Генерал-майор Владислав Клочков. «Морально-психологічне забезпечення ЗСУ, культурологічна робота»

Introduction to Military Experience

Overview of the Interviewee's Role

• The interviewee expresses gratitude for the opportunity to discuss their role as the Head of the Main Department of Psychological Support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

• They convey excitement about addressing numerous questions regarding military psychology and resilience among soldiers.

Personal Military Background

• The interviewee has been in the army since 1995, with active involvement in ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation) since 2014. They emphasize a lifelong commitment to serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

• Their educational background includes graduating from various military institutions, culminating in strategic-level training at the National Defense University of Ukraine in 2019.

Military Career Progression

Command Positions Held

• The interviewee has held multiple command positions, including commander roles at different levels: platoon, company, battalion, and brigade within a mechanized brigade. They highlight their leadership experience during significant operations.

• In 2021, they were appointed as Chief of Moral-Psychological Support during wartime conditions, indicating a diverse military career spanning nearly three decades.

Experiences During Conflict

• The transition from peacetime to combat was marked by witnessing casualties and understanding the psychological impact on soldiers returning from missions. This shift highlighted the seriousness of their duties amidst ongoing conflict starting in April 2014.

• The first encounter with loss occurred when observing fatalities during an operation against enemy forces; this moment underscored a new reality for soldiers engaged in active combat situations.

Psychological Impact on Soldiers

Changes Observed Among Troops

• Soldiers returning from missions exhibited significant psychological changes; they matured quickly due to exposure to real combat experiences and understood their responsibilities more profoundly after facing danger firsthand.

• Initial tasks included securing state borders amid rising tensions and preparing for potential confrontations with opposing forces while managing local populations' expectations and fears regarding Russian aggression.

Challenges Faced During Operations

• An incident involving blocked military columns illustrated confusion among troops about how to respond effectively under pressure; it emphasized the need for decisive action based on prior peacekeeping experiences abroad (e.g., Iraq).

• The importance of maintaining calm among civilians was crucial as many anticipated Russian intervention due to regional ties; this added complexity to operational decisions made by military leaders at that time.

Understanding the Emotional Impact of War

The Arrival and Anticipation

• The emotional weight of families waiting for loved ones returning from military service is profound, illustrated by a young woman's hope turning to despair as she searches for her husband who does not arrive.

Transitioning to Military Command

• The speaker reflects on the challenges faced during peacetime, emphasizing the struggle of families with children waiting for absent soldiers while maintaining hope.

Formation of Volunteer Battalions

• A directive from the Chief of General Staff led to the legalization and integration of volunteer battalions into the 93rd Brigade, which has since become a respected military unit known for its spirit and traditions.

Personal Growth Through Leadership

• The speaker discusses their personal development as an officer through creating effective systems within the brigade, highlighting how this experience shaped their military identity.

Building Combat Morale

Core Components of Military Spirit

• Combat morale is defined by four key components: moral, psychological, spiritual, and social aspects that contribute to a soldier's resilience and effectiveness.

Importance of Information Dissemination

• Effective communication is crucial in countering misinformation; establishing clear internal communication systems helps maintain morale among troops.

Learning from Experience

• Analyzing both successful and unsuccessful missions is essential for growth; lessons learned must be communicated effectively to prevent future mistakes.

Counteracting Psychological Warfare

Managing Cognitive Influence

• Rapid cognitive shifts can occur when soldiers receive misleading information; proactive measures are necessary to ensure they remain focused on accurate narratives rather than enemy propaganda.

Role of Information Technology

• Utilizing modern technology like apps ensures timely access to critical information for soldiers, helping them stay informed about their roles and responsibilities amidst external influences.

National Patriotism in Military Training

Promoting National Identity

• National-patriotic work includes educating soldiers about military history and instilling pride in serving their country through rituals and traditions that reinforce commitment to their units.

Cultural Education Initiatives

• While direct training may not occur on battlefields, educational programs focusing on national history are vital in fostering a sense of duty among recruits at training centers.

Cultural and Psychological Support in the Armed Forces

The Role of Historians and Cultural Identity

• Historians working within military units contribute to building a patriotic identity, emphasizing the importance of national history beyond just military contexts.

• Cultural values are conveyed through various mediums such as poetry, songs, and humor, which play a crucial role in fostering national interests.

Initiatives for Cultural Engagement

• Colleague Mykola Sirha has effectively organized cultural hubs that engage notable cultural figures to enhance morale within the armed forces.

• Utilizing talents like musicians in cultural activities is deemed more beneficial than traditional combat roles, promoting psychological well-being.

Literature Distribution and Psychological Impact

• Books are distributed to soldiers to encourage reading; this helps stabilize their psychological state while providing an escape from isolation.

• Personal reading habits reflect a commitment to self-improvement and understanding historical contexts relevant to military service.

Importance of Moral and Spiritual Support

• Concert activities serve dual purposes: relaxation for troops and assessment of their moral-psychological state during performances.

• The integration of chaplaincy with psychological support highlights the need for spiritual care alongside mental health services in the military.

Challenges in Providing Psychological Services

• There is an ongoing effort to recruit qualified chaplains within the armed forces, but achieving full staffing remains challenging due to rapid demand.

• Military psychologists focus on personnel selection processes at recruitment centers, ensuring quality candidates are integrated into service.

Psychological Assessment and Training in Military Context

Overview of Psychological Diagnostics

• The diagnostic process includes intelligence testing, suicide risk assessment, and psychophysiological evaluations for individuals entering military service. This is conducted at territorial recruitment centers as part of the initial assessment.

Professional Psychological Selection

• Validity and reliability of tests are established within the Armed Forces to determine an individual's suitability for specific roles. This professional psychological selection is crucial at the beginning of a military career.

Initial Psychological Support Preparation

• Initial preparation involves training soldiers in basic psychological first aid and tactical medicine over two years, emphasizing self-regulation and peer support during stressful situations. Understanding emotional states is vital for maintaining operational effectiveness.

Overcoming Fears in Combat Situations

• Soldiers undergo training to confront fears related to heights, fire, water, and gruesome injuries using realistic simulations with mannequins or actual biological materials to desensitize them to traumatic scenarios they may encounter on the battlefield.

Importance of Simulation Training

• Effective training includes modeling combat situations such as rocket attacks or tank assaults to prepare soldiers mentally for real-life encounters. Familiarization with threats helps reduce fear responses during actual combat scenarios.

Understanding Combat Equipment Dynamics

• Soldiers must learn about enemy equipment (e.g., tanks) to understand their vulnerabilities and operational limits, which aids in reducing fear when facing such threats on the battlefield. Knowledge empowers soldiers against potential dangers posed by enemy forces.

Role of Qualified Psychologists in Recovery

• Post-combat psychological support involves qualified psychologists who assist in managing combat stress and facilitating recovery processes for those affected by severe psychological trauma through appropriate medical interventions when necessary.

Psychological Support for Military Personnel

Understanding Psychological Load on Psychologists

• The normative load for a psychologist is approximately 300 individuals, with an adaptation period of about 15 days in combat zones for soldiers who have never been deployed.

• Soldiers are motivated by the knowledge of rotation every six months, allowing them to return to safe zones and family, which helps them accumulate internal resources.

Challenges Faced by Military Units

• The enemy's superiority in human resources complicates operational structures; high-intensity tasks lead to psychological strain on soldiers.

• Intensity levels vary: high intensity lasts up to six months, medium intensity spans twelve months, while low intensity extends beyond that.

Recovery Processes and Psychological Assistance

• Recovery processes have begun under the command structure; brigades that completed intense combat operations are now transitioning to recovery phases.

• Facilities for psychological support include rest areas where soldiers can relax and receive assistance from multidisciplinary teams.

Reintegration of Captured Soldiers

• Reintegration involves understanding conditions of captivity and providing medical, social, and psychological support during exchanges.

• Unique experiences arise from ongoing exchanges during active conflict rather than post-war scenarios; specialized centers manage these reintegration efforts.

Factors Influencing Psychological Resilience

• Psychological resilience is measured through biological factors (basic needs), psychological readiness (mental preparation), and social support systems (team dynamics).

• Ensuring basic needs like food, sleep, and hygiene is crucial for a soldier's readiness; neglecting these can hinder performance.

Social Dynamics in Combat Situations

• Social support includes monitoring by peers and leaders; effective teamwork enhances overall mission success.

• Observational skills among team members are vital; if one shows signs of distress, immediate intervention or referral to qualified psychologists is necessary.

This structured summary captures key insights from the transcript regarding the psychological aspects of military service, focusing on challenges faced by personnel and the importance of mental health support.

Understanding Military Cohesion and Leadership

The Importance of Biological and Psychological Resilience

• Discussion on the need for biological resilience in military units, emphasizing psychological criteria alongside social relationships within teams.

• Highlighting the impact of social dynamics on team effectiveness, with a focus on how group cohesion is influenced by mutual understanding and acceptance.

Social Dynamics in Military Units

• Observations about unit cohesion, noting that a healthy collective naturally rejects individuals who do not fit well within the group.

• Reflection on historical practices in military structures, suggesting that outdated Soviet models have been largely abandoned since 2000.

Intergenerational Relationships in the Military

• Insights into how younger soldiers view older ones as parental figures, fostering protective relationships amidst high-stress environments.

• Noting that many soldiers come from diverse professional backgrounds, contributing to a higher level of societal role awareness compared to other nations' forces.

Organizational Structure and Feedback Mechanisms

• Emphasizing the importance of organizational processes led by commanders to ensure effective communication and task execution.

• Comparison between military leadership and business management regarding internal communication and feedback loops essential for operational success.

Command Responsibility and Decision-Making Processes

• Description of command structures from general staff down to individual units, highlighting the flow of information necessary for informed decision-making.

• Stressing that effective management relies on accurate data collection from lower levels up to inform strategic decisions at higher command levels.

Maintaining Calm Under Pressure

• The significance of maintaining composure during crises; leaders must remain calm to prevent panic among troops.

• Discussing structured task execution under time constraints; every soldier must understand their role clearly to avoid catastrophic errors during operations.

Systematic Approach to Operations

• Illustrating how coordinated efforts resemble an orchestra where each element must perform its function flawlessly for overall mission success.

• Advocating for applying military organizational principles in civilian life for improved efficiency and effectiveness.

Discussion on Management and Ecosystem Development

Overview of Preparedness and Functionality

• The speaker expresses readiness to share insights on a well-prepared target function, emphasizing the importance of understanding current situations for civilians.

• There is a focus on the necessity for effective management, particularly in dangerous circumstances, highlighting the model's potential benefits for material and digital resources.

Educational Background and Strategic Thinking

• The speaker references their education at the Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, where they learned to define client ecosystems and think strategically about management.

• A distinction is made between support roles in military versus civilian contexts, with an emphasis on moral, psychological, spiritual, and social support.

Leadership Philosophy

• The speaker discusses leadership qualities such as creativity and global thinking while stressing that leaders should set examples for their subordinates.

• They illustrate a leadership approach that involves careful decision-making rather than impulsive actions based on immediate challenges.

Team Dynamics and Organizational Structure

• Different categories of team members are identified: pioneers who think critically, good executors who follow directions well, and those who lack initiative but maintain order.

• The importance of having a leader who guides effectively is emphasized; trust in leadership can lead to strong team cohesion.

Recognition and Motivation

• The speaker shares personal experiences regarding recognition from soldiers through tattoos bearing their name as symbols of trust.

• They recount facing legal challenges from adversaries while fulfilling duties during military operations, indicating resilience under pressure.

Identity Formation within Teams

• Motivation is linked to achieving goals; establishing identity through symbols like flags or insignias fosters group cohesion.

• Psychological aspects of group identity are discussed; negative actions against symbols can provoke strong emotional responses among team members.

Gender Considerations in Military Context

• The discussion shifts to women's roles in the military; there are currently 65 thousand women serving actively with notable achievements recognized posthumously.

• Challenges related to gender-specific needs within military structures are highlighted alongside advancements in women's rights within armed forces positions.

This structured summary captures key discussions from the transcript while providing timestamps for easy reference.

Gender Integration in Military Roles

Women's Roles and Responsibilities

• The discussion highlights the diverse roles women can occupy in the military, including tank commanders, snipers, accountants, psychologists, and medics. There is an emphasis on equal opportunities for women in combat positions.

• It is noted that women tend to be more psychologically resilient compared to men, with fewer instances of suicidal tendencies among them. This suggests a potential advantage in high-stress military environments.

Integration and Representation

• Approximately 65,000 women are integrated into various military units such as infantry and artillery. Their presence is significant across different branches of the armed forces.

• Women express strong desires to serve in specific combat roles or units (e.g., storm troops or artillery), indicating their commitment and readiness for challenging positions.

Challenges in Military Structure

• The rapid expansion of armed forces has led to challenges in ensuring that personnel meet desired educational and qualification standards. This indicates a need for ongoing development within military training programs.

• Emphasis is placed on the importance of having qualified specialists (like psychologists) who can effectively contribute without causing harm due to lack of expertise.

Social Support Systems

• The conversation touches on social issues related to gender integration, including the protection of rights for service members and their families. There’s a focus on providing support systems for veterans' families during rehabilitation processes.

• Initiatives are underway to assist families affected by war injuries through rehabilitation programs funded by Baltic countries, highlighting international cooperation in veteran care.

Mental Health and International Collaboration

• A comprehensive approach towards mental health support for veterans is being developed, involving military psychologists and chaplains. This reflects an understanding of the psychological impacts of warfare.

• Standards developed for psychological resilience training draw from NATO guidelines but also incorporate unique experiences from local contexts. This shows an effort towards aligning with international best practices while addressing specific needs.

Future Directions

• Ongoing communication with international partners aims at sharing knowledge about gender issues within military contexts. Collaborative efforts include joint research projects with universities across various countries.

• The discussion concludes with reflections on how NATO's medical components influence psychological preparedness among troops engaged in operations abroad, emphasizing the complexity of modern warfare logistics.

This structured summary encapsulates key discussions regarding women's integration into military roles while addressing challenges faced within this context.

The Evolution of Psychological Understanding in Warfare

Historical Context of Psychology in Warfare

• The discussion begins with the assertion that World War I marked the inception of psychological phenomena such as hysteria, panic, and emotional responses during warfare, as noted by Ernst Jünger.

• The Soviet Union's neglect of psychology is highlighted; it was deemed unnecessary and ideologically misaligned. In contrast, the United States learned from this experience to minimize psychogenic losses in World War II through diagnostic systems.

Current State of Warfare Dynamics

• The speaker describes the current phase as a "conditional third world war," emphasizing factors like asymmetry in forces and geographical breadth affecting military strategies.

• Key elements influencing modern warfare include human resource mobilization quality and advanced weaponry usage, particularly long-range missile strikes and naval groupings.

Tactical Preparations and Military Organization

• Effective preparation involves creating fortified positions with detection capabilities. Commanders must ensure obstacles are strategically placed to complicate enemy advances.

• A well-organized fire system is essential for effective combat operations. Each unit must understand its role within a larger operational framework akin to an orchestra under a conductor's direction.

Leadership and Systematic Management

• Successful military operations depend on comprehensive support systems for personnel, including material resources and weaponry. Leaders must ensure their teams are adequately equipped to perform their roles effectively.

• The importance of clarity, sobriety, and systematic management is emphasized. A functioning system can adapt even if it appears inflexible at times; leadership plays a crucial role in maintaining order.

Visionary Leadership in Combat Scenarios

• Planning involves recognizing organizational structures while motivating troops through various means—both material rewards and spiritual encouragement are vital for morale.

• Leaders should create conducive environments for soldiers' well-being while also focusing on strategic objectives. This includes practical measures like improving living conditions during deployments.

Motivation and Continuous Improvement

• The need for ongoing motivation is discussed; leaders should provide recognition to maintain morale among troops. Spiritual motivation often outweighs material incentives in fostering commitment.

• Burnout can occur when motivation wanes or when individuals feel unappreciated. Continuous feedback and acknowledgment are necessary to sustain engagement within military ranks.

Understanding Burnout and Self-Actualization

The Nature of Burnout

• Discusses the criteria for recognizing burnout, emphasizing a lack of visibility in one's effectiveness and results.

• Highlights the importance of self-help strategies to escape limiting circumstances, suggesting that letting go of certain situations can lead to personal growth.

Decision-Making and Reflection

• Reflects on the decision-making process regarding the end of a service or role, indicating a sense of closure and acceptance.

• Shares experiences from recent activities, including learning English words and conducting briefings, illustrating ongoing personal development.

Connections with Others

• Mentions interactions with successful individuals as a source of motivation, noting that meaningful connections can provide insights into one’s own journey.

• Talks about meeting an immigrant's child who embodies strong ties to Ukraine despite living abroad, showcasing the emotional connection many have with their homeland.

The Impact of War on Identity

• Addresses the plight of Ukrainian refugees in Europe and beyond, highlighting their continued connection to Ukraine despite physical distance.

• Emphasizes how those living outside Ukraine often feel deeply invested in its future and well-being.

Navigating Life's Challenges

• Discusses life’s inherent discomfort while acknowledging that progress requires perseverance through difficult times.

• Stresses the importance of willpower and proactive engagement in life's challenges as essential qualities for success.

Lessons from Adversity

• Uses an analogy involving two frogs in milk to illustrate different responses to adversity: one succumbs while the other perseveres.

• Encourages maintaining focus on tasks ahead despite external pressures or setbacks, advocating for continuous development through collaboration with others.

Creative Processes and Memory

• Concludes by reflecting on memory as a creative process influenced by interactions; acknowledges occasional lapses but emphasizes learning from discussions.