27.09.2011
Comparing to Soviet period, self-discipline and culture of Black Sea Fleet officers has tragically degraded, writes the fleet's official newspaper Flag Rodiny.
"In those times we did have self-discipline", told former officer of aircraft-carrying cruiser
Minsk Alexei Gorovtsov in the interview to the newspaper. "Officers were bigger than just shop-bag carriers", he said.
According to Gorovtsov, "women used to walk with officers taking them by the left arm, because right hand should have been always free for hand-salute. And what we've got now? Recently I was walking near the Black Sea Fleet Museum and spotted a Capt 2 rank husking sunflower seeds. What a shame!"
"Our fleet was mighty then! A great force! And everyone served with unabating zeal. Sevastopol was a kind of different. Ships were always at sea. Deployments lasted at least half a year. And attitude to naval service was different, beginning from a seaman and ending with an admiral", recalls ex-crewman of aircraft carrier
Minsk. The high culture has gone along with the superfleet.
