THEORY AND PRACTICE OF BASIC GENERAL MILITARY TRAINING OF FUTURE OFFICERS IN DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN ACADEMIC AND PEDAGOGICAL DISCOURSE

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive synthesis of theoretical provisions, regulatory and legal requirements, and practical experience in implementing basic general military training for future officers within the system of professional military education in Ukraine, taking into account contemporary conditions of combat operations. The evolution of approaches to understanding the essence and purpose of basic general military training is analysed as an initial, system-forming stage of officers’ professional development that ensures the formation of primary combat capability, psychological resilience, and readiness to operate within a unit under conditions of high-intensity warfare. The study analyses the national regulatory and legal framework, including programme-based and departmental documents that govern the content, structure, organisation, and outcomes of basic general military training in higher military educational institutions and higher education institutions with specific training conditions. It is shown that the current national model of basic general military training is characterised by a modular structure, a high level of practical intensity, and the integration of psychological training, tactical medicine, and training for actions within combat groups, which is directly determined by the combat experience of the Russia–Ukraine war. Within the study, a comparative analysis of the national model of basic general military training and the approaches applied in NATO and European Union countries is conducted, enabling the identification of common strategic orientations and conceptual differences in the training of future officers. It is substantiated that foreign models of basic general military training primarily focus on the long-term development of operational readiness, interoperability, and the leadership potential of military personnel, and are characterised by systemic organisation, standardisation, and a clearly structured system for assessing learning outcomes. At the same time, the national model demonstrates a high level of adaptation to the realities of modern warfare, which determines its applied effectiveness and practical relevance. Promising directions for the pedagogical renewal of basic general military training of future officers are identified.