| The reform of military departments will be ruined by details The reduction of military departments at civilian universities is logical, but unreasonable. This interpretation of the actions of the country’s main defense department was made yesterday at a press conference by the director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, Alexander Sharavin.
“The direction that the Ministry of Defense is moving is the right one, but everyone can spoil the details,” he emphasized. — After all, probably not a single person theoretically doubted the need to monetize benefits. But the methods of carrying out the reform caused strong negativity in society.”
According to Mr. Sharavin, the country does have a surplus of reserve officers. 229 military departments annually graduate 52 thousand lieutenants, a significant portion of whom will limit their acquaintance with the army to trips to the military registration and enlistment office. There are now more reservists than in Soviet times, when the army numbered about 3.5 million people. “Maintaining such a number of military departments in civilian universities, given that the number of military universities is now also declining, is unnecessary and unprofitable,” the director of the analytical institute is convinced, along with the generals of the Ministry of Defense. However, the principle of distribution of military departments among civilian universities, proposed a week ago by Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, raises great doubts in Alexander Sharavin.
As you know, initially the Ministry of Defense intended to leave 30-35 departments by 2008. As a result, 68 will remain, but approximately half of them will receive the status of military training centers, which will accept students strictly on a contract basis and require them to complete military service as an officer in the active army upon graduation. Minister Ivanov even promised to pay contract students an increased stipend: four times higher than that of colleagues who prefer civilian specialization. However, half of the departments will retain the routines left over from Soviet times and promise graduates a calm, peaceful life after graduation. Actually, it is this injustice that worries Mr. Sharavin.
“Why should some university graduates serve, while others will be listed as reserve officers? Why divide people into first and second class? Why should we create such a situation? - Alexander Sharavin is indignant. - In addition, it is not very clear why this particular university and not another received a department, and not a military training center. Or rather, on the contrary, it is obvious that some universities have retained their military departments because the rectors have very large lobbying capabilities or the children of high-ranking officials study there.”
The director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis understands that the reduction of military departments is so painfully experienced by society, since for the majority they are protection from the army, or rather, from the dangers that can await a young man there. As Alexander Sharavin said, “parents are afraid that their children will not only be mutilated, but will even lose their lives.” “If we do not change military-service relations in the army, then we will not solve the problems by any cosmetic methods,” he assured the Vremya Novostei correspondent. Kirill VASILENKO |
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