The new recruits’ diary. Nastya "Press" Blyshchyk

We are starting a new series of documentary stories “The New Recruits’ Diary”, in which the VETERANKA sisters will share experiences of their own path to the Ukrainian army.

The first diary was prepared for us by Nastya “Press” Blyshchyk – a junior lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, a journalist at the “Ukraine” TV channel in civilian life.

Monday

I am on my way to the Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Population for a resettlement certificate(- that’s an important document Nastya had to obtain in order to even start her enlisting process, – editor’s note). Knowing there might be a queue, I came an hour before the opening.

What I saw there wasn’t just a queue. More like a large-scale rally.

– Who’s last?

– Go sign up with that woman on the bench, the one with a notebook.

– Hi, sign me up, Blyshchyk.

-You are the 500th (something along those numbers). Note that no more than 70 people are allowed in during one day.

Realising that will take forever, I quickly google how to change the place of registration in DIIA (Diia is the groundbreaking a one-stop-shop mobile application, that connects 19 million Ukrainians with more than 120 government services, – editors’ note) 

A woman with a notebook interrupts me:

– I forgot to say, you will have to come here every day at 09:00 and get a new number until you reach that 70 that may get in.

At some point, as happens in all these state institutions – people started to argue among themselves.

That’s when I sneaked inside unnoticed.

– Good day. I need a certificate, it’s urgent, I have already registered in DIIA application, just change my place of residence. I am in a hurry to the military commissariat.

I did not get into the military commissariat on Monday. No enlistments on Mondays.

Tuesday

Despite the fact that Monday is a no enlistment day at the military commissariat, I managed to speak with them on the phone.

– Are you in a conscription list?

-No

– Well, did you study in the military department?

-No. I have a recommendation though (a letter from the brigade).

– Come. Take your passport, tax code, certificate from a gynecologist. Also fluorography and general blood tests. And the photos for documents 3*4.

I collected everything very quickly. Fortunately, there are private clinics. Unfortunately, those are expensive.

Some military men were at the gate:

– Are you going to the passport office?

– No, I’m going to serve in the army

-To serve?

Laughter

– Hey, hear this guys: she came here to serve in the army

The crowd laughs.

It was kind of funny to me too, I am a simple person, I love to laugh.

– And yet, where should I go?

– Office 312, come in

At that time, I did not yet know that I would go to the office 312 so often, as if it was my own home.

– And where is your cardiogram?

– Cardiogram?

– You don’t know what a cardiogram is?

– I know what a cardiogram is. The thing is, yesterday I called and asked about the documents I have to bring. Nobody told me anything about the cardiogram.

– Well, I’m telling you now. Come tomorrow. With a cardiogram.

Wednesday

After checking a hundred times whether I had taken all of my documents, I came to the military commissariat again. At the gate I was already greeted as one of their own.

– Have you come again?

– Yap, to the office 312

– Come in

That day I had a medical examination. Each doctor asked me the same things:

– Do you have any children?

-No

-Married?

-No

– There will be shooting there, you know?

– Well, If I hear the shooting, I’ll call the police!

The dentist in her 70s did not appreciate my joke.

An ENT doctor gave me a high five, wrote “healthy” and stamped the paper.

Finally, after waiting in line and running around three thousand one hundred and seventy offices, I returned to my beloved office 312. They gave me permission to receive a military ID card and told me to go to the office 308.

– I need a military ID.

-Who told you that we will give it to you?

– People in the office 312.

– Petrovich told you?

– I guess.

– So today is Wednesday?

– And?

– Military ID cards are issued on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Come tomorrow.

Thursday

I was already coming to the military commissariat as if it was my own home. There was a huge crowd of men at the gate. Everybody had to be signed in on a piece of paper in order to get their place in the queue. But already familiar soldiers at the gate winked at me and said they would let me in first. I’ve been going through hellish bureaucracy all these days, so I deserved this.

– You have to have an original reference document (a recommendation letter from the brigade)

It was ”great” to hear about it on a Thursday instead of a Monday or at least a Tuesday.

– My team sent you this document through the SEDO system (electronic document circulation system in the Armed Forces).

– Go to office 312 and figure it out.

I waited in line for an hour. When I entered the office 312, I saw that the letter had already been lying on their table.

I will skip the detailes of how that became possible

Thursday was the most emotional day. Together with Petrovych from the office 312, we went to see the colonel. The colonel was visibly worried about me, so he tried to refuse me in every way possible. He even shouted.

But I’m a rock. Unshakable

– Fine, go get your military ID card, I’ll allow it.

-Thank you!

-Here, have a candy, purple one, it is the tastiest of all.

-Thank you!

-Atteeeeention! Leeeeeeft turn!

And then I did something that I was so ashamed of. I turned over my right shoulder. Over the right, f@ching, shoulder.

-Stand down! Leeeeeeft turn!

I didn’t receive a military ID card that day. Lunch time started. And later, they had a lot of work.

Once again I heard my favorite phrase: come tomorrow.

Friday

If you think that I just came and simply got a military ID card on Friday, you are too naive.

At the gate I was met again by soldiers I already knew.

– Let me in, I just need to receive my military ID card.

– We have a command not to let anyone in.

– Take your walkie-talkie and tell them that Blyshchyk has come to pick up a military ID.

– Do you not hear what I’m saying? A command. Not to let. Anyone. In.

I wanted to swear, which I did. And I wasn’t alone in that, it was a duo: me and some guy who also came just to pick up his document.

I called Petrovych from the office 312 and got in.

– And what are we going to do here, without you? Would you like to stay here , working with us?

– Thank you, it’s too early for me to go to hell.

Petrovych officially handed me a military ID. By the way, this is the only document where I have a good photo.

– I’ll walk you to the gate.

– Shall we take a selfie?

– You have become like a family to me.

– Will you include me in your will?

We exchanged phone numbers, took a “family” picture, and later texted only once.

My training and the frontline were ahead.

What should I pack in that damn backpack? 

I wrote asking my paramedic friend:

– Hello, I am going to the Armed Forces. What should I take with me?

-Menstrual pads. And daily ones too, because you never know when you will be able to take a shower, and it helps with hygiene. Dry shampoo and lots of it. A very cool thing is a bath sponge.SPF products for the skin. Slippers, so that at least sometimes your feet can relax. Individualized medicine, whatever you usually need. Tweezers and manicure scissors to keep dirt from clogging under the nails. Also, a sleeping bag, a raincoat, a thermos, some dried food, dishes, an extension cord, chargers, a watch, a flashlight, towels, socks, underpants… and what I recommend is leggings for sleeping, I didn’t take them at first and had to go buy them at the nearest market. I didn’t take anything warm, because it was August. “Everything else will be given out in the army,” I thought, not suspecting that I would get a whole lot of nothing suitable for women.

In the evening, I stood at the train station in Kyiv with my backpack. None of my relatives knew about me going to the army. Tears in my eyes. On the station wall I saw an inscription: “Farewell, Kyiv”.