The military industry is the leading industry in most developed countries. The financial support allocated by the government for the development of this sector is dictated by the urgent need of states to protect the safety of their citizens and the integrity of their territories. To provide psychological training and support for military personnel, military psychology has been allocated as a separate field of knowledge. She deals with the specific problems of military personnel: adaptation, support, rehabilitation, and the search for methods of motivation for participation in hostilities.
Features of military psychology: object and subject of study
Military psychology studies the patterns of mental characteristics of military personnel. The object of study is a military personnel undergoing contract or conscription service, potential military personnel who meet the selection requirements, and civilians suitable for military service.
The subject of military psychology is military activity, the influence of conditions in the army on the psyche of the employee, the state of the psyche and the peculiarities of the course of mental processes in the army. The tasks of an army psychologist include increasing the morale of soldiers, developing new management strategies, and studying the hidden abilities of the brain to improve professional skills.
Physical training
The physical fitness of female military personnel is supported by the command of the units at a high level. Ladies serving in the army train daily. Female contract soldiers must be compatible with their “job” in terms of health and fitness levels. Ladies pass the PHYS standards:
- upon admission to universities of a special profile;
- during training, quarterly;
- when concluding a fixed-term contract;
- during service - quarterly.
Mandatory standards for female military personnel are approved by the Order of the Ministry of Defense. Ladies, to confirm their compliance with the army requirements, perform 3 blocks of exercises.
One of two options is performed:
- for women under 25 years of age at least 12 times,
- for women over 25 years of age, at least 10 times.
2. Bend the torso forward:
- for women under 25 years of age, at least 25 times,
- for women over 25 years of age, at least 20 times.
For speed.
One of three options is performed:
1. 60m sprint:
- for women under 25 years of age, the standard time to cover the distance is 12.9 s;
- for women over 25 years of age, the standard time to cover the distance is 13.9.
2. 100m sprint:
- for women under 25 years of age, the standard time to cover the distance is 19.5 s;
- for women over 25 years of age, the standard time to cover the distance is 20.5 seconds.
3. Shuttle run 10*10 m:
- for women under 25 years of age, the minimum standard is to run the distance in 38 seconds;
- for women over 25 years of age, the minimum standard is to run the distance in 39 seconds.
For endurance.
Exercise - 1 km run:
- for women under 25 years of age, the standard time to cover the distance is 5 minutes. 20 sec,
- for women over 25 years of age, the standard time to cover the distance is 5 minutes. 46 sec.
Women over 40 years old are not invited to take physical tests.
Objectives of science: the area of work of researchers and practical psychologists
The following main tasks of army psychology are identified:
- Studying the individual mental characteristics of soldiers for effective staffing of units.
- Participation in the development of the teaching program, taking into account the psychological characteristics of military personnel to optimize the learning process.
- Psychological support for military personnel.
- Using psychological methods to strengthen the interpersonal relationships of soldiers.
- Ensuring normal adaptation of recruits to the specifics of army discipline.
Military psychologists work together with army leadership, increasing the overall level of motivation of employees, developing new methods of psychological adaptation, and providing support for a normal psychological state.
Determining the purpose of participation in hostilities: proper motivation of military personnel
There are 3 groups of reasons why a soldier seeks to participate in hostilities:
- Social - general social motives dictated by a sense of duty. These include love for the country, active manifestation of patriotism, hatred of the enemy as an invader.
- Group - motives of small groups, developed within the community. These include mutual assistance among comrades, a sense of belonging to a certain group, fear of rejection, etc.
- Personal - individual motives. These include ambitious aspirations: the desire to stand out, earn awards, earn money, test your abilities.
The passivity or activity of soldiers in battle is an indicator of their attitude towards the war itself as a phenomenon. Depending on the course of the war, the degree of preparation, and the level of support for personnel, the emotional coloring of the image of war changes. Soldiers who gain an advantage are more successful in combat.
Troops with stronger motivation perceive the enemy as an implacable enemy. Public support is important: the image of military conflict within the country. The use of social motives is possible if military sentiments are supported in society. Anti-militaristic aspirations undermine the morale of soldiers and reduce the level of personal motivation.
What are the military professions?
There are various professions that involve employment in many areas of activity in the army. The choice of specialty depends on personal preferences and compliance with professional requirements. In the civil service there are the following types of military activities:
- special purpose professions;
- military-technical professions;
- driving military professions;
- research specialties focused on military affairs.
Special-purpose professions require excellent physical fitness. These include airborne troops, aviation army, special forces, ground forces, navy, FSB, commander of a military unit, etc.
The responsibilities of the technician are to ensure the proper operation of combat vehicles and other equipment and weapons. They are required in aviation, communications, etc.
A military driver, pilot, or others controls military equipment (car, airplane, submarine, etc.).
Civilian professions for people who want to enter the civil service: translator, teacher, doctor, driver, etc. Military formations require service personnel: barmaids, hairdressers, cooks, janitors, etc.
Technical professions for girls: web programmer, engineer, operator, power engineer, etc.
Driving specialties of the military
Having a driver's specialty implies the ability to drive one of the types of military equipment. Professions of this type include:
- combat vehicle driver;
- tank driver;
- pilot, etc.
To obtain this specialty, you must graduate from a military educational institution.
Specialties
To obtain a specialty for a special purpose, you must have excellent health, developed physical skills, and be able to act in tense and extreme situations. People of these professions are responsible, decisive, courageous, and ready for physical and psychological overload. Specialties include:
- Special Forces;
- scout;
- sapper;
- naval infantry
- aviation school, etc.
Without proper physical training, a soldier will not be able to build an excellent career.
Technological specialties
Technological specialties are in demand in the public service. People involved in this area maintain military equipment and weapons in full readiness, carry out repair work, etc.
Operator specialties
Operator is one of the popular specialties. Only a well-trained specialist will be able to skillfully handle modern technology, receive and process data, assess the situation and make the right decisions. The main qualities of an operator: accuracy, good hearing and vision, memory, ability to quickly respond to various situations.
The psyche of military personnel in combat conditions: typical changes
Being in conditions of a threat to life and health, increased workload, the death of comrades in arms, the need to participate in violent actions is a complex of factors that negatively affect the psyche of soldiers. Research conducted by American psychologists shows that 90% of soldiers experience fear during combat. Of these, 25% suffer from uncontrollable attacks of fear, expressed by physical symptoms: fainting, urination, vomiting.
Only a quarter of soldiers on the battlefield show initiative: they move around the battlefield, open fire, and can go on the attack without additional instructions. The rest of the military personnel participate in the attack only if the commander is nearby. Left without his supervision, soldiers often get lost. They drop their weapons, run away, hide, and pretend to be wounded.
It takes up to 25 days for a soldier to adapt to combat operations. Being at the front for more than 30 days in a row, a serviceman begins to lose his capacity
His physical reactions slow down, his psyche undergoes significant changes. To avoid nervous exhaustion of a soldier, after 45 days of stay it is necessary to grant him leave.
Soldiers constantly on the battlefield suffer from mental disorders. Being at the front without the possibility of rotation is especially dangerous for soldiers with an unstable nervous system.
Abitura
Features of transfer from a military university
It all started out very fun! We got up at 7 a.m., exercised, and even learned how to make the beds correctly (military style). Lots of army jokes. I would like to note that some of the guys didn’t even hide the fact that they were acting out of connections: some had a major dad, some a captain’s mom, and some even had grandfathers - almost retired military colonels. Some of the children were straight from the military prosecutor's office and the military investigative committee, and some even worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - wow! Most of them entered the most prestigious faculties: prosecutorial and investigative, military legal, faculty of foreign languages and faculty of foreign military information.
At the first test there was a medical examination. Someone has already been rejected there. I remember how they picked on a guy who was a Suvorov student because he had a pronounced form of scoliosis. It seems like it was written off at first, but then restored. Honestly, I would have restored it myself, because all these guys from the Ussuri Suvorov Military School were truly potential officers by vocation and simply good people. As a result, that guy entered the faculty of military journalism. He graduated from university and is now serving somewhere in the internal troops. I don’t know what exactly he does, and that’s not the point anymore. Two cool guys from Primorye were written off - one because of flat feet (an athlete - a powerlifter), and the second had something wrong with his eyes (he graduated from school with a gold medal)
At the 2nd stage there was a professional selection: the elimination was also quite large after this test, but by some miracle I passed it too). Stage 3 – physical training. I passed it with flying colors, but there were several guys who, to put it mildly, failed it. I remember one thing - I couldn’t even do 5 pull-ups and run a cross-country race - 3 km, but I entered the prosecutor’s investigation. Then there were rumors among the applicants that medalists without cronyism, who entered prestigious faculties and allegedly did not pass the entrance tests, were, as a consolation, transferred to simpler faculties (military psychological and the faculty to which I entered). Again, these are just rumors. Russian and literature were taken through the Unified State Exam. All that remained was to pass social studies and history.
How do combat conditions affect a soldier's physical and mental health?
Disruption of the rhythm of life (the inability to maintain sleep and eating patterns, the need to take into account changing weather conditions) puts additional stress on the body. Experiencing severe overload, soldiers are often pushed to the limit of their physical capabilities. This quickly depletes the body: the immune system cannot cope with infections, and additional unsanitary conditions make even minor injuries fatal.
The cause of psychological maladaptation can be the death of a close friend or one’s own injury. The Second World War showed that a third of military personnel, once on the battlefield, began to show signs of mental disorders 20-25 days later.
Passing score
The first criterion for selecting applicants for admission to a university of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (for both boys and girls) is physical characteristics:
- Height is at least 1.6m.
- The quality of vision should be almost ideal - at least 0.6 diopters in each eye.
- Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) – no more than 7 degrees.
- Flat feet - no worse than the second degree.
- Congenital conquests of the heart are a complete contraindication to service in the Organs.
- Chronic diseases - eczema, psoriasis, sinusitis, gastritis, cholecystitis, ulcers.
- Head injuries (traumatic brain injuries) and their possible undesirable consequences.
- Excessively low or excessively high weight (for medical reasons).
- Any mental disorders.
- Missing parts of limbs.
- HIV, AIDS and all types of hepatitis (except A).
All graduates who meet the physical parameters will face the next examination stage of admission to the university.
There are several options for admission to the Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs:
- In the relevant direction from the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the region.
- By direct recruitment (that is, after graduation, the graduate will be required to work for several years in the internal affairs bodies for distribution - in any region where he will be sent).
Please note that admission to these universities begins earlier than to regular universities! The application must be submitted BEFORE March 1st. In the first case, the sequence of submitting documents is as follows:
In the first case, the sequence of submitting documents is as follows:
- Contact the police department at your place of residence with an application - this must be done no later than March 1 of the year of admission.
- Pass a medical examination.
- Come to the institute with a passport. A school certificate of complete secondary education and documents issued by the police department at the place of residence.
- Pass the final medical examination at the institute and pass the entrance examination.
When entering a university through direct admission, the sequence is as follows:
- When announcing direct admission to a university, bring all documents and certificates to the university’s human resources department.
- Pass a medical examination at a university (which includes a psychological examination, and some universities also use a polygraph).
- Pass the entrance exams.
To enter a university, you must choose to take the Unified State Exam in Russian language, history and social studies.
The passing Unified State Exam score for admission to a higher education institution changes every year (it depends on the number of applicants and their scores). Information about the passing score for the current year can be found on the official website of a particular institute.
Delayed impact of participation in war: adaptation of veterans to conditions of peaceful life
The peculiarities of the combat situation require a significant restructuring of the psyche. Returning to a peaceful situation, the military man finds himself unable to exist normally in society. His worldview is strikingly different from the views of people who have never taken part in hostilities.
War veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It manifests itself with a number of symptoms:
- recurring nightmares;
- increased level of aggression;
- obsessions;
- depression, indifference to the outside world;
- desire to return to a familiar army environment.
Without psychological help, PTSD can last a lifetime. Veterans who have been injured resulting in disability are especially at risk of developing psychosomatic disorders.
The veterans' rehabilitation program includes:
- respect for their personal contribution to the conduct of hostilities;
- mass honoring of veterans returning from the front;
- understanding changes in a soldier’s views, the specifics of mental reactions;
- respect for the principles of soldier's brotherhood, maintaining front-line friendship;
- involving veterans in active social life, organizing public events with their participation;
- psychological support for the veteran’s adaptation to family life, maintaining a favorable atmosphere in the family;
- identification and prevention of interpersonal conflicts between military and civilians;
- working with the consequences of a veteran’s psychological trauma, gradually reducing one’s identification with a separate social group, entering society.
Psychological support for veterans is one of the key tasks of army psychologists
Timely receipt of adaptation assistance ensures the military’s normal entry into peaceful society and reduces the risk of social and domestic crimes involving veterans.
Let me summarize
I recently saw cadets from VUMO, because I suddenly remembered my attempt at admission and decided to be a little nostalgic here. For a long time I regretted that I stumbled so stupidly almost at the very end of the application process, but then in the end I came to terms with it. I talked to one guy who initially entered the proc track, but eventually entered the military social. He says he serves near Rzhev, but service is not always easy.
I heard from other guys that some ended up in the navy, some in the Army, and some in the military police. According to rumors, some even died while performing a combat mission in Syria, while others’ careers took off rapidly. And what could have happened to me if I had entered and graduated - only God knows. There were a lot of funny things during the abitur, but these are all lyrics and it would take a very long time to describe them here.
In the end, I didn’t even get into the army on conscript, but to be honest, I didn’t mow down, I even planned to enroll in a military university right from conscript, but in a different one. Just out of nowhere, a health problem suddenly appeared. Not to say that she is very critical, but the draft medical board decided that it would be better for me to serve in peacetime. They were written off as reserves (usable only in wartime). The journey back from Ussuriysk was also fun, with several drunken demobilizations in the carriage, but fortunately without any particularly vivid adventures.
Thank you for your attention!
The emergence of army psychology: the formation of an independent branch, the first studies
Military psychology, as a separate branch, was formed at the beginning of the 20th century. Before this, she did not have a dedicated methodology, mainly focusing on supporting the morale of soldiers and developing a sense of military duty. Army psychology has identified 3 areas of development:
- psychological characteristics of the commander as the leader of the unit;
- interaction between military personnel;
- the work of military psychologists in areas related to preparation for combat operations.
The first large-scale studies of the psychology of soldiers were carried out in America. A representative of the first wave of military psychology researchers, R. Yerkes, using primary tests, developed specialized tests aimed at identifying the degree of readiness of men to participate in hostilities, propensity for leadership, and level of intelligence development.
20 years later, psychologists already had an extensive base of practical research. The increasing frequency of local conflicts became the main reason for the emergence of a new, independent profession - a military psychologist. Since this specialty requires an in-depth understanding of the specifics of military activities, they require specialized training. Therefore, it is easier to prepare an army psychologist from a former employee, providing him with the opportunity for retraining.
Story
Military medicine has a rich, centuries-old history. In Ancient Egypt, special tents functioned on the battlefield in which wounded soldiers were bandaged. Long before our era, in Greece and the Roman Empire, there were separate unarmed brigades that evacuated wounded soldiers from combat zones and provided them with basic care in safer conditions.
On the territory of Kievan Rus, during military campaigns, soldiers used specific tents (ubruses), which served as a first aid station. Here healers bandaged the wounds of the warriors and stopped the bleeding.
On the territory of the modern Russian Federation, military medicine actively developed in the 12th-13th centuries. However, the corresponding specialty officially arose in 1620. At this time, the first military regulations of Russia were issued - “The military book on all shooting and fiery tricks.” The document clearly spelled out the organizational nuances of the regimental medical service, taking into account all the legal and financial foundations of the profession of a military doctor.
In 1798, by decree of the emperor, the Medical-Surgical Academy was founded, which became the first higher educational institution in St. Petersburg and throughout Russia, where military doctors were trained. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the active development of the specialty continued in accordance with the constantly changing conditions of warfare. The use of innovative types of weapons forced field doctors to quickly adapt to new conditions and invent new approaches to treating wounded soldiers.
N.I. played an important role in the development of military medicine. Pirogov, who in 1847 was the first to use ether anesthesia in combat conditions, which significantly improved the quality of emergency care provided.
Features of military psychology in Russia: the role of the psychologist in the modern army
In the Russian army, the official position of a military psychologist only appeared in 1992. Before that, his duties were partially performed by the military themselves, endowed with the necessary skills and enthusiasm. The position of “regimental psychologist” requires a specialist to have a high level of professional knowledge, understanding the specifics of military service, and possessing the necessary personal qualities.
To date, more than 2,000 jobs have been opened for military psychologists in the Russian Army. The military psychological service has a dedicated structure with a clear hierarchy. The training of specialists is carried out at the military psychological faculty.
Thus, only psychologists who have undergone specialized training and meet the standards of a high-class army psychologist are allowed to serve in the army.
How to build a career
Previously, the career of a psychologist in the army still remained primarily an officer’s career, with promotions in rank and obtaining new positions characteristic of this type of activity. In the armed forces of the Russian Federation, a vertical hierarchy system was created, which allowed for career growth in the psychological direction: an officer became a supervisor of higher authorities, which controlled and analyzed the activities of subordinate military psychologists.
However, since 2009, there has been a tendency to change the status. Military psychologists continued to perform their work, but as “civilian personnel,” which significantly reduced career opportunities.
Therefore, the subsequent professional growth of a specialist was often associated not with the army, but with civilian activities in public and private companies and corporations, in training centers for personnel training. The specialist could find application for his professional skills in the promising professions of a business trainer, coach, and mediator.
Psychology of a military personnel: basic skills and work responsibilities of a regiment psychologist
Since there are a number of specific principles in the psychology of a military man, a military psychologist must not only have deep professional knowledge, but also meet the requirements of his position. Responsibilities of the regimental psychologist include:
- understanding the characteristics of the psychology of military personnel;
- observation of socio-psychological processes within the unit;
- promoting the strengthening of military discipline, preventive work to eliminate offenses;
- organization of psychological events that increase the mobilization readiness of employees;
- providing assistance in adapting recruits to the conditions of service;
- providing assistance to family members of military personnel;
- timely informing senior officials about the conduct of psychological measures for personnel;
- carrying out preventive and educational activities;
- assistance and methodological support for classes, development of material and technical base.
The variety of tasks requires an army psychologist to be constantly involved in the service activities of soldiers: the psychologist collects and processes information, determines the personality traits of a serviceman. This data is necessary to prevent intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts and clarify military specialization.
