They also plan to increase the responsibility of the entire command vertical for training personnel and transform the instructor training system.
Assault Brigade
The basic military training program at training centers for mobilized personnel is planned to be extended to 1.5 months.
This was announced during a briefing at Ukrinform on the topic of “Changes in the organization of training in the Armed Forces of Ukraine” by the Deputy Chief of the Main Directorate of Doctrines and Training of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine Colonel Yevhen Mezhevikin.
“The expansion of the training system is planned to be carried out primarily during basic general military training (BGMT), professional training, professional training of privates, training of instructors and sergeants. And, of course, changing the approaches to collective training. We plan to change the formats and approaches to training military personnel, increase the responsibility of the entire command vertical for training personnel and transform the system of training instructors,” Mezhevikin said.
He noted that one of the important steps taken to expand training and improve the quality of training of military personnel in training centers is an increase in the duration of basic general military training. For this purpose, a basic general military training program with a training period of one and a half months has been developed and approved.
According to him, by decision of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Alexander Syrsky, a pilot project to increase training by one and a half months has already begun at the facilities of four key training centers, to which about 500 servicemen are currently involved.
The updated BZIN program, in particular, provides for:
- the basics of using UAVs and trench electronic warfare;
- the use of electronic reconnaissance equipment;
- It is also expected that the tactics of fire training, reconnaissance and sabotage activities, and field survival skills will be improved.
“We pay special attention to seasonal activities, such as survival in the cold season, which is very important for military personnel of different levels, different specialties when performing tasks in the fall, winter, and spring,” Mezhevikin emphasized.
He said that basic training will be carried out exclusively in training centers. This is important, given that any training outside training centers requires the appointment of an administration, the allocation of instructor teaching staff and scientific and pedagogical personnel.
The introduction of incentive measures for the best cadets is being considered. For example, the best serviceman will be able to choose his future place of service.
Mezhevikin also said that after the completion of the pilot project, its results will be analyzed and proposals will be submitted to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Upon completion of the pilot project in December of this year, the results will be analyzed taking into account the training timeframes and proposals will be provided for their further implementation in basic general military training.
Changes are also expected in professional training, reformatting the training program for specialists, eliminating rudimentary subjects of study and duplicates of the content of the BZIN, filling them with combat experience on a mandatory basis. In particular, it is planned to include training elements confirmed by positive combat experience and the effective use of weapons and military equipment, the study of tactical medicine and the norms of international humanitarian law.
As the participants of the event said, it is planned to improve the situation with the teaching staff in training centers – replacing officer positions of teachers with sergeant positions. This will reduce the dependence of training centers on the officer corps, increase the authority and prestige of sergeants.
In addition, the issue of creating a school for training instructors, the use of online video materials of the Army + training courses during the training of military personnel during their military service and the digital transformation of the paper routine of training centers is being considered. Answering the question of when exactly the transition to the new BZIN program will take place, the participants of the event noted that this cannot be done at once, so as not to cause a “sag” in the provision of the front with mobilization resources. The timing and schedule for the implementation of the program will be determined by the General Staff based on the results of the pilot project.