MOSCOW. Nov 28 (Interfax-AVN) - The number of commissioned and warrant officer jobs in Russian Strategic Missile Troops (RSVN) will be reduced in 2009, RSVN Commander Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov told journalists on Friday.
"In 2009, commissioned and warrant officer jobs will be cut. Therefore, there is a need for a comprehensive analysis of the situation and well-thought out decisions regarding the fate of every commissioned officer and every warrant officer," Solovtsov said.
To keep prospective officers in the RSVN troops, "servicemen who are above or will reach the military age limit in 2009 will be dismissed," he said.
"Most officer jobs to be replaced by civilian ones have been manned with trained specialists. These are, in particular, communications specialists, meteorologists, engineers, logistics experts and others," the general said.
Currently, the RSVN is considering training foremen, sergeants and civil personnel at RVSN higher-education institutes to do jobs that were normally done by officers. Particularly, training specialists in technical and high-tech areas that require higher level of skills, the commander said.
"It has already been decided to raise wages for and to further increase civil personnel," Solovtsov said.