The figure of the ensign entered army folklore as the image of a boring and arrogant character, located exclusively somewhere in a warehouse and engaged in speculation in army property. Of course, this also happened. However, this type has little to do with the vast majority of warrant officers in the Soviet army.
Warrant officers held many different positions in the army. They could indeed manage warehouses, but in addition, they could also be clerks at the headquarters, and serve in the medical unit as paramedics. There were warrant officers and company foremen.
The responsibilities of a company sergeant major are known to be very diverse. The person holding 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 an officer is not present, the sergeant major must take over his duties. The sergeant major is responsible to the company commander for order and discipline in the unit. He is the direct organizer of the internal routine. The sergeant major has the right to assign punishment to soldiers and demand its implementation. Thus, the warrant officer, who is the foreman of the company, is, in essence, “ right hand“an officer, a person who at any moment must be ready to take on command functions.
Actually, that’s what happened. In terms of their official position, duties and rights, warrant officers occupied a place close to junior officers; they were their closest assistants and superiors for soldiers and sergeants (foremen) of the same unit. In this period, the status of an ensign was higher than that of a sergeant major and lower than that of a junior lieutenant. Since 1981, the higher rank of “senior warrant officer” was introduced, corresponding to the pre-revolutionary “ordinary warrant officer.” In the navy, the rank of warrant officer corresponded to the rank of midshipman.
It was not possible to replace warrant officers, 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 military positions in this category were gradually reduced in the Armed Forces. They were asked to either change their shoulder straps with longitudinally spaced stars for sergeant's "badges" or resign. But already on February 27, 2013, Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu returned warrant officers to the army - with the only caveat that “no warehouses, no bases.” Only combat and technical positions in the troops.
Story question
In the Russian army, standard bearers began to be called ensigns (from the Church Slavonic “prapor” - banner) in 1649. The most experienced and physically strong warriors were selected into their ranks. Like the first youngest officer rank rank of ensign regular army introduced by Peter I in 1712. In one form or another, this rank existed until 1917, but by this time, due to accelerated graduation from military schools, the promotion to officers of lower ranks from the reserve during the First World War (about 220 thousand people then received shoulder straps) was given the rank of “ensign” lost its shine and meaning. In most cases, real officers did not emerge from warrant officers.
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, they introduced the rank of “senior warrant officer” (in the Navy - “senior midshipman”): a third was added to two stars plus an increase in official salary. However, warrant officers and midshipmen immediately received offensive nicknames in the military environment. In the army it is a “piece”, and in the navy it is a “chest”. This was due to the fact that in many cases these servicemen occupied the “sweet” positions of warehouse managers, managers of canteens and other rear military infrastructure facilities.
This movie
Proximity to material wealth with a certain weakness human nature explains why warrant officers soon became the main characters in army jokes, and then in soldiers’ “creativity”: “So they settled in warehouses, glorious parasites of Russia... Soon all this smoothly flowed into folklore, and from it - to the cinema. The most “famous” were Shmatko and Danilyuk from the series “Soldiers”, Zadov from the humorous television series “Beware, Zadov!”, Kazakov from the film “DMB”.
However, if we continue the topic of “ensign in art,” then we can also recall positive, even heroic images of military personnel in this rank. The “Chief Warrant Officer of the Airborne Forces” is still considered the Moldovan actor Mihai Volontir, who brilliantly played in the cult Soviet films “In the Zone” special attention" and "Retaliation". It was truly the image of a seasoned campaigner, combining everything positive traits military man: a father to soldiers, a mentor to a young officer, and a real fighter who was able to fight back against real criminals.
The positive image of the ensign, albeit with a tragic connotation, was realized in the films “Checkpost” (Ilyich - Andrey Krasko), “9th Company” (Dygalo - Fyodor Bondarchuk), the TV series “Special Forces” (Khrustalev - Igor Lifanov, Shakhmametyev - Andrey Zibrov, Kobrin - Alexander Nosik). By the way, in the same “Soldiers,” actress Svetlana Permyakova embodies the image of the honest and kind warrant officer Zhanna Topalova, who went through “hot spots” and became the soul of the team of the military unit.
Backlog for perspective
Of course, all these assessments of the activities of the former institution of warrant officers in our army are “lyrics”. Fortunately, now the status of the military rank of "ensign" has changed dramatically and is now considered honorable and revered by the troops.
In the modern Russian army, the training system for this category of military personnel has also changed. Now they are undergoing a training system almost at the level of cadets at higher military schools. And some graduates of warrant officer schools will even receive, after nearly four years of study (to be precise: 3 years and 10 months), higher education diplomas and a bachelor’s degree.
Speech in in this case so far it is only about aviation “technicians” who are trained at the 183rd training center of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) in Rostov-on-Don. It trains highly qualified specialists in servicing on-board radio-electronic systems, communication and control systems of the latest aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Each of them must have a higher education and, in the future, may receive an officer rank in the future. This is subject to availability additional education and experience in the position held.
Perspective career growth, you see, for a military man this is important. 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 improve the level of his military education, become an officer and rise to high ranks and titles.
Trust the banner
In the system of military training for the Russian Armed Forces, mid-level military specialists currently operate 13 schools for warrant officers. They are stationed in various cities of Russia, mostly “tied” to training centers or to military schools. At the end of last year, the mentioned “training” for warrant officers in Rostov-on-Don, which will graduate bachelors, was added to this list at the end of last year. It is likely that in the near future other schools that train specialists in technical specialties may move to a similar level of training for warrant officers.
The most famous of the existing ones educational systems The training of warrant officers can be called a school on the basis of the Ryazan Higher Military Airborne Command School named after Army General V.F. Margelov (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 trained for 2 years and 10 months. Moreover, of the 17 specialties, most of the technical profile is radio communications, telecommunications, operation and repair of automotive equipment. The RVVDKU trains junior commanders, as well as reconnaissance officers, who are also graduated with the rank of warrant officer. In 2014, the first graduation took place, sending 140 people into the troops, whose level of training was practically not inferior to that of an officer.
Now in the RVVDKU the so-called “sergeant school”, the graduates of which receive the rank of “warrant officer”, is even slightly larger in number than the “lieutenant school”. And the competition for admission to both streams of study is almost the same - both are high.
To summarize: the rank of “warrant officer” in the Russian army has been completely “rehabilitated.” Moreover, it was returned to the status of combat and technical use. Without that middle management that gets things done high level, there’s no way around it.
An ensign is again, as under Peter the Great, an exemplary military man who can be trusted to carry the banner.
Feb. 27th, 2013 | 04:31 pm
55 thousand warrant officers and midshipmen will be returned to the Russian army. Alexei Zhuravlev, a member of the State Duma Committee on Defense, comments on this news: “Schools for warrant officers provided the army with a category of specialists - both logistics specialists and specialists who could work on highly complex equipment. There is a catastrophic shortage of such specialists now.”
By reducing warrant officers, the ministry was counting on an increase in conscripts from higher education. There are now about 20% of such conscripts, but few of them remain to serve under contract.
The ranks of warrant officers and midshipmen were abolished in 2009 during military reform Anatoly Serdyukov, who served as head of the Ministry of Defense. Then more than 140 thousand warrant officers and midshipmen were laid off, transferred to the reserve or transferred to other positions.
Military Internet information analyst Oleg Pavlov learned everything about the rank of warrant officer.
Look at his certificate
The 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 an ensign was higher than a corporal and lower than a lieutenant. Since 1680, by Decree of Fyodor Alekseevich, the rank was extended to all regiments, including Streltsy (where before that there was no equivalent rank), the rank became higher in status than lieutenant and lower than lieutenant.
In 1722, with the introduction of the Table of Ranks, Peter I tried to replace the rank of ensign with the rank of fendrik, but it did not take root; the rank of ensign disappeared only in the artillery and pioneer troops, where the rank of bayonet-cadet was introduced, which was listed a grade higher. Ensigns of all other branches of the military belonged to the XIV class of the Table, ensigns of the guard - to the XII class, and were titled “Your Honor.”
Until 1845, the rank of ensign was given by hereditary nobility, then until 1856 - only personal, then only hereditary honorary citizenship.
From January 1, 1827, the insignia of an ensign was one star on the chief officer's epaulette, and from April 28, 1854, an ensign's shoulder strap appeared - with one gap and one star on it.
Wartime ensign, First World War
After the reform of 1884, the rank of ensign became an optional wartime rank for the army and guard.
Since 1886, all warrant officers at the end of hostilities had to either be promoted to second lieutenant (midshipman in the navy) or be transferred to the reserve. Mass production of warrant officers took place with the beginning of the First World War to cover the loss of senior officer personnel in front-line units, and they were both trained in special schools (warrant officer schools) and were produced in an accelerated manner from volunteers and non-commissioned officers, the latter for production it was enough to have two military awards (medals or crosses) and an education of at least four classes.
Since 1907, and due to the introduction of the rank of ordinary warrant officer, warrant officers have become higher in status than ordinary warrant officers and lower than second lieutenants.
Usually warrant officers were appointed as platoon commanders and to positions equal to them. An ensign, awarded an order or an award weapon for military distinction, was subject to promotion to second lieutenant (an ensign in the Admiralty of a ship's personnel - to midshipman), but during the First World War this rule was sometimes violated, as a rule, in relation to warrant officers who were promoted from non-commissioned officers and who had no education at all.
Civil War
The junior lieutenant of the Red Army corresponded in rank to the pre-revolutionary ensign.
In the white armies, the rank was abolished in 1919. Ensigns were subject to recertification as cornets and second lieutenants, but newly recruited volunteer ensigns 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 as an addition to the resolution of the Central Executive Committee and Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of September 22, 1935 on the introduction of military ranks.
The rank of ensign in the Soviet and Russian armies
In 1917-1972 in the Red Army, then in 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 previously corresponded to a land sergeant major and had the corresponding shoulder strap. The former midshipman began to be called the chief ship's foreman. In terms of their official position, duties and rights, warrant officers occupied a place close to junior officers, being their closest assistants and superiors for soldiers (sailors) and sergeants (foremen) of the same unit. In this period, the status of an ensign was higher than that of a sergeant major and lower than that of a junior lieutenant. Since 1981, the higher rank of senior warrant officer was introduced, corresponding to the pre-revolutionary mediocre warrant officer. Military rank An ensign was assigned, as a rule, upon completion of ensign schools.
Since the beginning of 2009, the elimination of the regular category of warrant officers and midshipmen in armed forces Russian Federation. It was assumed that warrant officers and midshipmen would be replaced by professional contract sergeants. At that time, 140 thousand warrant officers and midshipmen were serving in the army and navy. By the end of 2009, all of them were transferred to other positions, laid off or transferred to the reserve.
The Ministry of Defense plans to restore the institution of warrant officers and midshipmen in the Russian army, but their number will be three times less than before the radical reform of ex-Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov.
“As Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said, today we are talking about the return of approximately 55 thousand positions of warrant officers and midshipmen, although it should be noted that before 2009 we had 142 thousand of them,” RIA Novosti quotes State Duma deputy Alexei Zhuravlev, which refers to Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov.
The elimination of the institution of warrant officers and midshipmen in the Russian army began in 2009, along with a general reduction in the armed forces. According to the plans of the then military leadership, warrant officers in the army were to be replaced by professional contract sergeants, but this idea remained unrealized.
“The institution of warrant officers has been abolished in the army. We had 142 thousand warrant officers. As of December 1, 2009, there were none left. Approximately 20 thousand warrant officers who held command positions were appointed, the rest were fired or transferred to the positions of sergeants,” reported the then Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov.
Deputy Zhuravlev suggests that funds for the restoration of warrant officers and midshipmen in the army will be allocated from the budget through the sergeant training program.
“It would take quite a lot of time to develop a new federal target program, so the funds will most likely be allocated from the federal budget, and we will support this if the Minister of Defense makes such a request,” the deputy noted.
Institute of Warrant Officers and Midshipmen modern type appeared in 1972. The ranks were awarded after graduating from the schools of warrant officers and midshipmen, but they could also be received by military personnel with higher education. Most warrant officers were engaged in the maintenance and operation of military equipment, which soldiers could not master during the period conscript service, as well as in the logistics support system. Warrant officers often held positions corresponding to junior officers
The return of the institution of warrant officers and midshipmen was expected, says the head of the Center for Military Forecasting, Anatoly Tsyganok.
“If in the army the former minister and the Chief of the General Staff eliminated warrant officers, then in the Internal Troops, the FSB, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, warrant officers remained,” says the expert and focuses specifically on the Ministry of Emergency Situations, which was previously headed by the current Minister of Defense.
Tsyganok explains that in practice, the planned optimization of troop control turned out to be complicated. “When regiments turned into brigades, we were told that this was necessary for better management. And what happened: in the motorized rifle regiment there were 200 officers and 200 warrant officers, in the tank regiment there were 200 officers and 100 warrant officers. The ensigns were cut, and 1,800 people were added to the regiment; now there are not enough officers,” says Tsyganok.
According to him, many of the warrant officers dismissed from the army went to serve in the Internal Troops and can now return to their units. “They were initially appointed to equipment maintenance positions, now they can return to the same positions - primarily as deputy technical technicians (deputy for equipment - Gazeta.Ru). They are needed in submarine fleet, in long-range aviation, Strategic Missile Forces, Space Forces,” the expert sums up.
At the same time, Tsyganok draws attention to the fact that the creation of an institute of professional sergeants failed. “Out of 80% of those who signed the contract, they refuse to conclude it for the next term,” notes the head of the Center for Military Forecasting.
The return of the institution of warrant officers and midshipmen to the army will be Shoigu’s next step in revising Serdyukov’s military reform. Previously new minister ordered the restoration of the military education system, then it became known that the composition of the main commands of the Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy had been increased two to three times.
The position of ensign appeared in the Russian Streltsy army shortly after the appearance of warrant officers themselves - junior officers who were initially responsible in battle for the movement and preservation of the banner (ensign) of the Streltsy hundred. Due to the high responsibility of the task performed, the most intelligent “low” non-commissioned officers were appointed as assistants to the warrant officer, which led to the fact that lieutenant warrant officers began to be considered the most senior among non-commissioned officers. During the campaign, it was they, and not the ensigns, who carried the unit’s banner.
Sub-ensign (belt-ensign) of the 33rd Old Ingermanland Regiment, estandard cadet of the 7th Dragoon Novorossiysk Regiment and sub-ensign of the Life Guards of the Ural Cossack Squadron.
In Russia in the 17th-20th centuries, lieutenant officer is one of the non-commissioned officer ranks, first introduced by the Decree “On Military Ranks” in 1680 for all regiments - riflemen, soldiers and reiters, with a status higher than corporal and lower than ensign. In 1698-1716, before the adoption of Peter the Great's Military Regulations, the status of a lieutenant officer was lower than a captain's captain and higher than a sergeant. In 1716-1722, before the adoption of the Table of Ranks, a lieutenant ensign was higher in status than a corporal and lower than a captain, then until 1765 - higher than a captain and below a sergeant. In 1765-1798 - above the captain and below the junior sergeant, in 1798-1826 - above the junior non-commissioned officer and below the sergeant. In the Guard, since 1838, the rank of lieutenant ensign was abolished and restored only in 1884, although it was retained as an optional rank for students educational institutions guard, equal to the rank of cadet, until 1859. In the life campaign in 1741-1761, lieutenant ensigns belonged to the VIII class of the Table together with fouriers and vice-sergeants, that is, they were equated to captain-lieutenants of the guard.
Sub-ensign of the Reiter regiments. 1680s.
Lieutenant Dudnikov. Portrait by V. A. Poyarkov.
In the portrait of the full St. George cavalier Dudnikov, on the shoulder straps of the ensign, the sergeant major's stripes sewn on top are clearly visible.
Since 1716, in accordance with Peter the Great's Charter, ensigns were entrusted with the responsibility of commanding those lagging behind on the march and supervising the sick and wounded during the campaign. Sub-ensigns of Russian origin received an annual salary of 13 rubles. Foreigner sub-ensigns were paid 72 rubles. In 1731, this difference was eliminated, and all ensigns were paid 72 rubles a year. From 1800 to 1826, after the abolition of the rank of sergeant, the lieutenant ensign occupied a position between the junior non-commissioned officer and the sergeant major, and from 1826 until the introduction of the rank of ordinary ensign in 1907, the lieutenant officer became the most senior of the non-commissioned officer ranks, occupying a position above the sergeant major and below ensign. The reason for this move was not only the fact that, in accordance with formal logic, the ensign should be located under the ensign, but also the fact that since the abolition of the rank of sergeant, the commanders of the plutongs (platoons) were the ensigns. In general, during the 18th-19th centuries, the range of responsibilities of ensigns and the requirements for the level of their military and general educational training changed repeatedly. From the middle of the 18th century until the reform of 1826, the rank was also a kind of analogue of the rank of volunteer - persons who had a complete classical secondary education and, as a consequence, the right to be promoted to chief officer were automatically promoted to it. Before the introduction of the system of cadet schools, students of higher military educational institutions were promoted to lieutenant officers. Moreover, in those days even the shoulder straps of a lieutenant officer were the same as those of a cadet. It was an ordinary soldier's shoulder strap, trimmed along the side edges and the top edge with narrow gold braid. In 1880-1903, cadets who graduated from infantry cadet schools were automatically promoted to lieutenant ensigns before they were awarded the first chief officer rank. Until 1880 and since 1903, ensigns were released into the army from the majority military educational institutions cadets who did not show even minimal success in their studies or who committed some particularly disgraceful offenses, and were therefore released under the 3rd category (i.e., not promoted to chief officer upon graduation), they could not subsequently be promoted to the belt- warrant officers or mediocre warrant officers could not even serve the rank of warrant officer, but retained the right to promotion immediately to second lieutenant, subject to long, unblemished service and successful passing of exams under the training program for reserve warrant officers. In practice, such proceedings usually took place in the third year of service, and the examinations were taken rather formally.
Sub-ensign of the 10th New Ingermanland Infantry Regiment Grigory Selinchuk, March 1916.
After platoon commanders were assigned to the regular category of chief officers, only assistant platoon commanders began to be promoted to lieutenant warrant officers. Since 1907, the title was awarded exclusively to long-term servicemen. Their shoulder straps acquired a hexagonal shape, like those of officers. On the chase, ensigns had a longitudinal badge made of sword belt braid, 5/8 inch wide, in the same color as the regiment's instrument metal. In addition to this stripe, they wore transverse stripes according to their position. Two stripes - for the position of a detached non-commissioned officer, three stripes - for the position of a platoon non-commissioned officer, one wide - for the position of a sergeant major. In other positions, lieutenant officers did not have transverse stripes. The salary of a lieutenant officer in 1913 was 28.5 rubles per month in the first three years of service and 33.5 rubles in the following. For completing the first two years of service, a lieutenant officer received a one-time allowance of 150 rubles, and for 10 years of continuous service - a one-time allowance of one thousand rubles.
It should be borne in mind that since 1826, in the guard (in the so-called “old guard”), second ensigns were equal to army second lieutenants, but did not belong to the corresponding class of the Table of Ranks, in contrast to the sergeants and sergeants of the guard who were previously listed above them. Since 1843, in legal terms, cadets have been equated with ensigns and identical insignia have been established for them - shoulder straps trimmed along the edge with narrow gold braid. Sub-ensigns (usually from the nobility) appointed to perform the duties of officers (commanders) individual parts etc.), wore a sword belt with a chief officer's braid and an officer's lanyard on edged weapons, and until 1907 were called sword-belt ensigns or, in the absence of grounds for subsequent promotion to chief officer, ordinary warrant officers (until 1884 ), although contrary to popular belief this was not a separate title or position at that time. In terms of status, the belt-ensign was equal to the belt-cadet. Despite the general similarity to the point of indistinguishability of the status of the sword belt-ensign and the ordinary warrant officer until 1907, the fundamental difference between them was that the sword belt-ensign could under no circumstances wear an officer’s uniform and insignia, and was not titled “your honor,” i.e. e. remained precisely a non-commissioned officer, although performing chief officer duties.
If a non-commissioned officer was promoted to lieutenant officer for distinction or as a candidate for promotion to chief officer, he wore non-commissioned officer's stripes on his shoulder straps over the braid of his previous rank (sergeant major or senior detached non-commissioned officer).
Shoulder straps for a lieutenant warrant officer for the position of sergeant major. 2nd Siberian Rifle General-Adjutant of Count Muravyov-Amursky Regiment.
Since 1801, non-commissioned officers from the nobility who had served at least three years in the rank received the right to be promoted to ensign upon retirement. Other non-commissioned officers, when placed on indefinite leave or resignation, could be encouraged by being assigned the next rank. In practice, non-commissioned officers were most often promoted to lieutenant warrant officers or conductors. The position of guards ensigns was special - even without being promoted to guard ensigns, they could retire with an “army rank” or enter civil service. At the same time, for example, until 1859, a guard lieutenant officer could retire or transfer to the army as an army second lieutenant. For the cavalry, such practice in the process of promotion to cornets was allowed only if they passed an exam in the training program for cavalry cadets.
According to the statute of the insignia of the Military Order (St. George's Cross) from 1913, any military personnel awarded its 1st degree were automatically promoted to lieutenant warrant officers (of course, in those branches of the military and units where this rank existed), and those awarded the 2nd degree were promoted to lieutenant warrant officers upon retirement or transfer to the reserve. With the outbreak of the First World War, this rule began to be systematically violated.
On November 23, 1917, the rank of lieutenant officer was abolished, like all other ranks, ranks and titles.