DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence Memorandum
Soviets Overhaul Military Service Law
Cunfiileiitial
Copy Ho.
DD
February
CON KIDHRTIAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Directorate of8
INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM
Soviets Overhaul Military Service Law Summary
Tho Soviet Union has reduced the term of service for conscripted military personnel by one year, and
introduced compulsory retirement for some
Army and air force conscripts will now serve two years and navy conscripts three. The size of the forces is expected to remain about the same. The quantity of available reservists will increase but the level of experience and proficiency will probably
The already mushrooming requirements for hiqhly trained technical personnel will now become more criticalesult of the reduction in the term of useful service. This may cause some degradation in Soviet military capabilities, particularly in the operation of technically advanced equipment.
The sociological advantages ofarqer proportion of the male population military indoctri nation at age 18 to 20 appear to have outweighed the military disadvantages and may have been the major reason for the new law.
This memorandum uas produced SOlelu bu CIA
'7-Par.ed- by- Of Strategic Kesearch ana coordinate* w% th the Offices of Current Rconontc Research, and National estimates.
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Compulsory retirement at ageor officers in many of the highest military positions will hasten the promotion of younger, technically trained officers to the top posts. The regime's hand in the field of military policy may be strengthened by the advancement of officers who will owe their allegiance to the present leaders.
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new universal military servicein October is the first majorthe military obligations of Its most important features are areduction in the term of service forintroduction of compulsory military trainingschools, the lowering of thend compulsory retirement forofficers at
Term Reduction and Strength Levels
Tho draft law reduces the length of service in the army and air force from three years to two, and in the navy from four years to three. Thore are many indications that this measure stems more from socio-political than from purely military Its main effect will be to extend the "universality- of military service for male Soviet citizens.
The number of men available for military service far exceeds the recent requirements of the armed forces. Under9 law only about one million ofillion Soviet youths becoming eligible each year received active military training. This disparity has been aggravated2 by the effects of the sharp increase in birth rates which followed World War II.
By reducing the conscript turnover rate essentially to two years instead of three, tho new law will require an increased call-up of aboutorcont par year to maintain tho present size of the armod forces.
Call-up Chntjes_
new law reducos the call-up ago from
ond schedules call-upsear Instead of the previous annual draft in November and December.
the ago reduction secondarywill no longerear waitingcalled. This provision, along with theof service, will enable young men tocivilian careers two years earlier.
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7. The scheduling of twoear, in Hay-June and November-December, will tend to smooth the flow of manpower in and out of the armed forces and tho national economy.
Compulsory Pre-Military Training
6. while tho reduction in the term of service is expected to have little effect on the sizo of the armed forces, it will almost certainly lower their level of technical proficiency. Certain features of the new law are apparently intended to partially compensate for the one-year loss offor conscripts.
pre-call-up military trainingsecondary schools will ensure that alleven those young men who willdeferred, have at least some militarytraining carried out in secondarywill permit more intensiveat the beginning of the active The new law also provides forof selected youths. This training will
be givenyear-olds in Dosaaf trainingand in schools of the vocational andeducation system.
the new measure is also inspiredconcern over the social attitudesis suggested by the marked increase inpatriotic themes in education during the past The leadership has publicly deplored theSoviet youth have not had the benefits ofof revolutionary struggle." Brezhnevhave asserted thateffort to develop moraland political loyalty in the youngerbe intensified.
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Effects on Technical Proficiency
Tho armed forces are probably seeking to maintain trained cadres of professional experts by raising incentives for re-enlistment through increased pay, benefits, and training.
These measures will partially compensate for the reduced term of service, but the technical training of the increasing number of specialists, particularly those manning advanced weapons systems, must generally still be done during the active duty period, while these soldiers formerly were fully useful for perhaps two years of the three-year term, this usefulness has been effectively cut in half by the new law.
Toorce of the same size and competence will necessitate an enlargement of the technical training base. Even so, the resulting overall reduction in experience level will probably cause some degradation in the operation ofsophisticated weapons systems.
The new law carries another threat to technicalthe professional research and engineeringlimiting the obligation of scientists and technicians. Under the old law the Ministry of Defense was authorized to call up such personnel, who were given officer rank and served an indefinite term at the discretion of the ministry. The new law limits this type of serviceears, it is not clear how seriously the Soviets regard this special problem or what remedies may be required.
Forced Retirement for Higher Officers
provision of the new for Sovietompulsory retirement age for officers ir.grade levels below Marshal of the Sovietgenerals, marshals of arms, and full admirals
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will for the first time be required to retire atxcept in cases when the Council of Ministersive-year extension. Compulsory retirement for officers in grades below this level has been in effect
Large numbers of officers among the top personnel of the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, and senior command staffs thus seem to be faced with the prospect of early retirement. This includes the officers who won their spurs in World War II, who earned their promotions during the years of force reductions and stormy doctrinal controversies, and who have acquired the habits, mental outlook, and sense of professional identity that make the militaryorce to be reckoned with in Soviet internal politics.
Recent promotions suggest that the five-year extension will be applied liberally. One example was the recent promotion of Colonel General A. Kh. Babadzhanyan to the rank of Marshal of Armored Troops at Since ho was also appointed chief of the Armored Academy at the same time, it seams unlikely that his early retirement is anticipated.
The compulsory retirement measureindicates that the regimeeed to encourage the advancement of younger officers to responsible positions in the High Command. The regime may feel that it can strengthen its hand in the field of military policy by staffing tho top posts of the military establishment with officers who will owe their allegiance to the present loaders.
Whether the younger, technically trained officers who stand to benefit by the new promotion opportunities will prove, in fact, to be more pliable than their predecessors remains to be seen. The expertise that they will bring to bear to support their advice on policy issues couldore potent political asset than the more purely personal authority that their olders enjoyed.
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Original document.
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