Offensive Guard: what are the brigades, requirements, training, salaries and benefits?
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced the formation of assault brigades called the Offensive Guard. Volunteers who want to help the state expel Russian invaders and liberate the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine can join them.
The Offensive Guard is eight professional assault brigades of the Ministry of Internal Affairs consisting of patriotic soldiers who want Ukraine to win the fight against Russian aggression.
The National Guard of Ukraine invites you to Bureviy, Chervona Kalyna, Kara-Dag, Rubizh, Spartan, and the most famous, Azov. At the same time, the State Border Guard Service is recruiting volunteers for the Steel Border brigade, and the National Police is recruiting for an assault brigade called Rage.
How will recruitment and training take place?
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the units would consist of current police officers, border guards, and National Guardsmen. And the core of officers, sergeants, and soldiers will be defenders with significant experience who have shown themselves to be the best during the defense of Donbas since 2014 and the liberation of the Kharkiv region after February 24, 2022.
The soldiers will not be sent to the front immediately. First, they will have to undergo several months of intensive training to ensure the combat cohesion of the new units. Only after that will they be able to take an active part in offensive operations to drive the Russians out of Ukrainian soil.
The best instructors in firearms training and tactical medicine will be involved in the training of the soldiers, who will be equipped with high-quality weapons and equipment.
What will be the payment and benefits?
All the soldiers joining the service will have similar benefits and guarantees as the Armed Forces of Ukraine soldiers. Soldiers can sign a contract or be mobilized. Service in the Offensive Guard has a number of advantages:
the opportunity to obtain a higher education at a university during service – free of charge or at a reduced rate;
annual vacation, the duration of which increases with the length of service;
in addition to the general insurance period, the service is also included in the civil service period;
the right to a pension after 25 years of calendar service is based on a combined civilian service record.
Social guarantees include the opportunity to receive housing, medical treatment, and university education, said Ruslan Muzychuk, spokesman for the National Guard.
– Volunteers who become stormtroopers receive a number of social guarantees. In particular, stable and competitive salaries, the opportunity to receive housing and medical treatment, rehabilitation in state medical institutions, a study in departmental universities, retire with a mixed record, acquire the status of combatant and other significant benefits, – he said.
Soldiers of all units of the defense forces who have been directly involved in the war for at least 30 days receive the status of combatants.
The members of the Offensive Guard are also entitled to free and extraordinary medical care and a 75% discount on utilities until early retirement.
How to become a part of the Offensive Guard
A person who wants to join the Offensive Guard can submit an application form on the website storm.mvs.gov.ua, which describes all the brigades that are being recruited.
You can also apply to the Administrative Service Centers – the list of ASCs is available on the website. The candidate must pass a military medical commission, a psychological and physical test, and then enroll in the brigade of his choice.
