Army is a special world with its own laws and customs, strict hierarchy and clear division of duties. And the junior officers have always, starting from the ancient Roman legions, been the main link between ordinary soldiers and the highest command staff. Today we will talk about non-commissioned officers. Who are they and what functions did they perform in the army?
History of the term
Let's figure out who a non-commissioned officer is. The system of military ranks began to take shape in Russia at the beginning of the 18th century with the advent of the first regular army. Over time, only minor changes occurred in it - and for more than two hundred years it remained virtually unchanged. After the revolution of 1917, great changes took place in the Russian system of military ranks, but even now most of the old ranks are still used in the army.
Initially there was no strict division into ranks among the lower ranks. In the archery army, the role of junior commanders was played by conscripts. Then, with the advent of the regular army, a new category of lower army ranks appeared - non-commissioned officers. The word is of German origin. And this is no coincidence, since much was borrowed at that timefrom foreign states, especially during the reign of Peter the Great. It was he who created the first Russian army on a regular basis. Translated from German, unter means "lower".
Since the 18th century in the Russian army, the first degree of military ranks was divided into two groups: privates and non-commissioned officers. It should be remembered that in the artillery and the Cossack troops, the lower military ranks were called fireworkers and sergeants, respectively.
Ways to get a title
So, a non-commissioned officer is the lowest level of military ranks. There were two ways to get this rank. The nobles entered the military service in the lowest rank immediately, without vacancies. Then they were promoted and received their first officer rank. In the 18th century, this circumstance led to a huge surplus of non-commissioned officers, especially in the guards, where the majority preferred to serve.
All others had to serve four years before being promoted to lieutenant or sergeant major. In addition, non-nobles could receive an officer rank for special military merits.
What ranks belonged to non-commissioned officers
Over the past 200 years, changes have taken place in this lowest level of military ranks. At various times, the following ranks belonged to non-commissioned officers:
- Ensign and ensign ensign are the highest non-commissioned officer ranks.
- Sergeant major (in the cavalry he held the rank of sergeant major) – a non-commissioned officer who occupied a middle position in the ranks between a corporal and a lieutenant. He served as assistant company commander foreconomic affairs and internal order.
- Senior non-commissioned officer - assistant platoon commander, direct commander of the soldiers. He had relative freedom and independence in the education and training of privates. He kept order in the unit, assigned soldiers to the outfit and to work.
- The junior non-commissioned officer is the immediate superior of the privates. It was with him that the upbringing and training of soldiers began, he helped his wards in military training and led them into battle. In the 17th century, in the Russian army, instead of a junior non-commissioned officer, there was the rank of corporal. He belonged to the lowest military rank. A corporal in the modern Russian army is a junior sergeant. The US Army still has the rank of Lance Corporal.
Non-commissioned officer of the tsarist army
In the period after the Russian-Japanese war and during the First World War, the formation of non-commissioned officers of the tsarist army was given special importance. For the instantly increased number in the army, there were not enough officers, and military schools could not cope with this task. The short period of compulsory service did not allow training a professional military man. The War Department tried with all its might to keep non-commissioned officers in the army, on whom great hopes were placed for the education and training of privates. They gradually began to be singled out as a special layer of professionals. It was decided to keep up to a third of the number of lower military ranks on long-term service.
Retirees began to increase their salary, they received lump-sum benefits. non-commissioned officers,those who served over the term of 15 years were en titled to a pension upon dismissal.
In the tsarist army, non-commissioned officers played a huge role in the training and education of privates. They were responsible for order in the units, appointed soldiers to outfits, had the right to dismiss a private from the unit, and were engaged in evening verification.
Abolition of lower military ranks
After the revolution of 1917, all military ranks were abolished. Again, military ranks were introduced already in 1935. The ranks of sergeant major, senior and junior non-commissioned officers were replaced by junior and senior sergeants, the ensign began to correspond to the foreman, and the ensign to the modern ensign. Many famous personalities of the 20th century began their service in the army with the rank of non-commissioned officer: G. K. Zhukov, K. K. Rokossovsky, V. K. Blucher, G. Kulik, poet Nikolai Gumilyov.
