29.12.2005
 The following excerpt was taken from The Russian Context: The Culture behind the Language, edited by Genevra Gerhart and Eloise M. Boyle. This unique resource is designed to introduce students to Russian culture while building their Russian vocabulary. It won the "Award for Best Contribution to Language Pedagogy," given by AATSEEL, the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages.
As its style is much the same as the articles that SRAS regularly publishes on its website, for the benefit of those who enjoy our articles, we would like to introduce this as another great resource. The book comes with audio files for the Russian entries.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Armed Forces - Вооружённые силы
Contributed by Dr. Lawerence Mansour, West Point. The armed forces are the most important and the largest of the power agencies. In the Russian Federation they are under the direct control of the minister of defense (министр обороны). The minister is advised by members of the general staff (Генеральный штаб, генштаб), as well as his civilian assistants. The president of the Russian Federation is the commander-in-chief (главно-командуюший).
All Russian young men must spend one to two years performing either military service (военная служба) or alternative service (альтернативная служба). Military service is notoriously dangerous and often deadly. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get permission for alternative service so that avoiding the draft becomes a family affair: the family emigrates, or pays a large bribe; thousands of young men hide from the authorities, becoming deserters (дезертиры).
 At sixteen all young men in Russia have to register (становиться/стать на учёт). At seventeen, the regional draft board (районный военкомат) sends a registration form (присылать повестку) informing them that they are subject to the draft and must show up at the local draft board office. They are then subject to a biannual draft (призыв) which takes place from 1 April to 30 June and again from 1 October to 31 December, depending on how many draftees (призывники) are needed for full manning (комплектование) of the various branches. Starting in December 1992, young men and women have had the right to join as volunteers (добровольцы), but women generally serve only as nurses (медсёстры), telephone operators (телефонистки), interpreters (переводчицы) and the like. You can put off service only if you get a deferment (отсрочка), usually for obtaining a college degree (получение высшего образования). Those with an advanced degree are not called up. Some major universities have an obligatory course for men only on military skills (военная подготовка). Completing this course exempts one from the draft. Young men can also get an exemption from the draft altogether for family reasons (по семейным обстоятельствам), for example, if a brother has been killed in service, or if the draftee is judged unfit for military service (не годен к военной службе) after the obligatory medical exam (медицинское обследование, медобследование). Recruits (новобранцы) serve eighteen months if they are sent to the land-based units (сухопутные войска), two years if sent to the navy военно-морской флот, ВМФ), but only one year if drafted after receiving a college degree. If they like it they may stay on for another hitch (остаться на сверхурочную/службу). Basic military training (начальная военная подготовка, НВП) for recruits is led by professional military men (профессиональные военнослужащие), the officers (офицеры) and noncommissioned officers (старшина). Each is generally a graduate of a military academy (выпускник военного училища). Training takes place at a training ground (полигон). There new conscripts live in barracks (в казармах) with about 100 soldiers to a building and eat what is jokingly called chow (похлёбка - a potato or grain soup) served up by the kitchen “police” (дежурные по кухне), and at night sleep on a cot (койка). At around six in the morning soldiers rise to reveille (подъём), stand for roll call (поверка), do their calisthenics (физзарядка), go through ordering quarters (заправка) to get ready for inspection (осмотр), which is different from a military review (торжественный смотр). Breakfast and supper offer the same food, usually tea, about one pound of bread and a bowl of hot cereal with butter. Lunch is the main meal: soup, 100 grams of meat (about a quarter pound), black bread and potatoes.
Day is not done till evening roll call (вечерняя поверка) and taps (отбой) at around 10 pm.  The recruit learns how properly to put on a uniform (форма), which consists of a forage cap (фуражка), a service blouse (гимнастёрка), perhaps a jacket (мундир, китель) and, if it’s cold, a hat with ear-flaps (ушанка) and a quilted work coat (ватник); there’s a waist-belt (ремень), and, usually, canvas-topped boots (кирзовые сапоги); sometimes foot-wrappings (портянки) are worn instead of socks (носки). Whatever the boots (ботинки) used, they must be spitshined (до блеска - literally, till they sparkle). A soldier must know not only how to march (маршировать) in a formation (колонна), he must also take part in field-training exercises (полевые учения). During down time he can bone up on the regulations (устав).
He also needs to learn marching commands: Attention! Смирно!
At ease! Вольно!
Form columns! В колонну (по 2, по 4) становись!
Fall in – single file! В колонну по одному становись!
Take up arms! В ружьё!
Sling arms (weapons are borne За спину!
diagonally across the back)
Order arms! К ноге!
Present arms! На каранул!
Mark time! На месте шагом марш!
March! Шагом марш!
To the right! Направо!
To the left! Налево!
Eyes right/left! Равнение направо/налево
Fall out! Разойдись!
Close on center/flanks Сомкнись! He'll want to know battle commands, too: Yes, sir! or Aye-aye! (Есть!); On the double! (Бегом!); Take cover! (В укытие!); Throw grenades! (Гранатами огонь!); Follow me! (За мной!); Load weapons! (Заряжай!); On guard! (К бою готовься); Take aim! (Целься!); Fire! (Огонь!); Fix bayonets! (примкнуть штыки); and the ever-popular "Hands up!" (Руки вверх!) and "Halt! Who goes there?" (Стой! Кто идёт?). The first-year in the life of a private soldier (рядовой) is made miserable by a vicious form of hazing (дедовщина) where soldiers in the last half of their service (деды) are allowed mercilessly to abuse or "haze" him (издеваться над ним). There is little chance of getting much leave (отпуск). If he can't stand it he may want to go AWOL (уйти в самоволку) and become a "deserter" (дезертир) for which he is likely to get punished (попасть на гауптвахту, «на губу»). Young men know what is coming, as do their parents, and so many do anything they can to avoid service. As a result all branches have difficulty filling units (комплектование). Upon completion of service, a soldier goes back to being a civilian. Note: due to formating concerns, the above text slightly differs from that found in the original book. However, all information is still the same. Find out more!
Genevra Gerhart's Website (buy the book!)
Slavica Publishers (publishers of the book)
Learn Russian in Russia
Russian Studies Semester (focus on politics)
Russian Civilization Summer Questions or comments about this article? Contact the editor.
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