Replace ensigns, which in Russian army in 2009 they were “liquidated as a class”, junior officers and contract sergeants did not succeed. Then, under the previous Minister of Defense, 142,000 positions of military personnel of this category were gradually reduced in the Armed Forces. They were asked to either change shoulder straps with longitudinally spaced stars to sergeant's "badges", or quit. But already on February 27, 2013, the Minister of Defense, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu, returned warrant officers to the army - with the only caveat that "no warehouses, no bases." Only combat and technical positions in the troops.

Story question

In the Russian army, ensigns began to be called banner bearers (from the Church Slavonic “ensign” - banner) in 1649. The most experienced and physically strong warriors were selected in their ranks. Like the first junior officer rank rank of ensign regular army introduced by Peter I in 1712. In one form or another, this title lasted until 1917, but by this time, due to the accelerated graduation of military schools, promotion to officers lower ranks from the reserve during the First World War (epaulettes then received about 220 thousand people), the title of "ensign" lost its brilliance and meaning. In most cases, real officers from ensigns did not work out.

In the Soviet army, the title of "ensign" (in the navy - "midshipman") was revived in 1972. In 1981, for personnel growth and incentives in military service, introduced the title of "senior warrant officer" (in the Navy - "senior midshipman"): a third was added to two stars plus an increase in official salary. However, ensigns and warrant officers in the military environment immediately received offensive nicknames. In the army - a "piece", and in the navy - a "chest". This was due to the fact that in many cases these servicemen occupied the "sweet" positions of heads of warehouses, heads of canteens and other rear facilities of military infrastructure.

Such cinema

Proximity to material wealth, with the well-known weakness of human nature, explains why ensigns soon became the main characters in army jokes, and then in soldier “creativity”: “Here they sat in warehouses, glorious freeloaders of Russia ... folklore, and from it - to the cinema. The most “famous” are Shmatko and Danilyuk from the series “Soldiers”, Zadov from the humorous television series “Beware, Zadov!”, Kazakov from the film “DMB”.

However, if we continue the theme of "ensign in art", then we can recall the positive, even heroic images of military personnel in this rank. The "Chief Ensign of the Airborne Forces" is still considered the Moldovan actor Mihai Volontir, who brilliantly played in the cult Soviet films "In the Zone special attention” and “Return move”. It was really the image of a hardened campaigner, combining everything positive traits military man: both a father to soldiers, and a mentor to a young officer, and a real fighter who was able to repulse real criminals.

The positive image of the ensign, albeit with a tragic tinge, was realized in the films "Checkpoint" (Ilyich - Andrey Krasko), "9th Company" (Dygalo - Fedor Bondarchuk), the series "Special Forces" (Khrustalev - Igor Lifanov, Shakhmametyev - Andrey Zibrov, Kobrin - Alexander Nosik). By the way, in the same "Soldiers" actress Svetlana Permyakova embodies the image of an honest and kind ensign Zhanna Topalova, who went through "hot spots" and became the soul of the military unit team.

Backlog on perspective

Of course, all these assessments of the activities of the former institute of ensigns in our army are “lyrics”. Fortunately, now the status of the military rank "ensign" has changed dramatically and is now considered honorary and revered in the troops.

In the modern Russian army, the system for training this category of military personnel has also changed. Now they are going through a system of study practically at the level of cadets of higher military schools. And some graduates of ensign schools will even receive diplomas of higher education and a bachelor's degree after almost four years of study (to be exact: 3 years and 10 months).

Speech in this case So far, it is only about aviation "techies", who are being trained at the 183rd training center of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of Russia in Rostov-on-Don. It trains highly qualified specialists in the maintenance of on-board radio-electronic systems, communication and control systems of the latest aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Each of them must have a higher education and, in the future, may receive an officer's rank in the future. This is subject to availability additional education and experience in the position held.

perspective career development, you see, for a military man - this is important. Napoleon's words that every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack have not lost their meaning even now. Today, in the Russian army, every warrant officer has the right to improve the level of his military education, become an officer and grow up to high officials and titles.

entrust the banner

In system military training For the Russian Armed Forces, mid-level military specialists currently operate 13 ensign schools. They are stationed in various cities Russia, for the most part"attached" to training centers or military schools. At the end of last year, the aforementioned “training school” for ensigns in Rostov-on-Don, which will graduate bachelors, was added to this list at the end of last year. It is likely that in the near future other schools that train specialists in technical specialties may move to a similar level of training for ensigns.

The most famous of the existing educational systems the training of ensigns can be called a school based on the Ryazan Higher Military Airborne command school named after Army General V.F. Margelov (RVVDKU).

Initially, here, in the course of the reforms of the Russian army, courses for professional sergeants were launched. Then, instead of contractors, they began to train ensigns for the Airborne Forces, who are taught for 2 years and 10 months. Moreover, out of 17 specialties, most of the technical profile is radio communication, telecommunications, operation and repair of automotive equipment. The RVVDKU also trains junior commanders, as well as intelligence officers, who also graduate with the rank of ensign. In 2014, the first graduation took place, which sent 140 people to the troops, whose level of training was practically not inferior to that of an officer.

Now in the RVVDKU the so-called "sergeant's school", whose graduates receive the title of "ensign", even slightly exceeds the "lieutenant's school" in numbers. Yes, and competitions for admission to both streams of study are almost the same - both are high.

We summarize: the title of "ensign" in the Russian army is completely "rehabilitated". Moreover, he was returned the status of combat and technical use. Without this middle link that performs the tasks high level, is indispensable.

The ensign is again, as under Peter the Great, an exemplary soldier who can be trusted to carry the banner.

Who is the ensign, who were the most famous ensigns in Russian literature and why in the 20th century the ensign turned into a hero of jokes

Ensign of the 17th century
1841-1862

Chronology

1630

The first mention of the ensign as a permanent military rank refers to 1630. Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich ordered that the standard-bearers in the regiments of the "foreign system" be called so (the word "prapor" is translated from Church Slavonic as "banner").

1722

Everything under Peter military ranks began to be called in the German manner - and the ensigns turned into Fendriks (from German Fähnrich). It was under this name that they entered the Table of Ranks of 1722. In addition to the usual ones, it also mentions "engineering fendriks", that is, standard-bearers with artillery batteries.

1730

The variant "ensigns" returned to the edition of the Table of Ranks of 1730. Now this is how they began to call the most junior officer rank, corresponding to the rank of midshipman in the navy or collegiate registrar in the civil service. There was a wall between the ensign and the private or non-commissioned officer: the first, as a rule, was a nobleman or - in the 19th century - a commoner, the second - a peasant or a tradesman who had almost no chance of crossing the social border that separated him from officers. Ensigns did not differ from the rest of the officer corps either in origin, education, or reputation. In the rank of ensign, for example, Mikhail Bakunin, the future ideologist of anarchism, retired.

Captain and ensign of the musketeer companies infantry regiment from 1763 to 1786 From the work of A. Viskovatov " Historical description clothing and weapons of the Russian troops,
1841-1862

1884

In 1884, warrant officers were actually abolished during the next military reform and were replaced by sub-lieutenants. However, the reform was half-hearted, so in fact the ensigns remained: this title began to be given to non-commissioned officers without education for military merit, which after the end of hostilities had to be confirmed by surrender compulsory exam to an officer's rank.

1914

To the first world war ensigns are experiencing a real revival: in connection with the huge losses of officers, it was necessary to replenish the army with people who had passed short course training in military affairs, and en masse to promote junior officers to privates with at least some combat experience. It was then that the warrant officer of the jokes was born - a poorly educated, incompetent, cunning and stupid junior officer who, in relation to the soldiers, is sometimes too arrogant, sometimes too familiar.

Ensign. 1916 A. P. Gaidar Literary and Memorial Museum, Arzamas

1972

After the revolution, ensigns again go into oblivion, only to reappear in 1972 after another military reform. It is from this moment that the heyday of the era of army folklore about ensigns begins, in which they act as stupid, thieving and useless scoundrels. These stories are probably based on real grounds, since soviet ensign turned out to be even lower in rank than pre-revolutionary and, accordingly, had even lower qualifications, representing a middle link between privates and officers and not really relating to either one or the other.

2009

In 2009, it was decided to replace all warrant officers with professional contract sergeants.

2013

The warrant officers, who have already survived two military reforms, seem to survive the third: in 2013 it was announced that this title would be restored.

Literary ensigns of the 19th century

1. Petr Grinev, the protagonist « captain's daughter» Pushkin. The son of a poor provincial nobleman, a retired military man. Shows himself as an honest, brave and devoted officer.

2. Lapshin, the protagonist of Alexander Kuprin's story "Army Ensign". Typologically similar to Grinev: a young, honest, courageous, disillusioned man from a poor noble family.

3. Alanin, the hero of Leo Tolstoy's story "The Raid" - the first of the Caucasian cycle. A very young officer, looking forward to his first battle, in which he will die, rushing to attack the mountaineers at the head of his platoon.

Officers of the Dukhovshchinsky Regiment. Left Ensign. 1916 Multimedia Art Museum

Folk ensigns of the 20th century

The heyday of the era of folklore about ensigns falls on last decade the existence of the USSR. This is probably due to the war in Afghanistan - in any case, many stories about ensigns relate to it.

Ensigns are credited with the following qualities, which become the object of jokes:

1. Nonsense.

“An Afghan dushman-sniper lies in a trench. He looks - a military man appears, and a strip on the chase. He looks into the directory: "Corporal, bonus - 5 afghani." Just about to shoot, as he sees - another military man, with two stripes. He looks into the directory: "Junior sergeant, bonus - 10 afghani." He raised his rifle - the sergeant was gone somewhere. He looks - another military man appears, with two stars on shoulder straps. Without hesitation, he shoots. He looks in the directory: “Ensign, fine - 50 afghani.”

2. Love for useless drill and drill.

“Private and ensign on the beach.
The one on the left has good legs. Isn't that right, comrade lieutenant?
“I don’t know, I haven’t seen her march yet.”

3. Stupidity and tyranny.

“The ensign set the task for two cadets: to whitewash the change house. Accepts work:
- What is it?
- Your shadow, comrade ensign.
- Whiten anyway!

4. Theft.

“The ensign goes through the checkpoint and carries a wheelbarrow with garbage. The officer asks him:
- What did you steal?
- Yes, I did not steal anything, I'm going to throw out the garbage.
- It can not be! Admit you stole it
- I'll take out the trash! Didn't steal anything!
Let's show the trash.
Prapor dumps a pile of rubbish in front of him. The duty officer looked and looked - indeed, one piece of garbage. Prapor shoved everything back, drives the wheelbarrow further and mutters: “What he stole, what he stole ... He stole the wheelbarrow!”

5. An inferiority complex due to the fact that the rank and file did not consider warrant officers to be real officers.

“An ensign is walking through the desert, and a donkey is meeting him.
Donkey:
- Who are you?
The ensign looked around and said quietly:
I am an officer, and who are you?
The donkey looked around and quietly like this:
“And I am a horse!”

The position of lieutenant appeared in Russian archery army shortly after the appearance of warrant officers proper - junior officers who were initially responsible in battle for the movement and preservation of the banner (ensign) of the streltsy hundreds. Due to the high responsibility of the task being performed, the most intelligent "low" sergeants were appointed as assistants to the ensign, which led to the fact that ensigns began to be considered the most senior among non-commissioned officers. In the campaign, it was they, and not ensigns, who carried the banner of the unit.

Sub-ensign (belt-ensign) of the 33rd Staro-Ingermanland Regiment, standard junker of the 7th Dragoon Novorossiysk Regiment and sub-ensign of the Life Guards of the Ural Cossack squadron.

In Russia, in the 17th-20th centuries, a sub-ensign is one of the non-commissioned officer ranks, first introduced by the Decree "On Military Ranks" in 1680 for all regiments - archery, soldiers and reiters, in status higher than a corporal and lower than an ensign. In 1698-1716, before the adoption of the Petrine Military Regulations, the ensign was lower in status than the captain and higher than the sergeant. In 1716-1722, before the adoption of the Table of Ranks, the ensign was higher in status than a corporal and lower than a captain, then until 1765 - above a captain and below a sergeant. In the years 1765-1798 - above the captain and below junior sergeant, in 1798-1826 - above the junior non-commissioned officer and below the sergeant major. Since 1838, the rank of ensign has been abolished in the guard and restored only in 1884, although it was retained as an optional rank for students educational institutions guard, equal to the rank of cadet, until 1859. In the life campaign in 1741-1761, ensigns belonged to VIII class The tables, together with the furiers and vice sergeants, that is, were equated with the captain-lieutenants of the guard.

Lieutenant of the Reiter regiments. 1680s.

Lieutenant Dudnikov. Portrait by V. A. Poyarkov.

In the portrait of a complete St. George Knight Dudnikova, on the shoulder straps of the ensign, the sergeant-major's stripes sewn on top are clearly visible.
Since 1716, in accordance with the Petrine Charter, ensigns were entrusted with the duty of commanding the stragglers on the march and supervising the sick and wounded on the march. Ensigns of Russian origin received 13 rubles of annual salary. Ensigns from foreigners were paid 72 rubles each. In 1731, this difference was eliminated, and 72 rubles a year were paid to all ensigns. From 1800 to 1826, after the abolition of the rank of sergeant, the lieutenant occupied a position between the junior non-commissioned officer and the sergeant major, and from 1826 until the introduction in 1907 of the rank of an ordinary warrant officer, the ensign becomes the most senior of the non-commissioned officer ranks, taking a position above the sergeant major and below ensign. The reason for this shift was not only that, in accordance with formal logic, the ensign should be located under the ensign, but also the fact that from the moment the rank of sergeant was abolished, the commanders of the plutongs (platoons) were precisely the ensigns. In general, for the XVIII-XIX centuries, the terms of reference of ensigns and the requirements for the level of their military and general education changed repeatedly. With mid-eighteenth century and before the reform of 1826, the rank was also a kind of analogue of the rank of volunteer - it automatically produced persons who had a complete classical secondary education and, as a result, the right to be promoted to chief officer. Before the introduction of the system of cadet schools, ensigns were made by students of higher military educational institutions. Moreover, in those days, even the epaulette of a lieutenant was the same as the epaulette of a cadet. It was ordinary soldier's epaulette, sheathed along the side edges and the upper edge with a narrow gold galloon. In 1880-1903, cadets who graduated from infantry cadet schools were automatically promoted to lieutenants until they were awarded the first chief officer rank. Until 1880 and since 1903, ensigns were issued to the troops from the majority military educational institutions junkers who did not show even minimal success in their studies or who committed some particularly discrediting misconduct, and therefore released in the 3rd category (i.e., not made at the time of graduation as chief officers), they could not be further produced in the belt- warrant officers or warrant officers, could not serve the rank of warrant officer, but retained the right to be promoted immediately to second lieutenants, subject to a long impeccable service and successful delivery exams in the training program for warrant officers of the reserve. In practice, such proceedings usually took place in the third year of service, and examinations were taken quite formally.

Lieutenant of the 10th Novoingermanland Infantry Regiment Grigory Selinchuk, March 1916.

After the assignment of platoon commanders to the regular category of chief officers, only assistant platoon commanders began to produce ensigns. Since 1907, the title was awarded exclusively to extra-conscripts. Their epaulettes acquired a hexagonal shape, like those of officers. On the chase, the ensigns had a longitudinal stripe of a harness galloon 5/8 inches wide in color according to the regiment's instrument metal. In addition to this patch, they wore transverse patches for their position. Two stripes - for the positions of a separated non-commissioned officer, three stripes - for the positions of a platoon non-commissioned officer, one wide - for the positions of a sergeant major. In other positions, ensigns did not have transverse stripes. The salary of a lieutenant in 1913 was 28.5 rubles per month in the first three years of service and 33.5 rubles in the next. For the passage of the first two years of service, the ensign received a 150-ruble lump-sum allowance, and for 10 years of continuous service - a lump-sum allowance of a thousand rubles.

It should be borne in mind that since 1826, in the guard (in the so-called "old guard"), ensigns were equal to army lieutenants, but did not belong to the corresponding class of the Table of Ranks, in contrast to the sergeants and sergeants of the guard who were previously listed older than them. Since 1843 in legal relation Junkers were equated with ensigns and for them identical signs the differences are epaulettes trimmed along the edge with a narrow gold galloon. Sub-ensigns (usually from the nobility) appointed to act as officers (commanders of separate units, etc.) wore a belt with a chief officer galloon and an officer's lanyard on edged weapons, and until 1907 were called sword-ensigns or, in the absence of grounds for subsequent promotion to chief officer - warrant officer (until 1884), although, contrary to common misconception, this was not a separate rank or position at that time. According to the status of the harness-ensign was equal to the harness-junker. Despite the general similarity to the point of indistinguishability of the status of the sword-belt ensign and the ordinary ensign until 1907, the fundamental difference between them was that the sword-ensign under no circumstances could wear an officer's uniform and insignia, was not titled "your honor", i.e. e. remained precisely a non-commissioned officer, albeit performing chief officer duties.

In the event that a non-commissioned officer was promoted to lieutenant for distinction or as a candidate for production to chief officer, he wore non-commissioned officer insignia on his previous rank (sergeant major or senior, separated non-commissioned officer) on the pursuit of a lieutenant over a galloon.

The epaulette of a lieutenant in the position of sergeant major. 2nd Siberian Rifle Adjutant General Count Muravyov-Amursky Regiment.

Since 1801, non-commissioned officers from the nobility, who served at least three years in the rank, received the right to be promoted to ensign upon retirement. Other non-commissioned officers, upon dismissal on indefinite leave or resignation, could be encouraged by assignment next rank. In practice, non-commissioned officers were most often promoted to ensigns or conductors. The situation was special guard ensigns- they, even without being promoted to the guards, ensigns could retire with an “army rank” or enter the civil service. At the same time, for example, until 1859, a lieutenant of the guard could retire or be transferred to the army as an army lieutenant. For the cavalry, such practice in the production of cornets was allowed only on condition that they passed the exam in the training program for cavalry junkers.

According to the statute of the insignia of the Military Order ( George Cross) from 1913, any military personnel awarded his 1st degree were automatically promoted to ensigns (of course, in those military branches and units where this rank existed), and those awarded the 2nd degree were promoted to ensigns upon retirement or into the reserve. With the outbreak of the First World War, this rule began to be systematically violated.

On November 23, 1917, the rank of ensign was abolished, like all other ranks, ranks and titles.

Instructed to resolve the issue of returning to the army 55 thousand positions of ensigns and midshipmen. But a fundamental condition was put forward: they would be appointed exclusively to service complex equipment of weapons systems.

In the near future, a directive will be prepared on when and to what positions warrant officers and midshipmen can be appointed and accepted. But it is already obvious that by limiting the list of positions where ensigns and midshipmen can serve, strictly forbidding them from accessing material values, the Ministry of Defense imperceptibly made a disappointing diagnosis of this category of servicemen. However, most experts tend to believe that the return of ensigns to the army is a fair decision, for example, Alexander Vladimirov, vice president of the Collegium of Military Experts of Russia, told Our Version that this would have a positive effect on the combat readiness of the Russian army.

Ensigns eliminated to defeat theft

The ensign in the Russian army and the midshipman, his counterpart in the navy, stand apart from other military personnel, they have long become almost folklore characters, a kind of barracks brownie, to whom everything seemed to be attributed human vices: greed, stupidity and thieving.

Army wits compose derogatory jokes about them, come up with various nicknames for them, the most harmless of which are “piece” and “chest”. But, of course, ensigns were not conceived for this. Institute of ensigns and midshipmen modern type appeared in 1972, the idea of ​​​​such an intermediate rank between officers and sergeants was borrowed from the Czechoslovak army. It was originally intended to be a sequel career ladder for deserving overtimers.

For the rank of ensign, it was necessary to provide for appropriate positions that would not be either officers or sergeants, in which it was futile and unprestigious for lieutenants to serve, and it was too early to entrust these powers to sergeants. In the troops they were given command posts of foremen of companies, commanders of special platoons, and in the system of logistics and logistic support- heads of vegetable bases, warehouses and canteens. The position of a foreman of a company was considered the most difficult, but, agreeing to it, every sane warrant officer, sorting through footcloths in his cloakroom and furtively taking out another soldier’s pea coat for sale outside the gates of the unit, dreamed of becoming the head of some warehouse, best of all fuel and lubricants, in order to get an opportunity for stable left earnings.

Recall that in 2009, under the banner of the fight against theft in the army, it was decided to crack down on warrant officers as its main symbol. To justify this decision, the Ministry of Defense even summed up the almost 40-year period of existence of this title. It turned out that "up to 82% of these military personnel before the start of the reform were in economic positions - heads of warehouses, clerks, heads of laboratories, pharmacies" and "only a small number of them actually commanded units."
In this regard, it was decided to get rid of the maintenance of ensigns in highly paid military positions and redistribute their duties between contract soldiers and civilian personnel. It was assumed that about 142 thousand dismissed warrant officers and midshipmen would be replaced primarily by professional sergeants. Even despite the fact that it was not possible to train and recruit such a number of professional junior commanders, already at the end of 2009 all positions of warrant officers and senior warrant officers were urgently reduced.

Analog Russian ensigns even in the USA

As Alexander Khramchikhin, head of the analytical department of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, told Our Version, the creation of ensign institutes coincided with the technical re-equipment of the army at the turn of the 60s and 70s. During this period, the most complex equipment began to enter the army and navy, for the effective operation of which competent specialists were needed. The ranks of warrant officers and midshipmen began to be awarded to professional technical specialists with a secondary technical education, with higher education, who graduated from special schools.

Thus, ensigns and midshipmen began to appear en masse in high-tech troops, such as air defense, air force, navy, took places in the crews and crews of military and special vehicles, ships, aircraft and helicopters. Most of the ensigns were engaged in the maintenance and operation of a complex military equipment and weapons that soldiers could not master during the period military service. For some time, warrant officers occupied the lowest positions in the army - tank commanders and even drivers of heavy tractors, who today are trusted even by ordinary conscripts.

The new selection system forced to abandon the idea to make the rank of ensign highest rank for sergeants. They, along with privates, sergeants and officers, finally turned into a separate category of military personnel with their own recruitment and training system. However, she came out pretty flawed. Receiving the rank and finishing the service, ensigns were retired, with rare exceptions, in the same rank and from the same position. As a result, the army received a semi-finished officer, who practically corresponded to him in status, but was completely devoid of any career incentives, which negatively affected his service qualities. By the way, the main argument for the preservation of ensigns and midshipmen in the Russian army is the presence of a warrant among the Americans. It is believed that they are very similar to each other in their position.

Indeed, both of them occupy an intermediate position between sergeants and officers, but with external similarities, the main difference is precisely the principles of service. There is stiff competition among the warrant, which is stimulated by a well-thought-out system of continuous selection for appointment to higher positions. Alexander Khramchikhin believes that in order for ensigns to become a significant category of military personnel in Russia, the system of their selection and training will have to be radically revised.

20 thousand ensigns survived the reduction

The use of ensigns and midshipmen as technical specialists. This can be seen in the example of the crews of nuclear submarines. Even in Soviet time the number of midshipmen on board was steadily declining. Even then, more than 20 years ago, midshipmen were not up to the task, they often did not meet the requirements, sometimes they simply lacked the level of education. Therefore, on submarines, more and more duties were transferred from midshipmen to officers, who today ousted them from the positions of operators of complex equipment and systems, such as nuclear reactor, hydroacoustic complex, combat information and control system.

The absence of any career prospects, as the main stimulus of the military, formed a completely new type military personnel. The spectacle is rather pathetic - low service zeal, vicious ability to adapt and peacefully "lie" in office. All this did not contribute to their transformation into full-fledged junior commanders. The only plus of the ensign is the experience gained from staying in one position for a long time, but most often it was not used at all for the interests of the service.

The biggest army chiefs took ensigns, who had become adept at the intricacies of army life, as adjutants, so that they would solve their personal problems first of all. Often, devoted warrant officers not only made life easier for their benefactors, but also learned to benefit from their official position. So, at the end of March, employees law enforcement revealed in the Moscow region the theft of more than 150 municipal apartments with a total value of 1 billion rubles, which were intended for military personnel. According to investigators, the group was engaged in theft for three years. It consisted of employees of legal and real estate offices, and was led by a former adjutant of the commander in chief ground forces General Alexander Postnikov-Streltsov Senior Warrant Officer Valery Danielyan. Moreover, it should be noted that at the time when the gang of swindlers acted, it was announced that the ensigns in the troops were finished.

Obviously, although the decision of the past Minister of Defense to abolish ensigns and midshipmen was largely justified, they, like a persistent virus, turned out to be paradoxically tenacious. Even after the decision to reduce them, the commanders at all levels, as best they could, simply sabotaged this order. Ensigns were "hidden" in staffing tables, they were transferred to the positions of foremen and. As a result, three years after the reduction of these positions in the troops, more than 20 thousand of them remained.

Jokes about ensigns
During firing practice, a soldier reports:
- Comrade ensign, the shells are over!
- Every single one?
- Yes sir!
- Stop shooting!

“Tell us, Comrade Ensign, what is glasnost?”
- Glasnost is when you all criticize me, criticize, and you will get nothing for it - no boots, no footcloths, no overcoats.

Have you heard that a new piece has been introduced in chess? It's called "ensign". He walks as he wants, when he wants, but you can't cut him.

Ensigns and midshipmen - our secret weapon, the antipode of the neutron bomb. If, after the use of this terrible bomb, people disappear, but material values ​​remain, then after the action of ensigns, material values ​​disappear, but people remain.

Alexander Stepanov

Ensign

The rank of ensign in the Russian army

Chin ensign in the Russian army was introduced in 1630 as the primary chief officer rank for regiments of a foreign system, and then was enshrined in the Charter of 1647. By rank ensign was above a corporal and below. Since 1680, by decree of the then Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, the rank ensign was extended to all regiments, including the archers, where before that there was no equal rank. By status ensign got higher and lower. In 1722, with the introduction of the Table of Ranks, Peter I tried to replace the title ensign the title of Fendrik, but it did not take root. Rank ensign disappeared only in the artillery and pioneer troops, where the rank of bayonet-junker was introduced, which was listed one class higher. Ensigns all other branches of the military belonged to the XIV class of the Table, ensigns guards - to the XII class, were titled "your honor." Before 1845 rank ensign gave hereditary nobility, then until 1856 - only personal, and from 1884 - only hereditary honorary citizenship. In the cavalry in 1731 the rank ensign was replaced by the rank of cornet, but reinstated again in 1765 and finally abolished in 1798. In the life campaign that existed in 1741-1762 ensign belonged to the VI class of the Table, in status he was higher than a sergeant and lower than an adjutant. In other troops ensign in status he was higher than a sergeant major (wahmister in the cavalry) and lower Second Lieutenant . In 1765, in the artillery, the bayonet-junkers were re-certified in ensigns from artillery, in 1798 this title was abolished, in 1811 the title ensign returned for artillery and pioneer troops, and assigned to the XIV class of the Table, although previously all other chief officer ranks special troops listed one class higher. With the formation in 1813 of the "young guard" ensigns they were assigned to the XIII class of the Table. In the company palace grenadiers, formed in 1827, ensigns belonged to the XI class of the Report Card and were higher in status than sergeants and lower second lieutenants , as in the whole guard. In the army units since 1826 ensigns were higher in status ensigns(conductors in artillery) and below second lieutenants.

Insignia ensign from January 1, 1827, one star served on the chief officer's epaulette, and from April 28, 1854, a warrant officer appeared. The epaulette was with one clearance, and the rank ensign indicated by a single asterisk in this lumen.

After the reform of 1884, the rank ensign becomes an optional wartime rank for the army and guards, where it is restored in = about all parts, except for the company of palace grenadiers. To rank ensign required to have at least a four-year education.

Since 1886 all ensigns at the end of hostilities should have either been carried out in second lieutenants or midshipmen, or retire to the reserve. Mass production in ensigns took place with the outbreak of the First World War to cover the loss of senior officers in the front-line units, and they were trained in special schools (schools ensigns), and produced in an accelerated manner from volunteers and non-commissioned officers, the latter for production it was enough to have two military awards and four classes of the parochial school.

Since 1907, and due to the introduction of the rank, by status ensigns become higher mediocrity ensigns and below second lieutenants.

Usually ensigns were appointed platoon commanders and to positions equal to them. Ensign, awarded for military distinction with an order or award weapons, was subject to production in second lieutenants (ensign for the Admiralty of the ship's staff - to midshipmen), but during the First World War this rule was occasionally violated, as a rule - in relation to ensigns, who had risen from non-commissioned officers and did not have any

education (even primary at the level of a two-year school or a parochial school).

In the white armies since 1919 the rank ensign was canceled Ensigns were subject to recertification as cornets and second lieutenants, but newly recruited volunteers- ensigns remained in this position for some time.

In the Red Army, the rank of ensign corresponded to the rank of junior lieutenant, introduced in 1937 on August 5, 1937 in addition to the decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of September 22, 1935 on the introduction of military ranks.

In 1917-1972 in Krasnaya, then Soviet army until 1972, the title, called ensign, did not exist. It was introduced on January 1, 1972. At the same time, the rank was equated to him, which before that corresponded to the land foreman and had the corresponding epaulette. The former midshipman began to be called the chief ship foreman. According to their official position, duties and rights ensigns they occupied a place close to junior officers, being their closest assistants and commanders for soldiers (sailors) and sergeants (foremen) of one unit with them. By status ensign During this period he was higher than a foreman and lower than a junior lieutenant. If compared with pre-revolutionary ranks, then the Soviet ensign was equal to the pre-revolutionary ensign(Cm.:). Since 1981, a higher rank has been introduced Senior Warrant Officer , corresponding to the pre-revolutionary . Military rank ensign was assigned, as a rule, at the end of ensign schools.
Since the beginning of 2009, the phased elimination of the staff category has begun. ensigns and in the armed forces of the Russian Federation. It was assumed that ensigns and replaced by professional contract sergeants. At that time, 140 thousand were serving in the army and navy. ensigns and. By the end of 2009, all of them were transferred to other positions, reduced or transferred to the reserve. However, at the end of February 2013, news appeared that the Russian Ministry of Defense was going to return to their positions in the Russian army about 55 thousand ensigns and.

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