Defense ministry's education department sets about training of "professional" sergeants

02.02.2011 Defense ministry tasked its education department to control over training process of contractual non-commissioned personnel of the Army and the Navy. Professional sergeants will be controlled by ministerial officials. Although new system implies that sergeants would acquire knowledge and skills comparable to those of regular officers, such transition could fail because the concept itself is imperfect and quite costly, reports Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

Previously, training of contract enlisted personnel was upon General Staff's Mobilization Dept. According to plans of defense ministry, first professionally-trained sergeants will graduate in 2012. However, now relatively small number of them studies in military academies. There are only 500 such sergeant cadets in the Army, reports Nezavisimaya Gazeta. New program provides a three-year long training course, so by 2016 it would be maximum 10,000 professional sergeants.

According to the newspaper, in the nearest years vacancies of professional sergeants will be occupied by lieutenants graduated from military academies. Presently, about 5,000 young officers hold sergeants' positions. Considering that about 15,000 lieutenants graduate from military educational institutions every year, number of officers on sergeant posts can increase up to 50,000 men. Thus, somewhat 70,000 officers and warrant officers will occupy sergeant vacations in the nearest years; note that the defense minister said their number should be 80,000-100,000 men.