STAVKA Lesson 3

A soldier executes drill via commands given by a Non-Commissioned Officer or Officer. These commands are generally given in two parts; The Preparatory Command and the Command of Execution.

The Preparatory Command is a word or series of words that prepare you for the execution of the drill. It may contain to whom the command is addressed, specifics of the command, or when to execute the command.

The Command of Execution is a word that begins the drill movement.

For example, the command for a soldier to assume the position of attention is:

(ANGLO-CYRILLIC)

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

<<Boyesh-SMEERNO>> <<Serviceman- ATTENTION>>

The Preparatory Command is Boyesh, which tells the soldier he is receiving a command, and SMEERNO, the Command of Execution which tells the soldier to come to attention.

{Throughout the rest of this lesson the format above will be used to explain and translate drill commands. The 'anglo-cyrillic' phonetic spellings are taken from Harper Collins Russian Concise Dictionary, 2000 version. In all cases the capitalized word is stressed. The English translations are not literal, but are transcribed as best as can be to the approximate US Army equivalent commands. All Editor's notes during these lessons will be in red.}

Note picture #1 at left: The soldier stands straight, shoulders back, stomach in. Arms hang naturally down at the sides of the body, hands cupped with the first joint of the index finger touching the ends of the thumb. The thumb lays along the seam of the sharivari.

The head is facing forward with the eyes looking directly ahead. The cap is centered on the head approximately 10mm above the eyes.

The feet are together at the heels and apart at the toes, in an approximate 45 degree angle.

When you are at attention you do not talk or move. Standing at attention is not a physical endurance test, Tavarish Soldat. Do not tense your body to the point you pass out from lack of blood flow.

{Some thought was given as to how best to teach this drill using the manual in our possession. The best method may have been to scan all 150+ pages and do a side by side translation of them. However, given the huge drain on band-width and labor intensive translation process, it was decided to scan the illustrations alone and provide a descriptive lesson in the anglo-cyrillic/english. For this first lesson the entire page has been scanned so you can see how the manual is set up. Persons wishing a complete copy of the drill manual may contact Arkadii Rodinko. We are not selling them, but we are not giving them away either...}

{Russian speakers will see I have taken liberties with the exact translation so as to make it easier to understand. For example, a direct translation would read like this:

25. (no direct word translated) Command at ease take up position loosely to relax in knees left or right foot no to go off place and not to relax attentiveness}

You may be called to attention in two ways. The first command is <<STANOVEES>> <<FALL IN>>. This command is used to begin the drill, to call you from a work detail to a formation, or at the first formation of the morning.

For example, I call you to the first formation of the morning;

<<Boyesh Ivanovich-STANOVEES>> <<Serviceman Ivanovich- FALL IN>>

You quickly move to a position approximately six paces in front of me and assume the position of attention (See picture #1).

I give you the command:

<<Boyesh Ivanovich- VOL'NA>> <<Serviceman Ivanovich- AT EASE>>

You relax and remain in place.

To bring you back into the position of attention I may use the command:

<<Boyesh Ivanovich-SMEERNO>> <<Serviceman Ivanovich- ATTENTION>>

~~ or ~~

<<OPRAVEET'SYAH>> <<RECOVER>>

You quickly resume the position of being at attention (See picture #1 again).

See, comrades - its really rather simple, isn't it? Put your uniform on and practice in the mirror. When you are ready for the next part go to lesson 3.2, Facing Movements.

So, you got the uniform and the rifle, now you must learn to act like a soldier. For this lesson we will be using the 1944 version of the Infantry Handbook for the Red Army.

Let us talk about your hair for a moment. You can wear the uniform, carry the rifle and do the drill but that rat-tail hanging down your back is not going to cut it. Red Army recruits had their heads shaved. We won't ask you to do that, comrade. We will ask you to have a decent military hair cut. For our female comrades the rule is a bit different. Women wore their hair cropped short or shoulder length and longer. It could be pulled back in a pony-tail, braid, or pinned back against the head. Think practicality.

{By "decent military hair cut" I mean off your ears and the collar of your tunic. At most events personal appearance is a pretty sticky issue.}