38th Guards Separate Mobile Brigade Brest. For the Airborne Forces: revelations of the Brest paratrooper

8.30 on a sunny, slightly frosty morning on February 20th. We are going to the Brestsky training ground, where units of the 38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Assault Brigade are firing.

If for paratroopers this is just another date in the calendar of the combat training plan, then for ZARYA.BY correspondents the event is extraordinary.

The range occupies an impressive area and includes a number of shooting ranges, tactical training fields and areas. A few kilometers outside the city, we turn off the highway and through a cordon post on a road glittering with ice crumbs we approach military shooting range No. 2 - the place where the 381st Guards Air Assault Battalion conducts shooting at the time of briefing and setting tasks.

The paratroopers standing in formation reacted very restrainedly to our appearance and, as it seemed to us at first glance, were completely indifferent to what was happening around.

But as soon as the howl of a siren, signaling the start of shooting, broke the silence, everything at the training ground began to move. The battalion box disintegrated before our eyes, the companies moved to firing positions, and the engines of combat vehicles roared.

The commander of the guard battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Zanin, approached us and began commenting on the actions of his subordinates:

– The battalion conducts scheduled fire training exercises with live firing from standard weapons and BTR-80 weapons. During classes we perform training and control shooting exercises.

During our conversation, the deputy commander of the guard brigade, Colonel Yuri Burnashev, arrives at the control point. He introduces us in more detail to what is happening at the test site and is reassuring:

“Today, both day and night training is being conducted with personnel of a mixed artillery battalion, an air assault battalion, a reconnaissance airborne company, other combat and logistics support units, and participants in the military medical all-around competition “Military Medical Relay Race.” There will be something for you to see...

Paratrooper equipment can weigh up to 30 kg

Having checked the organization of classes at training sites and examined the gunners of the BTR-80, Colonel Burnashev gave the order to the guard:

– Now we’re going to the artillerymen!

Having prudently left the editorial car in the parking lot at the control point, we change into a universally passable UAZ and through snow-dusted sand dunes, juniper thickets, all kinds of potholes and holes we rush to the opposite edge of the training ground.

On the tactical training field, intended for firing of a mixed artillery battalion, everything is orderly and measured, every fighter and commander is at work. Onboard MAZs, communications equipment, and an ammunition supply point are camouflaged in a lowland overgrown with bushes. Pairs of ATGM operators, at the command of the commander, calmly and without fuss replacing each other, take up positions on a small mound. Their targets are targets simulating tanks.

The commander of the guard's anti-tank guided missile battery, Captain Dmitry Rakhuba, gives target designation:

- Landmark one! Ten to the left! Higher five! Tank in the trench!

- I see the target! – the fighter reports.

- Destroy!

Flash! Shot! Wriggling in a spiral, the rocket flies towards the target, dragging a thin copper thread behind it. Spectacular, though!

“There is a hit,” the commander of the mixed artillery division of the guard, Lieutenant Colonel Vadim Rud, states, lowering the binoculars, with a note of satisfaction in his voice.

We descend from the mound to the mortar crews stationed nearby. Having completed the training standards, the soldiers prepare for their first combat shooting.

“Remove the safety cap of the fuse calmly, carefully... This is not a champagne cork, there is no need to rush here,” the commander of the guard mortar battery, Captain Maxim Vasiliev, instructs the soldier. BM-37 mortars of Guard Senior Sergeant Vladislav Baychikov and Guard Sergeant Major Denis Kelma are already in firing positions. Finally permission to shoot was received. The commanders' commands are heard, the pops of shots are heard, the roar of explosions is heard, and the crust crunches under the brand new boots of the ammunition carriers.

Preparing an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) for firing

From the artillerymen we go to the black square of the demolition field, which stands out among the general whiteness and is riddled with craters. Here the paratroopers take an engineering training class. After watching how the guards calculate explosive charges, make incendiary pipes and tear to shreds all kinds of structures made of wood, brick and steel, we move to military shooting range No. 1.

And there is not a single empty plot here! Scouts perform training and control shooting exercises from all types of their small arms and RPG-7, in the shooting range the competition participants hone their skills, one group of paratroopers fires from a Makarov pistol, another throws training and simulation grenades, the third throws combat grenades. We move from site to site, trying not to interfere with the well-established process, we do our journalistic work and do not notice how quickly time flies.

The village of Medvezhye Ozera is not only a good option for recreational and active recreation in the Moscow region, and also the location of the 38th separate guards regiment communications of the Russian airborne forces, or military unit 54164. Currently it consists of a control battalion and several communications battalions. Among the tasks that military unit 54164 is currently performing are establishing communications in military field conditions, during exercises, landing aircraft with groups of paratroopers, and establishing navigation for aircraft.

You can look at other parts of Moscow and the region in our list

Story

38th separate regiment Airborne Forces communications began to form back in August 1947 in Polotsk (Belarusian SSR). True, at that time it consisted of a communications unit of the Neman Airborne Corps (8th Guards airborne regiment) and the 13th Guards Separate Signal Company (103rd Guards Airborne Division). In September 1947, the two units became known as the 191st Separate Signal Battalion and became part of the 8th Guards Airborne Corps.
In June 1956, the unit was reorganized into the 691st Airborne Communications Battalion, and already in December 1972 several companies of the 879th Communications Center joined it. The new formation was named the 196th Airborne Signal Regiment.
In December 1992, the 196th Regiment became the 171st separate brigade Airborne Forces communications. Five years later, in 1997, the brigade was reorganized - it became the 38th separate airborne communications regiment.

The regiment's soldiers were part of the peacekeeping forces during the resolution of armed conflicts in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and also participated in the fight against criminal groups in Chechnya. Today, military unit 54164 employees are leaders in international exercises and help organize the work of teenage military clubs in Moscow. For example, since 1996, the officers of the signalmen regiment have been working with the Poisk, Paratrooper and Courage clubs.

Eyewitness impressions

Most of those whose place of service was military unit 54164, note that the material and living conditions are generally good. Soldiers live in barracks, and some contract employees rent housing in the village of Medvezhy or Balashikha. Civilians work in the canteen, as well as in the first-aid post. The barracks have showers, a rest room and classrooms.
All infrastructure is concentrated in the village of Medvezhye Ozera. These include shops, a House of Culture, a cafe, and even a sanatorium.
A sufficient amount of time is devoted to the physical training of paratroopers. Shooting, parachuting and marksmanship classes are conducted, but most of the time is devoted to training signalmen. Employees of military unit 54164 learn to recognize and send messages in both Morse code and modern systems communication or navigation. Field exercises are also conducted.

The oath, that is, its official part, begins at 10 a.m., people are allowed into the unit from 9.40. It is noteworthy that at the checkpoint they simply open the gates and do not limit the number of people present. You just need to find the oath table and the platoon of fighters in the lists on the checkpoint wall. During the oath-taking ceremony, the soldier’s parents are allowed video and photography. After this event, employees are allowed leave until 21.00 on Sunday - relatives write applications addressed to the commander of military unit 54164 and leave their passport as collateral. The rest of the time, leave is allowed once every two weeks, but soldiers can be visited at the checkpoint on Sundays from 15.00 to 19.00, except for those days when they are on training exercises.
Calls to relatives are allowed only on Sundays, from 19.00 to 21.00. Telephones with Internet support, photo and video messaging are prohibited. All domestic telecom operators operate in Bear Lakes with tariffs for Moscow and the Moscow region.
Employees receive cash grants once a month. After taking the oath, they are given Sberbank of Russia cards. Parents can make transfers to the same card. There is only one Sberbank ATM in Bear Lakes. It is located at st. Yubileinaya, 13 and is open 24 hours a day.

Instructions for mom

Parcels and letters:

Unit address: 141143, Moscow region, Shchelkovsky district, Medvezhye Ozera village, military unit 54164, full name of the soldier, his platoon (check the number or letter with the soldier).
Parcels can be sent to the post office address: 141143, Moscow region, Shchelkovsky district, Medvezhye Ozera village, st. Yubileinaya, 8. The department is open from 8.00 to 20.00, except Sundays. Break from 13.00 to 14.00.

Letters are delivered to the unit, and parcels are collected once a week by the company duty officer. Among the transfers, medications are prohibited, but the following are allowed:

• Sweets and fruits;
• Gloves and warm hat;
• Shoe polish (black) and collar guards;
• Felt shoe insoles;
• Personal hygiene items;
• Stationery.

Contact phone numbers:

Military unit headquarters telephone number 54164: 8 (496-56) 9-31-82;
Phone number of the company duty officer: 8-496-671-64-58
Post office phone number: 8 (496-56) 9-32-49
Medvezhye-Ozersk outpatient clinic: 8 (496-56) 9-32-84 (hospital); 8 (496-56) 9-32-57 (reception).

Your visit

There are several ways to get to Bear Lakes:

1. From Shchelkovskaya metro station in Moscow: by buses 349, 360, 321 and minibus 506.
2. From Monino metro station: by bus 362;
3. From Chkalovskaya metro station: by bus 378k, 320, 321, 360, 371, 380, 429.
4. From the New Town stop you can take a taxi or hitch a ride.
5. By car from Balashikha, go to Shchelkovskoye Highway, and then turn towards Shchelkovo. After the New Town, turn left and follow the road sign.

Where to stay

Since Bear Lakes is a recreational and sanatorium village, there is a sufficient choice of housing there. Cottage houses, hotels, private sector It is worth booking in advance and do not forget that the price of accommodation depends on the time of year.

38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Air Assault Brigade (38th Guards odshbr) - military unit of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR, since 1995 - the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. Code name - Military unit 92616 .

It was formed by personnel in December 1979 on the basis of the Division Directorate of the 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division, based in Fergana.

The first commander of the 38th brigade - Guard Colonel Georgy Valentinovich Lomovtsev, a native of the Terek Cossacks, graduate Suvorov School 1943, throughout all years of service he occupied advanced positions. Having become a company commander, he made the best company, a battalion commander - the best battalion, and a regiment commander - the best regiment in the Airborne Forces. It is not surprising that when the army leadership at the end of the 70s decided to disband the 105th Airborne Division, stationed in Fergana, and on its basis to create three air assault brigades, Georgy Lomovtsev, who then served as deputy division commander, was instructed to form one of the three - the 38th brigade, which was supposed to be located in Brest.

The brigade began to form literally from one officer. At the end of October, the parachute battalion of the Baku regiment arrived under the command of the brigade commander: officers, warrant officers and old-timers - about three hundred people. At first there was tension with the officer cadres. The new formation was often transferred from other units - mainly tankers from the district, since specialists were needed for the airborne combat vehicles that were in service with the brigade. In a number of cases, the “tank” contingent, to put it mildly, has not proven itself in its units with the best side. Subsequently, however, such personnel were eliminated. With the arrival of young recruits, after November 7, the brigade turned into a full-fledged combat formation! “Back then there were strict selection criteria for the Airborne Forces,” recalls Colonel Lomovtsev. - The recruit had to be well developed physically, not less than 1.75 in height, not less than 65 kilograms in weight. An exception was made for those who, in civilian life, jumped into DOSAAF. They were taken without restrictions.

The oath of office was scheduled for January 5, 1980. The brigade commander invited the commander of the Belarusian Military District to the celebration. He agreed and arrived. During the ceremonial passage in front of the podium on the parade ground, he asked: “Where are your young people?” When Colonel Lomovtsev stopped the company with young reinforcements, the commander did not believe it: it seemed that the new call simply could not move so clearly. And yet, it was a fact. During the month of the young fighter's course, the young paratroopers were trained so that in general formation they were no different from the old soldiers.

The commander ordered the passage to be repeated the next day, and to this spectacle he invited the commanders of individual units, commanders of divisions and armies, giving them a scolding with the order: learn drill from the Brest paratroopers!

On the warpath Combat training in the brigade began on the first of December - in fact, a month after the beginning of its formation. A training schedule was drawn up and officers, warrant officers, soldiers and sergeants spent whole days in the fields. Shooting, night shooting, shooting from helicopters at targets, driving combat vehicles, capturing and destroying objects and so on. What was the cost of one “strip”, invented in those days by the brigade command? The unit set out on a route over 20 kilometers long, from the training ground to Lake Mednoe, at 8 a.m. and returned around 12 at night. The strip was divided into several stages. On the first, physical training was practiced, on the second, the capture of firing positions and self-propelled guns the enemy, on the third it was necessary to destroy command post, on the fourth - an enemy missile. In a word, everything that would have to be done during real combat operations. Along the way, the paratroopers made their way through rubble, swamps, dense thickets, and destroyed numerous ambushes. The experience gained in difficult training was soon put into practice by the brigade officers: in the 80s, many of them were sent to Afghanistan. In March 1987, the 38th Guards arrived in Afghanistan from Brest. air assault brigade under the pretext of participating in major exercises. After its arrival, the 38th Brigade, along with elements of the 56th Air Assault Brigade, took part in Operation Thunderstorm in Ghazni province. Paratroopers from Brest stayed in Afghanistan no more than three months, after which they left for the PPD, having completed several combat missions during their stay in the DRA. On May 21, 1987, in the province of Kandahar, two battalions of the 38th Airborne Brigade conducted Operation South-87

From a helicopter without a parachute, an air assault brigade from airborne brigade distinguished itself by combat missions. If an ordinary landing party had to be thrown far behind enemy lines, then the air assault unit could operate both deep in the rear and behind the rear of the first echelon troops. Thus, the Brest paratroopers had to make jumps both from an airplane and from a helicopter. According to the standards of those years, during two years of service a soldier accumulated 20-22 jumps (quite decent), a junior officer had to step into the sky six times, a senior officer four , with one jump being training, the second at night, the third with weapons, the fourth during an exercise. In reality, of course, they jumped more than they should have. And in those years, the command decided to add a new one to the usual methods of landing: jumping from a helicopter without parachutes - at low altitude and at low speed. For the first time in the Union, they decided to try it out in the 38th Brigade. They worked, as they say, from the first take without preparation. In front of the then Chief of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces, Nikolai Ogarkov, the company parachuted in a minute and 10 seconds. There were some injuries: one officer broke his leg. But overall the experiment was considered successful.

Karate from Margelov

In those years, the brigade did not spend days open doors, as now, did not perform in front of the public breaking glass bottles on her head and crushing bricks with her palms. However, in Everyday life attention was paid to all this. Moreover, by order of the Airborne Forces commander Vasily Margelov, every five minutes during any training, soldiers were required to hit tables or the floor with their hands in order to “stuff” the ribs of their palms and fingers. In general, Margelov very intensively introduced karate into the troops. In the brigade, for example, in each company the medical instructor was also a karate instructor, and a lot of time was also devoted to martial arts. How plasterers became trumpeters

According to the staff, the brigade had to have an orchestra,” says Georgy Lomovtsev. - Senior Lieutenant Alexander Nosov was appointed to lead it. It was supposed to be located in the officers' house, where it was necessary to carry out repairs. I provided him with soldiers: painters and plasterers, they put the premises in order, but one more problem remained. The orchestra did not have musicians playing wind instruments. There was nowhere to take them anyway, so I said: “Take those soldiers with whom you made repairs, and now make an orchestra with them.” Alexander patiently began to teach the soldiers music and... Already in the first year of service, the orchestra took first place in the Belarusian Military District! And a year later, a musical ensemble appeared in the brigade, which was called “Blue Berets”. Long before the birth of the famous "Afghan" VIA!

In 1981, for the professionalism and combat skills demonstrated during the Zapad-81 exercise, the 38th Airborne Battalion was awarded the pennant “For Courage and Military Valor.”

On August 2, 2016, the 38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Mobile Brigade (38th Guards OMobBr) returned its historical name 38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Assault Brigade (38Gv.ODShBr).

Today is the 38th Guards. The Special Airborne Brigade occupies a worthy place in the Armed Forces of our country. The paratroopers demonstrated their high combat training and military professionalism during large-scale exercises of the Armed Forces. Brest paratroopers take part in all parades taking place in the city of Minsk. The winged guard of the city above the Bug reliably stands guard over the Motherland, continuing the glorious combat traditions of the airborne troops.

The "Red Barracks" have survived to this day. 38th Guards Oshbr and a number of other buildings on the territory of the unit.

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An excerpt characterizing the 38th Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade

Pierre sat opposite Dolokhov and Nikolai Rostov. He ate a lot and greedily and drank a lot, as always. But those who knew him briefly saw that some kind of big change. He was silent the entire time of dinner and, squinting and wincing, looked around him or, stopping his eyes, with an air of complete absent-mindedness, rubbed the bridge of his nose with his finger. His face was sad and gloomy. He seemed to not see or hear anything happening around him, and was thinking about something alone, heavy and unresolved.

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Goodbye, citizen

After finishing my studies at the university, I received a summons - a classic case. The bureaucratic machine started up: I had to go to the military registration and enlistment office and undergo a medical examination. I turned out to be the happy owner of the first health group, which “leads” only to elite troops. By that time, I already had an idea about the army and its order, so I was not particularly eager to trample the parade ground. My father offered to excuse me - and this was indeed a 100% option, but I did not even consider this offer. If I had accepted it, I would have found myself in a kind of family “slavery” for the rest of my life. The military registration and enlistment office made concessions and allowed me to stay in my hometown. Thus I ended up in the 38th brigade.

Acclimatization occurs differently for everyone. Its success depends on many conditions - psychological state, masculinity, physical capabilities. The process is reminiscent of drug withdrawal, only in the army they break it purposefully. I probably won’t be sinning too much against the truth if I say that the most difficult thing at first is adapting to the regime. 80% of the time in the army you "shit" like crazy. The remaining 20% ​​is reserved for sleep. The ratio is not very rosy, of course. True, after some time you begin to “fumble around” the chip, learn to “get lost” - you don’t work, but you do it so as not to catch the eye of the jackals (that’s what the paratroopers call officers).

Bones, hands, head

During the first period of service, recruits proudly bear the title of “elephant” - the origin of this term is explained by the hose of the ubiquitous gas mask, reminiscent of a trunk. The elephant has practically no rights, but he has the duty to raking away from his grandfathers, and it is advisable to do this unquestioningly. Let me give you an example: suppose relatives brought the elephant “warm-up” (transfer from “freedom”). But you won’t be able to sharpen the gifts alone - the right of first acquaintance belongs to the grandfathers. If the demobilizers consider you a normal guy (in their understanding, this means submission without unnecessary questions), they will not rob you much - they will treat you a little and assign you a meal schedule (yes, this aspect is also “regulated”). But if suddenly the elephant has a bad account, there is a risk of saying goodbye to all its contents.

But this is not the worst thing. It’s worse when you press “heat” and “rat”. That's when the real “sanctions” begin. A guilty elephant may be forced to “shake in the dryer” after lights out. There is an expression - “bones, hands, head are your best friends,” which means standing idle on these parts of the body for some time, usually about 40 minutes. If demobilizers notice that the elephant is starting to fall asleep, there is a chance of running into a water-filled plug , which is placed on the back of the head. If you spill it, the time passed is lost and the whole procedure begins again.

Completely insane individuals who spoil all the raspberries are “taught” in a different way - they are beaten with towels with bars of soap hidden in them. It hurts a lot, but no marks remain. I remember there was such a case, after which the victim was taken to the medical unit. He explained his condition by the stairs being polished to a shine, on which he slipped and “collected” all the steps.

It is categorically not accepted to knock in the army, although there are always those who are not embarrassed by this - usually these are guys who are having a hard time morally, and through ratting they are trying to arrange their destiny. It seems to me that this is such a defensive reaction. Such people are punished with “deviling.” Each unit has a “loader” - a soldier who has settled on bed number 13. The loader’s task is to transform undesirable individuals into traits. This happens in different ways: they can dip a slipper into a reactor (toilet) and heat a rat with it, for example.

After six months, demobilization services transfer decent elephants to hedgehogs. And here, too, there is no need for an initiation ritual - the grandfather takes a stool, the elephant lies down on the same one with its belly or simply crawls between the demobilizer’s legs, and he hits him in the ass. As a rule, 9 times, because there are six symbols “For the Airborne Forces” (the space also counts) and three dots (some people stamp them on their wrists), symbolizing the first jump, the first forced march and the memory of fallen colleagues. The task of hedgehogs is to make life easier for grandfathers. If the elephant assigned to you messes up, you will be responsible for it. In principle, hedgehogs are the same demobilized soldiers with all the characteristic powers, but still forced to serve their grandfathers.

The modest charm of the landing force

You can talk about hazing for a long time and colorfully, but not a single paratrooper will argue with the fact that it exists and is not going to go away yet. It manifests itself primarily in barracks entertainment and shifting work to a younger person. Much, of course, depends on demobilization; there are also relatively fair guys. The officers are aware of this state of affairs and support it in principle, albeit tacitly. Hazing helps maintain discipline in the unit without the direct participation of senior staff.

There is such a thing - airborne brotherhood. This is when “one for all and all for one”: if someone from your unit is caught by a stranger, their interests are defended by everyone en masse. Such conflicts occur constantly, sometimes even for no apparent reason - a banal “phallometry” of who is cooler than whom. Such “cuts” usually occur during field trips. The fewer tasks, the more free time, and, consequently, crazy things start to happen. I personally participated in such a fight with border guards - probably the main enemies of the paratroopers. The territory is huge, the jackals cannot keep track of everything. Other pleasures of the flesh also take place in the field - there is always the option of finding a girl who is ready to please a soldier for money.

The unbearable lightness of army life

At 6 am – rise. And for good reason: at this time of day you want to kill, and nothing else. Within five minutes, dressed and lined up soldiers should be standing on the parade ground, where the first of many daily calculations and exercises takes place. Then – 20 minutes for making the bed and hygiene needs. Breakfast, inside information and activities until lunch. What are they? Applied practical exercises ( drill, shooting, tactical training, stowage, overcoming obstacles), general political information on the subject “what is going on in the world?”

There is another option, my “favorite” - ideological lectures. This is when you sit at your desk and write notes, and then any officer has the right to ask you any question about the program. It doesn't matter whether you were present in class. Once a colleague was asked the length of the wheelbase of a MAZ - he could not answer, of course.

Lunch at one o'clock in the afternoon, after - some free time. Then the classes continue, but purely theoretically, a very complex job can emerge - painting the curbs, whitewashing the trees. The most important thing is not to overdo it, otherwise next time they will give you more volume. The principle is simple: two brush strokes and a smoke break. And so on until the end.

Dinner, after it – personal time. You can sit in the family room: there is a TV, a DVD player and board games, which are not particularly popular. There is also a library, but I don’t want to read it. Someone learns the rules, someone puts the form in order. In short, there is something to do. But you can’t lie on the bed - if they notice demobilization, they can “invite” you to scrape the reactor with a blade.

At 9 pm - obligatory viewing of the Panorama program. They tell us how good it is in our country, so that they don’t forget who we are protecting. Evening walk is the crowning number of this program of the militaristic theater of the absurd: soldiers walk in formation and shout patriotic songs so that the whole South is crying.

Lights out at 10 o'clock - and so on every day.

Since the civilian canteen appeared in the 38th, questions about food have disappeared by themselves - the food is really great, the menu is similar to the canteen of the city executive committee. Conventional breakfast - cereal or pasta, chicken, egg and a piece of butter. Conventional lunch - soup, side dish and a huge cutlet. Conventional dinner - obligatory fish of various types (if you run out - a piece of boiled sausage), a side dish. Periodically, soldiers are given fruit - for example, I was incredibly surprised when I received a peach. But usually it's apples or bananas.

They run around in “scooters” (AWOLs) all the time. Demobilization may be asked to “chop up a birth” - to bring something from a civilian. There is no alternative - you have to violate the regulations and hope that you don’t meet an officer or contract soldier along the way. The military commandant’s office can also burn it down. In this case, there is only one way - to Rokossovsky, where the person who has been fined will sleep at attention and eat in 40 seconds twice a day. But in principle, leaving a unit is not a problem, especially if there is a “stash” of civilian clothes.

Understand and forget

The Belarusian army is politicized to the maximum: imagine the level of politicization in North Korea and soften it by half. On Friday there are compulsory classes on ideology. The soldiers are told that the Belarusian state was, is, and will be - and that’s good. Forced instillation of a sense of patriotism. That is, it is clear that there is a homeland - here is a home, here is a family, and all this needs to be protected. But in the army, all these constructions are elevated to an absurd absolute, while the other truth is not recognized. But in fact, no one cares, even the officers. Many people don’t even believe what they say. Double standards at their finest.

But not everything is so hopeless in principle: in the 38th there was a pacifist comrade who did not want to take the oath. Such an ideological anti-militarist. He was sent to a psychiatric hospital for examination - apparently, the officers considered his integrity to be a symptom of psychopathological deviation. As a result, he was transferred to alternative view services.

This experience cannot be definitely called negative; there were also positive moments. The army really teaches discipline, which is great. But the “path” itself is hell.

38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Air Assault Brigade (38th Guards Oshbr) - military unit of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of the USSR, since 1995 - Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus. Code name - Military unit 92616 .

Location: village "Southern Town", city of Brest, Republic of Belarus.

Story

The directive on the creation of the 38th Guards Specialized Aviation Brigade was issued on November 10, 1979.

It was formed by personnel in December 1979 on the basis of the Division Directorate of the 105th Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Division, based in Fergana.

The first commander of the 38th brigade - Guard Colonel Georgy Valentinovich Lomovtsev, a native of the Terek Cossacks, a graduate of the Suvorov Military School in 1943, occupied advanced positions throughout his years of service. Having become a company commander, he made the best company, a battalion commander - the best battalion, and a regiment commander - the best regiment in the Airborne Forces. It is not surprising that when the army leadership at the end of the 70s decided to disband the 105th Airborne Division, stationed in Fergana, and on its basis create three air assault brigades (35th, 38th and 56th) . Georgy Lomovtsev, who was then serving as deputy commander of the division, was assigned to form one of the three - the 38th brigade, which was to be located in Brest.

The brigade began to form literally from one officer. At the end of October, the parachute battalion of the Baku regiment arrived under the command of the brigade commander: officers, warrant officers and old-timers - about three hundred people. At first there was tension with the officer cadres. The new formation was often transferred from other units - mainly tankers from the district, since specialists were needed for the airborne combat vehicles that were in service with the brigade. In a number of cases, the “tank” contingent, to put it mildly, has not proven itself to be the best in its units. Subsequently, however, such personnel were eliminated. With the arrival of young recruits, after November 7, the brigade turned into a full-fledged combat formation! Then there were strict selection criteria for the Airborne Forces. The recruit had to be well developed physically, not less than 1.75 in height, not less than 65 kilograms in weight. An exception was made for those who, in civilian life, jumped into DOSAAF. They were taken without restrictions. The oath of office was scheduled for January 5, 1980. The brigade commander invited the commander of the Belarusian Military District to the celebration. He agreed and arrived. During the ceremonial passage in front of the podium on the parade ground, he asked: “Where are your young people?” When Colonel Lomovtsev stopped the company with young reinforcements, the commander did not believe it: it seemed that the new call simply could not move so clearly. And yet, it was a fact. During the month of the young fighter's course, the young paratroopers were trained in such a way that in general formation they were no different from the old-timers. The commander ordered the passage to be repeated the next day, and to this spectacle he invited the commanders of individual units, commanders of divisions and armies, giving them a scolding with the order: learn drill from the Brest paratroopers!

On the warpath Combat training in the brigade began on December 1 - in fact, a month after the beginning of its formation. A training schedule was drawn up and officers, warrant officers, soldiers and sergeants spent whole days in the fields. Shooting, night shooting, shooting from helicopters at targets, driving combat vehicles, capturing and destroying objects, and so on. What was the cost of one “strip”, invented in those days by the brigade command? The unit set out on a route over 20 kilometers long, from the training ground to Lake Mednoe, at 8 a.m. and returned around 12 at night. The strip was divided into several stages. On the first, physical training was practiced, on the second, the capture of enemy firing positions and self-propelled guns, on the third, it was necessary to destroy the command post, and on the fourth, an enemy missile. In a word, everything that would have to be done during real combat operations. Along the way, the paratroopers made their way through rubble, swamps, dense thickets, and destroyed numerous ambushes. The experience gained in difficult training was soon put into practice by the brigade officers: in the 80s, many of them were sent to Afghanistan.

In March 1987, the 38th Guards arrived in Afghanistan from Brest. air assault brigade under the pretext of participating in major exercises. After its arrival, the 38th Brigade, along with elements of the 56th Air Assault Brigade, took part in Operation Thunderstorm in Ghazni province. The paratroopers from Brest stayed in Afghanistan for no more than three months, after which they left for the PPD, having completed several combat missions during their stay in the DRA. On May 21, 1987, in the province of Kandahar, two battalions of the 38th Airborne Brigade conducted Operation South-87

From a helicopter without a parachute.

The air assault brigade differed from the airborne brigade in its combat missions. If an ordinary landing party had to be thrown far behind enemy lines, then the air assault unit could operate both deep in the rear and behind the rear of the first echelon troops. Thus, the Brest paratroopers had to make jumps both from an airplane and from a helicopter. According to the norms of those years, during two years of service, a soldier accumulated 20-22 jumps (quite decent), a junior officer had to step into the sky six times, a senior officer four times, with one training jump, the second at night, the third with a weapon, the fourth during an exercise. . In reality, of course, they jumped more than they should have. And in those years, the command decided to add a new one to the usual methods of landing: jumping from a helicopter without parachutes - at low altitude and at low speed. For the first time in the Union, they decided to try it out in the 38th Brigade. They worked, as they say, from the first take without preparation. In front of the then Chief of the General Staff armed forces USSR Nikolai Ogarkov's company parachuted in a minute 10 seconds. There were some injuries: one officer broke his leg. But overall the experiment was considered successful.

Karate from Margelov

In those years, the brigade did not hold open days, as they do now, and did not perform in front of the public breaking glass bottles on their heads and crushing bricks with their palms. However, in everyday life attention was paid to all this. Moreover, by order of the Airborne Forces commander Vasily Margelov, every five minutes during any training, soldiers were required to hit tables or the floor with their hands in order to “stuff” the ribs of their palms and fingers. In general, Margelov very intensively introduced karate into the troops. In the brigade, for example, in each company the medical instructor was also a karate instructor, and a lot of time was also devoted to martial arts.

How plasterers became trumpeters

According to the staff, the brigade had to have an orchestra. Senior Lieutenant Alexander Nosov was appointed to lead it. It was supposed to be located in the officers' house, where it was necessary to carry out repairs. I assigned him soldiers: painters and plasterers, they put the premises in order, but one more problem remained. The orchestra did not have musicians playing wind instruments. There was nowhere to take them anyway, so I said: “Take those soldiers with whom you made repairs, and now make an orchestra with them.” Alexander patiently began to teach the soldiers music and... Already in the first year of service, the orchestra took first place in the Belarusian Military District! And a year later, a musical ensemble appeared in the brigade, which was called “Blue Berets”. Long before the birth of the famous "Afghan" VIA!

In 1981, for professionalism and combat training demonstrated during the West-81 exercises, 38th Guards Specialized Aviation Brigade was awarded the pennant "For courage and military valor."

August 2, 2016 38th Infantry Brigade returned to their historical name 38th Separate Guards Vienna Red Banner Airborne Assault Brigade (38th Guards ODShBr).

The "Red Barracks" have survived to this day. 38th Guards Oshbr and a number of other buildings on the territory of the unit.

"Black Eagle". The origins of tests for the right to wear a badge "Valor and Skill."

It was in the 38th Separate Guards Mobile Brigade a new tradition of Belarusian paratroopers was born - complex special test for the honorary title “Black Eagle”. To reward the winners, a badge was also established - a symbol as prestigious among army special forces as, for example, "maroon beret" in the special forces of the internal troops.

The TEST was preceded by a preliminary selection and a week-long training session with candidates. According to the condition, in groups of 3-4 people, the fighters had to continuously “conquer” a night, a day and another night in the Brest forests. At the same time, they had to cover about a hundred kilometers and solve several tactical problems. It all started with the landing. Further, in the conditions of active opposition from the “enemy”, it was necessary to reconnoiter an object over an area of ​​9 square kilometers and report its coordinates by radio, “destroy” the bridge across the river, meet with the liaison officer and receive instructions from him further actions, overcome the pursuit and ambushes of the “enemy”, raid the “ammunition depot”. Then - perform shooting exercises with ten types of weapons. This was followed by a 6-kilometer forced march and a scout’s path, which was a continuous chain of obstacles: several tens of meters of solid blockage made of snags and fragments of reinforced concrete structures, a two-meter ditch with crumbling sandy banks, a fiery “font”, a forest blockage, a reinforced concrete pipe laid under section of road, running in armored vehicles, swampy area with windows open water and holes at the bottom, a 3-meter brick wall, a pile of metal pipes, a “mousetrap” (barbed wire and a thin “tangle” are strung at a half-meter height). All this was accompanied by the roar of explosives flying out of the bushes, gunfire and smoke. And it is necessary to respond to shelling with fire!

At the end of the tests, candidates were expected hand-to-hand combat. Dealer on " black eagle“had to carry out three three-minute fights with three opponents without a break, moving from square to square. Blows, throws, wrestling on the ground, and painful holds were allowed. Passive combat was punished. Position for the honorary title " Black eagle"was discussed at the general meeting of the unit and approved by the commander of the guard brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Valery Sakhashchik in 1999. Excerpts from the document: “Honorary title” Black Eagle» symbolizes highest degree military valor and professional skill of airborne troops, their full readiness to carry out a combat mission in any situation. The badge is an image of an eagle with outstretched wings, clutching a black tulip flower in its talons. The eagle heads the number 38. The image of the eagle symbolizes constant readiness to immediate and decisive action. The image of a black tulip flower symbolizes fidelity to traditions and eternal memory to military personnel who, at the cost of their lives, glorified the airborne troops. The number 38 is evidence that the Council of Black Eagles was established on the basis 38th Guards Omobr. Honorary title " Black Eagle» awarded to military personnel who have achieved high results in combat training, have impeccable military discipline, have successfully completed candidate experience and passed special tests, as well as who have shown special courage and heroism during combat training, combat and special tasks" Officers and warrant officers were awarded the badge " Black Eagle» in silver, and sergeants and conscripts - a symbol in bronze. Each sign (220 copies were produced at one of the Minsk enterprises) had a serial number. From 1999 to 2002, seven assignment tests were carried out honorary title and badge " Black Eagle”, in which more than 500 people took part. For the relatively short but vibrant history of the movement " black eagles» 145 military personnel were awarded prestigious symbols, including several representatives of the internal troops.