is the very thing.
Another mobilization innovation can be the involvement of former soldiers in the elimination of the consequences of man-made disasters and natural disasters.
The leadership of the Ministry of Defense initially wanted to set out a fresh look at the organization of army service and the preparation of a mobilization reserve in two new laws - on military service and on conscription. However, the generals' desire to separate conscription and service issues did not find support. As a result, the State Duma will consider a single bill.
The formation of a reserve is a common practice in leading Western countries. Its staff in Germany, France, Great Britain and the United States exceeds the size of the armed forces. For example, in America, the role of the "second front" is played by the National Guard. In addition, the army and the air force have their own manpower reserves. In the Department of the Navy, the reserve is divided between the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard.
The Americans serve in the reserve voluntarily, necessarily signing a contract with the military.
Meanwhile
It is possible that the deputies will have questions about the mobilization initiatives of the General Staff. Moreover, among the legislators there are supporters of other options for the formation of a military reserve. Including - by the type of the Belarusian. The following scheme for preparing a "second front" has been practiced in this country for 6 years. It is not former military personnel who are recruited there, but draft youth. It is enough for a person to write a statement to the military registration and enlistment office with a detailed explanation of the reasons for the impossibility of doing regular service as a soldier. Then get a certificate of good health from the doctors. If the applicant's arguments in the commissariat are considered valid, he will be credited to the mobilization reserve. Service there takes place virtually without interruption from the main work. A conscript within a year, two or three years (the period depends on his education and level of military training) is called to study in a military specialty in one of the army units. Then comes the stage of a long stay in the reserve with occasional retraining at military training.
The scheme looks attractive. However, there is a serious argument against its introduction into Russian practice. Neighbors introduced service in the reserve because of the surplus of conscripts who can be put into the current system. In our country, as you know, there is always a shortage of recruits.
