Getting to know the people we want to tell you about, getting a boost of emotions and life-affirming power from them, involuntarily encourages you to take a little break from everyday life, forget about everyday problems for a while and think about things more important than everyday vanity. The soul after communicating with them remains for some time childishly naive, open and so disposed to the perception of eternal truths that you gain the courage to read the classics. Remember, he argued, that only in adversity are people individual, in happiness are they the same. But our heroines - Marina, Ira, Lena, "the crew of the fighting car", a friendly 6-combat family-have their own view on happiness. And in this hypostasis, they are not like anyone else. So it's one of a kind. For which they are grateful to the fate that brought them together, to their commanders, who realized the extraordinary idea of creating a female crew of a landing combat vehicle.

However, let's face it, we don't feel particularly thrilled with the fact that these cute, fragile creatures take on an unusual burden on their shoulders. Well, what to do if we adhere to conservative views: weapons - for men, the hearth - for women. But this should not be an obstacle to expressing admiration for our crew. We admire the strength of character, originality, amazing determination and perseverance, the desire for self-expression that conquers the hearts of men.

We admit that initially there were some doubts. It was assumed that the female BMD crew was most likely something like an advertising picture, a kind of element of the attributes of the glorious division of Tula paratroopers. On the eve of the trip, one of my colleagues made a mistake: that the girls were trained only to take pictures at the combat vehicle, when various delegations came to the paratroopers ' units. Yes, even" on the armor " to climb, descend into the hatches under enthusiastic glances. And there, instead of them, real specialists are controlled behind the levers and at the sight. It's all nonsense. This crew is "alive", not a dummy at all. And experts, in the opinion of their commanders, the girls are very worthwhile. Marina Kovaleva, BMD commander, senior sergeant. Ira Petukhova-driver-mechanic, sergeant. Lena Grechishnikova-gunner-operator, junior sergeant. A reinforced commander's crew is obtained at the output. And every energy for two or three, of course, there is a healthy ambition, and enthusiasm, of course. Their motto in the service: "Come on, girls!" - no worse than the guys: "Come on, guys!"

The girls drove cars and shot repeatedly. There are many witnesses to this. Starting with the former prime minister of the country and ending with an Italian journalist who expressed a desire to experience the Russian " Eh, I'll take a ride!". We took the guy for a ride with the wind. Long bowed, thanked. But he politely refused to check in again. Yes, of course, this is not a taxi.

Every time, ostentatious shootings are held for the guests of honor. Hospitality also includes an offer on the part of the hosts to let the guests shoot, under supervision, of course. And here's what's interesting: almost no one refuses to perform the exercise from small arms. And to release, say, ATGM willing from a series of numerous delegations and journalistic landings for all the time was not found.

By the way, because of the anti-tank guns, it all started. This was the case.

Tula paratroopers have heard that in the Kantemirovskaya division, female soldiers have mastered rocket-propelled projectile shooting. Paratroopers, of course, are scrupulous people. It is not in their rules to concede the championship to anyone. The current regimental commander, Colonel A. Istrakov, then came up with a tempting idea: to create a female crew of an amphibious combat vehicle. Here and driving, and shooting from all types of relying weapons. In general, again the winged infantry will "wipe the nose" of all competitors. The idea seemed interesting, but how to implement it? States do not provide for the replacement of combat positions by women. And if you form a crew, so to speak, freelance, this is an additional burden. Are there any interested parties? Just with them, there were no problems. Moreover, I had to hold a contest. As regular soldiers, women were sent to the camp camps and there they were trained, passing standards in all the required disciplines. As a result, the first crew and spare parts were selected. At that time, Marina Kovaleva and Ira Petukhova were already in the forefront. Later Lena Grechishnikova joined them.

Why do they need all this? Each of them has its own answer. One, who is used to relying only on her own strength to overcome life's difficulties, once again emphasizes her independence by working in a crew. Another does not want to be told that she is living happily just because her husband is in a high rank. The third wants to prove to men who do not appreciate their compatriots and are looking for female ideals "over the hill" that their native girls are not inferior to overseas divas in anything. They have different motives, different characters. But the fact that they came together in one crew (and in the regiment they serve almost a hundred female servicemen) is not surprising.

This micro-collective is united by a common feature - purposefulness. They also see their own happiness in moving towards their targets.

"Many people shook hands with us," says the girls ' commander, Marina Kovaleva. "But you know what I remember most: when our commanders greeted us. Colonel Istrakov, Divisional Commander, Chief of Staff of the division... Our people (unlike the newcomers) knew what it cost us to subdue this colossus, I mean the BMD. And their handshake is the end point in a big deal. We wanted to prove that we can. We have proved it. This is really very important for us.

Having proved more than once that they can do a lot, the girls do not even think about "reducing the speed". In the spring, there will again be hard work, fatigue from it. But there will also be a pleasant satisfaction from what has been done, a joyful feeling of overcoming. There is also such a woman's happiness...

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