Original source : http://en.ria.ru
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On October 24, Russia’s security-related agencies
celebrate their professional holiday. When we talk about the Special Forces
(commandos), we typically call to mind the well-known Latin phrase: “Mens sana in corpore sano.”
The desire to join is not enough. You need both physical
strength and mental resilience.
A future commando’s typical working day begins at 6:50 a.m.,
with tidying up. There is a set list of jobs to do: making the bed, sweeping
and mopping the floor. Then there’s a 2 to 4 km run, warm-up exercises followed
by push-ups and the parallel bars. Basically, you keep going until you are
completely exhausted: gasping and wheezing.
Next come showers and the long-awaited breakfast. Untouched
dishes are unlikely to be seen at the end of the meal: every last scrap is
eaten. “They stuff us with food, the only thing we don’t get enough of is
dessert or sweets,” says one commando.
Their hefty breakfast is followed by a “duty parade.” Officers
assign tasks and then classes and physical training begin. In addition to
sports, these commandos study manuals, other countries’ armies, as well as
undergoing special tactical and sniper training. Classes only break for lunch
at 3:00 p.m., and then it’s back to simulator training and textbooks.
Commandos sum up their mission as “Seize. Reconnoiter.
Destroy.” But far from everyone is able to withstand such schooling.
Before joining the elite ranks of the security agencies, one
has to undergo a range of tests.
First comes physical training. If a candidate is good at
sports, his chances are significantly improved.
It does not matter whether it is parachute jumping or
canoeing. Stamina and endurance are key. An excellent grade, for example, is only
given if the candidate can cover no less than 2.8 km in 12 minutes.
The next stage involves testing candidates’ physical
strength and includes a whole set of exercises: push-ups, leg-raises, and
squats.
But being in good physical shape is far from the complete
formula of success. A soldier’s psychology is equally important. His desire to
serve in the Special Forces, his intelligence, and his ability to find common
ground with his peers are also taken into account.
The scarlet beret is one of the Special Forces’ main symbols
and is something every man dreams of possessing. For most it remains a dream.
It needs to be earned.
The right to wear the much sought-after scarlet beret is won
by undergoing a series of tests.
The basic tests can be performed in a day and include a
quick march (no less than 10 km), clearing many obstacles under extreme
conditions, acrobatics, and hand-to-hand combat.
Your overall score has to be at least four points.
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