Is it worth going to the army under a contract: conditions of service, age limits, pros and cons

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

More and more young people are thinking about the use of their abilities in the contract army. Is it possible to trust a modern military structure based on contractual principles? In our article, we will analyze the conditions of contract service, identify its main disadvantages and advantages. Finally, the answer to the main question will be provided: is it worth joining the army on a contract basis or does it make no sense?

Definition of the concept in general

An extensive legal description of contract military service is given in Article 38 of the Federal Law "On the contract system in the field of state and municipal needs." It says that the creation of contract professional units is allowed only for certain customers. A prerequisite for them is the presence of an annual volume of purchases in excess of one hundred million rubles. As you might guess, the customer in the case of the militarythe sphere is the state.

The state also appoints its own contract manager. He exercises a number of important powers, such as developing a procurement plan, creating an information schedule, preparing and posting a number of notices on the implementation of contracts in the information system, holding consultations with contractors and performers, as well as exercising other legal powers.

Another definition of contract service can be found in explanatory dictionaries. One of the volumes states that the state contract system is a set of organizations that implement the formation of orders for goods or services for the needs of the state. This happens through the selection of performers and the execution of relevant documentation.

So, contract service in the Russian army is a military activity of Russian and in some cases foreign citizens, carried out on a voluntary basis for a fixed remuneration.

Conclusion of a contract without military service

Any military service is interpreted by modern society as a fairly prestigious and highly paid occupation. Employees are offered a stable salary, a full social package, various incentives, benefits and monetary preferences. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that a fairly large number of young people are eager to conclude an agreement with the state. But an urgent question arises: is it possible to join the army under a contract without military service?

In 2017, the Supreme Commander of the Russian Armed Forces signeda decree according to which one year of compulsory military service may be replaced by two years of voluntary military service carried out on a contract basis. Thus, citizens were given the right to choose. From now on, a young man can decide on his own where he should repay his debt to the Motherland: on a classic "term", where the imperative management system with subsidized incentives dominates, or on a contract service, which can be called work with monetary allowance.

The question of whether it is worth going into the army under a contract is up to the young compatriots themselves. Of course, the contractual system of military service is more expensive, better and more prestigious. But its duration also exceeds the term of the classical "term" twice. If the choice nevertheless fell to go to the army under a contract, then first you should visit the local point for the selection of recruits. There you can always consult about available vacancies and nuances.

If all conditions are met, a letter of recommendation will be submitted to the local commissariat. Next, the citizen is waiting for a medical commission, a check for the absence of a criminal record and a choice of a date for the start of service. If all indicators correspond to the norm, a military ID will be issued and an appropriate contract will be concluded. Further, the citizen will be obliged to show all his physical and personal qualities from the best side.

What does education affect?

Persons who have graduated from a secondary vocational school, or even a university, often think aboutwhether it is worth going to the army under a contract. The thing is that the opportunity to replace military service with a contract service is provided only to persons who have a certificate and a diploma in their hands.

Citizens going into the military sphere under the contract will be offered the replacement of certain positions - like an ensign or a sergeant. But before that, the command must consider the recruit's physical, psychological, and especially leadership qualities.

Persons with higher education in military commissariats are accepted with great willingness. After all, adult serious guys, who know firsthand about the possible hardships and problems of training, are already entering the service. Competent technical specialists are especially valued in the army. Such contractors will be offered jobs as foremen, flight technicians, designers, etc. Due to the high level of education, a person will quickly adapt, and therefore quickly learn how to solve various problems.

So, is it worth it to serve in the army under a contract? As you know, most of the military departments of universities have already been liquidated or are at the stage of closing. If a person is not attracted by the civil sphere, he has nowhere to realize himself, or he simply wants to serve the good of the country, then signing a contract with the army is the best choice. To do without a medical examination and physical training will not work. But when entering the service, a person with a higher education will soon be awarded a prestigious rank - for example, lieutenant. This ends the main benefits of military contract service.

Conscription in the army forpersons with higher education is implemented in the usual manner. A citizen comes to the military enlistment office by registration, then learns about speci alties in the military sphere on urgent terms. Serving in the army without a contract will only take a year.

Types and terms of contracts

At the initial admission, the first version of the contract is drawn up with a citizen. This is a document that is relevant for persons who have not previously been in the state military structure on a contract basis. Over time, the acting person may be transferred from the federal executive system to the Ministry of Defense. Military service will be temporarily suspended for a new contract.

The question of how long a contract lasts in the army does not affect the constant re-issuance of the relevant documentation. Despite the total duration of professional service of two years, the work activity involves the regular conclusion of new short-term contracts. This may be due to transfers, changes in conditions of service, promotions, and finally, simple emergencies. Performing one-off assignments during large-scale government events, natural disasters, or the restoration of peace in the country may be accompanied by constant contract renegotiation.

Everything is a little different with employees who are trained in institutions of secondary, vocational or higher military education. Together with doctoral or postgraduate studies, primary contracts will be concluded every five years.

Terms of serviceunder contract in the army

The basic conditions prescribed in the contract agreement of a serviceman include the following:

• the obligation of a citizen to be in military service for a period strictly established by the contract;
• unquestioning observance of the points of the job description, regulated by legislative and other regulatory documents;
• getting the right to benefits, compensation and guarantees, as well as the observance of their own rights and the rights of their family members.

Also, the contract spells out the procedure for assigning and removing new positions and titles. In parallel, the deadlines and goals necessary to achieve a particular title are indicated. Promotion of a fighter up a kind of career ladder is an essential condition for contract service in the army.

There are certain requirements for applicants for contract military service. Firstly, it is fluency in the state language. Secondly, the availability of an expert medical opinion on the suitability of a citizen for military service. Particular attention is paid to psychological selection. Experts make, in fact, a decisive conclusion on the suitability of a person to perform professional duties. If all the requirements are met, then the army will be replenished with a new composition of employees.

Contract service

Having de alt with the question of whether it is worth going to the army under a contract, the citizen draws up a corresponding application. In it, he indicates the following information about himself:

• F. Name, place of residence and date of birth;
• name of the institution with which the contract is concluded;
• duration of service (this item is rather conjectural).

The application for admission is not the only document. Together with him, you need to collect a whole package of papers, which should include:

• identity document and place of registration;
• filled and signed questionnaire issued by medical specialists;
• short autobiography in free form;
• certified copies of the work book or documents confirming the availability of education;
• if available - certificates of marriage and birth of children.

For a number of reasons, a citizen may be denied admission to the military service of a contractual nature. Reasons for this may include:

• Inconsistency of a citizen with the stated requirements. Simply put, it may not be suitable for he alth, physical or psychological indicators.
• The presence of a court decision on a temporary or complete ban on filling positions in the military sphere.
• Serving a sentence in places of deprivation or restriction of liberty, the presence of an outstanding criminal record.
• No vacancies or speci alties (which is very rare).
• Negative decision on the results of the competition. Sometimes management may reject a citizen's candidacy without giving reasons. And it will not be considered illegal, unlike similar situations in civilsphere.

Any citizen who has been denied admission to military service can challenge his right to a higher army body, court or prosecutor's office.

Few people know the little secret that it is much easier to enter the contract service after the army than after college or university. Representatives of the military structure give priority to those who have already "sniffed gunpowder" and are roughly familiar with the structure of the army.

Early retirement

Separately, we should talk about the early termination of the contract. You can break relations with contractors in the following cases:

• detection of significant, gross or regular violations of order;
• failure to fulfill the terms of the contract agreement or paragraphs of the accompanying job description;
• carrying out organizational and staffing activities, during which there is a reduction in employed persons;
• transition to service in the executive system of power: the Ministry of Internal Affairs, regional government agencies, etc.;
• detecting serious physical or mental he alth problems;
• leaving the service for family reasons;
• the need for regular care for relatives who need care for he alth reasons;
• caring for a child under the age of majority raised without another parent;
• obtaining a deputy's mandate;
• guilty judgment;
• Entrusting a contractor with the powers of a senior government official.

SoThus, contract service after the army or civilian education is strikingly different from all other professional fields. The conditions here are quite harsh and strict. The system itself requires special concentration and precise execution of all assigned duties.

Payment for service and social package

Having de alt with the question of whether you can go on contract after the army or not, you should move on to a more relevant and deeper topic - namely, to pay for service. As of 2018, there are two legislative acts that establish the amount and types of allowances that are due to contract servicemen in the RF Armed Forces. These are the Federal Law of 2011 "On monetary allowance for the military" and the Government Decree of the same year "On the establishment of a monetary salary for military personnel".

The base salary under the contract consists of two parts:

• salary according to position;
• salary by rank.

Monthly allowances are added to the basic allowance:

• for qualification;
• annual seniority;
• risk to life and he alth;
• conditions for military service;
• handling sensitive information;
• fitness level;
• for achievements in military service;
• for knowledge of foreign languages.

If the military is doing an excellent job with the duties assigned to him, then bonuses will be added to the basic and additional pay. Sample table completesalary is as follows:

• shooter or private with more than 2 years of service - 17400 rubles;
• junior sergeant 3rd class with service from 2 to 5 years - 33 thousand rubles;
• 2nd class sergeant with service from 5 to 10 years - 42 thousand rubles;
• senior sergeant with service from 10 to 15 years - 49 thousand rubles;
• platoon commander with 15 to 20 years of service - 55 thousand rubles;
• platoon commander with more than 25 years of service - 58 thousand rubles.

The above amounts of earnings are minimum. With additional incentives and bonuses, the income of each soldier will increase by 30-40%.

The social package for military personnel provides for a wide range of different benefits. This includes:

• free he alth care;
• availability of service housing;
• retirement after 20 years of service - that is, approximately 45 years;
• advantages for admission to educational institutions;
• providing uniforms and food;
• life and he alth insurance;
• free travel (only in some regions of the country).

It would seem that the advantages of military service under the contract are undeniable. But are they so obvious? Unfortunately, many of the advantages are offset by some problems.

Benefits of contract military service

To focus on the positive aspects of the professional activity in question is not so difficult. For the majority of citizens, service in the military sphere is, first of all, a good salary and a prestigious position. But thisthe advantage is to some extent subjective, because financial allowance has certain limits, which cannot be said about any kind of earnings on the so-called civilian. Prestige also wanes over time. This is due to the emerging pacifist sentiments and the growing 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 dignity. Therefore, here we can repeat the thesis of subjectivity.

Disadvantages of contract military service

In contrast to the advantages, the problems of the professional sphere under consideration are undeniable and objective. An obvious minus is the risk of a soldier's he alth and life. Many people remember this shortcoming only at the beginning of direct hostilities.

The second drawback is related to the restriction of freedom and personal space. Permanent submissions, the inability to visit many countries of the world, life according to the charter, wearing a certain form, clearly established earnings, lack of personal time, living in the field, forced business trips, and most importantly, the need to execute any order of command, sometimes even contrary to the moral principles of an employee. All this scares away many people, as a result of which they give priority to self-realization.in the civil sphere.

Anyway, contract service is a qualitatively new decision of the state, designed to raise the prestige of the Russian armed forces. But before you give your life to the army, you should carefully consider the pros and cons. It is necessary to be aware of the degree of responsibility both for one's own life and for the life of one's compatriots.