If you think that the local "army" is bread and butter, then you get it so wrong. It was good only in the beginning when there were no orders and there was some kind of freedom. Now there is no freedom and there are so many orders – life is not enough to learn, and there is such a pressure that earrings would jump out of the ears, if they were there.
It is only seems that $270 salary of common soldier are good money. A lieutenant has more – $540, a major has yet more – $900.
A family of three or four people in which only one man works – the father of the family usually lives on the money of common soldier. Let us take away money for cigarettes, army boots and warm underwear, tea and biscuits, alcohol to relieve stress, human food because he wants to vomit from pasta with stew, medicines with endless colds from training in the fields. It remains a half at best. This is all for the same family of four people in which the "work" was found only by one man…
Do you think it is about some vocation? About duty or honor? Ugh! It is about survival. To be closer to the family, because Moscow and Krasnodar are already got through, when they had to live in trailers and receive ridiculous money. Dugouts at construction sites in Moscow are already got through. Muscovites have understood long ago that they go from here because there is not enough for bread. They understand that "Donbassians" will not go anywhere and delay payments, do not give them. So they give little money saying that there is no money, wait. And waiting means working. And then wait again. And if you leave, - say goodbye to money, no one will send them by transfer.
My friend told me that he had earned $2150 as a carpenter for the first month. The owner was so happy that he found a specialist. He paid $1075 at the end of the second month for the same amount and $450 for the third month – there is a crisis. He said that he would give another $270 when the money would be. But my friend decided not to wait for a better life with such "dynamics" and left.
In general, my men friends got through almost everything in order to get money – they built cowsheds in Krasnodar six days a week, 12 working hours, for $450 a month, with food and accommodation; they built hospitals in St. Petersburg, living there. They came up with the idea of "service" as the last option, when they had a basinful of departures.
The local "army" in its present form is an attempt to build a real army with all the journals, plans, orders and reports. A man is a dummy there. Heroes are not needed there. Submission, fulfillment and sobriety are needed. The heroes will be found for orders, they will be granted a decoration and will be shown in the news. But this is just a play for the poor, - what if someone suddenly is sitting in front of the TV, scratching himself, and start thinking: maybe I should also go to service?
A man in the right mind will not go to the local military registration and enlistment office because he feel bored or because of any other motives in his life. People went in 2014 when there were ideas and zeal. Now, with the knowledge of how the system works, no one will change his freedom and time for $270 without rhyme or reason.
You have to sleep on your hunkers at training in fields – there are no dugouts, and no one needs someone, commanders did not become aware of the comfort for common soldiers. It is important that the reports contain "Done". And that is all. And a man is like a dummy, a line in the list. If you want – select and delete the name. There will always be new ones. Those who cannot or does not want to leave, who is still young or already old, who desperately need money - they have always been the very meat who does not lead regiments, but compose them.
There is such a pressure now that the most persistent cannot stand – they run away and resign. Commanders are not happy to command, and subordinates to carry out.
But money warms the pocket. When you go to Stroytcentr and realize that you can buy a lot of things… And you are able to afford more than one sausage in butcher shop. In general, you feel yourself a human. You do not bum a smoke off friends because you have money.
And many people understand that this is really the last chance. Where can you go then with this "experience"? - Ukraine is ordered. Russia has enough its own military retirees. Many people have such experience in plenty. Moreover, it is almost impossible in fact to prove that you have served – the lists are lost or this "employment" was unofficial. The same story is with injuries. It is almost impossible to prove that you were wounded on "service". Well, maybe someone is lucky. But it turns out in the end that your health is only your personal interest. You were wounded – the hazards of the trade.
The worst situation is to come under the command of youngsters. The local "army" does not need a carpenter or a jeweler. And it is not interesting that you are a good man and was worth something in a past life. You need to be sober and do everything. The rest is not interesting. You cannot – we will teach, you want – we will force. And the youngsters after military schools, who command and demand, always have a thousand points more – they know how, they were put to teach. Such people will wipe the floor with you and go further. Be so kind to obey. Do not like it, - go and look for a better life, build cowsheds, build bridges, if you find where you will be paid.
It is good for old people. They will not be taken for a normal job because of the age, but it is a different story here – they know something, and they are without ambition. They can paint, know what is what in cars, because it is the old school. And they can obey despite they do not like it. They know how to hold an assault rifle. Such people are appreciated. If only they would not fall from such a life.
Contract soldiers from the former union republics are also welcomed. The guys come for exotic - to shoot and hunt. Money is their bonus. Where else they will be in safari like in the movie. What idea are you talking about? One man brought a machete with him. He had nowhere to use it at home, it hung over his bed on the carpet. The romance of callsigns, forms, weapons, army friendship… - They saw it in movies. It is like at Japanese restaurant. He ate with chopsticks, was impressed, and he ate borshch at home – it is more habitually. The same thing is with service. He served, tasted the blood and went home. He is lucky if without losses, if alive. But it is the experience for the entire life. Ad nauseam, like from that pasta with the visibility of stew.
Olha Kucher, Luhansk, specially for OstroV