Is it good to serve in the Navy? Conscript soldiers will no longer serve on warships and submarines. Revival of the Russian fleet
The sea is a separate element, limitless and multifaceted, with its own charms and whims. Everyone knows the sea in their own way, and nevertheless, it is one thing if you are a tourist or a fisherman, and a completely different question if you are serving in the army or navy. This hard work is the lot of real men, strong in body and spirit. Today we will consider such a topic as conscript service in the Navy. What is the duration of its completion, how to get into the sailor ranks, and whether every young man who dreams of a vest and the sea can fulfill his desire.
How long to serve
Everyone is accustomed to the fact that compulsory service in the Navy has always been longer than in the ground forces. In the USSR there really was an increase, it was 36 months. During this time, young sailors turned into hardened sailors, knowing all the intricacies of shipbuilding, having experienced in practice all the peculiarities of sea behavior and the hardships of serving on a ship far from land.
However, in 1996, the Russian Navy joined the other branches of the military in terms of orders and instructions regarding the army as a whole, and the period of service was reduced to a combined arms 24 months. Known fact, that through military reform in 2008, the Russian Armed Forces began to call up recruits for 12 months.
This order also affected the navy, so that in 2017, sailors will scrub the deck and not only for a total of 365 days, which is 3 times less than, for example, the young sailor’s grandfather served.
Who is accepted and selection criteria
To the question “How to get into the ranks of the Navy by conscription?” The answer is quite simple - according to the general distribution from the military registration and enlistment office, nothing supernatural will be required from the young man. Theoretically, this is indeed exactly the case, but some nuances still exist. First, there are selection criteria for service in the Navy related to biological data and health:
- the height of a sailor candidate should not exceed 180 cm;
- Only 3 fitness categories of citizens are allowed to undergo “urgent duty” in the fleet - A1, A2, and A3, which is a guarantee of good health of the future sailor;
- also, to enroll in the morval fleet, you must successfully pass psychological testing, in this case, the second group of mental stability should be identified.
However, if you are taller than 180 cm, you also have the option of wearing a vest. If the conscript meets the other parameters and shows a desire to serve in the Navy, then he may be sent to coast guard or to the honor guard company at headquarters. Of course, such a “sailor” is unlikely to get on the ship, however, he will definitely be provided with elite service.
In addition to the above criteria, when selecting citizens for the marine fleet, preference is given to the following candidates:
- those who have a document confirming graduation from a naval school;
- for those who have a working civilian profession, for example, a motor mechanic, welder or radio technician, such skills will definitely be useful to the future sailor on the ship.
Moreover, you must declare your intention to serve in the navy during a medical examination. This is done with the aim of attracting your candidacy to the very team that is being formed to be sent to the fleet. If a young man dreams of the sea to the core, he knows in advance that he meets all the above requirements, then in this case he can contact the personnel department of the military unit of the naval unit with a question about whether it is planned to recruit sailors during this conscription period.
If the answer is positive, the young man will be issued an appropriate invitation to serve in this particular unit (the paper must be submitted to the military registration and enlistment office when the opportunity arises, which may be the same medical commission).
The strict health requirements are explained quite logically - the sailor must be physically strong, as well as psychologically stable. As for the so-called “competition for a place in the sun,” it is due to the low percentage of conscripts going to serve in the navy, because today the majority of sailors are contract soldiers.
Features of service in the navy
There is no need to mention once again that sailors in uniform are in especially difficult conditions of service; they are not just separated far from home, around them there is a hopeless water surface and only the horizon. In addition to the most fundamental feature, another interesting trend is emerging: on Navy ships there are practically no such notorious concepts in the ground forces as.
This fact is explained no less logically than the strict selection criteria. The fact is that each member of the ship is assigned certain responsibilities for the entire period of service. Therefore, in order to improve the efficiency and quality of performance of the tasks assigned to the ship’s crew, it is completely unprofitable for sailors and officers to sort things out, and sometimes there is simply no time. Also, do not forget about the notorious moment when the entire crew is “under the same wavelength,” which in itself leads to a rapprochement between the sailors and the commanding staff.
What's the result?
To summarize, we can highlight the following facts about military service in the Navy:
- the parameters for selecting citizens for vacancies of future sailors are quite strict, which is explained by the specifics of the service;
- To perform ship service, the candidate must have excellent health, as well as a height of 180 cm;
- an advantage in selection at the local military registration and enlistment office can be obtained by graduating from the naval academy or mastering one of the civilian working specialties;
- sometimes, in order to put on a vest, you need to go to a certain military unit before going to the military registration and enlistment office, check the availability of an application for recruitment and confirm your physical characteristics;
- Despite all the hardships of ship service and being on the open sea, absolutely every crew member receives unforgettable impressions, emotions, and also feels a special relationship with nature, being left alone with the elements.
Therefore, if you want to get into this particular branch of the military, you need to take care of this in advance.
Service in the Navy - what is it like? I am sure that many of you, just like me, asked similar questions at one time. Before I met Dmitry Pimkin, I thought that serving in the navy meant traveling around the world and romance at its finest (jokes aside, of course).
But Dima was able to bring me back from my fantasies to real life. As it turns out, serving in the Navy is far from the easiest.
A sailor serving in the navy right now will tell you about all the intricacies, pros and cons of serving “on the water”.
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Hello Dima! Tell about yourself. Who is Dmitry Pimkin?
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Hello!
Dmitry Pimkin - soldier Armed Forces Russian Federation. Although, to be more precise, a sailor.
Dmitry Pimkin
I ended up serving in the navy. To a surface ship. People like me are called shipbuilders. We weren't taught anything. We didn’t end up in training units or buildings like you did. We learn everything right away on the spot.
I won't say it's bad. This has its pros and cons.
- And what are they?
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I'll tell you now.
Pros:
- You remember and learn only what you need.
- You only master your combat post and have complete information about your command.
- To put it simply, you are your own boss.
- Friendly team. We are the foremen on a first name basis. Together. You can contact any officer, and he will not refuse you.
I see two disadvantages:
- Once on the ship you don’t know anything, but they already demand it from you. Although this minus is not very big, it spoils the whole raspberry.
- Everything around is made of iron, there are small closed spaces everywhere.
-I understood you. Did you yourself want to join the navy?
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No. I wanted to join the Marine Corps. Well, run and shoot. Romance! But unfortunately, there was no recruitment there. I was sent to .
-Got upset? And what feelings have been haunting you since the very beginning of your service?
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No. I wasn't very upset. The main thing is that the food is good. :)
Feelings? It's hard to say... Sometimes homesickness hits.
- Homesickness unites us all. Tell us about your service.
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In general, everything is the same as yours. Rise at 6 am. Then breakfast. After breakfast - a little tidying up. After this - an emergency inspection. Then a divorce for work. Then lunch, but before that there is more cleaning.
After lunch it’s admiral’s hour, where we sleep until 3 o’clock. Then construction and departure to work. And again work, work, work...
At 5:30 p.m., tidying up again, then dinner. In 7 formation and free time. Or time for self-care. Then at 9:00 formation, reading of the regulations and the order to start a new watch. That's it. Lights out at 10. And again. Vicious circle.
-Yes, very similar to the typical daily routine on land. Where have you been already? Where did you go on the ship?
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Nowhere. I'm having no luck. I'm only on stationary ships for now. The first ship was under repair, the second was not going anywhere. I’m thinking about transferring to a corvette on a business trip and sailing around the Baltic. Time will show.
-Is it easy for you with these translations? Can I just transfer like that?
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Yes. Approach the deputy commander of the ship for work with personnel and talk to him. Well, like everywhere else... Until you start spinning and spinning, no one will take on you.
-You can't argue with that! Fine. If you say that you are “like everyone else,” then tell us what subjects you are taught.
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We have no classes at all. We learn everything as we work. It’s not like we sit and someone explains something to us. A question arose - I went up to the commander or senior and asked. That's all. Sometimes they give you a lot of documentation for you to look for necessary information on her.
-Oh, so you have no steam at all? What about specialties? Are there any VUSs?
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Yes, you understood correctly. There are no pairs. At the end of my service I will not have any diploma. There will only be knowledge that I myself received. And skills. And, accordingly, we don’t have higher education institutions either.
-It's clear. It turns out that you don’t have distribution either. You serve on ships all year, right?
Yes. All year on ships. What distribution are you talking about?
-We have . We are leaving for military units throughout the country. Do you have something similar? With ships, of course.
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Well... If you got into “training” and study by profession, then yes, there is a distribution. But I’m a shipwright, and we don’t have training as such. I immediately got on the ship.
-What is a ship?
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These are military personnel who, after taking the oath, go straight to the ship and learn everything on the spot.
-What did you do before the oath?
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We learned the regulations. Drill classes. Russian history. Great victories.
-You haven’t been on ships at all?
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Were. We were called and dressed. After that, they brought us to the ship "Restless", which is a distributor. We were there before the oath. After taking the oath, we were already scattered onto ships.
-Tough.)
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Why? I think this is normal.)
-Okay, Dim. Last request. Give 5 pieces of advice to those who are being drafted into the Navy on ships in this and future drafts.
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OK then. I will try.
- Don't be afraid of the ship. Yes. Everything around is made of iron, there is not enough space. It’s not good with water and ordinary everyday things. But, as the charter says, “a military man must cope with the hardships of military service.” So you can do it. If you are not comfortable, then immediately tell the commander about it. You will be transferred. No one will forcefully hold you. There have been such cases in my practice...
- Make friends with everyone you can. Especially with cooks. You will always be full and satisfied.
- Try not to give up your hobbies. There is a lot of free time on ships, so you can continue to do what you love.
- Stay human. Always help if asked, even if you get nothing for it. The elders will see this and will help you in every possible way in return. The service will become easier.
- Be the best person, whom you know. This is my motto in life. And I think there is no need to explain anything here. :)
-Cool! And now the last question: who are the “cocas”?
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These are the cooks. The ground forces are fed by the Slavyanka company, and in the navy the sailors cook for themselves. And those who cook are called “coca”.
-Dim, thank you very much for this interview! I assure you that even for me it turned out to be incredibly useful. I wish you a happy and easy service!
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Mutually! I wish the same for all those who are yet to serve. And if any of the readers have questions about the Fleet, then let them ask them in the comments to the article. I am a frequent visitor to your blog. I will answer each one with pleasure!
-Agreed. Let's do so! See you in touch!
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Happily!
P.S. Dima is one of the first people I met thanks to the blog. He himself initiated our acquaintance, adding
Hello everyone, I returned from the Navy in the summer and just now decided to post to the forum.1 part.
Many people ask about serving on a ship. In general, it is considered that this is the most “tough” thing. In principle, yes and no. More on this later. In training they either leave ass-lickers/thieves/cattle. It all depends on where it will be distributed:
- harsh climate, ended up in intensive care for 4 days due to pneumonia. During the cold period, the hospital is packed to capacity, I heard about non-working stoves in the l/s cockpits and that people sleep almost huddled together (imho, a story)
- Northern Fleet
Dull training. They teach little, mostly drill and peeling vegetables. At the same time, the mat part is about submarines (warhead-5). I don’t understand why it is needed... Recently there was an exemplary display. The 2nd company became famous throughout the country. http://lifenews.ru/news/106104 The officers were unable to hide it this time, fortunately.
- 49054 Severodvinsk.
- no idea
- Pacific Fleet
- no idea, if necessary, I can clarify.
- Caspian flotilla
- seems to be mostly scrap metal at the pier, as I was told.
- Baltic Fleet
. I served here. Since 2012, BLAT place. Cash allowance - 4,000 hryvnia (about 15,000 rubles) per month. This is with an average salary in Sevastopl of 2000 UAH! Residents look at the shops with envy.. Comfortable climatic conditions, good food.
- Black Sea Fleet
Part 2. Types of ships.
Part 4 Ship to be. Schedule.
Part 5 Useful tips.Added after 36 minutes
Part 3. Organization of the ship. Combat units. (Warhead)
After you arrive on the ship and pass all the necessary tests, you will be assigned to the warhead.
Combat unit - along with service, the main organizational unit of the crew of ships of the Soviet and Russian Navy, which is in charge of concentrated combat and technical means for a certain type of weapon or equipment, intended to perform certain tasks in combat or Everyday life. Large ships can have up to five combat units, which, in turn, are divided into divisions, groups, batteries, towers, teams (squads) and are designated by number:BC-1 - navigator;
BC-2/3 - missile, or missile-artillery, or artillery/mine-torpedo (depending on the composition of the ship’s weapons);
My combat unit, anti-aircraft battery. The shifts are quite good, you can sleep/use your phone :) They select adequate people, older ones. Officers and contract soldiers are also quite good. Anyone interested in weapons, come here.
BC - 4/7 Radio Engineering/Communications. T.N. "Proe6schiki". Accordingly, light watches, with the possible exception of signalmen.
BC-5 - electromechanical.
Highly not recommended. You will always walk in oil/diesel. Or you’ll end up in the hold and be given a latrine in charge, which you’ll have to clean before demobilization. Is this what you need?! However, there is a plus: a huge amount of shker.BC-6 - aviation;
Combat units are led by commanders and staffed with specialists to maintain weapons and technical equipment.
How long do conscripts and contract soldiers serve in the Marine Fleet 2019, how to get into the Navy, salary on a contract, when do sailors retire? Since Soviet times, serving in the Navy has been considered prestigious, but at the same time very difficult. After all, then the sailors served for 3 whole years. In 1996, this type of service was equated to regular service and conscripts bore their burden like all 24 months or 2 years. But already in 2007, military reform began, which affected all troops, including the Navy, and therefore today they serve there, like everywhere else, for exactly 1 year.
However, many conscripts do not know this and are still afraid of being drafted into the Marine Fleet. And this is in vain. Not only because now the period of stay on the ship is not so long, but also because the conditions there are much better than in the barracks.
For example, soldiers are on enhanced nutrition and have a gentle daily routine. In addition, it is in the Navy that you can get a good specialty, a live-in job, so to speak, and then retire early, which is very decent. But for this you need to serve in the Marine Fleet on a contract. But not all conscripts are accepted into these troops. It is necessary that young man was:
- The second group of neuropsychic stability;
- Fitness category A3 and higher;
- Height is no higher than 180 centimeters.
How to get a contract in the Navy, salary
Both conscripts and contract soldiers serve in the Baltic or Black Sea Fleet. There is a much greater chance of getting into the first one, since its numbers are higher. There are rumors that soon the Navy will hire only on a contract basis, but this is not yet certain, it is worth waiting for the end of the military reform. Now, in order to get a contract in the Morflot, you need to have everything that is needed for military service, and also:
- Average vocational education related to shipping;
- A related specialty that has an analogue in military accounting professions.
If you want to go to a certain unit, you should contact its commander directly and ask if they need people; if the answer is positive, then you will need to ask for written confirmation that the person is ready to be taken there.
It along with other documents, namely:
- Passport;
- 4 photographs 3x4;
- Certificates from doctors;
- A diploma of the required education;
- Certificate of good conduct;
- must be submitted to the military registration and enlistment office at your place of residence.
Regarding the contract service period, it ranges from 24 to 36 months for new recruits. If we are talking about an officer or midshipman, then the contract is concluded for 60 months, which is equal to 5 years. You can re-enlist in the Navy for any period of time, but not less than one year and until retirement age.
The salary in the Navy is not high, ranging from 18 to 30 thousand rubles per month, but if you consider that a military man does not have the opportunity or need to spend it, at the end of the contract he may find a very decent amount in his account.
Pension in Morflot
Being a retired military sailor in our country is very profitable. Firstly, because one year of service is counted as 1.5 years of service. That is, in order to retire, a man needs to work not 35 years, but 25. In other words, already at the age of 45 you can retire and receive a good salary. Approximately the pension for long service in the Navy ranges from 14 to 27 thousand rubles. In addition, from January 1, 2019 it should increase by 3-4%. In addition, in Russia all military personnel have many benefits:
- Providing housing or receiving an amount sufficient to rent it;
- Non-competitive admission to universities, free preparation in courses before admission;
- Free treatment and rehabilitation measures in hospitals;
- Free travel on public transport;
- If a military man dies while on duty, the family is paid 3 million rubles.
- When leaving the army due to a military injury, a contract soldier receives up to 2 million rubles.
Thus, it is not so important how long they serve in the Marine Fleet 2019, but how to serve there and what bonuses there are.
“Conscripts”—conscripted military personnel—will no longer serve on warships and submarines of the Northern Fleet. Starting from the spring conscription campaign of this year, almost all positions in the naval personnel are filled exclusively with contract servicemen.
Conscripts will serve only in ground military units. According to experts, only trained professional military personnel can cope with the operation of the complex equipment of modern destroyers, cruisers and submarines. But such a decision reduces the popularity of military service among future conscripts. Instead of elite units and units, they are sent to auxiliary positions.
As reported at the headquarters of the Northern Fleet, starting this year, all positions on ships and submarines are filled exclusively with military personnel serving under contract. Therefore, conscripts will be sent only to parts of the Northern Fleet coastal forces: motorized rifle brigades and marine brigades. Also, conscripted military personnel will join the ground staff of aviation squadrons and regiments, as well as air defense divisions.
Former deputy commander-in-chief of the Navy, Admiral Igor Kasatonov, said that the transition to manning ship crews with contract soldiers began under the previous Minister of Defense. Under Sergei Shoigu, this figure reached 100%.
“A contract service sergeant major is a completely different level of motivation and training for a serviceman,” said the admiral. — Recently, the number and duration of combat missions of ships to sea has increased. The fleet has received completely new, high-tech equipment, which must be serviced by professionals. Therefore, it is logical that we need people who serve not just for one year, but for at least 5-7 years. The Navy today has created not only a system for attracting contract soldiers, but also an incentive system so that they fulfill their duties as part of the crews of ships and submarines for as long as possible. I'm talking about allowances, the possibility of receiving free higher education and your own apartment.
In the Navy Soviet Union The service life on board was three years. But in the Russian Navy it was reduced to two years. Now conscripts serve only twelve months.
But the problem is not only the need to staff ships and submarines with specialists. With the increase in the number of long-distance cruises, the Navy command also faced serious organizational problems.
“The ship is leaving for the shores of Syria, and on it are conscripts,” Valentina Melnikova, secretary of the Union of Committees of Soldiers’ Mothers, explained to Izvestia. — The sailor has reached the end of his service life. He is not paid travel allowances like contract soldiers. After all, it is believed that he is serving on Russian territory.
Deputy Chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of Defense Alexander Kanshin noted that for many conscripts the lack of the opportunity to serve “urgent duty” on a ship or submarine will be an unpleasant surprise.
“They want, they have desire, they have romance. But there is no professional training,” noted Alexander Kanshin. “Currently, conscripts are trained for six months. And the remaining six months they wait for transfer to the reserve. And there are specialties for which it is not easy to complete practical training in a year.
Let us recall that already in the fall of last year, the fleet’s admission and technical commission, which is responsible for selecting military personnel for service in the naval personnel and in the Far North, practically did not assign “conscripts” to ships and submarines of the Northern Fleet.
Source - Izvestia.ru