A number of post-Soviet states:

• Troops of the National Guard of Russia (formerly Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia);
• internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus;
• the National Guard of the Republic of Kazakhstan (formerly the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan);
• internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, before their disbandment on March 12, 2014.

Maroon beret is awarded in the order of passing difficult qualifying tests and is the subject of exceptional pride.

Military personnel under contract and military personnel on conscription (who served in units special purpose not less than a year) and who have shown solid knowledge and skills in all subjects of combat training of this course (with an overall rating of not lower than “good”), positively characterized by service. In this course, the main subjects are special fire, special physical and tactical training of the troops of the National Guard of Russia (other states).

In Russia, apart from the military personnel of the National Guard Troops (Internal Troops), in different time employees were allowed to qualification tests special units police (militia) and the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia.

In the USSR and Russia

Story

• For the first time as a uniform headdress of the special forces of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, maroon beret was adopted in 1978 in the 9th Special Purpose Training Company (URSN) of the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Regiment of OMSDON (Dzerzhinsky Division). The maroon color of the beret corresponded to the color of the shoulder straps of the military personnel of the internal troops. The head of the combat training of the internal troops, Lieutenant General Alexander Sidorov, supported and approved this idea, and on his instructions, the first 25 berets made of fabric were ordered at one of the factories maroon color.

1979-1987

• Berets were worn during demonstration classes by a small group of military personnel, as well as officers and sergeants on public holidays.

In the American special forces, nothing was ever given for nothing, everything had to be earned. The right to wear the green beret was earned through grueling trials, through blood and sweat.

Miklós Szabo, Alpha Team

In an effort to continuously improve the process of training special forces, their professional growth, Sergei Lysyuk and Viktor Putilov compiled an exam program, the passing of which automatically nominated the special forces who passed it to the elite.

In the initial period, qualification tests had to be carried out illegally, under the guise of complex control classes. The wearing of a maroon beret by the elite did not find understanding among the command, which believed that all military personnel of special forces units should wear this insignia, regardless of their level of training.

• May 31 - the commander of the internal troops Anatoly Kulikov approved the Regulations "On qualification tests of military personnel for the right to wear a maroon beret." On the maroon beret, only special forces units of the internal troops pass the tests.

• August 22 - Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia No. 326 "On measures to comply with the rules for wearing the established form of clothing by employees of the internal affairs bodies and military personnel of the internal troops", according to which it was forbidden to wear maroon berets to employees of the internal affairs bodies and military personnel of the internal troops, except for special forces units of the internal troops .

• Various special forces units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs - OMON, SOBR (OMSN), departments of special forces GUIN (when they were still in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) - began to take exams for the maroon beret in their units. The conditions for their surrender in these units differed from those adopted in the special forces of the internal troops - the tests were carried out in accordance with the tasks assigned to this detachment.
• Some units of the police special forces began to issue a maroon beret as a regular uniform.
• In the line units of the internal troops, the commanders, having no reason to do so, began to issue a maroon beret to outsiders - mainly sponsors helping military units.
• A number of commanders are beginning to use the exam as a way to raise personal authority, a way to reward military personnel whom, for some reason, the commander considered it necessary to encourage. In addition, some commanders conducted tests with violations.

Officers and ensigns of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Russian Federation(with the exception of officers and ensigns of naval units and aviation, as well as special motorized military units internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation) wear: a khaki woolen cap; wool cap with maroon piping.

This decree destroyed the existing system of traditions and previous normative acts of appropriation and wearing of the maroon beret.

• Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia "On the procedure for passing qualification tests for the right to wear a maroon beret" [ ] - streamlined the process of surrender and eliminated all speculation around the highest symbol of special forces.

Innovations: conducting qualification tests - centrally, in one place (in order to track the level of training of test participants); preliminary tests have been introduced - the selection of the most worthy servicemen who already have experience in participating in such events.

• September - the first qualification tests according to the new regulation

Tests

Purpose of testing:

• To identify military personnel with the highest individual training for actions to neutralize armed criminals, free hostages and perform other tasks in critical situations and under emergency circumstances;
• Creation of an incentive for the education of high moral qualities of military personnel.

preliminary

The preliminary stage of testing is the final examination for the period of training under the program of special forces units. The overall assessment for the inspection should not be lower than "good", and for the special fire, special physical and tactical training of internal troops - "excellent".
Testing includes: running 3 thousand meters; pull-ups (according to NFP-87); a set of strength exercises - 4 × 10 (flexion-extension of the arms in the lying position, emphasis squat-lying position, exercise on the abdominal press, jumping out of the squat position) is carried out in seven repetitions.
Testing is carried out 1-2 days before the qualification tests.

Main

The main tests are carried out on one day and include a forced march of at least 10 km, followed by overcoming obstacles (special obstacle course) in extreme conditions, examining the training for storming high-rise buildings, acrobatics and hand-to-hand combat.

• 12 km forced march.
• The passage of a special obstacle course - is overcome on the move after the march. After passing the OShP (fire-assault strip), in order to inspect the condition of the weapon during the forced march and overcoming obstacles, one blank shot is fired from the service weapon.
• Inspection of high-speed shooting skills against the background of fatigue. Immediately after examining the performance of the weapon, the trainees move to the firing line to perform 1 SUUS (special firing training exercise) from a machine gun. The exercise time is 20 seconds.
• Inspection of skills in storming high-rise buildings using special descending equipment is carried out on a five-story building. The exercise time at this stage is 45 seconds. Did not fit into given time are not allowed for further testing.
• Performing acrobatic exercises: lifting by kip from a supine position; kick on the silhouette followed by somersault; somersault forward from an acrobatic springboard or a swing bridge.
• Performing 4 complexes of hand-to-hand combat.
• Training fights (of particular importance) - the fight is fought for 12 minutes without a break with the change of three partners, one of which is the same examinee, the others are military personnel who already have a maroon beret. In the case of a passive duel between the test subjects, they are “smashed” for one minute, and with each of them the duel is conducted by the observers, who will participate in the tests of the next test subjects. If the subjects still show passivity, the "breaking" is repeated.

Note: the subject is allowed to provide medical care on the site no more than 1 minute during the fight.

Peculiarities

• If there are three comments, the serviceman is removed from further tests.
• It is impossible for all participants to pass the test. Only 20-30% of those taking part reach the second and third tests.
• It is strictly forbidden for instructors to assist the subjects during the march and overcome obstacles, as well as to interfere in the test process, to give any commands and orders to help the participant.
• The doctor's decision on trials is the most important thing.
• Since 2009, the standard for "altitude" was not 45 seconds, but 30 seconds. Taking into account the fact that the subject must run away from the building that he stormed, 15 meters and put the "eight" on the table or hit the table with his palm.
• After performing acrobatic elements, the subjects show sets of special exercises: three sets of hand-to-hand combat and one with weapons.

award ceremony

• The handing of the maroon beret is carried out during the general formation of the military unit (participants in the examination tests) in a solemn atmosphere. A serviceman who has successfully passed all the tests receives a beret, kisses him, standing on right knee, puts it on his head, turns to the ranks, puts his hand on his headdress and says loudly: “I serve the Russian Federation and special forces!” (formerly "I serve the Fatherland and special forces!")

• From this moment on, a soldier has the right to wear a maroon beret with casual and dress uniforms. In the column of the military ticket "Special Marks", as a rule, an appropriate entry is made and sealed with the official seal of the unit. Later, a certificate with an identification number is issued, confirming the right to wear a maroon beret.

Deprivation of the right to wear

For actions that discredit the rank of a soldier of a Special Forces unit, a soldier may be deprived of the right to wear a maroon beret. Discrediting the rank of a soldier of a special forces unit is:

• Manifestation of cowardice and cowardice in the course of hostilities;
• Miscalculations and unreasonable actions that led to the death of comrades, disruption of a combat mission and other grave consequences;
• Decrease in the level of one's physical and special training;
• The use of special hand-to-hand combat techniques outside the combat situation and for selfish purposes;
• Allowing hazing;
• Gross violations of general military regulations and criminal law;
• Systematic violation of military discipline.

The decision to deprive the right to wear a maroon beret is made by the Council of maroon berets of a military unit at the request of the unit commander.

• In detachments and special forces units of the internal troops, "Councils of Krapov Berets" were created. They are the most trained and experienced "nettlers", enjoying unquestioned authority among colleagues. It is by decision of the council that one or another candidate is allowed to qualify for the right to wear a maroon beret.
• "Council of Krapovy berets of the Internal Troops" - formed by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Internal Troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. Chairman - Colonel Igor Medvedev, Colonel Mikhail Illarionov was appointed deputy. It included a number of senior officers, as well as the chairmen of the "Councils of Krapov Berets" of military units. It was this collegial body, after holding a meeting in the city of Smolensk in 2008, that a proposal was made to hold two stages of the competition.

Data

The maroon beret does not give its owner any privileges over the rest of the military (no salary increase, no promotion, no other special treatment).

In other countries

The traditions of the special forces of internal troops in most post-Soviet states not only retained their high status, but also developed into a real cult. Handing maroon beret following the results of qualification tests the best fighters takes place in the special units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus,

Maroon beret, this is a difficult element of clothing for a special forces soldier, it is a symbol of valor and honor, the right to wear which is not awarded to many. There are only two possibilities to obtain this coveted insignia:

1. A special beret can be earned for participation and courage in hostilities, for courage and fortitude.
2. You can pass qualification tests for the right to wear this special headgear.

The history of the headdress

Back in 1936, this element of clothing was introduced into the female uniform. But in 1963 he was introduced into the uniform of the marines, and in 1967, by decision of General Margelov, this element of the uniform could be seen among the airborne troops. But officially it takes, it was introduced into the uniform of the military personnel of the Airborne Forces only in 1969. Vasily Filippovich Margelov borrowed it from the marines, since he himself served there during the war. However, he did not immediately become maroon.

In 1980, during the World Olympiad in Moscow, a special forces training company was created, on the basis of which, subsequently, the well-known Vityaz detachment was organized. The fighters of this unit needed a special sign, which was somewhat different from others. A maroon-colored beret was chosen as such a distinction. Maroon takes color, it has such an ulterior motive, the blood shed by fighters while participating in battles has the same color.

Until 1988, the beret was worn exclusively during parades, and all special forces soldiers had the right to wear it. But later, the brotherhood of maroon berets influenced the choice of this special headdress. Thanks to the former commander of the Vityaz detachment, Lysyuk Sergey Ivanovich, a special program, involving the receipt of this honor through the passage of certain tests. The Vityaz brotherhood of maroon berets conducted these tests at first behind the scenes, but in 1993, a regulation was adopted at the official level on passing qualification tests for obtaining the right to wear a maroon beret.

How are these tests done?

The tests have two purposes:

• They are designed to identify specially trained fighters of special forces capable of releasing hostages in special conditions and neutralize dangerous criminals.
• Another goal is motivational, creating an incentive for the entire detachment of the special forces.

Not everyone is allowed to such tests, the military personnel who came to serve in the troops and served for a period of at least six months under a contract or conscription in the internal troops have such a right.

It has 2 stages, for 2 days. On the first day, applicants pass tests in firearms training, tactics, and also surrender those disciplines that were studied during training at special forces training courses. If the applicant passes this stage and receives a mark not lower than “good”, he is admitted to the second stage. In addition, at the preliminary stage, it is necessary to pass a physical fitness test.

The tests include a march for 3 kilometers, pull-ups and other exercises included in the program. After passing the preliminary exams, those who passed this stage and received a mark of at least "excellent" are allowed to the main stage. In each discipline, for poor passing, they can be removed from the test, so not everyone is allowed to the second stage.

The main stage includes:

• Forced march over difficult terrain with a length of about 10 kilometers.
• Complicated obstacle course.
• Shooting training.
• Test for the ability to storm multi-storey buildings.
• Checking for acrobatic skills.
• Hand-to-hand combat.

Passing tests, fighters are exposed not only to colossal physical activity but also to great psychological pressure. At the march stage, the subjects are given additional commands. What are these commands? The commander conducting the test can give a command about a sudden attack by the enemy or create an imitation of the passage of a zone with toxic substances.

In addition, overcoming obstacles with water and mud, or evacuating the wounded, only adds to the complexity. The time allotted for passing this test is assigned according to weather conditions and features of the area. Fighters who did not meet the allotted time for further tests are not allowed.

An equally difficult stage is the obstacle course. At this stage, special observation is established for the subjects. For every 5 people, 1 instructor is allocated, since injuries are not uncommon at this stage.

Psychological pressure is exerted by sound effects imitating explosions and shots. Part of the strip is covered with smoke to create special conditions close to real combat operations. No wonder the motto of the special forces sounds like "Special forces are like iron, they rust without action." There are a lot of these actions on tests.

The next steps are just as difficult. The final stage, where hand-to-hand combat skills are tested, is carried out in special equipment. In a protective helmet and boxing gloves, but even despite such protection, cases of knocked out teeth and a broken nose in the subjects are not uncommon. However, for those who passed all the tests with honor, all the difficulties of passing the tests become unimportant when they are awarded the distinction received in such a difficult struggle.

The handing of the maroon beret takes place in a solemn atmosphere and in front of his colleagues, the fighter receives this award. At such a moment, emotions overwhelm everyone who with such difficulty won the right to wear this distinction. A fighter is awarded a beret and with the words: “I serve the fatherland and special forces!”, He becomes one of those who have the privilege of wearing this headdress, of a special color.

Deprivation of the insignia

Fighters who for some reason could not keep this privilege are subjected to such a measure. Such a right may be taken away different reasons. It is much easier to lose this right than to acquire it. A maroon beret can be deprived in cases where a fighter shows cowardice during hostilities or his actions led to the death of a comrade through his fault.

In addition, poor physical condition, negligence, breach of discipline and the use of special training skills for personal gain can lead to the loss of this right. Such a decision can only be made in the council of maroon berets, upon a complaint from the commander of the unit where the fighter serves.

After the term of service has been reduced to one year, only military personnel serving under the contract are allowed to such tests. This insignia does not give any special privileges in relation to other fighters. Does not qualify for promotion allowance or special treatment in terms of promotion.

But every fighter who has been honored to wear this insignia on his head can tell what great importance this clothing attribute is for him personally. It may lose color and look different from the moment it was presented, but this is not just an element of the uniform, this is the award that every member of the special forces squad strives for.

Maroon beret - a uniform headdress of units and special forces units of internal troops in a number of states on the territory former USSR- Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, and earlier - the internal troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is a source of pride and a sign of the exceptional prowess of a commando. The right to wear a maroon beret is reserved for military personnel of special forces (SpN) who have sufficient professional, physical and moral character who successfully passed the qualification tests. In addition, a maroon beret can be awarded for courage and bravery shown in the performance of military duty during hostilities and special operations, as well as for special merits in the development of special forces and units. (From Wiki).

The second stage - overcoming obstacles fire assault strip. Participants overcame obstacles in triplets, gradually moving from object to object.

After passing the fire-assault zone, the fighters demonstrate the readiness of their weapons for combat. They must load the blank cartridge given to them at the start and fire. If the shot does not occur, then the candidate is removed from the race.

fire training. In 20 seconds, the participant had to hit a “terrorist” target from a machine gun without hitting a “hostage”.

Altitude training. The dealer must go down from the window of the fifth floor, make a turn at the window of the fourth, in the window of the second floor knock down a dummy with his foot and throw a grenade into the window, then unfasten the carbine on the ground and run 15 meters from the building, put the "eight" on the instructor's table or clap your hand on table. You have 30 seconds to complete the exercise. Those who made mistakes during the execution or did not meet the allotted time are removed from the tests.

Acrobatics and a set of special exercises. Participants perform 3 acrobatic elements [kip-up from supine position; kick on the silhouette followed by somersault; somersault forward from an acrobatic springboard] and complexes of special exercises [with and without weapons]

And finally hand-to-hand combat. Applicants must endure in fights for 12 minutes without a break. Fights were divided into 4 rounds of 3 minutes each, in which the dealers fought among themselves and with instructors.

And now the instructors, who just so hard opposed the candidates, are sincerely happy for those who passed the test.

20. The presentation of the berets took place during the general construction of the test participants. Those who were awarded the right to wear a maroon beret got up on their right knee, kissed the beret and, getting up and putting it on, said: "I serve the Fatherland and special forces!" Then they were congratulated by other "nettlers".

As a result of tests on October 11, out of more than a hundred applicants for the right to wear a maroon beret, 8 special forces were awarded. Currently, about 500 "krapoviks" are serving in the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

I would like to wish the special forces soldiers a happy service. May everyone for whom the maroon beret is a cherished goal achieve it.
And I also want to wish comfortable, high-quality equipment.

Report of the Alliance of Living History Clubs on the work done for 2006 Dear colleagues, dear friends! This report is addressed both to members of the Alliance of Living History Clubs and to our non-Alliance associates, as well as to anyone who might wish to collaborate with us in the field of living history. It is probably not for nothing that the first year in the life of any organization is considered the most difficult. It is in the first year of work that the main thing that makes up the solid framework of the organization is laid - reliable trusting relationships in the team, cohesion, team spirit and even some traditions. Despite the fact that not everything went like clockwork and at some points there were difficulties, I would like to note that the work of the team as a whole was well-coordinated and clear. Before highlighting aspects of our activities in detail, I would like to thank the entire Alliance team as a whole and each of its members individually. The activities of the Alliance are versatile and are not limited to holding thematic events of the Living history format. The report will present all aspects of a niche job. 1. First steps. Formation of the governing body At the end of 2005. a group of like-minded people from 7 historical clubs conceived an organization whose main goal was to coordinate the activities of organizing thematic events dedicated to military-historical reconstruction. The concept of activities, goals and objectives of this organization were formulated in the Alliance Manifesto. A month later, at the beginning of 2006, the Charter of the new organization saw the light, which regulated the basic principles of leadership, decision-making, etc. The Alliance Council was created, which included one representative from each founding club. Thus, democratic principles became the basis of the Alliance's activities. The Council elected a chairman and his deputy for a term of one year. At the end of January 2006, the Council intensively began to fulfill a number of tasks set at the founding of the Alliance. 2. Alliance projects related to the general improvement of the quality of historical reconstruction and education Even at the first stages of the work of the Alliance, it became obvious that the standardization of approaches to historical reconstruction largely depends on the communication of members of the organization who are in different clubs. For this purpose, an Internet forum was created in December, and then a thematic website of the Alliance. The prompt introduction of these significant resources into operation made it possible at the earliest stages of the organization's work to integrate all active participants into a single mechanism and, as a result, jointly develop the main criteria for the quality of historical reconstruction that are acceptable to us. live discussion topical issues allowed us to attract an interested contingent from the outside, which later played a big role in our activities. Starting from January, under the auspices of the alliance, thematic seminars were held, which also had a strong impact on general training for the 2006 season. It is worth noting especially the successful cooperation with the magazine "Reconstructor", in the third issue of which an article about the activities of the Alliance was published. At the moment, the fifth issue of the journal is being prepared for publication, which will include several articles by the authors-members of the Alliance. 3. Events held by the Alliance The most important task of the Alliance, as noted earlier, is to coordinate the activities of representatives of various clubs in order to organize thematic events. Three such events were held in 2006. Each of them was unique in its own way and had its own special tasks and goals. 3.1. Review of alliance clubs. The first event of the Alliance was a three-day review, which took place in a picturesque corner of the Moscow region on May 19-21. The main purpose of the event was to unite the team, to develop methods of working in a team. Such events were held as a large-scale drill, the Mayfair archery tournament in the old English rules cooking dishes of historical cuisine. As part of the event, it was possible to eliminate shortcomings in the organization and equipment of the Alliance member clubs, recommending that it be replenished with the missing equipment before the main event of 2006. In total, about 55 people participated. positive attitude participants and high level organizations were allowed to hold the event in one breath. A strong start had a significant impact on the level of the "Border Fortress 2006". 3.2. Festival of Living History "Border Fortress 2006" The main event of the season was the Festival of Living History, which took place within the walls of an architectural monument - the Ivangorod Museum-Fortress. Preparations for the festival have been going on continuously since January. It should be noted that the historical event was held in this fortress for the first time. We set ourselves a variety of tasks: - Reproduce as authentically and comprehensively an episode of the life of a medieval military garrison; - Set up a historical camp without using any modern items, thereby increasing the level of historical reconstruction on the one hand and the return on the event for participants on the other; - Test specially designed new system combat interaction, which involves placing an emphasis on the tactical component instead of hard contact traditional system dramatizations of medieval battles; - Carry out a series of historical experiments on cooking, military affairs in its various manifestations and other aspects of medieval life; The festival was attended by member clubs of the Alliance, as well as guests of the event who share the principles and meet the requirements of the Alliance. The total number of participants exceeded 90 people. The event was initially positioned as closed. The admission of participants to the festival took place in advance by providing a photograph of the entire complex of historical equipment for each participant separately. This system allowed not only to increase general level reconstruction, but also to avoid inconsistencies in place. It fully justified itself, despite some technical difficulties, and will be used at Alliance events in the future. Within the framework of the festival, various military field maneuvers with storming of fortifications, the WSA 2006 archery tournament, a grand feast for participants and other events were held. Throughout the festival, participants could enjoy the magnificent live performance of the Avis Dei group, whose members not only brilliantly master medieval musical instruments, but also meet the requirements for a participant in historical costume. It is worth emphasizing the work of several teams professional photographers, thanks to which the photo report about the festival turned out to be especially colorful and memorable. I would like to proudly note that all tasks, not only general, but also the economic and administrative order were completed in due time. The participants were satisfied with the event, which is perhaps the main success criterion for the organizers. The "Border Fortress", according to both the members of the Alliance and the invited participants, has become a benchmark for events in the "Living history" format in Russia. 3.3. Autumn hike. On September 23, representatives of the Alliance held an event in the Moscow region in a new format. Its concept was somewhat different from the usual festival reenactors. A month before this moment, the idea of ​​conducting a historical experiment arose - the reconstruction of the daytime march of a small detachment of medieval infantry. The venue was a picturesque corner of the Moscow region near the city of Lukhovitsy. The event turned out to be intimate, but it clearly demonstrated the readiness of the Alliance members for innovations and creative searches, as well as a high level of training. The participants of the event received invaluable experience, a lot of fun and in Once again proved the cohesion of the team, which was felt especially strongly at an event of this format. The Alliance's work plan for 2007: The general direction of the Alliance's activities will not undergo significant changes, but the effectiveness of the organization's activities will increase due to a clearer setting of tasks, rational use resources and significant organizational experience gained in 2006. The number of people involved in the organization of certain events will grow, which will make it possible to simultaneously carry out several large projects without slowing down the pace of preparation for each of them. The activities of the Alliance will include: 1. Administrative activities: 1.1. Legal registration of the Alliance as a public organization 1.2. Communication with official authorities in order to obtain assistance in the work of the organization 1.3. Search for premises for meetings of the Council and working groups of the organization, holding conferences and trainings 2. Training and development: 2.1. Conducting thematic seminars and trainings 2.2. Preparation of various articles that will be posted both on the pages of the Alliance's Internet site and in the Reconstructor magazine” 2.3. Maintaining the Internet forum and drawing attention to it 3. Conducting events 3.1. Alliance Birthday - Moscow, February The idea that the Alliance needs to hold an event aimed at maintaining and strengthening team spirit has been around since the summer. Such an event in 2007 will be a corporate holiday dedicated to the year of the organization's activity. It will gather representatives of all Alliance clubs in one of the Moscow restaurants. The results of the work will be summed up, proposals on current projects will be made. As part of the event, it is planned to arrange a tasting of dishes of medieval cuisine. The atmosphere of the holiday will be informal and will allow participants to communicate in a relaxed atmosphere and increase the level of team interaction. 3.2. Winter hike and photo shoot, Moscow region, end of February A winter one-day event is necessary to increase the level of equipment for Alliance members. An artistic photo session dedicated to the campaign will illustrate one of the episodes of medieval history, which will make it possible to diversify photographic materials about the activities of the alliance with winter scenes. The event will be intimate. 3.3. Field Festival, Moscow region, May The spring review, which took place in May 2006, this time will take on a larger scale and will unite Alliance members and invited clubs. The festival will include field maneuvers, according to the updated rules, and the Mayfair archery tournament. The expected number of participants is 70-80 people. Emphasis will be placed on "military" activities in order to enhance the "combat culture" among the participants. 3.4. Frontier Fortress 2007, Ivangorod, August 7-12 Compared to last year, the festival will gain more scope. The festival program will be richer, more varied and focused on each of the groups of participants. The duration of the festival will increase by one day and will be 5 full days, which will affect the organization of the household component of the festival. Economic support will be more comprehensive and will undergo changes at a qualitative level. Time tourist visit fortresses will be significantly reduced and allow participants to feel more at ease. 3.5. Autumn hike, September, Moscow region Changes and innovations will affect the next autumn campaign. This time it will take place over two days with an overnight stay. The number of participants will also grow. The atmosphere of teamwork will continue to be the main ideological component of the event. Summing up the outgoing year, I would like to once again express my gratitude to everyone who took part in our activities. We proved to each other that we are able to work in a strong team, jointly implement the tasks set and, most importantly, enjoy it. Colleagues, friends! We wish you new achievements, big and small joys in the new year. Let New Year will be successful for you in everything! _________________________________________________________________________ Andrey Rebrov, Vladimir Korshok.

FRESH informational reason - recently held in the vicinity of Minsk, the next qualification tests for the right to wear a maroon beret by servicemen of the internal troops and law enforcement forced the editors of "Spetsnaz" to pay close attention to ... the headdresses of soldiers and officers of various units. First of all - on berets. Where did they come from, what color does it symbolize, who has the right to wear certain berets? Let's try to figure it out with the help of experts ...

Our answer to the green berets

LET'S START with what he takes - a necessary attribute of the uniform of military personnel in many countries of the world. Often takes - a distinctive feature of representatives of special forces, a source of pride for its owners. As you know, berets and heads of military personnel of the Belarusian Armed Forces, internal troops, special police, the State Security Committee, the State Border Committee, and the Ministry of Emergency Situations adorn today.

In the Armed Forces of the USSR, berets appeared later than in the armies of other countries, - says Colonel Alexander Gruenko, Deputy Commander of the Special Operations Forces for Ideological Work. - According to some sources, the introduction of berets, in particular, in the airborne troops, was a kind of response to the appearance in the army of a potential enemy units rapid response who wore green berets. Apparently, the Ministry of Defense decided that the wearing of berets would not be contrary to the traditions of the Soviet Army.

The troops accepted the innovation with a bang. When drafted into the army, many young men aspired to be in the ranks of elite units marked distinctive feature- a blue beret.

Black color marines

HOWEVER, for the first time in the Armed Forces of the USSR, not blue berets, as many believe, but black berets appeared. In 1963, it was they who became a distinctive feature of the Soviet marines. For her, by order of the Minister of Defense, a field uniform was introduced: the soldiers wore a black beret (woolen for officers and cotton for sergeants and sailors of military service). The beret had a leatherette side, on the left side - a red flag with a golden anchor, in front - an officer's emblem of the Navy. For the first time in the new field uniform, the marines appeared at the November 1968 parade on Red Square. Then the flag "migrated" to the right side of the beret due to the fact that the stands for guests of honor and the Mausoleum were to the right of the columns when the columns passed. Later, on the berets of sergeants and sailors, the star was supplemented with a wreath of laurel leaves. The decision on these changes may have been taken by the Secretary of Defense, Marshal Soviet Union A. Grechko or in agreement with him. At least, written orders or other orders in this regard, the researchers say, are not mentioned anywhere. Before the end of the November parades in Moscow, the marines went to the parade in berets and field uniforms with "ceremonial" changes and additions. In 1969, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR, an oval black emblem with a golden edging and a red star in the middle was installed as an emblem on the berets of sergeants and sailors. Subsequently, the oval emblem was replaced with a star in a wreath.

By the way, at one time tankmen also wore black berets. They relied on special uniforms established for tankers by order of the Minister of Defense in 1972.

Airborne: from crimson to blue

In the SOVIET airborne troops, a crimson-colored beret was originally supposed to be worn - it was this beret that was the symbol of the airborne troops in the armies of the majority of howling uniforms for paratroopers, including two beret options. With everyday uniforms, it was supposed to wear a khaki beret with a red star. However, this option remained on paper. Margelov decided to wear the raspberry beret as a ceremonial headdress. On the right side of the beret was a blue flag with the emblem of the Airborne Forces, and in front - a star in a wreath of ears (for soldiers and sergeants). The officers on the beret wore a cockade with the emblem of the 1955 model and the flight emblem (a star with wings). Crimson berets began to enter the troops in 1967. In the same year, at the November parade on Red Square, for the first time, paratrooper units in new uniforms and berets marched. However, literally next year, crimson berets were replaced with blue ones. The color symbolizing the sky was considered more suitable for this type of troops. In August 1968, when troops entered Czechoslovakia, Soviet paratroopers were already wearing berets. blue color. But by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR, the blue beret was officially installed as a headdress for airborne units only in July 1969. A star in a wreath was attached to the front of the berets for soldiers and sergeants, and an Air Force cockade for officers. The red flag with the emblem of the Airborne Forces was worn on the left side of the berets by the military personnel of the guards units, and moved to the right side at parades in Moscow. The idea of ​​wearing flags belonged to the same Margelov. Unlike the blue flag on the crimson beret, the dimensions of which were specified in the technical specifications for manufacturing, the red flags were made independently in each part and did not have a single sample. In March 1989, the new rules for wearing uniforms fixed the wearing of a flag on berets by all military personnel of the airborne troops, airborne assault units and special forces. Today, military personnel of the mobile units of the Belarusian Armed Forces still wear blue berets.

Legendary maroon

The question of the distinctive form of clothing was also raised during the formation of special forces units of the troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs. In May 1989, the head of the internal troops and the head of the main logistics department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs prepared a letter addressed to the Minister of the Interior, who decided to introduce a maroon (dark crimson) beret as a special distinction for special forces units. Unlike marines and paratroopers, a maroon beret was a sign of qualification and was awarded only after completing a special training course and passing exams. This tradition, as you know, has been preserved to this day.

green border

WHAT he takes gives the marines and paratroopers a brave and courageous look, did not go unnoticed in other branches of the military. After some time, many military personnel of the Soviet Union expressed their desire to wear berets. The border guards were no exception.

The first case of wearing a beret by guards of the borders of the USSR dates back to 1976 - in the summer, for one month, cadets of the training border detachment in Kaliningrad and the Moscow Higher Military Command School of the Border Troops in Golitsino wore uniforms modeled after the Airborne Forces as an experiment: an open cotton tunic, a white-green vest and a green beret with a red flag on the side. However, although the border troops were part of the KGB of the USSR, all changes in uniforms had to be coordinated with the Ministry of Defense, which did not approve of such an initiative and wearing new form banned.

In 1981, camouflage uniforms were introduced in the border troops. The new "wardrobe" also included a camouflage beret with a fastened visor. In 1990, the green berets returned to the border troops. From February 1990 to September 1991, they included the only Operational Airborne Division of the KGB PV in the Soviet Union. In April 1991, the personnel of the division received green berets with the emblem of the Airborne Forces on blue flags on the side of the headgear to the standard border uniform.

After the declaration of independence of the Republic of Belarus, on January 16, 1992, the Main Directorate of the Border Troops was established under the Council of Ministers. Soon, the development of uniforms for the national border troops began. Taking into account the wishes of the military and the development trends of military uniforms of that time, a green beret was also introduced.

However, since 1995, some changes have taken place in the uniform of our border troops, enshrined in Presidential Decree of May 15, 1996 N 174 “On military uniform clothing and insignia military ranks". According to the document, only military personnel of special forces units had the right to wear light green berets in the border troops.

What do they wear in Alpha?

LESS known is the beret of the anti-terrorist special unit "Alpha" of the KGB of Belarus. It has a cornflower blue color, traditional for state security agencies. A candidate who wants to serve in Alpha goes through testing, passes numerous tests. At the next council of the officers' meeting, the fighter's units are officially enrolled in the ranks - at the same time he is given a beret. There are no hard and fast rules about when you can wear a hat and when you can’t. It all depends on the specific situation - is it a combat operation or an everyday option.

There is no institute for taking a beret in the KGB special unit. Why? Experts say this is due to the specifics of the service. Alpha accepts only experienced fighters, officers, among whom there are many masters of sports and those who took part in military operations. They no longer need to prove anything to anyone ...

The brightest - in the Ministry of Emergency Situations

IF you see a strong man in a red beret, then know that in front of you is a fighter of the Republican Special Forces Detachment of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. The ROSN berets have a utilitarian function. The headdress does not give a special status to a fighter - this is a common element of uniform. It is worth clarifying that, in general, there are two color options for the berets of employees of the “emergency” department: red and green. Red beret - for officers, commanding officers. Upon liquidation emergencies The bright colors help them stand out from the crowd. And it’s easier for the fighters to notice the commander, which means it’s time to hear the command. Green berets are worn by privates and ensigns.

Prepared by Alexander GRACHEV, Nikolay KOZLOVICH, Artur STREKH.

Photo by Alexander GRACHEV, Artur STREKH, Artur PRUPAS, Alexander RUZHECHKO.

SPECIAL FORCES OCTOBER 2008