Military-Applied Sports

the collective name for exercises with a military application and for their combinations taken from various sports, including track, swimming, and skiing. The exercises are conducive to developing qualities and skills necessary for various military professions.

Military-applied sports include military-sports combined events, mastering of obstacle courses, marches and sprints, cross-country races oriented to the terrain, patrol races on skies including marksmanship, swimming in full uniform with weapons, setting of poles and laying of cables for communications, and stunt driving. The exercises are carried out in full military garb, with complete equipment and arms, in the field on special obstacle courses or on special apparatus, either individually or in small units (teams).

Military-applied sports became widespread after the Great Patriotic War of 1941-45. They are included in the Games of the USSR Armed Forces, the Games of the All-Union Voluntary Society for Aid to the Army, Air Force, and Navy of the USSR, and the games between friendly forces. The annual championships of the USSR armed forces are held in some exercises. The winners of the military-applied sports at the games (military three-way combined, pentathlon) receive the title of Master of Sport of the USSR, and winners of other competitions receive sports ranks.

Military-applied exercises are included in the evaluation of the physical training of servicemen. A number of the exercises are included in the work Prepared for Labor and the Defense of the USSR.