Reasons for replacing military service with an alternative one. Basic conditions for alternative civil service. What are the options

The Law on Alternative Civil Service has existed since 2002, but young people still either do not want or do not know how to use it. Every year, out of 150 thousand conscripts throughout Russia, only a thousand apply for the ACS. PublicPost spoke with AGS officers about how this system actually works in Russia.

1: Alternative service doesn't last as long as it seems

Since 2008, the period of service in the AGS is 21 months (service in the army is 1 year). In accordance with the Labor Code, alternative service is counted toward length of service, provides for remuneration, and also provides two months of vacation (which is not the case in military service). Work according to a standard schedule - work 8 hours and you're home. You can walk or study, receive evening or correspondence education. AGS officers actually serve 1 year and seven months - this is a completely acceptable period.

Dmitry Boyarinov:

“I am undergoing AGS at the moment. I had to work in the Mozhaisky sanatorium, which is located in the Moscow region. The main reason why I decided not to join the army is my religious beliefs - I have been a Jehovah's Witness since childhood. On principle, I was not going to take up arms, and alternative service just allows me to “pay my debt to my homeland” without violence and military training. If we talk about terms, then 1 year and 9 months of service do not seem long to me. During your service, you do not lose anything, since you are free to leave the territory of your duty station, and you spend all your free time as you please. I think I gained more than I lost. Firstly, a lot of new friends appeared from different parts of the country - Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Stavropol Territory, Saratov Region, etc. Secondly, the skills that I acquired during my service will undoubtedly be useful to me in my future independent life. A few words about the work itself: as with ordinary employees, an employment contract was drawn up with me, that is, an 8-hour working day, Saturday and Sunday are days off. Any person can get into alternative service - the main thing is to have the desire and principles for which you do not want to serve in the army.”

2: Achieving a transfer to AGS is not at all difficult

In fact, only 3 documents are needed: an application (in free form), a reference from the last place of study or work (also in any format) and a short autobiography. A young man submits an application to the military registration and enlistment office six months before conscription. Employees of the military registration and enlistment office in any case (even if this deadline is violated) are obliged to accept his documents. With a statement, the conscript expresses his beliefs. The existence of the beliefs themselves does not need to be proven; it is only necessary to formulate why these beliefs are contrary to military service. There may also be witnesses - people who can confirm that the young man really lives according to the principles, in accordance with his beliefs.

Refusal can only be in case of violation of formal requirements: violation of deadlines for submitting documents or missing a commission meeting. Plus, a refusal may occur if the commission has facts that contradict the conscript’s arguments (if a person claims that he is a pacifist, and the commission brings a certificate from the police with proof that he took part in a fight, etc.). It is almost impossible to refuse a conscript who has no record of any violations. Before applying for the ACS, you need to carefully check your health - a person who is unfit for military service is also unfit for alternative service.

Maxim Kravchenko:

“I have been undergoing AGS since July 2011 in a psychoneurological boarding school in the Kineshma district of the Ivanovo region. Position: nurse educator. Service life is 1.5 years plus 2 vacations. I serve in the ACS because of my religious beliefs. In general, I am glad that there is an AGS. I fulfill my duty to the people without violating biblical principles and constitutional laws. I didn't waste 1.5 years on AGS. I live at home and drive my own car to work. I am paid a salary, and I have work experience. So I have nothing to regret. At work I am fully provided with special clothing and personal protective equipment. Free food. I work according to the following schedule: I work 2 days, rest for 3 days. I have 2 nurses and 1 orderly on my shift. Pros: you don’t need to take an oath, because when you take the oath, you sign yourself up for military regulations, not civil law. I don't see any big disadvantages. It is necessary to clearly define your position. Does the conscript even want to serve in the ACS? This is necessary so that when the military commissar talks and asks questions, the conscript can clearly and confidently defend his position. Otherwise they can easily confuse and put you in an awkward position.”

3: You need to be prepared for provocations from the military registration and enlistment office

There are obstacles at the military registration and enlistment offices; a young man needs to be able to submit an application. Sometimes they start to intimidate, threaten, and do everything possible to prevent documents from going through. When submitting documents to the AGS, be persistent and do not be afraid of any refusals. Even if some problems arise at the military registration and enlistment office or the draft board, you have the right to appeal this decision. It is necessary to first study the law and the texts of documents, and if problems arise, contact public and human rights organizations.

Arseny Levinson:

“I applied for ACS this year. My older brother also served in alternative service - he successfully worked for two years at the main post office. At that time, he was the only young man in his military registration and enlistment office who applied for the ACS. But even now this type of service is not very popular. There is no adequate information on this matter. At the military registration and enlistment offices, the guys are deliberately misinformed. I have already encountered a problem - my military registration and enlistment office did not convene the commission on time and missed all the deadlines. They actually broke the law. But I will fight this. Conscripts must understand that they have every right to undergo the ACS. And beliefs can be anything, not just religious. The main thing is to know your rights.”

4: Most AGS officers remain to serve in their region

There is a provision on the “extraterritoriality” of the passage of the ACS. But at the same time, the law states that if a young person is sent to another region, then he must be provided with a hostel with all amenities. Organizations now have practically no such dormitories. Therefore, 80% of the guys remain to serve at their place of residence, everyone is left at home. And they are sent to another region only if there are no organizations in the conscript’s hometown that are ready to accept AGS officers.

Timofey Adakhovsky:

“I underwent AGS in Moscow from 2009 to 2011, at Psychoneurological Boarding School No. 30. I worked a regular 40 hour week, 9am to 4:30pm, 5/2 schedule. The salary was quite decent, but this, of course, was due to the fact that I served in Moscow and in an institution of such a profile. My responsibilities included caring for and supervising patients; I worked as an orderly. It was also a big plus that I worked/served in my city and spent the night at home. On weekends I could go out with friends, as well as paid vacation - I had a lot of it, but this is rather an advantage of working in psychiatry. If you are going to undergo the ACS, I advise you to start preparing documents for submitting an application in advance; it is better to do this a year before the call, and, of course, think through the argument. Even though the law says that anyone can replace military service with alternative service, the military registration and enlistment office will not just give up and send you to work, they still need to recruit people.”

5: You can apply for the ACS for any conviction

Negative propaganda of alternative service from military registration and enlistment offices continues to this day. They intimidate the guys in every possible way, do everything so that society considers AGS such a marginal phenomenon. In fact, this is not so - you can apply for AGS on any grounds, not just religious ones. There were guys who applied for the ACS not only because of their pacifist or anti-militarist convictions, but also because of their political convictions. It's a very broad spectrum and it works.

Makar Butkov:

“I’m just planning to apply for the ACS. In my opinion, the main advantage of alternative service is that there is no need to serve in the army. The essence and organization of military service are in conflict with my personal beliefs. The Constitution guarantees us freedom of conscience and we must use this. I consider the AGS a good way to fulfill my duty to my homeland and at the same time not integrate into the army hierarchy. The principle of unquestioning execution of orders, when it is divorced from real necessity, contradicts normal human relations and leads to numerous problems. You don’t choose to work for the ACS yourself, but you can give recommendations in your application, and your education is also taken into account. Personally, I would like to work in the environmental field.”

6: AGS covers a wide range of professions and specialties

Any government organization has the right to apply to attract alternative employees. During the year, Rostrud collects these applications and issues a list of organizations to which children can be sent. On the Rostrud website you can find a list of all vacant positions and professions. First of all, these are social organizations - nursing homes, orphanages, hospitals. Russian Post is now actively hiring alternative workers. You can go to work in a museum, theater or even a zoo. There are places to place guys: there are about 4-5 thousand vacant places, but only about a thousand people a year are recruited. Many hospitals are understaffed, and nature reserves and national parks have few workers. In such areas, AGS can play a significant role. The only negative is that the conscript himself cannot choose his place of work. But the distribution always takes into account his specialty, skills, and social status.

Sergey Tsevmenko:

“I took the AGS from 2007 to 2010 in the city of Dzerzhinsky, Moscow region. There is a Soyuz enterprise there - a former military plant. I worked there as a builder. I myself am from the small town of Kandalaksha, Murmansk region. In my city, I was the very first alternative musician. The commission did not even know about the existence of the AGS. They assured me that only sectarians were going there. But when I began to insist and prove my rights, they calmed down and sent me to the Moscow region. Many alternative workers worked with me at the plant - mostly representatives of different religions. Everything seemed to go smoothly... An important point to remember when applying for an alternative service is that if you are assigned to some job that you do not like, if you are not satisfied with the position or salary, you can refuse and ask to be reassigned. According to the law, you must find some other options.”

7: At AGS, an employee is insured against hazing and violence

At the AGS, the employee is completely insured against violence or humiliation. There is no hazing here, like in the army. If an order from your superiors contradicts your moral principles, you don’t have to obey it. Unlike military personnel, who are obliged to follow any order, here you do not have to go against your conscience.

Andrey Shishkin:

“I applied for the ACS, but never managed to pass, as I entered graduate school and received a deferment for 3 years. My brother suffered from hazing. After that, I realized that I didn’t want to join the army. My advice to those guys who don’t want to serve, pay bribes or invent illnesses for themselves is to write an application to the ACS and defend their rights. This will be a better school of life than suffering from hazing in the barracks.”

Alternative civil service (ACS) is work in the interests of society and the state, which The young man is a citizen of the Russian Federation aged 18 to 27 years, permanently residing in Russia.

">a conscript can choose to serve in the army by conscription instead.

As a rule, young men are sent to hospitals, nursing homes, psychoneurological dispensaries and other social facilities to perform alternative service. They can also be sent to military organizations for alternative civilian service.

The list of organizations where you can undergo the ACS, and positions that can be held during your service, is approved by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development. The conscript cannot choose where exactly he will serve, and the position he will occupy will be determined in accordance with his education and skills.

During the period of alternative service, a fixed-term employment contract is concluded with the citizen. He receives a salary, has the right to take annual paid leave or leave at his own expense, and can go on parental leave.

2. Who can choose an alternative service?

You can choose alternative civilian service if:

military service is contrary to your beliefs or religion;
you belong to a small indigenous people and are engaged in traditional farming and fishing. The list of these peoples was approved by order of the Government of the Russian Federation dated April 17, 2006 No. 536-r.

You cannot be sent to alternative civilian service if you:

you have grounds for exemption from conscription for military service;
are not subject to conscription for military service;
have grounds for granting a deferment from conscription for military service.

3. How long does alternative service last?

Alternative service lasts 21 months if you serve it in organizations subordinate to executive authorities, and 18 months if you serve in organizations of the Armed Forces.

This period does not count towards:

the time of additional vacations provided by the employer to an employee combining work with education;
time of maternity leave and travel time to and from the place of this leave;
time of absenteeism (if you are absent from your workplace without good reason for more than four hours, this day will not be counted towards you);
the time for which you may be suspended from work due to appearing at work under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other toxic intoxication;
term of serving a criminal or administrative sentence in the form of arrest.

4. How to apply for alternative civil service?

You must submit an application to replace compulsory military service with alternative civilian service to your military registration and enlistment office no later than Citizens taking advantage of a deferment from conscription for military service, the validity of which expires after the end of the next conscription for military service, in case of premature termination of the grounds for deferment, have the right to submit an application after April 1 or after October 1 within 10 days from the date of termination of the grounds for deferment.

Citizens taking advantage of a deferment from conscription for military service, the validity of which expires after April 1 or after October 1, but no later than the end of the next conscription for military service, submit an application on a general basis.

">six months before the start of conscription. If you fall under the autumn conscription (October 1 - December 31), you must submit an application before April 1, if under the spring conscription (April 1 - June 15) - before October 1 of the previous year.

The application must indicate the reasons and circumstances why you are applying for alternative civilian service. You can attach documents confirming your circumstances to your application.

If military service conflicts with your beliefs or religion, you have the right to indicate in your application people who can confirm this. If you belong to a small indigenous people and are engaged in traditional farming and fishing, you need to attach documents confirming this to your application.

The application is considered at a meeting of the draft commission. You will be notified of the place and time of its holding by a summons. You must come to the meeting in person at the appointed time, and you must have your passport with you. You must ensure the presence of people who can confirm your views or religion yourself.

Failure to attend a meeting is possible only by Valid reasons:

illness or injury (injury) associated with loss of ability to work;
serious health condition of a father, mother, wife, son, daughter, sibling, grandfather, grandmother or adoptive parent, or the need to attend their funeral;
an obstacle that arose as a result of force majeure, or another circumstance that does not depend on the will of the citizen;
other reasons recognized as valid by the draft commission or court.

">good reason. In You may be denied alternative service if:

you violated the deadlines or procedure for filing an application;
the documents or other data you provide do not correspond to the arguments that military service is contrary to your beliefs or religion;
your application or documents contain deliberately false information;
you were called twice to a meeting of the draft commission, and you did not appear without a good reason;
if you already had the opportunity to do alternative service, but you refused.

">some cases You may be denied alternative service. If you refuse, you will be forced to undergo military service by conscription.

Afterwards you will be directed to. If you do not have medical contraindications, you will be given an order to perform alternative civilian service, a certificate and a registration card (it indicates the length of service).

In accordance with Russian legislation, most young men who have reached the age of eighteen are required to undergo medical examinations at military registration and enlistment offices, after which most of them are obliged to pay their military duty to the state and undergo military service in the Russian army. Despite the fact that recently in the country the period of military service has been reduced from 1.5 to 1 year, young people nevertheless strive to evade it, while inventing a wide variety of diseases for themselves or traveling to other countries. And all these actions can be called unreasonable, since military service also has its advantages:

New friends may appear, with whom young people, as a rule, have excellent relationships for a long time or even for the rest of their lives;
Just for one year the situation will change;
There will be opportunities to learn how to shoot many types of military weapons. Almost all young people are interested in familiarizing themselves with and trying out real weapons;
Test your potential for courage, determination and bravery;
Young people who have served in the army have a greater chance of being hired. In addition, you can get a job in law enforcement and other government agencies.

Mainly, many modern conscripts do not have any clear reasons for devoting the best year of their lives to military service, so they have reasons that are logical from their point of view to “decline” from it. In addition, the religious views of some young people do not allow the use of any violence against all living things, much less prohibit the use of weapons. And in fact, for such and other young people who do not want or cannot, for a variety of reasons, serve in the army, there is another version - alternative civilian service. And many citizens of the Russian state have the right to alternative civil service.

Alternative service in the army is an activity that is aimed at benefiting the state and its entire population. In other words, this is a type of activity during which young people are exempt from military service. It is simply impossible to undergo such service at your own request. And there is a certain logic, rules, circumstances and many other factors in this.

Who has the right to alternative service?

First of all, you should know that in accordance with our legislation, all Russian citizens who have reached military age have the right to perform alternative civil service. However, if we dive further into the study of this issue, then not everyone who wants to “opt out” from the army will be able to undergo such service. And all because only two categories of conscripts may have the right to replace military service with an alternative one, and this is:

Those conscripts for whom service in military units with their procedures finds serious contradictions with religious views;
Those conscripts who are part of the indigenous peoples and are engaged in economic activities.

It is now quite possible to confirm one’s attitude towards a particular religion. This is achieved by obtaining testimony from fellow believers. Another thing is the conviction not to take up arms. It is almost impossible to provide evidence of this, and only by performing practical shooting can one already decide on the principles and beliefs that do not allow young people to fire from small arms or other weapons. It is clear that in these cases, conscripts can easily lie, which is why finding out the truth will be an extremely difficult process.

According to the Russian Federal Law, alternative service may be allowed to people who meet the following criteria:

Corresponds to conscription age;
They do not have serious illnesses. If available, young people receive “white tickets” or deferments from military service;
Have valid reasons for replacing army service with ACS;
They have a decision of the draft commission of the type: “Decision on the replacement of military service and assignment to alternative civilian service.”

It is possible that quite natural questions may come to mind for many people. For example, why should conscripts risk their freedom, why hide from military registration and enlistment offices and get fake certificates stating that they cannot serve in the army, if they may have excellent alternative options? And all because many young people do not agree with the terms and conditions of alternative service.

What is AGS? Service life

The duration of this type of service is not much different from its military counterpart. The Russian Federal Law provides for the following deadlines:

When young people work in companies or enterprises that are subordinate to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the duration of such professional activity will be 1.5 years (or 18 months);
When the same citizens work in other organizations or institutions that in no way belong to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, then the terms will be almost 2 years (or 21 months).

Thus, the duration of such activity differs significantly from military service, which lasts only one year.

Alternative civil service: where to do it and what to do

It is no secret to anyone that, along with the timing, young people will always be interested in the places in which they would like to do their alternative service, as well as direct alternative professional activities. As a rule, it is extremely rare that they go to other cities.

The state has established a procedure according to which a wide variety of municipal organizations are allowed to submit applications in advance. These applications must indicate all possible vacancies for which these organizations can attract recruits to undergo the ACS. This could be work related to the service sector, production, work with documentation, patient care, etc.

It is worth noting that in cases where young people are sent to work in other cities, among other things, they are provided with rooms in dormitories. Thus, federal legislation already provides for something on all these issues. For example, the list of types of activities for citizens who will undergo the ACS includes more than one hundred types of work, positions, professions and almost eight hundred companies and enterprises in which the presented vacancies are available.

What are the advantages of AGS?

Replacing military service with an alternative one provides many benefits for conscripts. In particular, “alternative” conscripts have the right to:

Receive the wages provided for performing the work that ordinary citizens do. In other words, the salaries of conscripts who undergo the ACS are not reduced;
Sign employment contracts. Conscripts work officially, as a result of which employment contracts are mandatory attributes in such cases;
Take advantage of paid vacations and sick leave;
Take advantage of the weekend. Undoubtedly, young people can be given days off during the period of completing the ACS, just like ordinary citizens.

But if there are absenteeism or other violations of labor discipline, like all workers, penalties may be imposed on such young people, otherwise the days will not be counted towards the ACS period.

Features of the alternative service

Relations between employers and conscripted employees are regulated by Russian labor legislation. This also applies to payment issues. Conscripts receive wages in accordance with the approved wages in the organization, while all tax and insurance deductions are taken into account. However, in such cases, such employees do not retain the right to voluntarily terminate their employment relationship at their own request.

Employers, in turn, also do not have the right to dismiss conscripted employees, but have the right to file complaints with military commissariats about non-compliance with the rules on the part of such employees. Working days and the length of the working day may be determined by the internal regulations of organizations. Persons liable for military service who choose civilian work fully enjoy all military benefits, but not monetary allowance.

All money earned under the AGS is the property of the employees. They all have the rights to manage money as they wish. Remuneration for citizens performing alternative civil service is made by organizations in accordance with the remuneration systems in force in such organizations.

Types of work at AGS

According to established rules, only low-skilled jobs are usually offered. That is, only those that do not require specific knowledge or skills from employees.

The most common civilian professions into which young people are sent are ordinary professions. Mainly those liable for military service are:

Chef assistants;
Mechanics;
Assistive workers;
Secretaries;
Welders;
Manufacturers of semi-finished products;
Joiners;
Waiters;
Cleaners;
Assistant teachers in kindergartens;
Orderlies and others.

Basically, the choice is made according to the data available at the Employment Centers. In those places where there are not enough specialist workers, conscripted young people are temporarily employed for civilian work. If those liable for military service have secondary specialized education, they can be temporarily sent to more narrowly focused work, such as programmers, cooks, doctors, and nurses. And if there are any contraindications for certain work, then they can be changed to appropriate ones if there are grounds for this.

How to achieve AGS

To pass the ACS, the following documents are submitted:

A statement in which citizens justify their decisions, set out their principles and religious beliefs, indicating the persons who can testify to this;
Autobiography;
Characteristics from the place of study or work.

All these documents are written by hand in free form. It is very important to submit documents on time to avoid refusal. Submission deadlines may be as follows:

For the autumn conscription, documents for passing the ACS must be submitted before April 1;
For spring conscription – until October 1.

When can a refusal from the AGS be obtained?

Sometimes it happens that conscripts are refused alternative service. This may happen for the following reasons:

When citizens violated the deadlines for submitting documents;
When the characteristics contradict or completely do not correspond to what the young people wrote in their applications;
When statements contain false information;
When conscripts twice failed to come to commission meetings without good reason.

From all of the above, we can conclude that the ACS is a good option for those who are not able to pay their civic duty on an equal basis with everyone else. This alternative has many advantages and only one drawback - longer terms. But for certain categories this is not a problem at all. Nowadays, young people often remain to work in the same organizations where they had to undergo ACS.

"Alternative civil service, sometimes called alternative military service- this is a special type of labor activity in the interests of society and the state, carried out by citizens in exchange for military service under conscription.” Federal Law “On Alternative Civil Service”, Article 1, Part 1.

A citizen of the Russian Federation, if performing military service is contrary to his beliefs or religion, has the right to replace it with alternative civilian service.” Constitution of the Russian Federation, article 59, part 3.

Alternative civil service (abbreviated as AGS) is the right of a citizen of the Russian Federation to replace military service, which is guaranteed by Part 3, Article 59 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. ACS is a peaceful service without weapons in hands for the benefit of society and the state, which is practically no different from ordinary work.

In accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Federal Law No. 113-FZ “On Alternative Civil Service” dated July 25, 2002 was developed and put into effect. The law provides a list of persons who have the right to replace military service with alternative service.

The Federal Law on Alternative Service explains who can be sent to alternative civilian service:

Since the ACS is a substitute for military service, the requirements for conscripts are the same: the conscript must be an adult and fall within the conscription age range from 18 to 27 years.
The conscript must be fit for military service, i.e. have a fitness category “A” or “B”. With fitness category “B”, a conscript is exempt from conscription and enlisted in the reserves. By the way, our company “PrizyvaNet.ru” provides assistance in release from the army for health reasons and seeks to assign the conscript this particular fitness category.
If a conscript has a valid deferment from the army, then he cannot be called up for either military service or alternative service.
A citizen can be sent to the ACS if he or she submits an application in person or by post to replace conscript military service with alternative civilian service within the period established by law.
Conscripts who have been decided by the draft commission to be sent to the ACS are sent to alternative service.

Right to alternative civil service

The following conscripts have the right to AGS:

for whom activities related to military service go against the moral principles and beliefs of a citizen or his religion/faith, for example, a conscript does not want to hold military weapons that can cause harm to other people;
who belong to a small indigenous people living and conducting traditional activities or farming.

It is worth noting that the second category of conscripts who have the right to replace military service with alternative service by conscription, one can include only a small part of people, and the first - almost all persons of military age, for one reason or another, who do not want to live in a barracks and learn to shoot weapons. True, today, about 3% of conscripts undergoing ACS belong to small indigenous peoples and about 80% of conscripts chose ACS for religious reasons. But only 17% of the remaining conscripts succeeded in replacing military service with an alternative one, although many more applications for ACS were submitted - the military registration and enlistment office is not particularly interested in “alternatives by conviction” and many conscripts have to seek referral to ACS through the courts.

Replacing military service with an alternative one

If we look at the situation in detail, replace military service with AGS possible based on two factors such as religious faith and personal beliefs. In order to enter the alternative service for religious reasons, it is advisable to provide the military registration and enlistment office with a document confirming your affiliation with a religious organization that prohibits holding weapons. The law does not oblige you to provide such documents, but in this case, the military registration and enlistment office will approve the replacement of military service with the ACS with almost no problems and you will not have to waste your time proving your religion. But it is much more difficult to prove to the military registration and enlistment office the fact that you do not want to do military service for personal reasons and do not accept even the potential thoughts of destroying the enemy or violence and everything connected with it. It is very difficult to provide objective evidence of your convictions, except for an application for the ACS with the wording why you want to enter the alternative service in the Russian Federation.

Application for alternative service

In order to exercise your right to replace military service with the ACS, you must submit an application to the military registration and enlistment office. The federal law on alternative civilian service regulates the filing of an application 6 months before being drafted into the army. Usually, application for AGS submitted in one call. For example, if you are called this fall, then you should have applied for the last call in the spring.

For the most part, this is a norm created for the convenience of the work of draft commissions and military registration and enlistment offices. By law, the right of a citizen to ACS is constitutional, guaranteed by the state and cannot be left without satisfaction due to procedural norms. An application can be submitted at any time, with the exception of cases of taking the oath in a military unit. That is, until you are called up, even if you have already passed a medical examination, you have a chance to get into alternative civilian service. But it’s better to take care of the application for the ACS in advance, save your nerves and time for hardships with the military registration and enlistment office.

If you have applied for the ACS, the military registration and enlistment office changes the procedure for recruiting events in accordance with Federal Law No. 113, article 10:

Appearance at the meeting of the draft board, at which your application for the ACS will be considered;
appearing for a medical examination;
appearing at a meeting of the draft commission, at which, taking into account your degree of suitability, a decision will be made as to whether you are suitable for passing the ACS;
appearing at the military registration and enlistment office and receiving an order to leave for the place of passing the ACS.

If you are summoned to the military registration and enlistment office for a medical examination before a decision is made on your application to replace military service with an alternative one, this is a gross violation law on AGS.

Alternative service period

The term of alternative service in the Russian Federation is 21 months for citizens undergoing ACS in organizations subordinate to federal executive authorities, as well as executive authorities of constituent entities of the Russian Federation; 18 months - for citizens undergoing ACS in organizations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, military formations and bodies as civilian personnel.

Such large lines of alternative service are due to other conditions of service, we will discuss this below.

Conditions of alternative service

The conditions of alternative service are much softer than conscript military service.

Despite the fact that the duration of service is longer than military service, those undergoing alternative service are entitled to paid vacation and days off.
If a citizen serves in his hometown, he continues to live at home. No barracks! If a citizen was sent to ACS in another region, he is provided with a hostel.
The salary of a conscript soldier is about 2,000 rubles per month, and a citizen’s income from the ACS is more than 6,000 rubles, and in some cases even an order of magnitude higher.
A simple conscript does not have such a concept as leave, but under the AGS, annual paid leave is provided, during which the citizen is free to do whatever he wants.
Of the minuses of the ACS: you can’t quit before the end of the civil service, but conscript soldiers have a strict daily routine, a ban on leaving the military unit and, in some cases, a ban on leaving the country after the end of their service.
ACS can be combined with studies!

Lists of alternative service professions

Alternative service in the army has a limited list of professions. The list of professions for conscripts who have chosen alternative civilian service is as follows:

Car driver
Loader
Street cleaner
Disinfector
Livestock breeder
Storekeeper
Kitchen worker
Elevator operator
Painter
Boiler room operator (stoker)
Motor grader operator
Bulldozer driver
Laundry and repair worker
Stage operator
Mechanic for technical sports
dishwasher
Fitter path
Stage Builder
Reindeer herder
Operator of livestock complexes and mechanized farms
Telecommunications operator
Washing machine operator
Operator of electronic computers and computers
Illuminator
Waiter
Hairdresser
Baker
A carpenter
Cook
support worker
Firefighter
Assistant teacher
Postman
Green farm worker
Worker for complex maintenance and repair of buildings
Animal Care Worker
Coastal fisherman
Gardener
Nurse
Emergency repair mechanic
Car repair mechanic
Rolling stock repairman
Agricultural machinery and equipment repair mechanic
Repairman
Plumber
Electrician repairing electrical equipment
Sorter
Sorter for mail and printed products
Carpenter
Construction carpenter
Watchman (watchman)
Turner
Tractor driver
Cleaner of industrial and office premises
Territory cleaner
Decorator
Plasterer
Electric and gas welder
Electrician for lighting and lighting networks
Electrician for repair and maintenance of electrical equipment
Electric welder manual connection
Electrical mechanic (fitter) on duty and equipment repair

Most often, conscripts undergoing alternative service work as hospital orderlies or postmen. True, if a citizen has the appropriate education and experience, he can be sent to a special specialty. It is not uncommon for citizens to undergo AGS while working as surgeons who received a normal salary.

Avoidance of alternative service

Evasion from alternative service - Part 2 of Art. 328 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, occur in Russia in isolated cases. Not so long ago, in 2009, only 4 people were convicted for this (three received fines, and one was sent to compulsory labor), in 2014 - 7 people (three were fined, including two up to 25 thousand rubles ., and four have mandatory work).

As a rule, conscripts who want to join the ACS are not inclined to evade alternative service. They spent quite a lot of time receiving a referral to the ACS from the military registration and enlistment office and do not intend to hide from service.

Myths about alternative service

Unfortunately, the military registration and enlistment office does not particularly advertise information about the right to AGS, and the media do not disseminate this information. Because of this, many speculations and myths arise about alternative service. Let's dispel some of them.

MYTH: Only believers of certain denominations have the right to AGS.

In fact, not only a deeply religious person, but also any citizen subject to conscription, whose beliefs are contrary to military service, can replace military service with an alternative one (Article 59, Part 3 of the Constitution of Russia, Article 2 of the Federal Law on the ACS).

MYTH: Only those whose religious or pacifist beliefs do not allow them to take up arms have the right to apply for AGS.

The law does not establish any connection between the right to alternative service and refusal to carry weapons. Religious or other prohibition on carrying weapons may in fact be one of the grounds for refusing military service.

MYTH: You must provide “certificate” of membership in a specific religious or pacifist organization.

An autobiography and a reference from the place of work or study are attached to the application for alternative service. The military registration and enlistment office has no right to demand any other documents; a citizen has the right to attach other documents only at his own discretion (Article 11 of the Federal Law on AGS).

MYTH: A citizen’s statements about the impossibility of performing military service due to his convictions or religion must be confirmed by witnesses.

In the application, a citizen has the right to indicate persons who agree to confirm the reliability of his arguments that military service contradicts his beliefs or religion (Article 11 of the Federal Law on the ACS).

MYTH: A citizen must prove that military service is contrary to his beliefs or religion. The draft commission has the right to refuse a citizen if it comes to the conclusion that he does not have the relevant convictions.

Proof of belief or religion is not required. Beliefs cannot be proven. You just need to justify your choice. The statement should not set out factual evidence of conviction, but the reasons for choosing civilian service instead of military service. It is very difficult to refuse a citizen applying for an AGS: as a rule, the draft commission cannot have any legal grounds for refusal if the application is submitted in compliance with deadlines and other formalities. The burden of proving the unreliability of a citizen’s arguments that military service contradicts his beliefs or religion lies with the draft commission (Article 12 of the Federal Law on the ACS).

MYTH: An application for alternative service cannot be accepted without the sanction of the regional (territorial, republican) military commissar.

The application is submitted to the military registration and enlistment office, where the citizen is registered without any sanctions or approvals (Article 11 of the Federal Law on ACS).

As a conclusion

If for some reason you do not want to do conscription military service, you have the right to replace it with alternative civilian service. The length of service will increase, but the conditions of service will change; you will even be able to combine completing the ACS with obtaining education through correspondence or evening courses. But it is worth noting that if you are not fit for service due to health reasons, then you have no right to be called up for the ACS. If you are in doubt about whether to undergo AGS or try to find a disease that is not contagious, read the following. Based on our work experience since 2009, the majority of conscripts may have diseases that exempt them from conscription, but not all guys have a sufficient medical history to be written off to the reserve for health reasons, and only a few seek medical help, only in extremely severe cases cases. For example, a story from one of our consultants. A 17-year-old boy was riding a scooter, fell and injured his knee, but did not go to the doctors and thought that nothing bad had happened. Such a conscript did not have documents about his injury, therefore, the military registration and enlistment office considered him completely healthy and were already preparing to send him to serve in the Far East. But as soon as the conscript underwent several independent examinations, did the necessary tests and enlisted the support of lawyers, it turned out that the damage was so serious that the conscript was not accepted into the army and was written off to the reserve.

Vladimir Mozhaisky

Vladimir Mozhaisky - Author of articles and, perhaps, the best online consultant for PryzyvaNet. For more than 9 years, she has been advising conscripts and their parents on issues of legal exemption from the army in accordance with the Federal Law “On Military Duty and Military Service.”

In our country, exemption from military service appeared in the 18th century. Catherine II allowed the Mennonite religious community to work as firefighters, foresters and craftsmen in the naval department instead of army service, that is, the Russian Empire was the first state education, which allowed its subjects to refuse military service.

ALTERNATIVE CIVIL SERVICE
in questions and answers

Alternative service - What is this?

Alternative civil service is a legal (legal) opportunity to refuse conscription service, replacing it with regular work in the civilian sphere or in a military unit, but not as military man, but as an employee. This service, like any other work activity, regulated not by the charter, but by the labor code, that is, during alternative service, wages are paid to the employee spread all social guarantees, including paid leave.

Who can count on a replacement for military service? alternative civil?

Any young person can choose alternative service if he:
- believes that the army contradicts his inner beliefs or religious principles;
- is a representative of a small indigenous ethnic group, while leading a traditional way of life for this people, including traditional farming and traditional fishing.
The law does not specify what exactly the beliefs should be. Usually these are anti-war, political, peacekeeping, philosophical, moral, ethical beliefs, or their complementary combination . Therefore, not only believers of any denomination have a chance for alternative service, but also any young person if he wants to benefit society through peaceful work.

How long should you serve?

1 year 9 months - “in civilian life”
1 year 6 months - as civilian personnel in military units.
During service provided two vacations.

How to get to alternative service?

You must write a statement justifying your desire to pass AGS instead of the army one and submit it to the department of the military registration and enlistment office where you are registered. An autobiography and a reference from your place of work or study must be attached to your application.

What is the deadline for submitting an application for alternative service?

Art. 11 Federal Law " About AGS» defines the following terms:
- until 1 Oct. - if you have to be drafted in the spring of next year;
- until April 1 - if you have to be drafted in the fall of the current year.

There are exceptions to every rule. Young people who are taking advantage of a deferment, which should end after the end of the next conscription, but the grounds for deferment have disappeared ahead of schedule, can write an application within 10 days from the date the grounds for deferment ceased.
For example, if you are a student and took advantage of a deferment for studying, but for any reason were expelled from the university, then you have 10 days to submit an application for alternative service to the military registration and enlistment office from the moment the Rector orders the expulsion.

It is important to comply with the deadlines for submitting an application, because... draft commissions are very fond of making refusal decisions due to untimely filing an application, although draft commissions have the right to recognize missed deadlines as valid.

Constitutional The court of the Russian Federation indicated back in 2006 that these terms are not final, and are necessary for the convenience of the authorities involved in organizing alternative service, and not in order to deprive a citizen of his right to replace army service with alternative service (definition of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation dated 17 October 2006 N 447-O)

You can refer to this definition both in the draft commission and, if necessary, in the courts.
What to do if the draft commission refused to replace army service with an alternative one?
Such a decision can be appealed in court. At the same time, the implementation of the decision suspended until the court decision comes into force.

Can an Orthodox Christian replace military service with ACS?

Yes, since this right is individual, not collective. Even if the Russian Orthodox Church welcomes military service, you may have your own personal, individual views.

Is it necessary to provide certificates of membership in any religious or anti-war organization?

No. Article 11 of the Federal Law on AGS provides an exhaustive list of required documents: application, autobiography and characteristics. You can attach other documents as you wish. (Article 11 of the Federal Law on AGS).

Do you need to prove your beliefs?

Beliefs cannot be proven, in principle. The law says that it is necessary to justify, and not prove, your desire to replace army service with an alternative one. If the application deadlines are met, then it is difficult for draft commissions to legally deny your right. It is not you who must prove that you have convictions, but the draft commission that you do not have them (see Article 12 of the Federal Law on the ACS).

I am not fit for military service due to health reasons. Can I be called up for alternative service?

A conscript who, for health reasons, is not fit for military service is also not fit for alternative service, but, according to the law on the ACS, he must undergo medical examination. examination is necessary only after a decision has been made on the application (see Article 10 of the Federal Law on AGS)
Call for medical assistance. examination before making a decision on the application is illegal!

How can I find out where I am being sent for alternative service?

The corresponding list of organizations and professions is approved annually by order of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and published on the department’s website.
Now the list of specialties is very extensive. Young people serve in medical institutions, construction sites, factories, foresters, and libraries. In Moscow, the overwhelming majority work in post offices. There are even such exotic duty stations as weather stations, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, circuses, and theaters.
When making a referral, education, work experience, health status, family and children must be taken into account.

What restrictions are imposed on a citizen performing alternative service?

In addition to the duties specified in the Labor Code:

You cannot, on your own initiative, refuse to conclude an employment contract or terminate it.
- occupy leadership positions;
- it is prohibited to participate in strikes;
- you cannot earn extra money elsewhere;
- you cannot engage in business in any form, directly or indirectly;
- without the consent of management, leave the locality in which he works.

What advantages does a passing AGS have as opposed to a soldier?

Receives a salary;
- is on duty not around the clock, but only during working hours, i.e. no more than 40 hours per week.
- unlike a soldier, he has the right to education - through correspondence or evening classes.
- freedom of movement is limited not by the territory of the military unit, but by the locality in which the service takes place.

What kind of relationship does one have with the military registration and enlistment office after completing civil service?

Enrollment takes place in the reserves, but those who have completed alternative service cannot be called up for military training.

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