ABSTRACT
The Soviet soldier, according to official Soviet sources, is formed both before and during his actual term of obligatory service. On one hand, special programs help to prepare him during civilian life for the military responsibilities that await him once in the ranks. Considering the traditional role that multiethnic armies have played in offering members of minority group’s opportunities for upward mobility and personal advancement, the preinduction and in-service training and education practices for Soviet minorities should be given particular attention. In Moscow and other large Russian cities, students are often required to attend "military training" classes for two or three hours per week, beginning in the eighth or ninth grade. The Soviet armed forces operate a number of military schools and academies that train students in a military specialty, such as infantry, artillery, or communications, and grant them commissions upon graduation.
