Understanding military ranks. What was the warrant officer responsible for in the Soviet army

Ensign - from the old word "ensign" - banner. In Russia, this title appeared under Alexei Mikhailovich, who began to appoint the best fighters as standard-bearers, as a reward for bravery. Under Peter I, junior officers of the infantry and cavalry began to be called ensigns. What was the status of a warrant officer in the Soviet army?

When did the rank of ensign appeared?
In 1917, as you know, the officer ranks in the Russian army were abolished. Along with other ranks, the rank of ensign was also canceled. Then the officer ranks in the Red Army nevertheless appeared, but the ensign was never returned. The title "ensign" reappeared in the Soviet army in 1972. The Ministry of Defense came to the conclusion that the posts occupied by foremen and junior lieutenants could be occupied by a separate category of servicemen - warrant officers (in the navy, midshipmen). Thus, it turned out that a warrant officer in the Soviet army is a separate type of servicemen who do not belong either to soldiers or to officers, but at the same time clearly marked the border between them.

How they became ensigns
The military rank of ensign was awarded to a person after graduating from special ensign schools. They taught cadets the basics of martial arts, military psychology and pedagogy and the necessary subjects in military disciplines. The military rank was awarded only after graduation. People with higher education could study in these schools.

What were the duties of warrant officers
The figure of a warrant officer entered army folklore as an image of a stuck and impudent character who is located exclusively somewhere in a warehouse and is engaged in speculation in army property. Of course, this has happened. Nevertheless, this type has little to do with the overwhelming majority of warrant officers of the Soviet army. Warrant officers held many different positions in the army. They really could manage warehouses, but in addition, they could be clerks at the headquarters, and served in the medical department - paramedics. There were warrant officers and foremen of the company.

As you know, the duties of a company foreman are very diverse. The person in this position oversees the performance of service by ordinary soldiers and sergeants, controls order and discipline in the company, is responsible for the safety of property, including the personal belongings of soldiers, which are stored in the storeroom until demobilization, and so on. In the event of an emergency, when there is no officer, the foreman must take over his duties. The foreman is responsible to the company commander for order and discipline in the unit. He is the direct organizer of the internal schedule. The sergeant major has the right to impose punishment on soldiers and demand its implementation. Thus, a warrant officer, who is the foreman of a company, is, in fact, the "right hand" of an officer, a person who at any moment must be ready to take on command functions.

Actually, it was so. According to their official position, duties and rights, warrant officers occupied a place close to junior officers, they were their closest assistants and chiefs for soldiers and sergeants (foremen) of the same unit. In terms of status, the warrant officer was above the foreman and below the junior lieutenant during this period. Since 1981, the higher rank of "senior warrant officer" was introduced, corresponding to the pre-revolutionary "mediocre warrant officer". In the navy, the rank of warrant officer corresponded to the rank of "midshipman".

The current situation
In 2008, the Minister of Defense abolished the rank of "ensign". Apparently, the image of a thieving warehouse manager in warrant officer shoulder straps nevertheless played a role, blocking all the undoubted benefits that intelligent warrant officers brought to the Armed Forces. However, at present they are going to return this rank to the army, excluding, however, the management of warehouses and bases from the staffing table.

55 thousand warrant officers and warrant officers will be returned to the Russian army. Aleksey Zhuravlev, a member of the State Duma Defense Committee, comments on this news: “The ensigns schools gave the army a category of specialists - both logistical specialists and specialists who could work on highly sophisticated equipment. Such specialists are sorely lacking now. "

By reducing ensigns, the ministry counted on the growth of conscripts with higher education. There are now about 20% of such conscripts, but few of them remain to serve on a contract basis.

The ranks of warrant officers and warrant officers were abolished in 2009 during the military reform of Anatoly Serdyukov, who served as the head of the Ministry of Defense. Then more than 140 thousand warrant officers and warrant officers were reduced, dismissed or transferred to other positions.

VOENTERNET information analyst Oleg Pavlov found out everything about the rank of ensign.

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Rank of ensign in the Russian army

The rank of ensign in the Russian army was introduced in 1630 as the primary chief officer rank for foreign regiments, and then enshrined in the Charter of 1647. The status of a warrant officer was higher than a corporal and lower than a lieutenant. Since 1680, by the Decree of Fyodor Alekseevich, the rank was extended to all regiments, including the Strelets (where before that equal rank did not exist), the status of the rank became higher than the ensign and lower than the lieutenant.

In 1722, with the introduction of the Table of Ranks, Peter I tried to replace the rank of warrant officer with the rank of fendrick, but it did not take root, the rank of warrant officer disappeared only in the artillery and pioneer troops, where the rank of bayonet-junker was introduced, which was one class higher. Warrant officers of all other types of troops belonged to the XIV class of the Table, warrant officers of the guard - to the XII class, were titled "your honor".

Until 1845, the title of ensign was given by hereditary nobility, then until 1856 - only personal, then only hereditary honorary citizenship.

From January 1, 1827, one star on the chief officer's epaulette served as the insignia of the warrant officer, and since April 28, 1854, a warrant officer's shoulder strap appeared - with one gap and one star on it.

Wartime Ensign, World War I

After the reform of 1884, the rank of ensign becomes an optional wartime rank for the army and guards.

Since 1886, all warrant officers at the end of hostilities had to either be promoted to second lieutenants (warrant officers in the fleet), or to be retired. Mass production of ensigns took place with the outbreak of the First World War to cover the loss of cadre chief officers in front-line units, and they were both trained in special schools (schools of warrant officers) and were produced in an accelerated order from volunteers and non-commissioned officers, the latter for production it was enough to have two military awards (medals or a cross) and an education of at least four classes.

Since 1907, and connections with the introduction of the rank of an ordinary warrant officer, the status of warrant officers becomes higher than the common warrant officer and below the second lieutenant.

Usually ensigns were appointed as platoon commanders and to positions equal to them. A warrant officer who was awarded an order or award weapon for military distinction was subject to promotion to second lieutenant (warrant officer in the Admiralty of the ship's staff - to warrant officer), but during the First World War this rule was sometimes violated, as a rule - in relation to warrant officers who had served from non-commissioned officers and who had no education at all.

Civil War

The rank of junior lieutenant of the Red Army corresponded to the pre-revolutionary warrant officer.
In the white armies from 1919, the rank was canceled. Warrant officers were subject to re-certification as cornet and second lieutenant, but the newly accepted volunteer warrant officers remained in this rank for some time.
In the Red Army, the rank of ensign corresponded to the rank of junior lieutenant, introduced in 1937 on August 5, 1937 in addition to the decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of September 22, 1935 on the introduction of military ranks.

Warrant officer rank in the Soviet and Russian armies

In 1917-1972 in the Red, then the Soviet Army, until 1972, the rank called ensign did not exist. It was introduced on January 1, 1972. At the same time, the rank of midshipman was equated to him, which before that corresponded to a land sergeant-major and had a corresponding shoulder strap. The former midshipman began to be called the chief ship sergeant. According to their official position, duties and rights, ensigns occupied a position close to junior officers, being their closest assistants and chiefs for soldiers (sailors) and sergeants (foremen) of the same unit. In terms of status, the ensign was above the foreman and below the junior lieutenant during this period. Since 1981, the higher rank of senior warrant officer was introduced, corresponding to the pre-revolutionary ordinary warrant officer. The military rank of ensign was awarded, as a rule, after graduation from ensign schools.

Since the beginning of 2009, the elimination of the regular category of warrant officers and warrant officers in the armed forces of the Russian Federation began. It was assumed that warrant officers and warrant officers would be replaced by professional contract sergeants. At that time, 140 thousand warrant officers and warrant officers were serving in the army and navy. By the end of 2009, all of them were transferred to other positions, reduced or retired.

In Ancient Russia, there were no military ranks, and the commanders were named according to the number of soldiers in subordination - the foreman, the centurion, the thousand. We found out when and how majors, captains and generalissimos appeared in the Russian and other armies.

Ensign

The ensigns in the Russian army were originally called standard-bearers. From the Church Slavonic language, "prapor" is a banner. The title was first introduced in 1649 by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The high rank of ensign Russian soldiers had to deserve with their courage and military prowess.

The son of Alexei Mikhailovich, Peter I, when creating a regular army in 1712, introduced the military rank of ensign as the first (junior) rank of the chief officer in the infantry and cavalry.

Since 1884, the first officer's rank after leaving the military academy was second lieutenant (for cavalrymen - cornet), while the rank of warrant officer was retained for reserve officers, in the Caucasian militia and for wartime. In addition, soldiers who distinguished themselves during the battle could receive the rank of ensign.
Since 1886, the lower ranks could pass the warrant officer exam. Candidates who passed the exam were in reserve for 12 years and had to attend six weeks of military training each year.

In the fall of 1912, Nicholas II approved the Regulation on accelerated graduation when mobilizing the army from the Corps of His Imperial Majesty's Pages, military and special schools. Now it was possible to become an ensign after 8 months of training. Thus, the ensigns became, as it were, "hasty officers", which affected the attitude towards them in the Russian Imperial Army.

From 1917 to January 1, 1972, the rank of ensign did not exist. In terms of status, the "new ensigns" were above the foreman and below the junior lieutenant. In comparison with the pre-revolutionary ranks, the Soviet ensign was equal to the ensign of the tsarist army.
Since 2009, the institution of warrant officers has been liquidated, but in February 2013, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the return of the institutions of warrant officers and warrant officers to the army and navy.

In Elistratov's Dictionary of Russian Argo it is noted that ensigns are called "pieces" in the army jargon.

Sergeant

The word "sergeant" came into Russian from French (sergent), and into French from Latin (serviens). Translated as "employee".

The first sergeants appeared in the 11th century in England. Only then was it not the military who were called so, but the landowners who carried out various assignments for the king. In the 12th century, sergeants in England were also called police officers.

As a military rank "sergeant" appeared only in the 15th century, in the French army. After that, it passed to the German and English armies, and in the 17th century - to the Russian. The rank was in use from 1716 to 1798, when Paul the First replaced the ranks of sergeant and senior sergeant with non-commissioned officer and sergeant major, respectively.

The rank of "sergeant" appeared in the Red Army on November 2, 1940. The peculiarity of the Soviet sergeant staff was that not regular military personnel, but conscripts became sergeants, which, according to the plan of the Soviet military leadership, increases the mobilization qualities of the army. This approach paid off - in December 1979, a large grouping of troops was formed in 2 weeks to enter Afghanistan (50 thousand soldiers, sergeants and officers).

An absolutely excellent NCO system in the US Army. As of 2010, sergeants there make up about 40% of the total strength of the Armed Forces. Of the more than 1,371,000 US military personnel, 547,000 are American sergeants. Of these: 241,500 are sergeants, 168,000 are staff sergeants, 100,000 are sergeants of the 1st class, 26,900 are master sergeants, 10,600 are sergeant majors.

Sergeant in the US Army is the first after God for soldiers and second lieutenants. The sergeants train them and take patronage over them.

Lieutenant

The word "lieutenant" comes from the French lieutenant which translates as "deputy". At the beginning of the 15th century, in France, this was the name of the commanding officers who held the posts of deputy chiefs of detachments, after - deputy commanders of companies, in the navy they were called deputy captains of ships. From the second half of the 17th century, "lieutenant" became a military rank.

In Spain of the 15th-16th centuries, the same position was called "lugar teniente" or simply "teniente".

In Russia, from 1701 to 1917, the rank of lieutenant was only in the imperial fleet. In the USSR, the rank of lieutenant was introduced on September 22, 1935 as the primary officer rank received upon graduation from a military school or upon graduation from a military department in civilian universities. Junior lieutenants are awarded the rank of lieutenant upon the expiration of the established period of service with a positive attestation.

Captain

"Captain" and "kaput" are cognate words. In Latin, caput is a head. The captain translates as "warlord".

For the first time, the title "captain" began to be used again in France; in the Middle Ages, the so-called chiefs of military districts. From 1558, company commanders began to be called captains, and the chiefs of military districts were called captain-generals.

In Russia, the rank of captain appeared in the 16th century. So they began to call the company commanders. In the cavalry and dragoon regiments and the corps of gendarmes since 1882, the captain was called a captain, and in the Cossack regiments - esaul.

Until 1917, the rank of an army captain of the infantry was equal to that of a modern army major, the rank of captain of the guard was equal to that of an army lieutenant colonel.

In the Red Army, the rank of captain was introduced on September 22, 1935. at the same time, the ranks of captain of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ranks and lieutenant captain (the latter corresponds to the rank of captain) were introduced for the naval personnel of the Navy.

In artillery, the rank of captain corresponds to the position of battery commander (battalion commander).

Major

Major is translated as "senior". Che Guevara is also a major, since in Spanish-speaking countries the rank of commandant is equal to a major.

The title appeared in the 17th century. This was the name of the regiment commander's assistants responsible for food and guard. When the regiments were divided into battalions, the majors became battalion commanders.

In the Russian army, the rank of major was introduced by Peter I in 1698. By analogy with the major generals of that time, the majors received not one star, as it is now, but two. The difference between the ranks was in the fringe on the epaulettes. For major generals, it was general, twisted, for majors, it was staff officer, made of thin threads.

From 1716 to 1797, the Russian army also had the ranks of prime-major and second-major. The division was overturned by Paul the First.

In the Cossack troops the rank of major corresponded to the rank of "military sergeant major", in civilian ranks - "collegiate assessor".

In 1884, the rank of major was abolished, and the majors became lieutenant colonels.

In the Red Army, the rank of major was introduced in 1935; in the navy, the rank of captain of the 3rd rank corresponded to it.

Interesting fact: Yuri Gagarin became the first senior lieutenant to become a major.

General and older

“General” means “chief”, but “marshal” is translated as “groom” (French maréchal still means “blacksmith of horseshoes”). Nevertheless, the marshal until 1917 was the highest military rank in the Russian army, and after that - from the same 1935.

But besides the marshals and generals, there are also generalissimos. For the first time in Russian history, the title "Generalissimo" was granted on June 28, 1696 by Peter I to the voivode A.S. Shein for successful actions near Azov (we are not talking about “funny generalissimos). The military rank of Generalissimo was officially introduced in Russia by the Military Regulations of 1716.

Generalissimo in Russian history were: Prince Alexander Menshikov (1727), Prince Anton Ulrich of Braunschweig (1740), Alexander Suvorov (1799).

After the Great Patriotic War on June 26, 1945, the highest military rank "Generalissimo of the Soviet Union" was introduced by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The next day, Joseph Stalin received this title. According to Rokossovsky's recollections, he personally persuaded Stalin to accept the rank, saying that "there are many marshals, but only one generalissimo."

It was not possible to replace the ensigns who were “liquidated as a class” in the Russian army in 2009 with junior officers and contract sergeants. Then, under the previous Minister of Defense, 142 thousand positions of servicemen in this category were phased out in the Armed Forces. They were asked to either change shoulder straps with longitudinally spaced stars for sergeant "stripes", or quit. But on February 27, 2013, Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu returned the ensigns to the army, with the only proviso that "no warehouses, no bases." Only combat and technical positions in the troops.

History the question

In the Russian army ensigns began to be called standard-bearers (from the Church Slavonic "ensign" - the banner) in 1649. The most experienced and physically strong warriors were selected into their ranks. As the first junior officer rank, the rank of warrant officer in the regular army was introduced by Peter I in 1712. In one form or another, this title existed until 1917, but by this time, due to the accelerated graduation from military schools, promoted to officers of lower ranks from the reserve during the First World War (epaulettes then received about 220 thousand people) the title of "ensign" shine and meaning has lost. In most cases, real officers from warrant officers did not work out.

In the Soviet army, the rank of "ensign" (in the navy - "midshipman") was revived in 1972. In 1981, for personnel growth and incentives in military service, the title of "senior warrant officer" was introduced (in the Navy - "senior warrant officer"): a third was added to the two stars, plus an increase in the official salary. However, ensigns and warrant officers in the military environment immediately received offensive nicknames. In the army - "piece", and in the navy - "chest". This was due to the fact that in many cases these servicemen occupied the "sweet" positions of chiefs of warehouses, heads of canteens and other rear objects of the military infrastructure.

Such cinema

The closeness to material wealth, with a certain weakness of human nature, explains why ensigns soon became the main characters in army jokes, and then in soldiers' 'creativity': folklore, and from it - to the cinema. The most "famous" are Shmatko and Danilyuk from the series "Soldiers", Zadov from the comic television series "Beware, Zadov!", Kazakov from the movie "DMB" ".

However, if we continue the theme of "ensign in art", then we can recall the positive, even heroic images of servicemen in this rank. “The main warrant officer of the Airborne Forces” is still considered to be the Moldovan actor Mihai Volontir, who brilliantly played in the cult Soviet films “In the zone of special attention” and “Return move.” It was really the image of a seasoned campaigner who combines all the positive qualities of a soldier: both a father to soldiers, and mentor of a young officer, and a real fighter who was able to repulse real criminals.

The positive image of the ensign, albeit with a tragic tinge, was realized in the films "Blockpost" (Ilyich - Andrey Krasko), "9th company" (Dygalo - Fyodor Bondarchuk), the TV series "Spetsnaz" (Khrustalev - Igor Lifanov, Shakhmametyev - Andrey Zibrov, Kobrin - Alexander Nosik). By the way, in the same “Soldiers” the actress Svetlana Permyakova embodies the image of an honest and kind warrant officer Zhanna Topalova, who went through the “hot spots” and became the soul of the military unit's collective.

Backed up on perspective

Of course, all these assessments of the activities of the former institute of warrant officers in our army are "lyrics". Fortunately, now the status of the military rank "ensign" has changed dramatically and is now considered honorable and revered in the army.

In the modern Russian army, the system of training this category of servicemen has also changed. Now they are going through a training system practically at the level of cadets of higher military schools. And some graduates of warrant officers' schools will even receive, after nearly four years of study (to be exact: 3 years and 10 months), higher education diplomas and a bachelor's degree.

In this case, we are talking only about aviation "techies" who are trained in the 183rd training center of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of Russia in Rostov-on-Don. It trains highly qualified specialists in servicing airborne electronic systems, communication and control systems for the latest aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Each of them must have a higher education and, in the future, may receive an officer's rank in the future. This is subject to the availability of additional education and service experience in the position held.

The prospect of career growth, you see, is important for a military man. Napoleon's words that every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack have not lost their meaning even now. Today, in the Russian army, every warrant officer has the right to raise the level of his military education, become an officer and rise to high ranks and ranks.

Trust the banner

In the system of military training for the Russian Armed Forces of mid-level military specialists, there are currently 13 schools of warrant officers. They are stationed in various cities of Russia, for the most part "tied" to training centers or to military schools. At the end of last year, the above-mentioned "training" of warrant officers in Rostov-on-Don, which will graduate bachelors, was added to this list. It is likely that in the near future other schools, which train specialists in technical specialties, can move to a similar level of training for warrant officers.

The most famous of the existing educational systems for the training of warrant officers can be called a school based on the Ryazan Higher Military Airborne Command School named after General of the Army V.F. Margelova (RVVDKU).

Initially, during the reforms of the Russian army, courses for professional sergeants were launched here. Then, instead of contract soldiers, they began to train warrant officers for the Airborne Forces, who are taught for 2 years and 10 months. Moreover, out of 17 specialties, most of the technical profile is radio communication, telecommunications, operation and repair of automotive equipment. Junior commanders are also trained in the RVVDKU, as well as scouts, who are also graduated with the rank of "ensign". In 2014, the first graduation took place, which sent 140 people to the troops, whose level of training was practically not inferior to that of an officer.

Now in the RVVDKU the so-called "sergeant school", whose graduates receive the title of "ensign", even slightly exceeds the "lieutenant school" in number. And the competitions for admission to both streams of study are almost the same - both are high.

To summarize: the rank of "ensign" in the Russian army has been fully "rehabilitated". Moreover, he was returned to the status of combat and technical use. This middle tier, which performs high-level tasks, is indispensable.

The ensign is again, as under Peter the Great, an exemplary soldier who can be trusted to carry the banner.

Most people who are not related to the army have a very vague idea of ​​warrant officers, which has developed on the basis of watching television series or once heard anecdotes. For them, a warrant officer is, at best, an enterprising businessman in uniform, who, on occasion, “will not miss his own,” and at worst, a kind of stupid drinker.

But in fact, this is not at all the case.

Ensign: the meaning of the word

The history of the word "ensign" goes back to the Church Slavonic language, in which the banner was called "ensign". Consequently, an ensign is a person carrying a banner. But the word "banner" comes from the lexeme "know". Other words came from him, such as "meaning", "familiar". Therefore, a banner is an attribute, raised to the level of a symbol, by which the belonging of a military unit, its "face", was determined. Going into battle, the standard-bearer was always ahead of the advancing army, carrying a banner. Moreover, in the event of the loss of the battle banner, the military unit to which it belonged was disbanded in disgrace. Therefore, for such an honorable mission, the bravest and strongest people, both physically and morally, were selected.

Ensign as a military rank

The military rank "ensign" was first introduced in 1649 by the second of the czars of the Romanov dynasty - Alexei Mikhailovich. Moreover, this title was an award, which had to be earned on the battlefield with your valor, dedication and courage. But Peter I, the son of Alexei Mikhailovich, who succeeded him on the royal throne, when creating his new regular army, in 1712 transformed the rank of ensign into a military rank. Now that was the name of the junior officer in the infantry and cavalry.

In 1884, change happened again. The rank "ensign" has ceased to be the first among the officers. In the army, he was replaced by "second lieutenant" ("cornet" in the cavalry). However, as an officer's rank, he was retained for reserve servicemen and the Caucasian militia. Also, the rank of "ensign" could be assigned to soldiers who distinguished themselves during the fighting.

Since 1886, junior military ranks had the opportunity to receive the rank of ensign by passing special exams, but after that, already being in the "reserve", they had to pass a one and a half month

Further changes with the possibility of obtaining the rank took place during the reign of Nicholas II. In 1912, the monarch approved a provision that allowed the assignment of the rank of warrant officer to cadets of military and special schools in the event of their accelerated graduation (after 8 months of training) in connection with mobilization into the army.

Thus, during the war of 1914-1918, "early maturing" warrant officers formed the basis of the commanding staff, leading small units or machine-gun crews.

55 years without warrant officers

With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks (1917), the military rank "ensign" was abolished, like all other military ranks. Interestingly, the first Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army after the 17th year was N.V. Krylenko, who under Nicholas II was just an ensign.

For 55 years, the Soviet army existed without the institute of ensigns, and only on January 1, 1972, by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense, this title was returned to the countries. The military department considered that the positions occupied by foremen and junior lieutenants could be occupied by a separate category of servicemen - warrant officers (in the navy, midshipmen). Thus, it turned out that the ensign is a separate type of servicemen who do not belong either to soldiers or to officers, but at the same time clearly marked the border between them.

Another attempt to get rid of ensigns

In December 2008, Anatoly Serdyukov, who at that time was the Minister of Defense, again decided to liquidate the institution of warrant officers, hoping that they could be replaced by contract sergeants with higher education. At the same time, having dismissed from the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces about 140,000 military men with the rank of "ensign". But Sergei Shoigu, who replaced Serdyukov in April 2013, canceled this decision.

However, specifically for warrant officers, the staffing table was revised with a special wish from the new Defense Ministry - "no warehouses and bases."

New staffing table for warrant officers

Developed specifically for warrant officers (warrant officers), the new included about a hundred posts, all of which were "combat". Which were generally divided into two groups:

1. Commanders (commanders: platoons, battle groups, combat posts, vehicles).
2. Technical (electrician, head of a radio station, head of a repair shop, head of a technical unit, etc.).

That is, all the positions that Serdyukov decided to make sergeant from December 1, while absolutely not taking into account the fact that they require a special secondary vocational education. The Ministry of Defense, under the leadership of Shoigu, corrected this by giving the positions for the non-commissioned officers, which correspond to their prof. training (squad leader, combat vehicle, platoon deputy commander, etc.).

But the warehouses were not done without. The post of "warehouse chief" for warrant officers still remained, only now it concerned exclusively military depots - arms. As for clothing and grocery items, it was decided to give them to civilian specialists.

How to get the rank of ensign in the army

There are currently 13 ensigns schools in Russia that train specialists for the armed forces. Therefore, to get the rank of "ensign" in the army, you can use the following methods:

• Go to the army for military service. There, having shown himself on the good side, apply with a written request to the command of the unit to send him to study at the school of warrant officers. But there is one nuance here. As a rule, the command considers the reports of only those servicemen who have already served more than half of the prescribed term.
• If urgent service is already behind him, and the reserve soldier has a desire to go to the army again under a contract, then he can immediately declare his desire to enter the school of warrant officers without prior referral to
• After the conclusion of the contract, submit a report on the desire to study at the school of ensigns directly to the commander of your unit.

Also, at some universities, it is allowed to admit cadets who, even without having served on the draft, but at the same time having entered and studied at a university according to the program of secondary specialized education, are graduated with the rank of ensign. Thus, the Strategic Missile Forces Academy prepares driver mechanics for mobile missile systems, since it is planned to completely exclude the use of sergeants in this position.

Terms of study at the ensign's school

The terms of study at school directly depend on the military specialty that the cadet has chosen. They can be 5-10 months if the cadet has already served military service and already has a specialized specialty.

In the case of the beginning of training "from scratch" (the cadet enrolled in studies without compulsory military service or does not have a specialized military specialty), the period can be up to 2 years 10 months.

After graduating from the school of warrant officers, the military concludes a contract with the Ministry of Defense for a period of at least 5 years.

Ensign today

In modern realities, the prevailing stereotypes about ensigns as heads of warehouses have become irrelevant.

Today, a warrant officer is a "techie" who is in charge of sophisticated military equipment and communications. He controls the transport carrying the launchers, and intercepts with the officers on combat duty.

A warrant officer in the modern Russian army has turned from a supply manager into a real military specialist.