Didn’t serve in the military

Of course, it will be pleasant for us, old soldiers, to take commanding posts anywhere and everywhere. But the country is a pity …

In the press, in the information space is actively discussed offer Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, made by him at the plenary session:

“To hold a position in the civil service, participate in the elections of deputies of the State Duma, hold a position in the judiciary, in the prosecutor’s office, it is mandatory to have a military registration specialty and service in the Armed Forces.”

Volodin himself did not serve. He studied at the Agricultural Institute, with a military department, received a military registration specialty at the training camp.

However, one is not exactly the same as the other. In state, parliamentary circles, some believe that the military department and fees in this case can be equated with army service, while others do not. They say that the military department in the institute’s classrooms and short fees are not enough for the high rank of a person who has served in military service.

Indeed, Volodin himself did not say “or”, but said “and”. That is, according to him, it turns out that both the service and the military registration specialty are obligatory.

Deputies are a separate issue. On the one hand, members of the State Duma are equated with federal civil servants in the rank of ministers, on the other hand, they are not civil servants, since they are not officials, but elected people. In addition, the prohibition is twofold. Those who have not completed military service cannot participate in elections to the State Duma, but if they become a deputy without direct elections, according to party lists, is it possible?

What about ministers? For example, the Minister of Defense and thirteen other ministers in the government did not serve in the military. And the head of the cabinet of ministers too. All retired?

What about governors, heads of administrations in cities, towns, rural settlements? But just officials, clerks, including municipal ones? There are millions of them. Including “persons holding public office”.

What about women? For sure, they, in the vast majority, did not undergo military service and do not have a military registration specialty.

Everyone fired?

The current initiative is far from the first. I was always surprised by the desire of some politicians, military men, deputies to put up a barrier in the form of compulsory military service. I remember well the active campaign of 2012. Then, at first, I was amazed. Is it to change most of the state apparatus, starting with the prime minister and the minister of defense, who did not serve urgently? And then we, the old soldiers, will take all government positions? True, very many of us (and the author too) have never led anything, and we can do such a good job that our hardened company foremen will roll over three times in the quarters.

That campaign ended in June 2013 with the adoption of the Federal Law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in Part of the Implementation of Measures to Increase the Prestige and Attractiveness of Conscripted Military Service.” True, there was no categorical prohibition in it, thank God. As well as the dismissal from office of all those who did not pull the soldier’s strap. AT the laws on the state civil and municipal service made an addition. A Russian cannot be accepted into the state civil and municipal service, cannot be in the state and municipal service in the event of “recognizing him as having not completed military service on conscription, without having legal grounds for that …”

That is, he (years later) still had to be exposed, to prove that he had “sloped off” at one time from being drafted into the army. It is clear that the law remained virtually unenforced.

And now everything starts all over again?

Of course, it will be pleasant for us, old soldiers, to take commanding posts anywhere and everywhere. But the country is a pity …

Sergei Baimukhametov.