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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Soviet Union
Index
The armed forces had a very low percentage of noncommissioned
officers (NCOs) compared with other armies of the world and even
fewer career NCOs. Soviet NCOs were essentially conscripts. At the
time of induction, each voenkomat selected a few recruits to
become NCOs. After training for from several weeks to six months,
these new NCOs were assigned to units, but their authority over
other conscripts was limited by their youth and inexperience.
Moreover, because only 5 percent of Soviet military personnel were
NCOs, junior commissioned officers had to perform many tasks
assigned to sergeants in other countries' armies. The armed forces
have made an effort to build a career NCO corps in order to retain
needed skills, improve small unit leadership, and make a military
career more attractive to conscripts. For example, in 1972 the
Ministry of Defense instituted the NCO rank of warrant officer
between the ranks of sergeant and junior officer. NCOs could also
attend a six- to nine-month specialist course to become platoon
commanders and company technicians.
Data as of May 1989
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