Contract service is a military activity for the benefit of the country's armed forces, carried out on a completely voluntary basis. This is a kind of “work”, which as a reward implies a stable salary, a full package of social benefits, as well as other (usually monetary) incentives. Just like, a special contract is concluded with a contract employee, valid for a strictly specified period.
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Of course, not every citizen who wants to become a military personnel will be able to sign such an agreement. What are the requirements for contract workers in our country? What are the general pros and cons of the described “work activity”? And finally, what are your personal chances of becoming a contract soldier? Let's find out!
Contract service is a voluntary choice
Contract service is a rather specific type of activity. By concluding the corresponding agreement, you automatically sign up for a certain list of conditions established at the legislative level. What are these requirements?
According to the Law “On Military Duty” and a special set of rules from the country’s Ministry of Defense, only a person can become a contract soldier:
- is a citizen of the Russian Federation;
- who have reached the age of 18 (but not older than 40 years);
- having at least secondary education;
- has passed the appropriate medical commission and, based on its results, has been assigned to group “A” (“fit”) or “B” (“fit with minor restrictions”);
- corresponds to the standards regarding physical fitness approved in the NPF-2009;
- having no restrictions on professional suitability.
If we talk specifically about the categories of persons allowed to serve under a contract, they can be very different. These include men who have previously been in the service (fixed-term or contract), and women with proper training, and even citizens designated as “reserves”. A complete list of categories of persons admitted to contract service can be found in the regulatory documents. In particular, in the Law “On Military Duty” (Article 34).
How to apply for contract service?
Girls are also recruited for contract service
To register your interest in becoming a contractor, visit your local recruiting office. It is there that you will be able to receive full-fledged consulting support on your issue, and therefore information about what you should do next.
In particular, you will be provided with a complete list of vacancies available to you and given a letter of recommendation, which you will then need to present at the local commissariat.
All you need to have with you to complete the application is. By presenting this document, as well as the already mentioned letter of recommendation at the military commissariat, you will receive a sample on which you will have to write your appeal. Once your application has been reviewed, you will be assigned dates for inspections and other activities necessary to determine your readiness for contract service.
If your health and physical fitness indicators are sufficient, you will be issued a visa. After this final step, you will be awarded a contract to serve in the Armed Forces. Now, all you have to do is take an intensive course of combined arms training. For this purpose, you will be sent to the nearest military training unit. During the training process, you will have to demonstrate not only your physical and professional, but also your personal qualities from the best side.
After all, representatives of the unit’s command staff will closely monitor the preparation process. It is they who will appreciate your ability to take on the role of leader, without which advancement through contract service will simply be impossible. If the results of the observations satisfy the command, upon completion of training you will be immediately sent to your place of further service.
The video will tell you about contract service in Russia instead of conscript service:
A working day for a contract soldier in the Russian Army
As a rule, the working day in military units begins at 8:30. All military personnel on the military unit staff (except for those who are on a business trip, vacation, duty or sick leave) come to the parade ground by this time. This is a specially concreted or asphalt area near the headquarters for holding formations, checking and instructing unit personnel, as well as various ceremonial events.
Before the general formation of all military personnel of the unit, the commanders of individual units form their personnel, incl. contract soldiers. Each day begins with a safety briefing at the workplace, which must be signed in the appropriate log. Thus, the unit commander legally protects himself in case his subordinate is injured during service.
Next, the commander conveys to his subordinates information about incidents during the last 24 hours in the Armed Forces (road accidents, death of military personnel, hazing, theft, etc.). It also recalls the articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and informs about the verdicts of military courts.
At 9:00 a joint formation of military personnel from all units of the military unit begins. The military unit commander comes out to the parade ground and gives the command to raise the Russian flag on the flagpole. Everyone stands at attention. The conscript or contract soldier responsible for the procedure slowly raises the flag, all other servicemen in the ranks sing the Russian anthem.
The ritual of raising the flag is performed in all military units.
At the end of this ceremony, the military unit commander gives the command “at ease.” Next, the unit commanders set tasks for the personnel, explain in detail what soldiers and sergeants, warrant officers, officers, incl. contract employees.
As a rule, most of the contract soldiers are sent to training, drivers to the car park to repair equipment, and conscripts to clean the territory. Classes take place before lunch, which runs from 13:00 to 15:00. Then again the service according to the daily routine. Evening formation at 18:30 and personnel not on duty go home to rest.
Basically, contract servicemen are engaged in combat training in units. You can even compare their work with school, only the academic subjects are different. The class schedule is drawn up for a week. Contract workers undergo public and state training here, and representatives of the church often conduct educational conversations with them.
How much do contract workers earn?
Of course, any citizen entering contract service will be primarily interested in the issue of his own material remuneration. How much do they get? This figure may vary. Thus, for contract workers, the salary amount is calculated in accordance with two main documents.
These are the Federal Law “On Salary of Military Personnel” and the Government Decree “On Salary for Military Personnel Serving under Contract”. Thus, the basic salary of a contract employee is, as it were, “composed” of two parts - salaries by position and by rank. In addition, numerous allowances are regularly added to this amount, for example:
- for qualifications;
- by length of service;
- for risk to health or life;
- for special conditions of service;
- for involvement in state secrets;
- for significant achievements in the military field;
- for knowledge of a foreign language;
- for a high level of physical fitness (awarded upon regular passing of the relevant standards.
In addition, at the initiative of management, a contract employee may be given a bonus. Thus, usually remuneration is given to those individuals who cope “excellently” with all the official responsibilities assigned to them. In addition, absolutely any contract employee can count on regular payments according to the EDV (that is, annual).
If we talk about specific figures, then, according to data for 2016, the monthly salary of the average contract worker was:
- 30 thousand rubles - for a private;
- 40 thousand rubles - for a sergeant or sergeant major;
- 55 thousand rubles - for a lieutenant.
pros
The undoubted advantages of contract service include:
- High and stable salary. The income of contract military personnel is a complex value that consists of several components. However, in general, today the army offers very competitive salaries, this is especially true for the Russian regions. Compared to other law enforcement agencies (the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Russian National Guard), the military today does not look like “poor relatives.” Payments of allowances to military personnel occur regularly and without delays.
- Benefits and privileges. Another significant advantage of contract service is the “rich” social package offered by the Ministry of Defense. Military personnel receive compensation for housing, a special mortgage has been created for them, there are rations, benefits when entering educational institutions, and much more.
- Retirement age. Another major advantage of contract service is the ability to retire at age 45. To do this, you must have at least 20 years of service.
Even a contract soldier has a special status. For him, a military unit is a place of work, after which he goes home. Many issues of his relationship with his superiors are regulated by the Labor Code, as in any ordinary job.
About social benefits for contract workers
Contract workers are supported by the state
In addition to wages, military personnel serving under contract can also count on certain benefits and material compensation. What exactly “bonuses” are we talking about? Any contract worker can apply for:
- monthly compensation payments in the amount of about 15 thousand rubles (in case of non-provision of a service apartment);
- a one-time “lift” cash allowance when moving to a new duty station (the amount may vary depending on the number of family members of the employee);
- a one-time payment in the amount of 7 regular salaries for service of 20 years or more (or 2 salaries in the absence of such impressive length of service).
In addition, contract workers are entitled to a fairly large package of various social benefits. In particular, we are talking about the following pleasant “bonuses”:
- free medical care in specialized institutions for the military;
- (providing a service apartment, military mortgage, housing certificates, etc.);
- early pension (at 45 years of age, with 20 years of service);
- when enrolling in vocational educational institutions;
- food supply;
- provision of military uniforms;
- free health and life insurance (including post-death benefits to military families);
- free travel on public transport.
In addition, contract soldiers may be provided with some additional benefits related directly to the place of their service.
Military personnel assigned to the Far North are given the right to use air, rail, and other ground transport free of charge to get to the place of their legal vacation. And this is just one of many similar examples.
Negative aspects of contract service in the army
As you can see, there are advantages to the decision to remain in the army under a contract, and there are many of them, but now it is worth talking about the disadvantages that often repel young people from further military service.
Among the disadvantages are:
- Loss of contact with relatives. A serviceman will be able to see family and friends no more than twice a year. This may be due to his being sent to serve in another city, or it may simply be due to a lack of free time;
- Risk to life. If, working in civilian life, a young man is confident in the future and knows that, for example, after finishing a shift at a factory he will return to his family, then serving in the army forces him to put his life at risk every day;
- Monotony. No matter how many years the contract was concluded, a person gets tired of the constant monotony of wearing a military uniform every day. This greatly affects the emotional background of the serviceman, because he does not have the opportunity to express himself by wearing the clothes he likes. Sometimes it begins to seem that there is no other clothing in the world other than military clothing;
- Changing the character of a soldier. Contract service in the army completely changes a man’s character; he becomes tougher, ruder, which is not always liked by the people around him. A soldier, depending on his position, gets used to giving orders, which he continues to do at home, without noticing it. As a result, such behavior leads to disagreements in the family and sometimes to divorce;
- Unacceptable living conditions. Military personnel do not always get good housing. They are often accommodated in military dormitories, where living conditions are not at the highest level;
- Constant moving. A serviceman must be ready at any time to move to a new place of residence, which his family cannot always accept.
About the advantages and disadvantages of contract service
Contract service without compulsory service: there are both pros and cons
It should be noted right away that military service under contract is a fairly new phenomenon for Russia. So, it is quite natural that such an activity will be distinguished not only by a large number of advantages, but also by simply a huge number of different “shortcomings” and shortcomings.
What are the main positive and negative aspects that you will encounter in contract service? The obvious disadvantages of such activities include:
- increased risk to the health (and often life) of the employee;
- significant restrictions on freedom of movement, as well as personal space;
- the need to strictly follow the regulations and, often, absurd instructions from the command (and the moral overstrain that naturally follows);
- forced cessation of some “unhealthy” habits (in particular, drinking alcohol);
- frequent (sometimes with the need to live in the field).
However, one cannot fail to mention some undeniable advantages that contract service provides:
- quick solution to employment problems (which is especially important for residents of small towns and villages);
- stable wages even during an economic crisis;
- great ;
- significant benefits when obtaining housing.
To summarize, we can say that contract service is a fairly promising solution for the RF Armed Forces. As for the citizens themselves who agree to such activities, they receive enormous advantages over many of their compatriots.
Moreover, we are talking not only about material support and benefits, but also about something more important from a social point of view. Thus, today the term “contract service” is firmly associated in the minds of Russians with the words “respect”, “nobility” and “prestige”.
However, when agreeing to this type of activity, you must remember the enormous burden imposed on you at the time of signing the contract. After all, from now on you will be forced to take care not only of your own well-being. You will have the responsibility to protect not only your life, but also the lives of your comrades, as well as all those citizens who live today in the vast territory of the Russian Federation.
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Not everyone goes to get a higher education in order not to serve in the army. Many want to become qualified specialists so that they can begin their service by joining the junior officer corps. Military registration and enlistment offices are much more willing to enter into contracts with university graduates, since in this way they successfully implement the state program. A university graduate most often looks for a job in a specialty, a better paid alternative to which is contract service. It is possible to conclude an agreement with the armed forces without military service.
Benefits of contract military service
Focusing on the positive aspects of the professional activity in question is not so difficult. For most citizens, military service means, first of all, good earnings and a prestigious position. But this advantage is to some extent subjective, because financial allowance has certain limits, which cannot be said about any type of earnings in the so-called civilian job. Prestige also weakens over time. This is due to emerging pacifistic sentiments and the increasing isolation of Russia on the world stage.
The next advantage is a wide social package. It includes numerous benefits that are unlikely to be provided to an ordinary citizen. Again, only those people who could not settle well in a civilian environment will take this as a virtue. Therefore, here we can repeat the thesis about subjectivity.
Requirements for university graduates
A specialist with a higher education is deservedly considered more literate. He easily masters new technology and is ready to work in changing conditions. Not every graduate can sign a contract. To obtain a place in the armed forces, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be in the age range from 18 to 40 years. This way, after receiving your diploma, you have time to think.
- Have good health. At the medical commission it is necessary to obtain group “A” or “B”. These groups are allowed to serve in the army.
- Show your physical fitness by successfully passing the standards. Speed, endurance and strength will be tested.
Also, the future contract soldier will have to undergo a series of psychological tests that will determine his suitability for service in a particular branch of the military. If these requirements are not met, the contract will not be concluded. Do not rush to quit your previous job so as not to be left without a livelihood.
Collecting documents usually takes a lot of time.
Military conscription service and its features.
The features of conscription military service are directly related to current laws. In turn, the modern army, changing its appearance, is trying to make military service more modern, providing maximum comfortable conditions for conscripted military personnel:
• clearly defined term of conscription;
• improving the quality of nutrition.
Improved nutrition, a gradual transition to a buffet-style meal plan. An hour's rest after lunch is allowed (sleep, including);
• improvement of living conditions.
Equipping departments with showers, washing machines, ironing boards and modern equipment for repairing clothes. Military personnel are fully supplied with personal hygiene items and laundry detergents;
• solving social problems.
If desired, a conscript soldier can use cellular communications. Military personnel are allowed to change into civilian clothes when leaving for the city. Depending on personal circumstances, the military registration and enlistment office considers the possibility of conscription service near the soldier’s permanent residence.
• the modern Russian army does not interfere with the development of the individuality of a serviceman.
The peculiarities of internal conscription service allow soldiers with high athletic performance to train in decent conditions in sports companies and participate in sports competitions at any level, including the Olympic Games.
Talented and promising young scientists, as well as students, can be sent for military conscription into scientific companies. They are allowed to continue their research and development, to pursue their own areas of science.
• acquisition of new professions.
Military conscription service provides an opportunity to master new professions and gain knowledge in previously unknown areas. Training in a unit of a profession, for example, a driver, motor mechanic or mechanic, may well become the main activity of a warrior after leaving military service.
• privileges.
At the end of the conscription period, the state provides the person who has served a number of benefits, incurring significant financial expenses. For example, on the recommendation of the commander of a military unit, a promising and competent serviceman has the opportunity, after dismissal, to study at paid preparatory courses at universities at the expense of the federal budget.
Those discharged from military service are admitted to state universities on preferential terms; in many cases, exams are replaced by interviews.
In government agencies or law enforcement agencies without military service, problems may arise in finding employment.
The main feature of conscription military service is the requirement for recruits to conscientiously master their military profession, acquiring the skills and experience necessary in civilian life.
Of course, it is almost impossible to describe the features of a specific military conscription service. The army is multifaceted, constantly evolving and updating.
To teach yourself discipline, to find your place in the team, to realize that you are part of a huge country - this is the minimum that conscription military service will provide.
