The doctor will remove the shoulder straps

As part of the military reform, by 2016 the number of military medical officers will be reduced by a third, that is, by 2.2 thousand people. The head of the Main Military Medical Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Lieutenant General Vladimir Shappo, whose words are quoted by RIA Novosti, said that civilian doctors will work in their positions. However, many doctors dismissed from the Armed Forces will simply remain in their jobs as civilians. Moreover, Chappo is confident that their salaries will not only not decrease, but will even be increased by 10-15%. The dismissal will mainly be those officers who already have full service and are socially protected.

They will try to keep surgeon officers, anesthesiologist officers, and resuscitation officers in the Armed Forces, but mostly civilians will become therapists.

In addition, 22 military hospitals will be disbanded, and some of them will be combined into large military medical complexes, and the rest will be converted into clinics. Previously, similar actions were reported regarding military universities: instead of 13 academies, 4 military universities, 46 military schools and military institutes, it is planned to create three military educational and scientific centers, six military academies and one military university. Lieutenant General Chappo admitted that the Main Military Medical Directorate itself has already been reduced by two and a half times.