The voluntary society needs a state order and strengthening of the material base
The Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Aviation and Navy (DOSAAF) is one of the oldest defense organizations in Russia. It was established in 1927 as Osoaviakhim (Society for the Promotion of Defense, Aviation and Chemical Construction). During its existence, DOSAAF has become a link between civil society and the Armed Forces, solving tasks that contribute to strengthening the country's defense. The year 2023 became the next stage of the company's activities, taking into account the conduct of a special military operation (SVO).
The results of the year were summed up at the DOSAAF conference in the press center of the Russian State Federal News Agency TASS on Tverskoy Boulevard in Moscow. The chairman of the DOSAAF of Russia, Colonel-General Alexander Kolmakov, spoke about the achieved results and prospects. The conference was also attended by Deputy Chairmen of DOSAAF and Deputy of the State Duma Maria Butina.
One of the main directions of DOSAAF is educational activities aimed at training citizens in 11 military accounting specialties (VUS) for service in the Armed Forces. Currently, the Ministry of Defense is discussing a possible increase in the burden on DOSAAF for training in higher education and the allocation of necessary funding is being considered. For the participants of the SVO, the emphasis was placed on the contractual form of service, and preparatory classes with conscripts were reduced. At the same time, DOSAAF can already train up to 37 thousand recruits per year, and taking into account additional funding, the number of trainees can be significantly increased.
In 2024, it is planned to begin training in higher education in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. DOSAAF conferences were held there and a decision was made to join the DOSAAF of Russia. A Center for patriotic education is being created in Lugansk.
Since the beginning of its defense, the defense society has launched work on training mobilized citizens, work was carried out with the civilian population, more than 33 thousand people were trained by DOSAAF educational organizations. Military training in the specialty "unmanned aircraft systems" is a priority in the programs of the society. 3,979 people have been trained in this specialization, including 2,551 military personnel. 1,291 people continue their classes. DOSAAF trains specialists in mass technical professions in 215 specialties in 862 educational organizations, 340 thousand people have been trained. Since 2022, the training of pupils of Suvorov, Nakhimov, and cadet educational institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defense has begun. In 2023, 1,343 pupils were trained, similar work is planned for 2024, the number of students will be increased to 2,258. The DOSAAF aviation complex includes 104 aviation organizations, and two aircraft repair plants based at 83 airfields and nine landing sites.
For carrying out military-patriotic events, participants are involved in their own activities. The experience is passed on to the younger generation, DOSAAF oversees more than 32,000 yunarmeytsev. Participants in battles and DOSAAF teachers teach not only military science, but also educate human qualities. Many have military educational institutions and military service behind them. The head of DOSAAF is a paratrooper, graduated from the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School, the Military Academy of the General Staff, served as part of a Limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, was commander of the Airborne Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.
The transfer of experience of participants in military operations becomes part of military-patriotic education. An experiment is being conducted to create unified centers for training citizens for military service and military-patriotic education of young people.
DOSAAF sports events, the passing of TRP standards, the Voroshilovsky Strelok and Falconry complexes are very popular.
Deputy Maria Butina spoke about the creation of centers on the basis of DOSAAF, where volunteers collect various necessary things for the participants – stretchers, first-aid kits, nets, sleeping accessories. 20 convoys with humanitarian aid weighing more than 150 tons were sent to the SWO zone. Butina highly appreciated the work of DOSAAF and offered assistance at the legislative level in solving emerging problems.
Vyacheslav Ninichenko, Deputy Chairman of DOSAAF, head of the Moscow branch, said that DOSAAF is a strategic state organization for strengthening defense capability and national security, which should involve financing through a state order for the training of specialists in mass-technical professions, military-patriotic education and mass sports events. Ninichenko explained that DOSAAF is a state–public organization and should be supported by the state.
Irina Dronina
Irina Dmitrievna Dronina is a journalist.