CHITA. March 4 (Interfax-AVN) - The Siberian military district will contract the first 3,000 professional privates and sergeants in 2005, the district's press service reported on Thursday.
"The district's military council has considered the state and prospects of manning the district's troops with contracted servicemen. It was noted that over 3,000 people will be selected for the positions of professional privates and sergeants with the Siberian military district in 2005," a press service official told Interfax-Military News Agency.
The district will start getting ready for employment of contracted personnel already this year, he said. A set of measures aimed at preparing social and training facilities will be taken in several compounds of permanent-readiness units.
"At the same time, the Siberian military district command believes that there are serious problems related to underfunding of the program, primarily lack of allocations for forehanded accommodation, as well as to construction pace," the officer said. He also lashed out at some commanding officers who have failed to realize the importance and scale of transition to professional service.