Actually, the gunners don't like rain. Skybluts are a poor ally in their business. True, the Trans-Baikal gunners told us that here, and in an almost God-forsaken region, at the end of fine months, rains are very rare. Once in a month and a half or two, something drips down from above, that's all. However, we were "lucky"with the meteorarity. Exactly right after arriving in the taiga wilderness, as soon as we left for the firing position, a prickly ore rain began to fall. And for a long time. The weather cleared up only in the morning, when we were ready to go back. Everything would be fine. Yes, only one rarity created by nature fatally overlapped with another, because of which we, in fact, came to "distant guests" to the gunners, which passed not by the will of the latter into the category of rare things, a control and complex exercise in the field became a serious test due to bad weather.

Gunners respect themselves. And indeed, the masters of fire raids should not nod at the weather forecasters. Difficulties, of course, have noticeably increased. The telltale cold trickles down the back of his neck and the fingers that are numb from the dank dampness, from which the pencil tries to slip out-these are small things. I had to tinker with the topoprivyazka and the subsequent alignment of the "fan".

Moreover, the calculators and gun commanders had a lot of trouble with their notes. Nevertheless, all the standards for the tasks of shooting from a closed firing position were blocked by the gunners. They carried out day and night shooting, with a single gun and as part of a battery. It's a joy for the gunners to do their own work. I would like, of course, and more often, and more. But at the lowest limit, fuel and lubricants are allocated, which means that there is already a "strain"with control or control-complex classes. What can we say about live firing then? Truly, this type of improvement of military skills is becoming a rarity.

Well, the VAP gunners have a rifle and artillery range, if completely. The thing, it should be noted, is extremely useful and effective. On a reduced terrain layout, gunners can complete all shooting tasks. Prada, not with a gunshot, but with the cartridge of a heavy machine gun that imitates a gun. For the shooter and his team on the NP, everything is almost real. But the gun crews on the VAPE have nowhere to roam. So they either in the park or on the nearest edge of the forest improve in meeting the standards. "Gun to battle!" The clock ticked...

In general, the gunners of a separate brigade under the command of Colonel Viktor Melnikov are always looking for and most often find a way out of any situation. Fortunately, there is time for classes, there is an irrepressible desire to do business, there are, finally, wonderful fathers-commanders. Almost all of them have a very solid Trans-Baikal experience. This factor is appreciated here by both officers and soldiers. If the army is called a school of courage, then the Trans-Baikal classes in it are with in-depth training. Professional qualities after them are at the same level, and the character, respectively, is hardened Like Damascus steel. I'd like to get some academic credentials - there are always decent candidates - but not everyone gets out of here.

For example, the commander of the best division, Lieutenant Colonel Sergei Dorokhov. The brigade commander speaks highly of him, and his colleagues value him highly as a specialist. His subordinates, by the way, from the battery of Senior Lieutenant Grigoriev clearly convinced us that the officers led by the division commander do not eat their bread here for nothing.

Probably, this is possible, having excellent characteristics and twelve years of Trans-Baikal experience. But no. The heart of a burned-out divisional commander gives out the wrong cardiogram. They don't take the academy with such an a. It turns out that you can serve where Makar did not drive the calves" - in the winds, a sharp continental temperature drop, far from civilization - you can. But to study in the capitals-no. It's a shame.

Gunners are exceptionally rational people. They have everything based on calculations. It is accepted as follows: there is a problem, there must be a solution, if you have any questions, look for answers. It's just a pity that not all the answers can be found in the taiga forest. In general, a haze covered the artillery horizons. And the gunners do not respect this very much. They prefer clear weather.

...Bright sun and clear sky accompanied us. We wish the same clarity and purity to our new acquaintances.

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