Honoured Worker of Physical Culture of the Russian Federation, Professor, Dr.Hab. V.A. Shchegolev¹
Associate Professor, PhD A.N. Sivak²
Professor, Dr.Hab. A.A. Kochin³
PhD, Lieutenant Colonel V.Yu. Egorov¹
Military Institute of Physical Culture, St. Petersburg
¹St. Petersburg Military Institute of Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian ²Federation, St. Petersburg
³St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg

Keywords: specialist training, military sport area, armed forces of NATO lead nations.

Introduction. The issues of maintaining defensive capacity of the Russian Federation include not only stepping up combat readiness of the army and navy personnel, but also the constant analysis of capacity of the armed forces of the NATO lead nations. The results of this analysis can help make a realistic evaluation of potential war threats and take timely measures for their neutralization. In this regard the study and generalization of foreign experience in training and professional development of military personnel, including military sport specialists is very important.

Research objective was to determine main features of various systems of training of military sport specialists in the armed forces of the NATO lead nations (USA, England, Germany, France, Italy).

Methods and structure of the research. In order to fulfil the set tasks we used different ways of data collection, theoretical analysis and synthesis of information from national and foreign sources.

Results and discussion. Currently there is no centralized system of professional training of physical education and sport specialists in the USA. Training centres in each branch of the  U.S. armed forces provide courses for personnel of primary and intermediate level. The positions of organisers (coordinators) of physical training in major military units are normally occupied by the graduates of military academies. The students of these academies learn the necessary organizational and methodological knowledge and skills in order to be ready for planning and implementing various forms of physical training in the units of the armed forces of the United States [1].

 Physical education and sport specialists are being trained in civil universities, followed by re-training at the United States Military Academy at West Point or other academies of the armed forces. The purpose of the alumni is the organization of sport activities in military units and institutions of higher education. In addition, the armed forces train sport instructors to work directly with personnel within the "company–battalion" link.

Currently there are plans to establish a unified training centre (institute) for training of specialists of various levels in physical education  and sports for all the armed forces and combat arms.

 The training of physical education and sport specialists in the armed forces of England is fully centralized and concentrated in Aldershot in the "Royal Army Physical Training Corps" subordinate to the Chief Inspector. The training is divided into two stages.

 The first stage is 9-week-long assistant physical training instructor courses. The course includes the basics of anatomy, physiology and physical training organization. Practical disciplines include athletics, swimming, football, basketball and boxing. The best graduates join additional courses (3 months) of advanced training, where they learn gymnastics and judo and pass through the two-week "testing course " in the "Ripon" training centre. The sergeants who successfully complete the courses and tests in their units may continue training.

 The second stage is divided into two periods, 3 months each. During the first period students deepen their knowledge of anatomy, physiology and methods of training on practical disciplines. The second period is devoted to probation as a physical training instructor in the military unit or an institution. During this period, the probationer must carry out 90 practical and instructor classes.

Thus, preliminary training for the enrolment in the "Royal Army Physical Training Corps" takes from 1 to 2.5 years of study and probation. While in the Corps, the specialist can get a higher qualification and become a commissioned officer.

The official status of the instructors of the "Royal Army Physical Training Corps" in the armed forces of England is quite high. They are not only engaged in organization of physical training in the army, but also in military and civilian organizations (sport clubs, hospitals, health centres, schools and colleges, as well as in international military sport unions and associations) [2].

The main place of physical training specialist training in the armed forces of Germany is the German Army Bundeswehr Sports School (the CISM Academy) which was founded in 1957 in the city of Sonthofen. Since 1970, one of its branches is operating in Warendorf.

The School graduates qualify as sport leaders, organizers or coaches. In addition, sport manager professional development courses are being carried out at the school premises and the documents and manuals on various issues of physical training are being developed. It has contacts with national and international sport organizations. The students include high-class athletes from among the military personnel, as well as physical training specialist officers from Belgium, Bolivia, England, France, Turkey and South Korea.

The School curriculum consists of 22 training and retraining programmes. The main ones are: sport manager training programme (20 days); professional development programme for sports leaders  (10 days); the training programme for instructors in athletics, swimming, football, volleyball, handball and gymnastics (13 days); the judo instructor training programme (18 days); the training programme for mountaineering and Alpine skiing instructors (19 days); the programme for Bundeswehr command staff on the theory and practice of physical training of troops (5 days), etc.

About three thousand non-staff specialists of various levels are being trained at the premises of the Bundeswehr School during the year. After finishing the theoretical, methodological and practical courses these specialists have the right to organize and conduct physical training and sport classes for different categories of members of the armed forces of Germany. So, the Bundeswehr compensates the lack of in-house specialists via mass training of non-staff ones [3].

In the armed forces of France there are 3 physical training and sport specialists per 1000 of military personnel. They are mainly the graduates of the Sports School in Fontainebleau (near Paris). They take positions of in-house and non-staff specialists: physical training and sport managers, senior instructors, instructors, assistants instructors and coaches in different sports. In total, there are about 350 of them during the year. The courses last from four weeks (assistant instructors) to two years (fencing coach).

In addition, the School provides training of  high-class athletes and formation of sport teams of the armed forces for participation in national and international competitions. Physical education and sport specialists are being also trained in the School of Alpine Troops (skiing, mountaineering) in Chamonix, in the Airborne School (parachuting) in the city of Pau and in the Equestrian Sport Centre in Fontainebleau. 

National Sports Centre of the Ministry of Defence in Fontainebleau occupies an area of over 55 ha. The Centre employs 200 people, including 29 officers and 80 non-commissioned officers. Today, there are 1100 students (men and women) from among military personnel of all branches of the armed forces and gendarmerie of France and other countries.

35 collective and individual sports are being cultivated in the Centre. The Ministry of Defence has seven sport teams (shooting, athletics, skiing, triathlon, equestrian sport, sailing and parachuting) [2].

For the purpose of training of military sport specialists for the armed forces of Italy the Training Centre of Physical Education and Sports was established in Rome.

Sport instructors for the armed forces of Italy are being trained and different sports-training activities are organized in the Centre. It cultivates athletics, weightlifting, shooting, skeet shooting, karate, judo, taekwondo, orienteering, swimming, pentathlon, triathlon, wrestling, boxing and other combat sports.

The Physical Education and Sport Training Centre collaborates with other specialized military sport institutions of the Italian army: the Military Horse Riding Centre in Montelibretti; Powerboat School in Piacenza; the Mountain Training Centre in Aosta and the Parachuting Centre in the city of Pisa.

These organizations accept people in the age of 17 to 25 years, who have good physical and mental health and are able to perform military service. They should pass professional selection and be engaged in one of the sports being cultivated in the armed forces of Italy [1].

Athletes with sport titles have some privileges when entering the Centre. The course duration in the Centre is 12 weeks. After passing the examinations graduates receive appropriate qualifications and are given the rank of "corporal".

The Physical Education and Sport Training Centre of the Ministry of Defence of Italy maintains partnerships with many foreign military sport training institutions, namely the National Military Sports Centre in Fontainebleau (France), Bundeswehr Sports School in Warendorf (Germany), Military Centre of Physical Training, Riding and Sports in Lisbon (Portugal), the Central School of Physical Training in Madrid (Spain) and the Royal Military Institute of Physical Training in the town of Epen (Belgium).

Conclusions. It is important to consider the fact that the content of professional training of physical education and sport specialists for military units and universities of leading armies of NATO nations varies between the countries. At the same time, the objectives of training are roughly the same for all categories of specialists of the military sport sector.

The  educational tasks are fulfilled through the following: qualified physical training and sport teachers and instructors; high requirements for the initial level of physical and sports fitness of students; modern educational and sports facilities; the complex of measures to motivate specialists to perform their professional duties, including high social status of the profession.

References

1. Shchegolev V.A. Fizicheskaya podgotovka inostrannykh armiy: ucheb. posobie po materialam zarubezhnoy pechati (Physical training in foreign armies: foreign-press-based study guide) / V.A. Shchegolev. - St. Petersburg, 2007. – 272 p.
2. Shchegolev V.A. Zarubezhnoe voenno-fizkul'turnoe obrazovanie (Foreign military sports education) / V.A. Shchegolev // Uch. zapiski un-ta im. P.F. Lesgafta. – 2014. – № 5(111). – P. 183–187.
3. Shchegolev V.A. Fizicheskaya podgotovka v voennykh obrazovatel'nykh sistemakh SShA (Physical training in US military educational systems) / V.A. Shchegolev // Teoriya i praktika fiz. kultury. – 2014. – №9. – P. 55–60.