The guard service is the duty of the unit, which guards the military banners, military and state facilities, employees located in a guardhouse or in disciplinary battalions. Guards called guard units. There are several types of guard duty.
Kinds
Allocate them depending on what kind of armed forces in question. So, according to the Charter of the Guard Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, there are 3 varieties of the guard in the country. Firstly, the internal one, which guards the objects of the military camp. It operates in a place where the military unit is on an ongoing basis and consists in the protection of facilities located here. Often on ships, in military units there is a separate guard town. Most often, in accordance with the security requirements of the guard service, access to the rest of the military, who are not involved in it, is limited.
Moreover, the guard is not formed on a permanent basis, it is created only for a strictly limited time period. So, in the CIS countries, sentries are sent to guard duty for a day. After this period, the guards are replaced by other sentries. Persons performing the main tasks of the guard service are directly subordinate to the commander of the ship or military unit. They also undertake to follow the instructions of the duty officer in part. Garrison guard guards the objects of the garrison. In addition, he undertakes to ensure the safety of persons in the guardhouse. This kind of guard is subordinate to the head of the garrison, on duty.
A separate view is an honor guard service. This is a ceremonial unit that guards memorials. Also, persons carrying out guard services of this type often meet dignitaries of other states. In addition, a guard of honor can be formed in order to give military honors.
Temporary and permanent
The permanent guard service aims at guarding the facilities daily. For persons who carry out it, schedules are made. It is in them that the order according to which one needs to intercede is fixed.
Temporary guards are appointed by order in special cases. For example, the organization of guard duty is provided for loading military cargo at stations, at airports, and so on. It may also be needed when there is a need to save military cargo during natural disasters, fires. Sometimes the organization of guard duty is carried out to protect prisoners and convicts. In addition, temporary sentries are exhibited near memorial objects for the duration of the celebrations.
About the legal basis
Common to all the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is the documentation that establishes the features and rules of guard duty in the country. It is based on a document in force in the USSR. It is interesting that the Soviet Guard Charter was based on a document compiled under the Russian emperors.
UGiKS includes a list of obligations that are vested in the persons guarding these or those objects. In this official Charter of the guard service, the order of changing sentries, the hierarchy of subordination, and so on are fixed.
Since the document was created for the Soviet troops, the experience of more than one decade was reflected there. The rules of the guard service, listed in it, extended to many emergency situations, emergencies.
About importance
The functions assigned to sentinels are of increased importance.To describe all the actions that they should take, a rather voluminous documentation was created. Violation of the rules of the guard service is punishable, as this is a combat mission. Accordingly, its implementation is monitored quite vigilantly. Checking the guard service is carried out regularly. It is important to comply with each provision of the Charter, to show determination while in office.
Particular attention should be paid to the fact that the protection of objects is a combat mission. In this regard, when a person is at his post, he actually acts as he would in battle. Anyone who is guilty of violating the requirements of the Constitution of the Constitutional Court bears disciplinary or criminal liability.
Despite the fact that such a condition may seem rather stringent, in practice it is quite justified. If there were no strict conditions, many military units would have long been robbed. In addition, many state secrets would have long been abroad. For this reason, guards guard objects in combat mode.
On practice
It must be borne in mind that with some differences from theory, the situation is unfolding in practice. For example, soldiers often carry a guard without carrying cartridges. The thing is that the military leadership is afraid to trust the soldiers with weapons. After all, they can shoot at an unnecessary moment.
Most often, the main object to be protected is the guard building. If a unit is attacked, it is assumed that the main enemy forces will be directed at it. The building is specially equipped in such a way that it is possible to shoot back from attackers.
According to the soldiers, in practice no instructions are given what to do in the event of an attack. The guards are checked often enough, but usually the alarm ends with a simple gathering of fighters in the designated place. That is, in the event of a real attack, they would simply not know what to do, in what order to act.
About equipment
In addition to a separate building, sometimes in the military unit there are additional booths for the guard. They have telephone communications, spotlights, which illuminate objects to be protected. Also, buildings can have stoves so that soldiers do not freeze in the cold season.
Most often, sentries are subordinate to the chief of the guard. He has a deputy in case the boss is on vacation. Typically, soldiers in this unit are called sentries. When they receive weapons and stand on a post, they are called sentries. They can patrol buildings to be protected, and watch them from the towers.
Without reservation, it is clear that hardly the sentries will be able to sit at their post for 24 hours. For this reason, more than one shift is provided. Sometimes sentries at their post spend 8 hours a day. To ensure that the service is carried out normally, 3 guards are usually enough, which are replaced every 2 hours.
Since people are not iron, they are sometimes present in the schedule of assumptions. For example, if the air temperature is below the minus 20 degrees, if there is a strong wind, the sentries change every hour. Also, if the air temperature rises above plus 30 degrees, people change with the same frequency. In practice, such a rule is not always implemented - the decision is made by the person on duty. He sometimes forgets about this. The remaining time of the guard are doing the same as the rest in the barracks.
About immunity
It should be noted the fact that every sentry has immunity. It manifests itself in the fact that his rights and personal dignity are protected in a special manner. Persons around are required to comply with the requirements of the sentry, which are imputed to him while serving. The sentry has the right to use weapons in cases specified in the Charter of the guard service.
An interesting fact is that the sentry should not leave his post under any circumstances, even if the general ordered him to.Only the head of the guard, as well as the guard, can change the sentry.
If these persons die or are physically unable to fulfill their duty, the sentry leaves the post by order of the officer on duty in the presence of the commander. Until the moment when these persons are collected, the sentry does not have the right to leave his post.
The duties of the sentry are clearly illustrated by the story widespread among the soldiers. She is fictional, but instructive. The story tells of a guard on guard. Once part of it was in the midst of a natural disaster. For a long time he was under the rubble. When they found him, the first thing he said: "Wait, who's coming!".
In world history
Separate stories about sentries are also available in world history. For example, during a campaign Napoleon once saw a sleeping guard. He did not give orders to wake him, did not begin to execute him. He took the sentry's weapons and engaged in patrolling personally, replacing the sleeping soldier. The news of this scattered throughout the Napoleonic army, making the military leader even more popular.
But we must remember that ordinary commanders with the smallest degree of probability will begin to do the same. Therefore, the main rule for a soldier entering the post is the lack of sleep in the workplace. A soldier who has fallen asleep at the post runs the risk of waking up in a guardhouse, in prison, in captivity, or never waking up.
About bans
There are other taboos for sentries. They should not sit, lean against anything. The thing is that this increases the likelihood of falling asleep. Also, at these moments their review is limited. Sentinels cannot write, read, eat, drink, smoke, or send natural needs. It is unacceptable to be distracted from service in general. In addition, the guard cannot communicate with anyone other than the guards on guard.
It is important to remember that many of the provisions in the charter are written in blood. For this reason, it makes sense to abide by all points. So, in no case should you engage in the transfer of objects.
Speaking of prohibitions, I want to say a few words about the Greek evzones. Previously, they participated in battles, for example, against the Turkish invaders. Now the Evzones are one of the symbols of Greece. There is a special part where only tall and slender guys are selected, because it is their duty to guard duty in Sindagma Square near the government building. In any weather (rain, snow, heat) and in any circumstances, the Evzones must defend the clock set by them, without moving, like stone sculptures. They are only allowed to blink. Agree, this requires an incredible exposure. But back to our sentries.
Entry rules
Upon entry into the post, the guard undertakes to conduct a personal search of all objects subject to protection. He must also, in the presence of his superiors, check the serviceability of the protected property. It is important to conduct a vigilance check. After all, after pronouncing the words “post accepted”, evidence is no longer accepted that the disappearance of anything did not occur in his shift.
About duties
The sentries undertake to guard the post with all vigilance. It is important that they are not distracted by anything. It is impossible to release weapons from your hands, to transfer them even to higher persons.
Unauthorized resignation is a war crime. When patrolling the object of protection, it is important to carefully examine the approaches to it.
It is necessary to ensure that weapons are combat-ready. No one, except for the sentry authorities, can approach the sentry at a distance specified in the order. Each post has its own forbidden border. It is important to have the ability to use the available fire extinguishing means. As soon as a defect is detected in the fencing of objects, you must immediately call the guard bosses. If the guard dog barked or if technical security equipment worked, you should immediately inform the authorities.
About innocence
There are several rules that guarantee the innocence of the guard. For example, if, acting according to the charter, the sentry stops or kills the offender, he will be innocent. Such an action cannot be challenged in court, even if it turns out that a person has lost his way.
It is important that the guard at the same time acts in accordance with the requirements of the charter. First, he must order the person moving to the restricted area to stop. Further warn about what will shoot. If the offender continues to move, you must immediately call the head of the guard or the guard. The sentry is obliged to detain the violator.
To this end, he makes a warning shot up. If the violator ignores this action, the guard has the right to use weapons against him.
The most important rule is to clearly remember the sequence of each action. It should be borne in mind that a warning shot must be done before using a weapon against a person. Violation of this rule is easily detected when checking the bullet hole in the intruder. On the first pool flying out of the weapon, there is a gun grease. If the bullet turned out to be the second, it will be clean.
Exceptions
Of course, the rules provide for exceptional cases. So, if the sentry is clearly attacked, he no longer needs to speak and warn. It is necessary to deal with the protection and salvation of one's own life, army property. In this case, the guard can use weapons without warning.
About the fire
A separate procedure is provided in case of fire. Noticing a fire, the guard first reports this to the guard building. He continues to observe the burning object, while remaining at the post. If the need arose to extinguish the fire on his own, he has the right to move the weapon to the "behind" position.
If the sentry is injured, he must call the head of the guard or the guard. He continues to serve. Sometimes extreme cases occur. Then the sentry has the right to call the authorities to his post by firing up.
Conclusion
Guard service is a very serious part of military service. Not only the safety of objects, but also the lives of people depends on its correct actions. The sentry must clearly comply with all the requirements prescribed in the Charter. He is obliged to apply the actions specified in this document in relation to absolutely all persons, regardless of their rank and rank. So, he is obliged to stop at a distance indicated in the report card (often it is marked with signs and on the ground) all persons, with the exception of the breeding and immediate boss, as well as those accompanying him.
It is also important for the sentry to remember that it is forbidden by the rules to check the guard service secretly, appearing suddenly to catch the sentry by surprise.