Combat Traditions

military traditions, the historically established rules, customs, and norms of behavior for servicemen in the army and navy during peacetime and war. The military traditions of the Soviet Armed Forces are traditions of a new type, fundamentally different from the caste-bound militaristic traditions of the armies of the capitalist countries. They have taken shape on the basis of the revolutionary traditions of the working class, the Communist Party, the heroic traditions of the peoples of the USSR, and the combat deeds of the fighting men of the Soviet Armed Forces. The combat traditions embody the best moral and combat qualities of Soviet soldiers—that is, boundless devotion to the homeland, the Communist Party, and the Soviet government; confidence in one’s own forces and in victory over the enemy; courage and bravery; readiness and the ability to overcome any hardships; a constant striving to improve one’s combat skill; love for one’s unit or ship; military comradeship; and loyalty to the unit combat colors and ship flag. Gradually developing and being enriched with new content, the combat traditions have become a solid part of the life and routine of Soviet soldiers and a norm for their behavior and military service. Combat traditions are a means of educating servicemen in their responsibility for carrying out the duty of a soldier-citizen of the Soviet Union.