Veterinary Service of the Red Army during the Second World War.

The work of the veterinary service during the war years is worthy of the greatest respect and kind words. The significance of the veterinary service during the war was determined by the need to use a large number of horses and other military animals in the army, many of which took a direct part in the war, died and were injured just like people. Only people fought mostly at will, and animals were forced to be at the front - they were used by people for their own, auxiliary purposes. And the animals that served man in peacetime also faithfully served him in war. And people did their best to take care of their four-legged friends and assistants, who were used by them in transporting the wounded, weapons and ammunition, in reconnaissance and sabotage, as messengers and personal transport. In the rear, veterinary infirmaries were established, which had surgical, therapeutic and infectious diseases departments, in which qualified specialists provided assistance to wounded and sick horses, dogs and other animals injured at the front.
Below is an abbreviated text from the work of Major General of the Veterinary Service V.P. Vetrov "Military Veterinary Service in the Great Patriotic War". It may not be written so concisely and easily readable, but this is not pulp fiction, but harsh information from a specialist. And the statistical calculations are military accurate, strict and flawless
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Despite motorization and mechanization, the horse was of great importance for the army, the active parts of which were saturated with a significant number of horses. If by the beginning of the war the number of horses in the army was 526.4 thousand, then by September 1941 - 1,324,676, and in certain periods of the war it reached 2 million.
The need to use horses and other military animals (camels, oxen, donkeys, dogs, etc.) was dictated by an acute shortage of motorization means, the inability to use in some cases (autumn and spring mudslides, snow drifts, etc.) automobile and other modes of transport, as well as the variety of physical and geographical conditions on the front, stretching from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea.
The horse train was used in all military operations, it served as an important combat weapon in the cavalry and a reliable vehicle in artillery and other branches of the military and rear services. All formations and units, as a rule, had a full-time horse composition. In the cavalry, the role of the horse during the war was great. In Russian off-road conditions, in bad weather, the cavalry had an undeniable advantage, it had great maneuverability and maneuverability. If before the start of the war the Red Army had 9 cavalry and 2 mountain cavalry divisions, then already during the operation near Moscow there were 22 of them, and by the summer of 1943 - 27. The cavalry corps, led by the glorious horsemen Dovator, Belov and others, wrote more than one glorious page in the history of our valiant cavalry.
The issues of recruiting units with horses and the state of horse resources became extremely important and became more complicated already in the first year of the war. The forced withdrawal of the Red Army units from our territories, at the beginning of the war, was accompanied by a significant loss of cavalry. So, out of the 17.5 million total number of horses that were at the beginning of the German attack on the USSR, by September 1942, only 9 million horses remained, along with young animals. Such huge losses immediately put the spacecraft units in a difficult position regarding the acquisition of the horse composition. However, despite the complexity of the situation, the work personnel of the veterinary service, the system of preventive and anti-epizootic measures carried out ensured the veterinary well-being of the horse composition entering the staffing of the troops.
From the first days of the Great Patriotic War The main tasks of the military veterinary service were: preventive, anti-epizootic and medical evacuation services for horses, as well as veterinary and sanitary supervision of the good quality of meat and other products of animal origin entering the troops. In addition to horses, veterinary care and maintenance included large and small cattle of food herds, thousands of military dogs, animals of subsidiary farms of military units of military districts, as well as animals abandoned by the population evacuated from combat areas.

The experience of the Great Patriotic War showed that medical and evacuation measures were the most important integral part veterinary support of troops. Every year, 30 to 46% of the horses from the list of horses were treated in veterinary hospitals, the veterinary service returned to service hundreds of thousands of horses retired from units due to injuries and illnesses. This was facilitated by the correct organization of medical and evacuation work, in which the treatment of wounded and sick horses was combined with their evacuation to veterinary infirmaries located throughout the rear. During the stages of evacuation, the principle of continuity of treatment and improvement of specialized treatment by type of disease was observed.
The fierceness and intensity of hostilities, the high saturation of the troops with firepower led to the fact that the number of wounded and sick horses in the active army increased every month, so if during the first month of the war, according to incomplete data, about 19 thousand wounded and sick were admitted to veterinary hospitals horses, then over the next two months 76 thousand.
The main medical work, throughout the war, fell on the surgeons. Specific gravity surgical diseases increased every year and accounted for 50 - 70% of the total incidence. For the first time in the history of Russian veterinary medicine, military field surgery was singled out as a separate clinical branch. The skillful leadership of the chief veterinary surgeon of the Red Army (G.V. Degtyarev 1941-1943, I.D. Medvedev from 1943 until the end of the war) and surgeons of the fronts in the training of field veterinary surgeons, the well-established staged treatment of surgical patients gave tangible results. Therapeutic efficacy in general for the group of surgical diseases and injuries was quite high, the recovery rate of horses was steadily growing and by the 4th year of the war was 94.7%. Such high rates were also facilitated by the fact that in military field veterinary surgery during the Patriotic War, sections on the treatment of lesions of the withers, joints, chest, abdomen and hooves were newly developed; methods and techniques for applying immobilizing dressings, etc. Many new surgical methods of treatment have been proposed, including such wounds that were previously considered hopeless, and horses with such wounds were destroyed in most cases. The work of field veterinary surgeons was full of dedication and heroism.

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There are many cases when surgeons with a danger to own life unexploded shells of German small-caliber guns and anti-tank rifles were removed from horse wounds, horses were operated on under enemy fire and other cases of courage by veterinarians.
Along with the treatment of field injuries, much attention was paid to protecting the horse from enemy fire and preventing operational injuries, because. horses with operational injuries accounted for a significant proportion of surgical patients. Good results have also been achieved in this area, especially in relation to the main type of injury - damage to the withers of the horse. Compared with the data for the period of the war of 1914-1918. (in the Russian army) the number of injuries to the withers of horses in the Red Army during the years of the Patriotic War was reduced by 6 times.
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The achievements of the veterinary service of the Red Army during the Second World War are largely the result of the selfless work of a huge team of veterinary workers.
During the war, 6,507 veterinarians and 10,290 veterinary assistants were drafted into the veterinary service from the reserve.
In connection with the increased need for veterinary specialists, the number of students at the Military Veterinary Academy of the Red Army and the Military Veterinary School has increased. They trained 1178 veterinarians, 1220 veterinary paramedics, 7016 ml. paramedics.

3,555,764 wounded and sick horses passed through the veterinary infirmaries of the Red Army, of which 2,147,494 inpatient horses were cured and returned to service (91.59% of those treated), as well as all outpatients received in the amount of 1,319,870 horses.

PHOTO: Providing veterinary care at the front:

During offensive operations, our troops received a significant number of trophy animals. So, in November 1942, only one army of the Southwestern Front took 8747 horses, and the troops of the Central and Voronezh Fronts in the offensive near Kursk - 5578 trophy and 2884 ownerless horses.
As the Soviet troops advanced to the West, the number of trophy horses and ownerless food animals picked up by the troops increased. In this situation, the State Defense Committee decided to send the animals to Soviet Union. After checking for diseases, by September 1, 1945, the military veterinary service was transferred for National economy USSR 826.6 thousand animals

During the Great Patriotic War, more than a million horses were lost on the battlefields. However, the losses among the horse staff would have been incomparably greater if it were not for the well-organized veterinary service operating at the front. The vast majority of wounded and sick horses returned to service after treatment.
7211 officers of the veterinary service were awarded orders and medals for their courage and selfless work in the veterinary support of the troops during the Great Patriotic War.

Fragments of the text from the work of the major general of the veterinary service of the reserve V.P. Vetrov "MILITARY VETERINARY SERVICE IN WWII".
From history, archival materials military veterinary medicine.
http://libmonster.ru/m/article ...

Major General of the Veterinary Service in the reserve V.P. Vetrov - Honored Veterinary Doctor of the Russian Federation, Candidate biological sciences, combat veteran, Chairman of the Council of Veterans of the Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces, full member of the International Informatization Academy., Professor of the Academy of Military Sciences
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The general management of the military veterinary service was carried out by the Veterinary Directorate of the Red Army. During the Great Patriotic War, it was headed by Lieutenant General of the Veterinary Service V.M. Lekarev.

Military Thought No. 7/2007, pp. 41-47

Tasks of the Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Combating Biological Terrorism

Head of the Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,

colonel of the medical serviceSOUTH. BOEV

Honored Veterinarian of the Russian Federation,

Major General of the Veterinary Service in the reserveV.P. VETROV ,

candidate of biological sciences

Without in the least underestimating the role and significance of epidemiology, achievements military medicine, special services for protection against weapons of mass destruction, let us dwell on some aspects of military veterinary medicine, which celebrated its tercentenary in 2007. At the same time, it must be said that the problems that humanity faced many centuries ago remain and acquire new sophisticated forms. in technogenic world, and first of all - prevention, elimination of epizootics and counteraction to biological terrorism. In solving these problems, a responsible and significant role is assigned to military veterinary medicine - fundamental branch of natural, biological, military sciences and special knowledge. In any case, the manifestation of any infectious principle, i.e., a "biologically hazardous agent" or its localization, is associated with veterinary science and practice, since it is the most important factor in breaking the natural or artificially created "epizootic chain" that exists in nature.

A distinctive feature of biological weapons is the rapid spread of certain diseases among humans and animals. As a result of the use of highly contagious pathogens, epidemics and epizootics can occur.

The use of biological weapons is the gravest crime against humanity. Therefore, on June 17, 1925, more than 60 states signed the Geneva Protocol on the Prohibition of the Use of Asphyxiating, Poisonous and Other Similar Gases and Biological Means in War or acceded to it. In 1928, the USSR ratified the Geneva Protocol; in 1975, the United States ratified this protocol. A great victory for progressive mankind is the UN Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Biological Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, adopted in 1972. The Convention was signed by more than 10 states (1975), including the USSR, USA, Japan, France, Germany, Great Britain. On February 11, 1975, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ratified the Convention. In the same year, it was ratified by about forty more states, including the United States.

Until the beginning of the third millennium of politics, public figures of the leading countries of the world considered biological terrorism as a purely theoretical phenomenon that did not pose any particular threat to the security of the state.

After the first case of anthrax infection on October 11, 2001 in the United States, this phenomenon became a sad fact, and the instruments of acts of biological terror from theoretical hypotheses became a terrible reality.

Today, the potential of new technologies in the field of applied microbiology and genetic engineering, which can be used to create biological agents, can lead to the unexpected emergence of large-scale epidemics and epizootics induced by terrorist attacks.

According to experts in the field of microbiology, virology and genetic engineering in the United States, even the selective use of anthrax pathogens can paralyze the work of medical institutions in any US city. Of particular concern is the ease with which the components or even the biological agents themselves, including live microorganisms, including anthrax bacilli, can be obtained. Now more than 500 web pages are known that offer the sale and purchase of any strains of microorganisms (from ITAR-TASS reports in June 2000).

Why are particularly dangerous infections such as anthrax, plague, botulism, smallpox, etc. for various terrorist groups to be used against the civilian population?

Firstly , free availability. Many of the biological agents listed above can now be obtained at some research institutes, naturally, having a certain “mercantile key” to this issue. Free trade via the Internet is not excluded.

Secondly, the insufficient level of readiness of epidemiologists and epizootologists to counteract and protect against acts of biological terrorism, the weakness of the system of existing anti-epidemic and anti-epizootic tools in the structures of law enforcement agencies, health authorities and other structures.

Thirdly, high secrecy of the act of biological terrorism: after it has been carried out, there will be no information for a certain time as a result of the so-called delayed effect due to the mandatory incubation period for any infection. The etiology of the disease (specific causative agent of the disease) will not be known, since this information will be available only after the appearance of the first typical cases of infections. So, when using anthrax pathogens, the first cases with symptoms of an acute respiratory viral infection appear only after a few days.

Fourth, in two or three days, terrorists can freely leave the site of a biological attack and destroy all technical and other means of attacking the civilian population or domestic and wild animals. An uncontrolled outbreak of infection of unknown etiology begins to unfold in the affected area with a high mortality rate both among the population and among animals.

Fifth, only after a week, or even two, it is possible to establish the very fact of the use of a biological agent, before experts determine that it was indeed a terrorist act.

The likelihood of a large-scale war with the use of weapons of mass destruction has recently significantly decreased, but the increased efforts of international terrorist organizations to gain access to chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, as well as technologies for their production and use, cannot but cause concern.

It is known that according to the criterion "effectiveness - cost" chemical means of destruction are tens, and biological ones hundreds of times higher than nuclear weapon. At the same time, calculations show that the use of poisonous and highly active substances by terrorists on animals and the contamination of food raw materials by them will cause a much smaller psychological effect than the use of biological weapons, since the presence of a latent period after the use of biological agents until the onset of symptoms of damage greatly complicates the establishment of the fact of their application and elimination of the consequences of a terrorist attack. In addition, according to experts, the consequences of the use of biological weapons by extremists will be more serious than in conventional biological warfare, since the task of terrorists is to inflict maximum damage and they will use the most dangerous types of biological weapons that cause maximum human losses. At the same time, these may be some kind of acts of intimidation carried out in order to destabilize the situation, as happened in the fall of 2001 in the United States, where anthrax spores were found in mail. And although in this case only 23 people were infected, the situation in American society at that time was quite complicated, close to panic. According to foreign authors who have studied the possible consequences of the use of biological agents, the problems that may arise in this case are extremely difficult to resolve. They require a set of specialized knowledge of representatives of many professions interacting at various levels.

Currently, a special place is occupied by problem of genetically modified microorganisms. Achievements in molecular biology and genetic engineering make it possible to create new generations of biological warfare weapons with enhanced damaging properties, the indication and fight against which is impossible using existing methods. With the help of new technologies, such changes in benign agents will be achieved, as a result of which they will be able to produce toxins, poisons and bioregulators, while not being able to be detected and identified by standard methods. It is also possible to create in pathogens resistance (resistance) to antibiotics and vaccines, increased resistance to the effects of factors environment and action of various disinfectants. In addition to biological agents capable of causing massive human diseases, bioterrorists can use biological means(including genetically modified forms), the use of which will cause irreparable economic damage throughout the state as a result of the mass death of farm animals and the destruction of plant crops.

The consequences of the use of biological agents can be very serious in terms of the economic security of the state. Suffice it to say that epizootics of such a disease as foot-and-mouth disease can cause enormous economic damage. For example, losses from foot-and-mouth disease in South America where it is an enzootic disease, amount to approximately US$ 510 million per year. It should be added here that measures to combat this disease are also quite costly, since the existing possible strategies for combating FMD at the state level: without vaccination - the destruction of all diseased livestock and the preservation of sales markets, vaccination and the closure of sales markets for the relevant livestock products - require the involvement of significant financial resources.

Analysis foreign literature indicates that one of the key means of combating a biological attack is early indication and identification of biological agents. In order to prepare to repulse a biological attack, the governments of a number of countries have allocated significant allocations for the creation of means for detecting and identifying biological weapons.

In order to effectively counter biological terrorism, develop means of indicating and identifying agents of biological weapons, in 2002 alone in the United States, the Office of Advanced Research of the Ministry of Defense allocated more than 70.5 million dollars. from biological weapons. As part of a special program implemented since 2002 by the military chemical laboratory in Porton Down (Salisbury, Wiltshire), more advanced methods for detecting anthrax, plague, etc. are being developed, new vaccines are being created, and non-traditional methods of vaccinating the population are being sought. and military personnel. In recent years alone, more than 17,000 scientific experiments have been carried out using animals. China is stepping up efforts in the field of biomedical research, where the main areas of R&D are fundamental research in the field of genetic engineering, for which $ 20.4 million has been allocated. In Canada, over the past 10 years, a complete reorganization and modernization of the entire laboratory service has been carried out. Since 2005, allocations for these purposes in the developed countries of the world have increased significantly.

In the scientific world, the closest attention is paid to the problems of biological terrorism. Thus, at the end of the last century (1997), the first scientific-practical conference on the topic "Combating the use of biological weapons by terrorists" was held in Washington. It was attended by representatives of Congress, the Department of Defense, intelligence agencies and specialists from leading US research centers. During the conference, it was noted that now there is a clear trend towards the possession of biological weapons by terrorists, which is explained by the advantages of this type of weapon, the difficulty of detection, the possibility of using dual-use technologies in its production, low cost and ease of manufacture, the availability of all necessary components, a variety of applications and obtaining a significant intimidating effect.

The conference developed the following main directions in the field of indication, identification and development of means of protection against biological agents: design of remotely controlled mobile sensors and laboratories capable of registering and identifying biological agents and toxins; the search for new vaccines and drugs, the creation of means for detecting and counteracting pathogens using genetic engineering.

A disappointing conclusion was also made that not a single state in the world is ready, even partially, to counteract the use of bacteriological weapons by terrorists and to protect citizens - primarily due to insufficient stocks of antibiotics and vaccines, as well as due to the lack of means of detection and identification of biological agents that affect certain ethnic groups of the population.

Increasing likelihood of terrorists using biological and chemical agents poses a real threat national security our state. AT Russian Federation in in accordance with the Federal Law of May 28, 2001 No. 60-FZ "On the state of emergency", the Armed Forces are involved to liquidation of emergency situations and saving the lives of people in the composition of the forces United state system prevention and liquidation of emergency situations. These include natural and man-made emergencies, environmental emergencies, including epidemics and epizootics.

Against the backdrop of a real increase in the biological threat modern problem biological safety is of increasing concern to the population, politicians and scientists, since it is of crucial importance for any state and cannot be effectively addressed without the development of national and international strategic directions in this area.

From November 7 to 9, 2006 at the Moscow Medical Academy named after I.M. Sechenov hosted an international seminar on the topic "Improving systems of biological safety and protection: the development of national and international strategic directions." This forum was organized by the Moscow Medical Academy named after I.M. Sechenov, the International Council for Biomedical Sciences, the Global Partnership program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada, etc. The seminar was attended by leading scientists in the field of biological safety, epidemiology and microbiology of Russia, Canada, the USA, Great Britain, Japan and other countries . The veterinary direction of this industry was represented by A.V. Ivanov - Professor, Director of the Federal Center for Toxicological and Radiation Safety of Animals.

According to leading scientists, the greatest biological threat to humans and society at this stage is:

natural reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms and uncontrolled spread of living organisms, including genetically modified ones, with unidentified mechanisms of influence on ecosystems;

mass outbreaks of infectious diseases (epidemics, epizootics, epiphytoties) of natural origin;

accidents and sabotage at facilities where work with pathogenic microorganisms is carried out;

the use of microorganisms and ecopathogens for military and terrorist purposes, including sabotage at biologically hazardous facilities.

At present, due to the growth of biological threats, a decrease in the level of protection of the population and the environment is clearly visible. The increase in the level of biological hazard is due to many factors, namely: an increase in the number of dangerous objects that have exhausted their technical and technological resources; the presence of natural, natural focal reservoirs of pathogenic microorganisms; a decrease in the professional training of technical and maintenance personnel, violations of the rules and procedures for ensuring physical protection, storage, and handling of pathogenic microorganisms; deviation from the norms during the construction (modernization) of hazardous facilities, the production of specialized equipment; an increase in the likelihood of environmental disasters associated with the large-scale use of environmentally imperfect technologies in terms of biological safety in industry and agriculture; activation of terrorist manifestations in relation to dangerous objects.

Thus, the problem of ensuring the biological safety of Russia should be considered as a priority state program aimed at developing fundamental and applied science, technology and technology, preventing emergency situations and eliminating their consequences, and improving the professional training of technical and maintenance personnel. A necessary and main condition for the successful prevention of biological threats and the elimination of dangerous situations is the unification of the forces of the entire world community through participation in joint programs, the creation of a network of interacting international structures, and the development of international laws and regulations.

The most significant in a series of new documents related to countering terrorism, including biological terrorism, is the law “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in Connection with the Adoption of the Federal Law “On Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism” and the Federal Law “On Countering Terrorism ". Experts believe that even now we can talk about the formation in Russia of a serious legal basis for countering terrorism. It consists of two basic federal laws, a number of separate norms of other laws, several decrees of the President of the Russian Federation, laws on the ratification of 12 UN universal conventions on combating terrorism and separate regional agreements within the Council of Europe, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the CIS.

AT common system chemical, biological protection of troops (forces) carries out its activities veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, complementing the activities of the RKhBZ troops, the medical service by solving specific tasks. In particular, the veterinary and sanitary service carries out: epizootic and veterinary and sanitary reconnaissance; monitoring the epizootic situation and forecasting it, taking into account all the factors influencing the course and course of the epizootic process; specific indication of biological agents of the environment, etc.

The main directions of the work of the service for combating agrobiological terrorism are defined in the directive of the Chief of Logistics of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated May 27, 2001 "On measures to prevent the introduction and spread of dangerous diseases of animals and plants on the territory of the Russian Federation". One of the main tasks of the veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is to protect the territory of Russia from the introduction of contagious animal diseases and quarantine plant diseases from outside.

As part of the adoption of legislative measures to counter terrorism by the President of the Russian Federation in 2001, the relevant decrees approved the "List of chemicals, equipment and technologies that can be used in the creation of chemical weapons and for which export control is established" and the "List of human pathogens (pathogens) , animals and plants, genetically modified microorganisms, toxins, equipment and technologies subject to export control”. Measures to prevent the importation and spread of pathogens of infectious animal diseases, dangerous pests, plant diseases and quarantine weeds into Russia from abroad by military vehicles are carried out by veterinary checkpoints at military airfields and naval bases.

The most important activities of military veterinary medicine to protect troops, farm animals and habitats in extreme situations, natural man-made disasters are:

targeted collection, systematization of data on the state of natural foci of diseases, the presence of infectious diseases in foreign countries, analysis and forecasting of the epizootic situation, creation of a data bank for the adoption of reasoned strategic decisions for the protection of the territory of the Russian Federation from the importation and spread of especially dangerous anthropozoonotic diseases;

development, using modern biological technologies, of new and improvement of existing means and methods for express diagnostics and protection of animals and plants from lesions by pathogens of especially dangerous diseases, as well as systems for conducting agro-industrial production;

planning and providing assistance in carrying out organizational and methodological measures in areas adjacent to radiation, chemically and biologically hazardous facilities and enterprises, the operation of which is associated with the possibility of man-made disasters;

development of methods for the neutralization, disinfection, decontamination, conservation, storage and processing of food raw materials, ensuring the receipt of food products safe for the human body from animals affected by man-made substances due to possible terrorist acts and natural disasters accompanied by the destruction of chemical, biological industrial enterprises, as well as enterprises with a nuclear cycle;

introduction into practice of the latest methods of disease prevention and treatment of lesions of military and food animals, as well as comprehensive research, preparation and creation of a new generation of preventive and therapeutic agents - antidotes.

In general, when considering the possible consequences of a biological terrorist attack, it should be noted that all probable outcomes are described in the relevant manuals, and specialists of the veterinary and sanitary service of the RF Armed Forces are able to use the principles of elimination of consequences that have already been worked out in practice, applying them in real modern conditions.

The editorial board and the editors of the journal "Military Thought" heartily congratulate the military personnel and civilian personnel of the veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, veterans, all those who devoted themselves to this difficult task and put their mind, talent and labor into it.

We wish you, dear friends, good health, personal happiness andwell-being, success in service and work for the benefit of our Motherland.

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"Epizootic is not only an economic but also a political enemy" (V.I. Lenin.)

In fact, the winged expression even today belongs to the fiery revolutionary and life veterinarian Bauman.
Why is this problem so relevant to this day? on the fifth year of the new millennium. Without underestimating the importance of military veterinary medicine, which will enter its 300th anniversary in 2007, it should be noted that the problems facing man many centuries ago acquire new sophisticated forms in the technogenic world, and primarily the military aspect of the application of this branch of science.
Widespread in the world technology of fast food preparation, including Russia "Ready to eat" i.e. special dry rations for types and branches of troops require mandatory veterinary control.
This is actually confirmed in the military operations of troops in Yugoslavia, local conflicts, the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, as well as the Coalition troops in Iraq, not to mention the more serious tasks of the anti-epizootic plan and the fight against biological terrorism.

History reference.

In 102 AD, the Roman legionnaires, led by King Troyan, on a campaign against the Dacian bastion (Dacia), beyond the Danube (present-day Romania), always took saddlers, blacksmiths and veterinarians with them. Namely, veterinarians, and not konoval, as they were called later in ancient Russia, and ironically at the present time. Weapons, ammunition and a 3-day supply of grain, i.e. the cargo, with a total weight of 26 kg, was carried by the soldiers.

The fruits of enlightenment. History of the Roman Empire Diskaveri 1994

(In order of comparison with US veterinarians)

For example, an article dated April 01, 2003 from the javma magazine "Military veterinarians guarding the freedom of the people of Iraq" which states that two-thirds of the health officers in the US air force centcom, consisting of veterinarians, ensure the health of the military contingent, the population and the environment in the theater of the military actions of coalition detachments in the Central Asian Command, including Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa. In order to maintain their high combat readiness. Verbatim; Military veterinarians keep working dogs that keep American soldiers safe in Iraq.
They supervise the safety of food and liquor, which the troops so cherish. (Coalitions) US Army Veterinary Corps Veterinarians carry out fundamental missions for the citizens of a free Iraq. Food safety is a very important issue for coalition troops in the theater of war, where veterinarians are in the lead in this area.
The Senate of the leading country in the world is well aware that due to objective geographical, religious, political, climatic, economic conditions, falsification of products and because of the extreme nature of the environment, the role of veterinary specialists is of paramount importance in these conditions.
Without being touched by the achievements of the "former probable opponents", the world veterinary luminaries state the following; I will cite only the words of Artem Khristoforovich Sarkisov, Academician of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the greatest mycologist of world renown, now deceased "Historically, the military veterinary medicine of Russia has a classic experience in organizing the veterinary business of the troops, including those outside its territory and in local conflicts."
It is not in vain that the military horsemen of the Russian army have established themselves in Europe since 1707, 30 years earlier than their official registration as an independent branch of special veterinary science and practice. That is clearly confirmed by all historical events. On the example of the organization of veterinary support for the 40th separate army in Afghanistan, developed by the Logistics Headquarters of the USSR Armed Forces and, first of all, Major General of the Medical Service Oleg Belenky. Subsequently, introduced into practice by Lieutenant Colonel Grigory Gabelk and Vasily Tsygulev, the first military Afghan veterinary pioneers; Viktor Kholopov, Anatoly Shapovalov and Vladimir Burkov, now one of the leaders of the Association of Veterinary Medicine in Moscow. By the way, Viktor Kholopov arrived on December 27, 1979 in the city of Fergana to check on the state of veterinary support of the 80th Guards Airborne Division, but he immediately went to war. At that time, an air assault brigade was deployed on the funds of the division, in the staff of which he was included, those. the first military veterinarian arrived on 301279 in Afghanistan. In the future, the experience of military veterinary medicine in solving the tasks facing the service was increased during the period of the elimination of epizootics for African plague in Cuba in 1970-72, and Odessa region at the end of the 80s. of the last century, rinderpest and sheep pox in Central Asia, outbreaks of anthrax, foot and mouth disease, brucellosis, leukemia and tuberculosis in various regions of the vast Soviet and post-Soviet space. Military veterinary medicine proved to be one of the most trained mobile special services (forces) in ensuring the country's radiation safety during the Chernobyl disaster, maintaining stable epizootic well-being of the Transcaucasian republics during the 1989 Spitak earthquake, and then the Okhinsky earthquake on Sakhalin. It ensured the protection of the borders and territory of the Russian Federation from the penetration and spread of infectious animal diseases during the periods of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus and the unstable economic state of Russia at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21st centuries. Through the efforts of the veterinary and sanitary service of the PurVO, and first of all, 201 MSD, together with the veterinary and sanitary service of the North Caucasian Military District, Moscow Military District, KpFl and KsPN, in cooperation with government bodies veterinary medicine of the Russian Federation and the state veterinary structures of the countries of Central Asia, for two decades, epizootic stability has been maintained in the south of Russia. This indisputable fact serves as a concrete proof of the importance of the service and its tasks. Those paramount tasks and problems that lie on the shoulders of an extremely small structure, in comparison with the number of existing state institutions, in the field of veterinary medicine and public health.
Veterinary and sanitary service in the center and in the field, under the supervision of prominent leaders; Major General of the Veterinary Service Vitaly Vetrov, Colonels Vladimir Burkov, Yuri Boev and heads of services operational-strategic associations: Ivan Ponomarev, Alexander Tyulenev, Ivan Kolesnichenko, Igor Maksimov, Vasily Garmaev, Nikolai Pecherkin, Nikolai Yanchuk, Boris Kobzenko, Konstantin Kolosov, Alexander Andrienko, Evgeny Yudin and other "veterinary aces" increased her veterinary and combat experience in numerous ethnic conflicts : In Baku, Nagorno-Karabakh, Transnistria, Abkhazia in Tajikistan and far beyond the chapels of the Motherland. During the disarmament of illegal armed formations and the conduct of an anti-terrorist operation in Chechnya and the North Caucasus, military veterinarians, in particular V. Vetrov, V. Burkov, I. Tyulenev and Y. Selivanov, prevented mass outbreaks among animals and the population of anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, tularemia and other anthropozoonoses.
There were many tragic pages and difficult trials in the history of Russia. And now the country is going through a difficult period when we have to overcome the consequences of changes in the domestic political life of the country, the state structure, and in international relations.
The once mighty state - the Soviet Union, could not resist in a rapidly changing world. But, despite all the difficulties, we managed to preserve its core - the Russian Federation.
The consequences of such changes were not long in affecting the economic and domestic political life of our country and our people. The military-political position of Russia in the international arena has also changed.
Russia did not retain the power and influence in the international arena that the Soviet Union had. Therefore, many peace initiatives and proposals of Russia aimed at strengthening international security were ignored. international community. The United States had a big influence on this.
Returning to the theme of the importance of military veterinarians and the entire veterinary industry as a whole, as a complex of biological, humanitarian, special sciences, and especially genetic engineering, as well as practical areas of all areas of its activity, in the real conditions of biological terrorism, the following should be noted. At present, the country has lost those developed programs and a clear system of measures for anti-epizootic protection of the population, including livestock, that existed in state structures USSR. For example, in all territorial bodies of the civil defense (civil defense) there were special veterinary detachments of the civil defense, ensuring the implementation of the entire complex of anti-epizootic and anti-epidemic measures. At the same time, clear guidance was provided for their vertical activities and scientific support. The newly created ministry, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, the receiver of the USSR Civil Defense, unfortunately, does not have such formations in its structure, including veterinary specialists, with the exception of several veterinarians serving the cynological direction. There is a legitimate question. And who will skillfully eliminate any epizootic, preventing the possibility of spreading to other regions and states? Only the main sanitary and epidemiological department of the country? So this department is quite satisfied with the problems of using forces and means in the prevention and prevention of banal food and toxic infections among the population. Which literally abound in children's institutions, schools, sanatoriums, transport, at home, and even in military educational institutions which was rarely allowed in the past. (Actually, in world medical practice, and not only, it is customary for everyone to do their own specific business)
The bird flu pandemic has become threatening, and we have an extremely unfavorable forecast in the epidemic, epizootic plan, along with the financial and economic collapse of the entire domestic poultry industry.
Since 2003, only 210 people have died in 12 countries of the world, the last case was on December 31, 2007 in Egypt. In late 2007, an American scientist, professor of biotechnology Ram Sasiseharyan from the University of Massachusetts, established the mechanism of mutation of the H5 N1 avian influenza virus.
And the latest case of bird flu, in western China in Xinjiang, the authorities destroyed more than 30,000 chickens.
Of course, at the level of the layman, the figure of 210 human deaths from "bird disease" is negligible, compared with the annual death of people on the roads and poisoning with alcohol surrogates, which, only in Russia, number tens of thousands of lives. But we must not forget that the property of mutation of any infectious agent, under the influence of unforeseen or adverse factors, this is an extremely little-studied layer in modern virology and microbiology.
As I remember, 30 years ago, HIV infection in our country was not taken seriously!
Analysts of all stripes do not hide the fact that the problem of avian influenza, strongly heated up by journalists in the media, is one of the methods and means of conducting an information war, and primarily on the economic front, of competing companies and countries that produce and sell poultry meat.

INTRODUCTION OF THE HIGHEST RANK
FOR THE HEAD OF THE VETERINARY BODY
US ARMY APPROVED BY PRESIDENT D. BUSH

President Bush signed into law the US Department of Defense bill passed through Congress in November 2002 to make the Chief of the Veterinary Corps the rank of brigadier general.
The initiative to restore the highest rank in the veterinary corps was first initiated by the current president of the American Veterinary Association, Dr. James E. Nave, a veteran of the veterinary corps, since his leadership of the organization in July 2000. For more than two years, the American Veterinary Association lobbied Congress to introduce the necessary changes, which were subsequently successfully implemented in 2004. (See 1 AUMAD June 2002, p. 1601).

Reference. From the history of the veterinary corps (department) of the USA

The US Army Veterinary Corps was established in 1916. Today, it has approximately 410 veterinarians, 58 warrant officers, and 1,365 enlisted personnel. They provide veterinary services to all departments of the US Department of Defense, including food inspection, biomedical research and development, and are also engaged in the prevention of animal diseases in order to protect health and, therefore, maintain the combat effectiveness of personnel.
Acting Chief of the Veterinary Corps of the Army USA Dr. Jack Fourier holds the rank of brigadier general. The initiative launched by the American Veterinary Association was of great importance to the United States as a world leader in the military field. It should be noted that in the past, during international meetings of military veterinarians, there was some discrepancy due to the fact that the chiefs of veterinary services of all countries had general ranks, while the chief of the US veterinary corps had a lower rank.
Thus, one of the provisions in the bill providing for the assignment of at least the rank of brigadier general to the head of the veterinary corps was fulfilled.
Awareness of the great importance that the US Veterinary Corps has for the health and performance of personnel dictated the need to introduce the position of general, endowed with the same powers and performing the same tasks that are currently facing the head of the Veterinary Corps. Since the Chief of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps also acts as the coordinator of the activities of all veterinary services within the US Department of Defense and is responsible for the execution of these actions, he (or she) must interact with representatives of the veterinary service of foreign countries and make decisions on issues of international concern. economic and diplomatic importance. The head of the Veterinary Corps of the US Army is obliged to coordinate the actions of representatives of the veterinary services of many countries, to cooperate with the veterinary, medical and sanitary institutions of the allied countries (NATO members); and many of these institutions are headed by generals, thus the status of a brigadier general puts the Chief of the US Army Veterinary Corps on an equal footing with his foreign counterparts. In connection with the growing importance of research and development in the field of the use of defensive biological weapons, as well as in the field of protection against zoonotic diseases, the need to introduce the rank of general is historically justified and has acquired a targeted direction.
US ARMY VETERINARY CORPS
US President Bush in early 2004 nominated Michael B. Cates to head the US Army Veterinary Corps. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumseld on June 12, 2004 officially announced that Michael B. Case would take the post of brigadier general. In September 2004, the US Senate confirmed his appointment.
And so, at the end of 2004, Dr. Michael B. Cates was appointed head of the US Army Veterinary Corps, and on December 14, 2004 he was sworn in and promoted to Brigadier General. The appointment and swearing-in ceremony took place on 14.12. 2004 at Fort Sam Holston, San Antonio, Texas. The ceremony was opened by Army Surgeon General Keven K. Kelley. Congressional officials and other dignitaries were present, as were all members of the US Army Veterinary Corps, including Colonel Dr. Fourienner, predecessor of Brigadier General Cates, and two previous heads of the Veterinary Department.
The President of the American Veterinary Association, Dr. Maeve, noted at the presentation; "At the international meetings of Military Veterinarians, it was obscene when the foreign veterinary leaders of the veterinary corps were generals, and the head of the US Army corps was of a lower rank." This did not paint the US Army in the eyes of the allies and the international community, at a time when the US Army Veterinary Corps performed and is performing extremely responsible tasks and functions.
In a response speech by Brigadier General Michael B. Cates, it was emphasized: "The US Army Veterinary Corps plays a big role in achieving our ability to be ahead, always and at any time. And everything we do must, ultimately, focus on our primary customers: soldiers, sailors, aviators, marines, along with their families that we serve. While remaining versatile, vigilant and relevant, we must look for opportunities to improve our effectiveness, and effectiveness in what we do."
Brigadier General Dr. Michael B. Cates received his veterinary degree in 1980 from the College of the University of Texas. (Scientific Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health) Diploma in American Veterinary Medicine. After graduation, he was appointed commander of the 100th detachment of the medical department of the 30th medical brigade of the 5th US Army Corps in Gelbelberg. (Germany) Awarded with more than 20 medals and distinctions.
The US Army Veterinary Corps makes a significant contribution to national defense through food safety, biomedical research and the implementation of a large-scale veterinary program in the protection of military personnel and the entire military readiness of the US Army.
The U.S. Army Veterinary Corps has 404 veterinarians, 60 senior officers in active military service, who, along with 170 veterinarians, 10 reservists and officers of the order, perform the assigned tasks of military readiness. In total, the number of veterinary staff in the Veterinary Corps, with military personnel, is more than 1,700 people.
Historically, Brigadier Generals led the Veterinary Department from 1946 until 1990. AT air force The United States had an independent veterinary service, headed by an official, with the highest officer rank - brigadier general and above. Military veterinarians, until the mid-80s of the last century, served in more than 60 countries around the world.

Specialists of the Veterinary Corps performed:

1. Veterinary-epidemiological, epizootic reconnaissance and economic and sanitary assessment of the areas of deployment and operation of troops (forces).
2. Carried out veterinary and anti-epizootic measures aimed at protecting military personnel and their families from infectious, parasitic and exotic diseases in the host countries; carried out research and biomedical work in various regions, with an unfavorable epizootic and epidemiological situation, and in particular in the countries of the "third world".
3. Ensured the safety of food purchased in host countries through well-organized work of officials, technicians and other personnel of food inspections.
4. Provided supervision and control over service animals, in particular military dogs, organized medical and preventive work directly in the troops, as well as training centers for specialists (dog handlers).
5. Carried out a special program of veterinary medicine for the study and use of marine service animals in the training centers for reconnaissance and sabotage forces of the Marine Corps;
6. Supervised the ornithological service at the US air bases and carried out medical and preventive work among birds.
In addition to the main tasks of veterinary support, a number of veterinarians were involved to perform specific work on the instructions of special services.
Hundreds of veterinarians work at permanent and temporary air bases around the world. They represent two-thirds of the health officials in the Biomedical Science Corps. They form the basis of medical support, in the work and decision-making of the medical command of the group. These recruited and highly professional cadres are better known by the general name of Health Technicians (Lieutenant Colonel Courtney, Veterinarian).
Provided medical assistance to pets and birds belonging to family members of US military personnel.
Veterinarians perform humanitarian missions, especially in the provision of veterinary care and improvement of animal husbandry in Iraq, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Special veterinary teams (departments) work within the Army Special Forces, which specialize in "unconventional warfare". They work in difficult combat conditions, ensure the military readiness of mine detection dogs. Perform the role of dog handlers in the exploration of mines, shelters and other structures, for the presence explosives and terrorists.
Ensure the security of food supplies and other humanitarian functions, in terms of veterinary medicine, among the civilian population. They, along with the special forces, undergo preliminary professional training in the methods of conducting special operations. Perform coordination activities in non-governmental and private companies, on the organization of veterinary services and the prevention of anthropozoonoses.
The work of veterinarians constitutes the medical and preventive component of public health
Responsibilties in protecting the health of military personnel at Centkom in Tampa. For example, it monitors the vaccination of special forces against anthrax and smallpox. Veterinarians are actively involved in the problems of combating biological terrorism and the use of chemicals. (They carry out a specific indication of biological agents and toxic substances, Russian terminology) The army is the personal representative of the US President abroad or a "pain point" in the consumption of food. It is important for veterinarians to know where food is produced and processed. "We are expanding our ability to search for intentionally contaminated food, and we manage this and reduce the risk of poisoning and sickness to soldiers" (Colonel Van Hook).
Colonel Hook Denis Wang - chief veterinarian of the Air Force - Air Force Operational Support Directorate of the Medical Activities Agency said.
"We're veterinarians in general, the first people in the air force on earth, to take on the task of receiving the main force at an air base. So we're trying to make sure the place is as safe to bring people in."
In Iraq, Veterinarians, as an independent health department, serve military personnel, their families, civilian personnel and the local population of Iraq, at a rate of one specialist per 5,000 people. They conduct preliminary veterinary and epizootic reconnaissance, monitor the spread of infections, draw up disease vectors before deploying bases and detachments there.
The task of military veterinarians in the CENTCOM theater of operations, and in particular in Iraq.
1.Veterinary service for service dogs.
2. Maintaining the health of the military contingent.
3. Ensuring the food safety of food and alcoholic beverages.
Given the climatic conditions of the Middle East, food security is a very important issue for special forces in the theater of war, and veterinarians are leading the way, said Colonel Cornwell. More than 150 military veterinarians serve in the CENTCOM command, 30 of them directly in the theater of operations, the rest of the officers and technicians serving animals and food inspectors.
From 27 to 31 October in Belgium (Brussels) the International Military Veterinary Conference was held. Representatives of the armies of 17 European countries, with the exception of Russia, took part in the work. This project has been sponsored by the American Veterinary Association for 50 years. The conference was attended by all leaders of the Military Veterinary Medicine of the NATO bloc and the countries of Eastern Europe, chaired by the President of the American Veterinary Association and the Association of Colleges of Veterinary Medicine of the USA.
As a result of the work, a joint Communiqué was adopted.
The priorities of military veterinary medicine are:
- Ensuring food safety;
- fight against biological terrorism;
- veterinary service for service dogs and increasing their efficiency in terms of tasks to be solved.
(For example, in the British Army, the entire canine service is organizationally part of veterinary medicine, the cost of one service dog per day is up to 50 pounds sterling).
In the armies of NATO and Coalition countries, Military Veterinary Medicine occupies a worthy place and is a full member of the Army Health Team. All military veterinary medicine and its units have been reoriented towards food safety and food hygiene.

In 1994, in connection with market conditions management in the country, there is some re-profiling of the activities of military veterinary medicine to ensure the quality of food and food raw materials supplied to the troops and fleet forces. The military veterinary service is given a new legal status, the departmental veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces, as an integral part of the state veterinary supervision, ensuring the implementation of the normative acts of the law "On Veterinary Medicine" in power structures Russian Federation.
The service received further improvement on August 22, 2004, when, in accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation 122-FZ, the veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was included in the system of the state veterinary service. On the basis of Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of August 16, 2004 N 1082, it implements public policy in the field of veterinary and phytosanitary supervision in the Armed Forces, other troops, military formations and bodies in the manner prescribed by legislative and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation.
The Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, an integral and integral part of the Logistics Support of the Troops and Fleet Forces, both in peacetime and in wartime.
The role of veterinary specialists in the overall scheme of logistical support for troops on the territory of the Russian Federation and beyond its borders is of significant importance. They are always in the forward echelon of the rear, when resolving any issues assigned to the rear of the Armed Forces. The main combat mission and professional duty of veterinary specialists of all levels is to provide a set of veterinary-sanitary and anti-epizootic measures for logistic areas or troop deployments. At the same time, to guarantee complete food safety of food products, to exclude toxic infections and diseases of people, thereby maintaining the health (combat capability) of the personnel of the troops.
Based on the foregoing, the Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as an integral and integral part of the Logistics of the Armed Forces, has received a high status of the State executive body in the Armed Forces. The special rear service, which performs one of the specific elements of the country's national security, has a significant legal and social position in the military administration and society.
Given the increased role of military veterinary medicine and the natural need for the upcoming financial and organizational measures under the MUSTO program, in terms of military veterinary medicine, it is necessary:
For the further development of the service, the leaders of military veterinary medicine, at all levels, with all interacting governing bodies and interested structures, legally and qualitatively revise the governing documents regulating the activities of the service. To build a completely new organizational and staffing structure of the governing bodies of the service, its organizations, in relation to the dictates of the times. (Work is underway in this direction.)
And, in addition, to restore historical justice - to return a special military rank officer of the veterinary service and determine the highest officer position Head of the State Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Example: Manager Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation S.A. Dankvert has the status of a general in the army.
January 7, 2008 Moscow

FROM THE DECREE OF PETER I

Its history began with the decree of Peter I of July 12, 1707 on the establishment of "animal healers" (horsemen) in the cavalry. In essence, this is the history of domestic veterinary medicine. The creation of military veterinary medicine was associated primarily with the needs of the army. Veterinary specialists were first trained in the second half of the 16th century. for the Stable Department, which had as its main goal the recruitment of the army with horses. It laid the foundation for the establishment of domestic horse breeding, i.e. the actual birth of veterinary science and practice, for decades ahead of the developed European countries in this.

From the moment of formation to the present time, domestic military veterinary medicine has been an integral part of society and its Armed Forces. Together with them, it developed, obeyed the laws of the development of the army, undergoing changes in the course of reorganization, rearmament and various reforms of state building.

There is little information about the activities of horse-dressing masters in the regular army. Few documents convey the following historical facts to us: by 1711, in the states of 33 cavalry regiments, it was planned to have 330 horsemasters (10 for a regiment, for one master - 100 dragoon and 30 "cart" horses). By 1712, in the states of artillery, it was provided for at the headquarters of the regiment to contain one horsemaster, three assistants and ten horseshoe masters. Their main task was to preserve state-owned horses.

The need for this was very great, therefore, in 1715, Peter I issued a decree proposing to find Swedish specialists in order to train Russian people in "blacksmithing" and "good horse-drawing science" in each province to send them to the regiments assigned to the provinces.

By 1740, horse factories were established under the cuirassier, dragoon, field and garrison regiments, while among the receivers of horses there were horse-dressers and blacksmiths. Each horse factory provided for the arrangement of "light stables". Undoubtedly, the work of the horsemasters was useful, and their practical experience was widely used in the regiments, which was reflected in the Regulation on the maintenance of horses in cavalry and artillery, enacted in 1766.

A special educational institution is being created to train military veterinary specialists. This was the Artillery horse-drawn school opened in 1803. In 1812, at the veterinary department of the St. Petersburg Medical and Surgical Academy, the first graduation of domestic veterinary doctors, who were assigned to military service, took place.

During the Patriotic War of 1812, the horse composition of the Russian army consisted of 300 thousand horses. From the point of view of the history of the development of veterinary support for the army, the organization of the first field horse infirmaries (depots) this year deserves special attention. The initiative to create them belonged to the commander-in-chief M.I. Kutuzov. So, after the Battle of Borodino, individual cavalry divisions led up to 300 sick and wounded horses. In this regard, M.I. Kutuzov ordered General Barclay de Tolly to organize the collection and evacuation of sick and wounded horses.

In 1864, the division of troops into corps was canceled, military districts were formed, in connection with which a full-time position of a military district veterinarian was introduced, subordinate to the military medical inspector of the district (the system of managing the veterinary unit was changed). The general dynamics of growth in the number of full-time specialists in the army by periods of hostilities is shown in the table.

To manage the military veterinary business in the Russian army in 1896, a central body was created - the Military Veterinary Department under the Main Military Medical Directorate. And it was preceded by temporary military administration bodies, such as the Provisional Veterinary Committee (1847) and the Veterinary Department at the Main Military Medical Directorate, which effectively functioned until 1895.

During Russo-Japanese War in 20 months, 123.5 thousand horses (60%) fell ill, 2439 (1.97%) had gunshot wounds. There were 148 advanced, 136 convoy, 11 stage veterinary infirmaries in the combat areas, but the distribution of the veterinary staff was uneven. In transports, one doctor accounted for 300-400 horses, and in divisional wagon trains, one doctor per three thousand. Significant work has been done to service the food herds of cattle, unfavorable for plague and foot-and-mouth disease.

The management of the veterinary unit in the active army was carried out by full-time veterinary inspectors. In June 1905, the office of the field veterinary inspector of the army was established, which united the veterinary service in the theater of war. Since 1910, the service has become independent from the center to the regiments. The veterinary administration is directly subordinated to the Minister of War.

During the First World War, there were more than 2930 thousand animals in veterinary hospitals, about 370 thousand horses infected with infectious diseases were registered. Irretrievable losses amounted to 400 thousand (30.5% of the average staff). At the same time, on January 1, 1916, there were an average of 500 horses per veterinarian, and 100 per paramedic.

SOVIET PERIOD

The organizational design of the military veterinary service of the Red Army dates back to May 8, 1918, when the Collegium of the Veterinary Administration was created. Of the numerous reorganizations in 1918-1924, it should be noted that in 1924 the Military Veterinary Directorate of the Red Army was resubordinated to the People's Commissar of the USSR. At that time, the Military Veterinary Directorate was entrusted with the leadership of the veterinary service of the Red Army, the OGPU troops, the Border Troops, as well as the escort guards.

In 1924, scientific research institutions of the military veterinary service were organized: the Veterinary Chemical Laboratory of the Red Army and the Veterinary Microbiological Institute. Since 1925 - the military veterinary department at the Kazan Veterinary Institute, later reorganized into a faculty, then - into the Military Veterinary Institute and in 1938 - into the Military Veterinary Academy of the Red Army (Moscow). Training of veterinary paramedics is carried out by the Leningrad Military Veterinary School. By 1929, scientific research institutions of the service, educational institutions, and central veterinary warehouses were already subordinate to the Military Veterinary Directorate of the Red Army.

During the Great Patriotic War, units of the active army with a significant number of horses were provided with full-time divisional and corps veterinarians. In the armies and in the fronts there were governing bodies - veterinary departments. In the front there are several front-line veterinary infirmaries, a front-line veterinary warehouse and a front-line laboratory. The chiefs of the veterinary service were subordinate to the respective chiefs of the rear, however, such a hierarchy did not exclude the direct report of the chief of the veterinary service to the commander of the troops (commander of the formation) and members of the military council.

Despite the high degree of motorization of the army, the horse staff served as a military weapon in the cavalry and as a reliable draft force in artillery and other branches of the armed forces and rear services. The combat effectiveness and mobility of troops, their timely combat and logistics support largely depended on the staffing of formations and units with horses, on their performance. The veterinary staff of military units and formations, both regular and called up from the reserve, performed their duties in difficult combat conditions. And yet, more than 90% of horses were returned from veterinary infirmaries to service after treatment.

In addition, the specialists of the service carried out significant work on veterinary and sanitary supervision of the work of meat processing plants, field offices and military food depots, veterinary control over the quality of meat supplied to the troops and navy. In herds of food livestock, veterinary preventive, anti-epizootic measures, veterinary and sanitary examination of meat and products of animal origin were carried out in full.

The post-war years (1948-1954) became a turning point in the history of the service. As a result of the further mechanization of the army and the almost universal replacement of horses with machines, there was a significant reduction in the number of personnel and institutions of the military veterinary service. A new stage in the development of the service turned out to be associated with the training of troops in combat operations with the use of weapons of mass destruction. The tasks of protecting personnel from diseases common to humans and animals, as well as from diseases that can be caused by the use of animals exposed to WMD damaging factors, were put forward to the fore. In 1958, instead of veterinary infirmaries designed for inpatient treatment of military animals, veterinary epizootic multipurpose detachments were formed.

By 1965, the following organization of the service had developed: in the center - the Military Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Defense, to which the advanced training courses for officers of the veterinary service are subordinated, the central veterinary warehouse; in districts, groups of troops, and fleets - a veterinary service, which is in charge of a veterinary laboratory, veterinary epizootic detachments, a veterinary warehouse, military veterinarians, and specialists from the service of military state farms.

In 1978, in accordance with the decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the military veterinary faculty was restored at the Moscow Veterinary Academy. K.I. Scriabin.

In 1990-1994, the history of the veterinary and sanitary service is associated with an increase in the volume of activities carried out in the interests of protecting the health of personnel of the troops and fleet forces. Thus, in 1994, in connection with the market conditions of economic management in the country, there was a significant re-profiling of the activities of military veterinary medicine to ensure the quality of food and food raw materials supplied to the troops and fleet forces. The military veterinary service is given a new legal status - the departmental veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces as an integral part of the state veterinary supervision, ensuring the implementation of the normative acts of the law "On Veterinary Medicine" in all power structures of the Russian Federation. In particular, the service exercised control over the implementation of military units, institutions and agricultural enterprises of the Ministry of Defense of veterinary and sanitary rules and regulations. Ensuring the food safety of food prepared for the personnel of the troops and naval forces. Carried out measures to prevent the importation into the territory of the Russian Federation of pathogens of infectious animal diseases, dangerous pests, plant diseases and quarantine weeds at checkpoints across the border of military vehicles. And also a number of others.

AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF THE USSR

The activities of the veterinary and sanitary service after the collapse of the USSR turned out to be complicated by the fact that the bodies that procure food for the Armed Forces were forced to use the services provided by various commercial organizations. This took place under conditions widespread in the agro-industrial production of diseases, including those common to humans and animals, as well as the uncontrolled use of mineral fertilizers, pesticides, other chemical plant protection products and animal treatment.

A set of activities carried out in the late 90s. of the last century on the reorganization of the military veterinary service into the veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces, made it possible to make the service a departmental subsystem of the unified state veterinary and sanitary supervision of the Russian Federation. All veterinary laboratories of the military districts and navies were transferred to strengthened staffs, which received a new name - laboratories of veterinary and sanitary examination - and have qualitatively different capabilities in terms of carrying out measures for the veterinary and sanitary examination of food, food raw materials and fodder. Additionally, specialized institutions were formed at military airfields and at the bases of naval vessels - veterinary control points, which ensured the implementation of a complex of veterinary-sanitary and quarantine measures to prevent the introduction of contagious animal diseases, quarantine pests, plant diseases and weeds into the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the RF High Command was included in the functional subsystem of the unified state system for the prevention and elimination of emergency situations. Military Veterinary Faculty at the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology. K.I. Scriabin was transferred to a three-year period of study with a corresponding increase in the number of faculty students. Curricula for the training, retraining and advanced training of officers of the rear services in the higher military educational institutions of the Logistics of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation have been revised, unified data banks on special issues have been introduced into the practice of institutions of the veterinary and sanitary service of districts and fleets.

Over the years, military veterinarians have repeatedly confirmed their devotion to their work, showed high professionalism, selflessness in all the significant events of the past century. Including in the veterinary support of the combat operations of the troops of the 40th Army in Afghanistan; ensuring veterinary control and radiation safety of food products supplied to the population and troops as a result of the Chernobyl disaster; organization of anti-epizootic support for the actions of troops in interethnic and local conflicts in Transnistria, Tajikistan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Chechnya, the North Caucasus, Yugoslavia and peacekeeping operations of Russian troops abroad.

We can also recall the elimination of outbreaks of acute contagious infections in the territory of military districts, such as foot and mouth disease, anthrax, tuberculosis, brucellosis, rabies, bird flu. On the organization and implementation of veterinary, sanitary and preventive measures during the Spitak and Okha earthquakes, natural disasters, man-made accidents and catastrophes...

Positive experience of the veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces recent years in terms of veterinary and sanitary supervision and control, it is successfully used in the organization of work in this area in various structures of the state veterinary medicine of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In 2000, on the basis of the existing Military Veterinary Faculty, a unique and the only higher military institution in the world was created - the Military Veterinary Institute, which trains veterinary specialists for all law enforcement agencies of the Russian Federation in the main specialties.

The service receives further improvement on August 22, 2004, when, in accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation 122-FZ, the veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is included in the system of the state veterinary service. On the basis of Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of August 16, 2004 No. 1082, it implements the state policy in the field of veterinary and phytosanitary supervision in the Armed Forces, other troops, military formations and bodies. Here it is appropriate to cite the statement of Andrey Matveyevich Rudenko, Privy Councilor, Master of Veterinary Sciences, timed to coincide with the acquisition of independence by the military veterinary department of Russia exactly 100 years ago. “If the difficult fate and uncertain legal position of the veterinarian is felt at every step even now, then what happened to him at the dawn of Russian military veterinary medicine,” he wrote. on the one hand; on the other, it is a story of grief, sadness and suffering of former veterinarians who fought for the independence and originality of their work.

Over the 300-year path of development of the military veterinary medicine of the Russian army, there is a tendency to maintain the status of a "stable military structure" in the Armed Forces, in comparison with the strength of the troops (navy forces) in Russian Empire, the USSR and the Russian Federation. Most likely, this situation will continue in the future, since it is associated with the unpredictability of the military-political situation in the world, global climate and environmental changes on the planet, the likely mutation of pathogens of especially dangerous diseases and other adverse factors in which the role and significance of military veterinary medicine, as a complex of biological sciences, without any doubt, will increase. Therefore, it seems that the Veterinary and Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will remain an integral and integral part of the logistic support of the troops and fleet forces both in peacetime and wartime.

The role of veterinary specialists in the general scheme of logistical support for troops on the territory of the Russian Federation and beyond its borders has, of course, changed over the past two centuries, but has not lost its relevance. They are always in the forward echelon of the rear. The main combat mission and professional duty of veterinary specialists of all levels is to provide a complex of veterinary-sanitary and anti-epizootic measures for areas of logistic support or deployment of troops. They must guarantee complete food safety of food products, exclude toxic infections and diseases of people, thereby preserving the health, and hence the combat effectiveness of the personnel of the troops.

FROM THE DECREE OF PETER I

The beginning of a special veterinary education in the interests of the army was laid by Peter I in the Decree of the Senate of March 31, 1715. It said: “The Great Sovereign indicated ... to find: horse-dressers for sending to the regiments, in the provinces to teach good horse-dressing science, and now to the regiments laid down in the province from each province of blacksmiths and horse-dressers, if there are ready, but if not, although, having hired, send in a short time. It follows from the decree that Peter I considered horse-shoeing knowledge to be a science, and the beginning of veterinary education in Russia was laid when Western Europe about veterinary education and did not think. It is known that the first veterinary school in Europe was opened only in 1762 in France, in the city of Lyon.

Veterinary education was further developed during the growth of cavalry in the army, in connection with which measures were taken in the country to develop state horse breeding. In 1732, in the instructions to Major General Volynsky "On bringing horse factories to best condition and on expanding them "it was ordered to establish a Stables Office in Moscow, and § 12 of this instruction says:" Select 50 literate people and send them to school in order to learn special medical and natural sciences. So that they can know Latin names of herbs and other medicines suitable for use by horses. And after special training, distribute them for further training directly to the horsemen ... ". For preparatory education, it was opened in 1733 in the village of Khoroshevsky near Moscow, a boarding school for 50 people.

AT early XIX in. a more rational formulation of the matter of preserving and treating the horse composition of the army was already required. There were a lot of horses in the troops, which were a valuable asset of the state: in 1803 - 66,000, in 1808 - 269,252, in 1813 - 349,879. veterinary education, which arose at the beginning of the 19th century. Thus, the formation of horsemen in the troops was organizationally formalized.

In 1808, veterinary departments were opened in St. Petersburg and Moscow at the Imperial Medical and Surgical Academy. Its charter noted that the purpose of the latter was to educate young people in all parts of the medical sciences, while three parts of teaching were established: medical, veterinary and pharmaceutical. Training at the veterinary department was conducted for 4 years.

However, in 1879, in connection with the transformation of the Medico-Surgical Academy into the Military Medical Academy, unexpected complications arose for the veterinary department. The Chief Military Medical Inspector stated that in view of the army's small need for veterinarians - an average of 10 per year - there is no need for a special veterinary educational institution. And in 1880, the admission of students to the veterinary department of the academy was stopped. In total, over the 75-year period of its existence, the veterinary department has graduated more than 1000 veterinary specialists.

However, the lack of such specialists in the army soon made itself felt. And in 1919, courses for the training of laboratory workers were organized at the Central Military Veterinary Bacteriological Laboratory, which were transformed in 1923 into epizootological courses for advanced training of veterinarians. After the Civil War, the program and course capacity expanded even further. But this measure did not solve the problem. Therefore, in 1925, at the Military Veterinary Bacteriological Institute, to improve the qualifications of veterinarians, full-time advanced training courses for higher and senior veterinary personnel (KUVET) were created, for which an additional training department was included in the institute.

And a little earlier, in December 1922, in Moscow, on Tsvetnoy Boulevard, 25, the training of veterinarians began. The first head of the school was M. Gannushkin, former head of the veterinary department of the 5th Army, later Doctor of Veterinary Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Epizootology of the Military Veterinary Academy of the Red Army. In 1937, the school, which was then in Leningrad, was renamed the Leningrad Military Veterinary School.

In 1925, for the training of junior veterinary assistants (at one time they were called veterinary instructors), military schools for junior veterinary assistants were also opened in cavalry and artillery units, and later at garrison veterinarians. Training in schools lasted 22 months, of which 10 months - in the first year of service and 12 months - in the second. The significance of these schools was not only in the fact that they trained junior veterinary assistants for the army, but also in the fact that after demobilization these paramedics replenished the cadres of veterinary specialists in agriculture.

In accordance with the order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR dated September 12, 1925, No. 918, in 1925 a military department was opened at the Kazan Veterinary Institute, designed to train 30 students. Great merit in the creation of this department belonged to the head of the Military Veterinary Directorate of the Red Army N. Nikolsky, who did a lot for the formation and development of military veterinary medicine in the Soviet period. The training program included theoretical courses in military disciplines, military administration, military topography, training in military chemical and shooting, the theory of riding and dressage of a drill horse, military zoohygiene:

The first release of military veterinarians - 28 people - took place on October 8, 1929 and laid the foundation for a systematic system of recruiting veterinary and medical staff for the Red Army. In total, during the existence of the military department of the Kazan Veterinary Institute (1925-1932), 128 military veterinarians were trained.

Since 1929, the military department was gradually transferred from Kazan to Moscow, where the training of military veterinarians was organized at the Moscow Veterinary Institute. In 1930, the military department of the Moscow Veterinary Institute expanded into the Military Veterinary Faculty, which in 1935 was reorganized into the Military Veterinary Institute of the Red Army and, finally, in 1938, into the Military Veterinary Academy of the Red Army. Thus, within a short time, higher military veterinary education stood on a solid foundation.

PRICE OF COMBAT EXPERIENCE

In October 1941, the Military Veterinary Academy was evacuated from Moscow to the city of Aralsk, and in 1942 - to the city of Samarkand. Due to the great need for veterinarians for the troops, the number of students at the academy was increased from 700 to 1400. However, this did not last long due to the fact that with a shortened 3-year training period, the quality of training decreased. In 1943, the academy switched to a 4-year term of study. During the war years, the academy produced 8 graduates, giving the army 1178 veterinarians.

In addition, the academy did a lot of work on the training and improvement of veterinary specialists: surgeons, therapists, epizootologists for the veterinary departments of the fronts and armies, as well as front-line and army veterinary infirmaries and laboratories. The teaching staff constantly traveled to the active army, where they trained specialists in field veterinary institutions.

Research work was also restructured and aimed at meeting the needs of the veterinary service of the troops. In the first months of the war, 80 employees of the academy voluntarily went to the front. The regiment, formed from its listeners and permanent staff, in 1941 worked on defensive structures near Moscow and occupied combat positions there.

Examples of patriotism and military prowess were also shown by the command staff and cadets of the Leningrad Military Veterinary School in the besieged city. Their battalion of teachers and cadets, and this is more than 1200 people, under the command of the head of the school, Major General of the Veterinary Service L. Baitin, defended one of the sections on the outskirts of Leningrad. But he especially distinguished himself in the battles near Nevskaya Budrovka. For courage and courage, many employees and cadets of the school received high government awards.

Only from the reserve during the war, 6,507 veterinarians and 10,290 veterinarians were drafted into the army. But after its completion, in connection with the reduction in the number of the Armed Forces, a decision was made to reorganize, and subsequently close military veterinary educational institutions. The Military Veterinary Academy in 1948 was transformed into the Military Veterinary Faculty at the Moscow Veterinary Academy, which existed until 1956. From 1956 to 1978, the training and retraining of officers of the veterinary service was carried out at specialized officer courses.

A few more years will pass and again, as has happened more than once, the problem of the shortage of veterinary personnel in the army and reserve veterinary service officers will reappear. By the decision of the Council of Ministers of the USSR in 1966, a veterinary cycle was organized at the combined arms department at the Alma-Ata Veterinary Institute. The preparation of students there began with the 3rd year of the veterinary faculty. The training program included military and military-special disciplines, designed for 3 years of study and a monthly camp fee. And upon graduation, students received the primary officer military rank of lieutenant of the reserve veterinary service, specializing in veterinary radiology and toxicology.

For 16 years military department released about three thousand reserve officers, of which more than 100 graduates were voluntarily called up to the cadres of the Armed Forces, Border and Internal Troops. The graduates of the military department of the Alma-Ata Veterinary Institute replaced the entire personnel vacuum of the veterinary staff, formed in Soviet army in the period from 1960 to 1970. The vacancies of veterinarians of motorized rifle and tank formations were then filled by 80 percent by graduate officers of the institute. But in 1982, the veterinary cycle of the military department was also disbanded.

On July 1, 1978, in accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of August 19, 1977, on the basis of 43 officer courses of the veterinary service, the Military Veterinary Faculty was formed at the Moscow Veterinary Academy. K.I. Scriabin.

The reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation at the end of the 20th century also affected military veterinary education. In 1994, the Military Veterinary Service was given a completely new legal status of the departmental Veterinary Sanitary Service of the Armed Forces as an integral part of the state veterinary supervision, which ensures the implementation of the normative acts of the law "On Veterinary Medicine" in law enforcement agencies. A new concept of an integral and integral part of logistics support is being introduced - "Veterinary and sanitary support", aimed at ensuring food safety of food products and food raw materials supplied to the troops and fleet forces. In the general construction of the rear, the veterinary and sanitary service occupies a strong position as a "service serving fighting"In this regard, the tasks of training military personnel are becoming more complicated, and the educational process is being improved.

A lot of work is being done in the research laboratory - the oldest and only scientific unit in the system of the veterinary and sanitary service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. One of the main directions scientific research corresponding to the urgent need of the veterinary and sanitary service was the development of means and methods for detecting radioactive, poisonous, toxic and highly toxic substances in food products, food raw materials and fodder, as well as methods for their neutralization, protection of military and food animals from WMD. Appropriate guidelines have been developed guidelines, instructions, a number of methods for the use of antidote agents are proposed. Several antidote formulations have been developed and put into practice, which have a highly effective therapeutic and preventive effect, as well as methods for determining physiologically active substances in the meat of food animals that are part of antidote formulations. Eight author's certificates have been received, two doctoral and nine candidate's dissertations have been defended.

AT THE TURN OF THE XX-XXI CENTURIES

The fundamental changes in all aspects of life taking place in our country at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries necessitated the improvement of the military education system in Russia, which has 200 years of experience in training military specialists. This process also affected the Military Veterinary Faculty at the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K.I. Scriabin. On its basis, in accordance with a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Military Veterinary Institute was established in 2002 to recruit units, units and organizations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with military veterinarians of the highest qualification.

Today, the institute is staffed with students at the expense of students who have completed four courses of veterinary academies, agricultural universities and institutes with veterinary faculties. The term of study is two years. Persons who have graduated from the institute are awarded the qualification of "veterinary doctor", the military rank of "lieutenant of the medical service" and a state diploma.

The Institute carries out stage-by-stage training of veterinary specialists under the programs of higher and postgraduate (adjuncture) education. In addition, advanced training courses are provided for officers of the veterinary and sanitary service in a number of specialties. In this unified training system, veterinary specialists are formed who are capable of providing veterinary and sanitary support to the troops at a level that meets the requirements of the present moment.

Training of students in military special disciplines is carried out at the departments of the Institute and the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K.I. Scriabin. The high scientific and pedagogical qualifications of teachers make it possible to ensure the quality of educational and military-scientific work. More than half of the teachers have a degree. Suffice it to say that at present, within the walls of the institute, work is underway on the preparation of four doctoral and seven master's theses by the method of solicitation and postgraduate studies. In total, nine doctors of science, eleven professors, twenty-two candidates of science and associate professors participate in the training of military veterinarians.

Only in the last ten years from the walls of the Military Veterinary educational institution more than 330 officers of the veterinary and sanitary service have been graduated and are adequately fulfilling their military and patriotic duty in the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. And in total for the period from 1978 to 2007, the Military Veterinary Faculty at the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology named after K.I. Scriabin and the Military Veterinary Institute graduated 837 specialists. Among them are those who adequately performed their military duty in Cuba, Libya, Syria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Kosovo.

Now only the Military Veterinary Institute has remained the successor of the once rich system of military veterinary education and military veterinary science in the post-Soviet space. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Joint Military Department of the Kazakh National agricultural university. Powerful intellectual forces of the veterinary and sanitary service are concentrated today in these educational institutions, considerable scientific and practical experience has been accumulated.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that the glorious past and present of a higher military educational institution, which is the Military Veterinary Institute, its traditions, constantly improving material, technical and scientific and information base, methodological skills and professionalism of the teaching and command staff - all this is the key to a successful solving the problems that today face the military veterinary education of the country as a whole. And these tasks, as the entire course of our history testifies, are not getting smaller. They just become more specific. This is confirmed by the recent creation of two mountain brigades in the North Caucasus, whose service and combat work is hard to imagine without the use of pack animals. This means that our veterinarians will still have enough work for a long time.