Warrior guard. California Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition: Showcasing Elite Soldiers

What is the Cal Guard’s Best Warrior Competition. How does it test soldiers’ abilities. Who are the participants and what challenges do they face. What are the potential benefits for competitors.

The Cal Guard’s Best Warrior Competition: An Overview

The California Army National Guard (Cal Guard) recently held its annual Best Warrior Competition (BWC) from March 29 to April 2, 2021, at Camp San Luis Obispo, California. This rigorous four-day event aims to identify the most exceptional Soldiers and Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs) within the Cal Guard ranks.

The competition brought together eleven participants, comprising eight NCOs and three junior enlistees, representing five Cal Guard commands. These individuals had already proven their mettle by advancing through a series of company, battalion, and brigade-level competitions to reach the state-level event.

Rigorous Testing of Army Aptitudes

The BWC is designed to push participants to their limits, testing various aspects of their military proficiency and personal attributes. The competition includes:

• Board interviews
• Physical fitness tests
• Written exams
• Warrior tasks and battle drills

These components collectively assess the competitors’ commitment to Army values and their embodiment of the Warrior Ethos.

Physical Challenges

The physical demands of the competition are particularly grueling, including:

1. Combat fitness test
2. 12-mile ruck sack march
3. Unknown distance run (revealed to be five miles)
4. Rifle and pistol marksmanship
5. Obstacle course challenge

Mental Agility and Adaptability

In addition to physical trials, the BWC incorporates elements that test participants’ mental acuity and decision-making skills. A notable example is the mystery event, which took place at the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility (CACTF) at Camp Roberts. This challenge simulated scenarios in a foreign country, requiring competitors to react swiftly and decisively under both mental and physical stress.

Leadership Development and Career Advancement

Command Sgt. Maj. Scott M. Witt, senior enlisted advisor of the California Army National Guard, emphasized the significance of the BWC for participants’ career development. He noted that the competition primarily attracts E-4s and young E-5s, who are either beginning their NCO careers or considering transitions to warrant officer or officer roles.

The BWC provides these ambitious Soldiers with invaluable experiences that enhance their leadership skills and prepare them for future career advancements. The intense training and challenges faced during the competition serve as a crucible for developing the qualities necessary for successful military leadership.

Fostering Esprit de Corps and Unit Improvement

Beyond individual growth, the BWC plays a crucial role in enhancing unit cohesion and performance. Witt highlighted that participants will take their experiences back to their respective units, integrating newfound knowledge and enthusiasm. This transfer of skills and motivation contributes to an overall improvement in unit readiness and esprit de corps.

The competition’s impact extends beyond the individual participants, creating a ripple effect that benefits the entire Cal Guard organization. By fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, the BWC helps maintain the Guard’s high standards and operational effectiveness.

Advancing to Higher Levels of Competition

The Cal Guard’s BWC is not an endpoint but rather a stepping stone to even greater challenges. Winners of the state-level competition earn the opportunity to represent California in regional competitions. From there, top performers may advance to the prestigious All-Army BWC, where they compete against the best Soldiers from across the entire U.S. Army.

This tiered system of competition ensures that participants are constantly striving for improvement and excellence. It also provides a platform for Cal Guard Soldiers to showcase their skills on a national stage, bringing recognition to their units and the California Army National Guard as a whole.

Support from Senior Leadership

The importance of the BWC is underscored by the involvement of high-ranking officers. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Laura L. Yeager, California Army National Guard commander, personally visited the competitors during the event. She acknowledged the challenges faced by participants, both in the competition and in balancing their military duties with civilian lives.

This engagement from senior leadership demonstrates the Cal Guard’s commitment to developing its Soldiers and recognizing excellence within its ranks. It also serves to motivate and inspire participants, knowing that their efforts are valued at the highest levels of command.

The Competitors: A Diverse Representation of Cal Guard Units

The 2021 Cal Guard BWC featured a diverse group of participants from various units across the organization. The junior enlisted competitors were:

• Spc. Caleb Romero, 330th Military Police Company, 143rd Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade
• Pfc. Kezong Gemoh, 240th Signal Company, 224th Special Troops Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade
• Spc. Alex Hammack, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

The NCO category included eight competitors:

• Sgt. Peter Ebilane, 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
• Sgt. Michael De Leon-Torres, 100th Troop Command
• Staff Sgt. Kyle Johnson, 223rd Regional Training Institute
• Staff Sgt. Salvador Licona, Headquarters Company, 143rd Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade
• Sgt. Reggie Cawaring, 1072nd Transportation Company, 746th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade
• Staff Sgt. Luis Viscarra, 1114th Transportation Company, 224th Sustainment Brigade
• Sgt. Michael Ortiz-Martinez, Alpha Company, 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 115th Regional Support Group
• Sgt. Macario Castillo, 1040th Quartermaster Company, 340th Brigade Support Battalion, 115th Regional Support Group

This diverse representation ensures that the BWC reflects the broad spectrum of skills and experiences within the Cal Guard, promoting healthy competition across different units and specialties.

The Role of the 223rd Regional Training Institute

The 223rd Regional Training Institute plays a crucial role in organizing and hosting the annual Best Warrior Competition. As the primary facilitator of this event, the institute is responsible for creating a challenging and fair environment that effectively tests the participants’ skills and abilities.

Their involvement ensures that the competition maintains high standards and aligns with the broader goals of the California Army National Guard. The institute’s expertise in training and evaluation contributes significantly to the competition’s effectiveness in identifying and developing top talent within the Guard.

Logistics and Planning

Organizing an event of this magnitude requires extensive planning and coordination. The 223rd Regional Training Institute must manage various aspects, including:

• Securing appropriate training facilities and equipment
• Coordinating with different Cal Guard units for participant selection and preparation
• Designing and implementing fair and challenging tests across various military skills
• Ensuring safety protocols are in place throughout the competition
• Managing the evaluation and scoring process to determine winners

Their proficiency in handling these logistics ensures that the BWC runs smoothly and achieves its objectives of identifying and recognizing the Cal Guard’s top performers.

Continuous Improvement of the Competition

As the regular host of the BWC, the 223rd Regional Training Institute is also in a unique position to refine and improve the competition year after year. They can gather feedback from participants, observers, and senior leadership to identify areas for enhancement and implement changes that keep the competition relevant and effective.

This commitment to continuous improvement ensures that the BWC remains a cutting-edge assessment of Soldier and NCO capabilities, adapting to evolving military requirements and best practices in training and evaluation.

Impact on Readiness and Operational Effectiveness

The Best Warrior Competition serves as more than just a recognition program for individual excellence. It plays a significant role in enhancing the overall readiness and operational effectiveness of the California Army National Guard.

Skill Enhancement and Knowledge Sharing

Participants in the BWC are exposed to a wide range of challenges that test and improve their military skills. Upon returning to their units, these Soldiers and NCOs can share their experiences and newly acquired knowledge with their fellow Guard members. This knowledge transfer helps to elevate the skill level across entire units, contributing to improved performance in real-world missions and training exercises.

Motivation and Standard-Setting

The BWC sets a high standard of excellence that motivates Soldiers throughout the Cal Guard. Even those who do not directly participate in the competition are inspired by the achievements of their peers, encouraging them to strive for similar levels of proficiency in their own roles. This culture of excellence permeates through the ranks, driving continuous improvement and maintaining high standards of performance.

Identifying Future Leaders

The rigorous nature of the BWC helps identify Soldiers and NCOs with exceptional leadership potential. These individuals often go on to take on greater responsibilities within the Cal Guard, using the skills and experiences gained from the competition to lead and mentor others effectively. This process of identifying and nurturing talent contributes to a strong leadership pipeline within the organization.

Enhancing Guard-Wide Training Programs

The challenges and scenarios presented in the BWC can inform and improve training programs across the Cal Guard. Lessons learned from the competition can be incorporated into regular training routines, ensuring that all Guard members benefit from the high standards set by the BWC.

By consistently challenging its members to excel and providing a platform for recognizing top performers, the California Army National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition plays a vital role in maintaining a highly skilled, motivated, and effective force. The competition not only honors individual achievement but also contributes significantly to the overall readiness and capability of the Cal Guard in fulfilling its critical missions both at home and abroad.

DVIDS – News – Cal Guard hosts its Best Warrior Competition

CAMP SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The quest is complete to find the California Army National Guard’s elite of 2021.

Cal Guard’s annual Best Warrior Competition was held March 29 – April 2 at Camp San Luis Obispo, California, and the winners, the Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, will be announced soon. Eight NCOs and three junior enlistees competed and one elite in each of the two respective fields will be selected.

The competitors represented five Cal Guard commands. During the four-day competition, their Army aptitudes were tested in board interviews, physical fitness tests, written exams, and Warrior tasks and battle drills. Every year, BWC recognizes Soldiers and NCOs who demonstrate commitment to the Army values and embody the Warrior Ethos.

“What they get from this is awesome,” said U. S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Scott M. Witt, senior enlisted advisor of the California Army National Guard. “They’re going to take this back to their elements, integrate it in and bring that esprit de corps and that eagerness to participate at their level.”

Finding our top competitor doesn’t end there,” added Witt. “There’s the regional competition coming up and a chance to compete in the All-Army BWC after that.”

BWC is four days of mental and physical challenges. It started with the combat fitness test, where competitors had to perform a series of physical tests to the best of their best abilities, and ended with an appearance board where participants answered questions from senior enlistees.

Between the first and last events were a 12-mile ruck sack march, an unknown distance run (later to be announced as five miles), rifle and pistol marksmanship, and the popular obstacle course challenge.

There’s also a mystery event. This year it was staged at the Combined Arms Collective Training Facility (CACTF) at Camp Roberts, where participants had to react, adapt and overcome situations simulated in a foreign country quickly and decisively. It was designed to see how well they can think on their feet while under both mental and physical stress.

“Another great thing that comes from this competition is the ability of the Soldiers that are competing, usually E-4s and our young E-5s are our strongest competitors, which these are the Soldiers who come back,” Witt added. “They’re starting out in the NCO world or they’re looking at a potential move to warrant officer or officer. So this event really gives them the ability to kick in, get some good training, and learn how to bring out those leadership skills that are going to help later in their careers.”

BWC is annually hosted by the 223rd Regional Training Institute. To compete at the state level, Soldiers must first advance through a series of company, battalion and brigade level competitions.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Laura L. Yeager, California Army National Guard commander, visited the competitors and shared words of wisdom shortly after they completed a tough land navigation test.

“I know this is a great challenge with everything that’s going on in your lives and I appreciate the sacrifices you put through to get here,” Yeager said.

“It’s been a great competition. A lot of good competitors are doing great,” Witt said.

The three Cal Guard Soldiers competing were: Spc. Caleb Romero, 330th Military Police Company, 143rd Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade; Pfc. Kezong Gemoh, 240th Signal Company, 224th Special Troops Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade; and Spc. Alex Hammack, Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

The eight Cal Guard NCOs battling for top honors were: Sgt. Peter Ebilane, 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; Sgt. Michael De Leon-Torres, 100th Troop Command; Staff Sgt. Kyle Johnson, 223rd Regional Training Institute; Staff Sgt. Salvador Licona, Headquarters Company, 143rd Military Police Battalion, 49th Military Police Brigade; Sgt. Reggie Cawaring, 1072nd Transportation Company, 746th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade; Staff Sgt. Luis Viscarra, 1114th Transportation Company, 224th Sustainment Brigade; Sgt. Michael Ortiz-Martinez, Alpha Company, 223rd Military Intelligence Battalion, 115th Regional Support Group; and Sgt. Macario Castillo, 1040th Quartermaster Company, 340th Brigade Support Battalion, 115th Regional Support Group.

PUBLIC DOMAIN  

This work, Cal Guard hosts its Best Warrior Competition, by SSG Edward Siguenza, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www. dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

Warrior Tribal Shin Guard – Adult

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Warrior Wrist Guard | Source For Sports

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Gear Review: Rabil Arm Guards by Warrior Lacrosse

[rwp-review id=”1″]

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Rabil Series Arm Guard 13 / Price: $109. 99

I’m going to start out by borrowing a quote from Andrew Ratzke’s review of the Brine King IV Arm Pad:

If there is one piece of protective gear that I feel is worth investing in, it is arm pads.  An arm pad can make all the difference when you are throwing, it can keep your arms from looking like you just left a bar fight, not a lacrosse field, and they can either be SO annoying, always sliding down your arms, or they can fit so perfectly you forget they are even there.

Truth! Ratzke lays out the most important aspects of an arm pad or guard succinctly, and it is the basis for this entire review (while also factoring in the price).

Appearance… +7.5

It’s not all about first appearances, but it helps! The Rabil Arm Guards definitely look great. They are mostly white with light grey, and are accented by black and red Rabil logos. The pads look substantial without appearing bulky, and the only visual knock on them is that they only come in that one color right now. Don’t like white pads? Then these aren’t for you. Other than that, they look fantastic. Not a bad start.

Comfort… +7.5

The Rabil Arm Guard definitely protects you, but I’ll get to that later. For now, I’ll focus on how the pads feel when you’re wearing them, and not getting checked. At first, the Arm Guards are incredibly tight… in fact, they are cut the circulation in your arms off tight, but they do loosen up. I was testing a pair of LARGE Rabil AGs, and even though I have chicken arms, the pads were really snug. The MEDIUM guards probably wouldn’t have fit on my arms, and that’s not saying much.

Now, as I wore the arm guards, they definitely loosened up a bit, but not to the point of slipping or moving around on my arms. I had three other people try the pads out, and each and every one of them came back with the same comments: when you put them on, the pads are super tight. That being said, every person who tried them also liked them, so while they take a while to break in and stretch out, the end result seems well worth it.

Protection… +10.0

The Rabil Arm Guards deliver, plain and simple. I used them for field, and some of my friends used them late this Summer, and no one suffered a single bruise while wearing the AGs. On the protection front, they do work. In fact, I’m so impressed by the level of protection the AGs offer, I’ll be wearing them this Winter while playing box lacrosse.

The only drawback in terms of protection is that the Arm Guards are a little short. So if you want to be protected from head to toe, you will need to buy an additional wrist guard (from a company like Evo Shield) and perhaps some additional bicep padding. However, when one compares this Arm Guard against comparable AGs, the Rabil Series matches up very nicely.

Durability… +10.0

I have been using these Arm Guards for well over 4 months now, and I have yet to see any deterioration of the pads or their protection levels. They have become more comfortable, still don’t slip around on my arms, and show no sign of quitting. Great durability on this high-end product. Tried, tested, and true.

Value… +7.5

The Rabil Series Arm Guard is not the most expensive AG available, but it is up there. At around $110, it is a no joke purchase, and only the STX Assault AG sells for more. Usually, this would knock the product WAY down in the Value section, but thankfully for the Rabil Series AG, its quality is almost high enough to demand this type of pricing… Almost.

Ideally, this pad would sell for around $90. Maybe $100 when it first came out. However, the fact remains that while this is an EXCELLENT product, it is not a game changer, and for that reason is priced just a little too high.

Overall Score:  7.6/10

Will people buy this product? I’m betting they will.

The Series has Rabil’s name on it (which is sure to draw people in immediately), is a great product offering, and it comes from Warrior, the brand people can’t seem to get enough of. I personally think the price tag is a little out of line, but in the past we’ve seen that people are willing to pay exorbitant amounts of money for gear… and I don’t think the Rabil Arm Guard is going to be any different.

2021 ARNG Best Warrior Competition

Welcome ARNG Best Warrior Competitors, Guests, and Sponsors!  The Enlisted Association National Guard of Arizona (EANGA) is proud to partner with the Arizona National Guard to host and support this national event which will select the Army National Guard’s most outstanding NCO and Soldier for 2021.  This year’s competition will be held at Camp Navajo Military Reservation, located at Bellemont, AZ which is 12 miles west of Flagstaff, AZ, and approximately 2 1/2 hours from Phoenix, AZ.   Please review all the information provided below.  All Competitors and Guests must register using the link below.   NOTE:  A separate registration link is provided for those vendors and businesses interested in providing support or sponsorship for this event which brings the “best of the best” from the Army National Guard to Arizona, as well as many senior leaders from across the United States.  We look forward to seeing you in July!

COMPETITORS AND GUESTS:  Please register using the link below NLT 1 July 2021

FY21 NBWC MOI MEMO

Competition Agenda

Competitors and Attendee Registration

SPONSORS:

BWC Sponsorship Letter 2021 (Updated)

2021 ARMY NATIONAL GUARD BEST WARRIOR COMPETITION – Sponsor Levels

Sponsorship Registration and Payment

LODGING:   All ARNG Best Warrior Competitors will be provided lodging at Camp Navajo during the period of the competition (18 – 24 July 2021).

All other guests are encouraged to utilize the block of rooms reserved for the Best Warrior Competition at the Doubletree by Hilton Flagstaff.

Doubletree by Hilton Flagstaff is located at 1175 W. Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ  86001 (11 miles from Camp Navajo)

A block of rooms under the group name 2021 ARNG Best Warrior Competition has been secured at the per diem rate of $138 per night.

Please use the link below to book a room NLT 30 June 2021. 

Lodging Reservations

More INFO about the Doubletree can be found at their website: www.flagstaff.doubletree.com

AZ BWC POINTS OF CONTACT:

CSM Fidel Zamora, AZNG Senior Enlisted Leader, [email protected]

CSM Sacha Gregoire, AZARNG BWC NCOIC, [email protected]

MSgt Mary Thompson, EANGA President, [email protected]

NOTE:  We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 Pandemic and will advise all attendees of any CDC restrictions that might be necessary during the event.    We encourage the competitors and any visitors to be vaccinated prior to your visit to Arizona but it is not required nor will it prevent participation or attendance at any of the events.

Wisconsin Army National Guard Crowns 2021 Best Warrior Competition Winners

Wisconsin National Guard photo by Spc. Anya Hanson

A select group of 20 Soldiers in the Wisconsin Army National Guard competed in the 2021 State Best Warrior Competition April 16-18 at Fort McCoy.

Ten non-commissioned officers and 10 Soldiers of the Wisconsin Army National Guard contended in the three-day state-level event for the opportunity to represent Wisconsin in the upcoming regional Best Warrior Competition at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, next month. SPC Timothy Hicks with Company B, 173rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, will compete in the regional competition as Wisconsin’s Soldier of the Year, and SGT Savannah Lipinski with the Recruiting and Retention Battalion will compete as Wisconsin’s Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.

“I think competition makes us better,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Curtis Patrouille, the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s senior enlisted leader. “We’ve got the best of the best here this weekend and everyone wants to do better than the person next to them. “I’m glad we were able to have the competition this year,” he said. “I hope that these Soldiers are exposed to something they’re uncomfortable with this weekend so that they can go back to their squads and their teams to make the organization better overall.” For three days competitors from all over Wisconsin faced off against one another in challenges that tested their mental and physical aptitudes.

Events included the Army Physical Fitness Test, M4 carbine, M17 pistol, and M249 machine gun qualifications, physical appearance board, essay, land navigation, call for fire, simulated medical range, written test, 12-mile ruck march, and hand grenade qualification. “If you’re going to take part in the Best Warrior Competition find somebody who’s gone through the competition and ask them for advice about the competition,” said Sgt. Kendall Kaatz of Company H, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion, 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. “It’s a fun competition but very difficult. It’s best to prepare as much as you can.”

The state Best Warrior competition is designed to test the fortitude of the competitors taking part in it. Soldiers and NCOs had hectic days – the events of the competition were kept a secret from them until they showed up at various courses.

In addition, competitors operated on very little sleep between the days of competition. “It’s awesome that my unit chose me to come over here and compete,” said Sgt. Thomas Kundinger with the 829th Engineer Company. “I’ve been training for a few months now. In and out of the gym and studying the NCO creed and board questions for the competition.”

The Indiana National Guard will host the regional Best Warrior Competition May 13-16 at Camp Atterbury.

Black Panther’s Dora Milaje: what to know about the Wakandan warriors

Nakia and Okoye walk side by side, confident and stoic, next to their king, T’Challa. They’re inside a secret underground casino in Busan, South Korea, in pursuit of the vibranium-obsessed arms dealer Ulysses Klaue.

Nakia, expert in all things espionage, and Okoye, whose iron-fisted hand-to-hand combat skills and use of a spear are unparalleled, are in disguise — dressed to the nines and truly a sight to behold. During an incredibly intense, action-packed scene, they battle with guards, embark on a car chase, and eventually capture Klaue.

The impressive special effects, exceptional fight choreography, and explosions of the Korean casino scene would be at home in most big-budget action movies. But Nakia and Okoye are two of the most important characters in Marvel’s new film Black Panther. Here, significantly, the action stars are black women.

Black Panther, which stars Chadwick Boseman as the titular character, isn’t the first superhero film with a black lead. One could argue that earlier films like Blade, Spawn, and Hancock, all with black superheroes at their center, helped pave the way for director Ryan Coogler’s film. But Black Panther celebrates African aesthetics, language, and cultural traditions with a healthy dose of Afrofuturism, which all combine to set it apart from those previous films.

But just as groundbreaking are the film’s female characters, many of whom belong to the Dora Milaje, a team of Wakandan women trained from birth to be some of the best fighters in the world when it comes to martial arts, hand-to-hand combat, and weaponry. They protect the throne, as well as whoever is the Black Panther at that time. Seeing the Dora Milaje working together at the film’s center — and knowing this is only the beginning of their story — has proven a thrill for many viewers.

So now’s the time to learn more about these distinguished protectors of T’Challa and the people of Wakanda. Here are five things you need to know about the Dora Milaje.

1) The Dora Milaje made their comics debut in 1998 but were very different from their cinematic counterparts

Black Panther Vol. 3, No. 1.Marvel

The Dora Milaje made their debut in 1998 in Black Panther Vol. 3, No. 1. Written by Christopher Priest, it introduces Nakia and Okoye, the characters played by Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira, respectively, in the Black Panther movie. Known as the “adored ones,” the Dora Milaje, as illustrated by artist Mark Teixeira, had a different physical appearance from their look in the film, as well as a different role within the Wakandan royal structure.

The comics version of the Dora Milaje were more feminine, with long, straight hair, red miniskirts, and high stiletto heels — one could say they looked like the lost members of En Vogue. In the comics, the Dora Milaje also spoke only to the king and only in Hausa, a native African language not widely spoken in Wakanda, and two of their ranks accompany the Black Panther wherever he goes: Okoye is T’Challa’s chauffeur and Nakia is his personal aide.

Priest imagined the Dora Milaje as subservient wives-in-training to their king — a ceremonial designation T’Challa rejects but which nonetheless informs his relationship to the women who also serve as his protectors. In the comics, T’Challa has a more paternal relationship to the Dora Milaje, including Nakia and Okoye, who were teens when they first served under him. (However, if you look at the panels drawn by Teixeira, they don’t appear to look like teens at all.)

This relationship between T’Challa and the Dora Milaje informs Priest’s version of Nakia, which will seem very different to those who primarily know the character from the film. In the film, Nakia is a skilled Wakandan spy and War Dog, as well as T’Challa’s former girlfriend. Priest, however, wrote the character as a relentless pursuer of T’Challa’s affections. In Black Panther Vol. 3, No. 3 (1998), T’Challa experiences a hallucination brought on by the supervillain Mephisto in which he believes he is making out with his former love interest Monica Lynne, but it turns out he is actually kissing Nakia. This exacerbates Nakia’s romantic obsession with T’Challa, but the feeling is not mutual, so she develops into the villain Malice, forming an alliance with Erik Killmonger to take down the Black Panther.

Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole’s screenplay for Black Panther represents a massive improvement on this characterization: Rather than depicting Nakia as lovesick, Black Panther presents her as a complex and powerful character whose presence in the storyline deeply resonates with her role as both a spy and a love interest for T’Challa.

Okoye receives a more subtle overhaul in the film, but it’s notable that she now bears the title of “general,” one she never had in the comics. Thus, she goes from being T’Challa’s subservient protector to leading the entire Dora Milaje army.

What’s refreshing in the film is how Nakia and Okoye work together, rather than fight over T’Challa, as other interpretations of the Dora Milaje might have had them do. Removing the Fatal Attraction-esque storyline where Nakia obsesses so much after T’Challa that she tries to kill Monica Lynne was the best decision the filmmakers could have made, and moves the film away from what Nyong’o, in an interview with Teen Vogue, called “the expected female-rival narrative. ”

These creative liberties taken by Coogler and Cole prove to be both strategic and successful, making Nakia and Okoye compelling, three-dimensional characters in their own right, not just in their relationship to T’Challa.

2) The film

doesn’t feature one of the comics’ most important Dora Milaje characters: Queen Divine Justice

Marvel Comics

At the beginning of Black Panther, viewers get the backstory of Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger told through the perspective of his father N’Jobu (Sterling K. Brown), the younger brother of T’Challa’s father, T’Chaka. But the story of N’Jobu, told in the film outside of Wakanda in 1992 Oakland, California, reminded me of a different character from the comics: Chanté Giovanni Brown, a Wakandan-American character initially based in Chicago and later recruited to the Dora Milaje. Eventually after her recruitment, she goes by the alias Queen Divine Justice.

Chanté’s father was a chieftain of the Jabari tribe, one of the five tribes of Wakanda, which consists of a community of renegade Wakandans who have isolated themselves in the snow-capped mountains and submit to their own rules and traditions. (If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, their society is similar to the wildlings who live beyond the wall.) Chanté is also a cousin to M’Baku (played in the film by Winston Duke), leader of the deadly White Gorilla Cult, which resides in a region of Jabari. (As a black panther is the deity symbol for the Wakandans, a gorilla is the deity symbol for White Gorilla cult. Their rallying war cry in the film is the sound of a gorilla.)

As a result of the rise of the White Gorilla cult, extremists targeted the entire Jabari tribe, and Chanté’s parents were forced to flee Wakanda for the US — where they were murdered by extremists when Chanté was an infant. After that, T’Challa assigned a Wakandan security force agent, whom Chanté believed was her grandmother, to look after her as she grew up.

The adult Queen Divine Justice made her first appearance in 1999’s Black Panther Vol. 3, No. 13, written by Priest with art by Sal Velluto and Bob Almond. Chanté only learns of her Wakandan heritage when T’Challa approaches to recruit her into the Dora Milaje; it still takes several months for him to explain the circumstances of her parents’ death, however. (Shady.)

Although both are Wakandan Americans, Queen Divine Justice and Erik Killmonger have very different motives and principles. Killmonger is a revolutionary, and he promotes a by-any-means-necessary approach to injustice. Chanté, on the other hand, is loyal and dedicated to the king of Wakanda and accepts where she stands as a protector of the king and a Dora. Her loyalty to the king, however, is a bit complicated: After Nakia grew into the villainous Malice, T’Challa, concerned that Malice might use Chanté as a target for her fury, recruited Queen Divine Justice as a member of the Dora Milaje — which was also a strategic move to maintain balance amid the political unrest surrounding the Jabari tribe.

Queen Divine Justice doesn’t appear in the live-action adaptation of Black Panther, but there’s plenty of room for her to appear in a presumed Black Panther 2. As an outsider to Wakanda and a black character getting acclimated to a new world filled with other black people from a different culture, Queen Divine Justice could offer an amazing perspective on various aspects of the African diaspora, proving further illustration that blackness is not a monolith.

3) A major Dora Milaje romance didn’t make it to the big screen

World of Wakanda No. 1.Marvel

In 2016, the short-lived comic book series World of Wakanda — written by Roxane Gay, Yona Harvey, and Ta-Nehisi Coates with art by Alitha E. Martinez and Afua Richardson — examined the story of Ayo and Aneka, which takes place before Coates’s version of Black Panther, which also debuted in 2016.

In World of Wakanda, Aneka is captain of the Dora Milaje, and Ayo serves under her. After Aneka is found guilty of killing a chieftain who had been victimizing the women in her village, she and Ayo become the vigilante duo known as the Midnight Angels. The chemistry that brews between the two from the comic’s earliest issues develops organically into a romance that becomes a significant story arc.

While the romance between Ayo and Aneka deepens, turmoil and strife befall the residents of Wakanda in the aftermath of a destructive flood of the Golden City. When T’Challa elects to form an alliance with Namor, the undersea dweller who caused the flood, both Ayo and Aneka inform T’Challa that they no longer serve him, and they leave the Dora Milaje.

The story of Ayo and Aneka is unprecedented in many ways, but especially because readers get to see the women operating outside of the confines of the king’s leadership. They have their own stories to tell and their own loyalties that go far beyond an obligated compliance to a royal monarch.

Joanna Robinson of Vanity Fair reported in April 2017 that a scene was cut from the film that hinted at a romance between the film Ayo (played by Florence Kasumba) and Okoye, who as general of the Dora Milaje functions in a similar capacity as Aneka in the comics:

In the rough cut of this Black Panther scene, we see Gurira’s Okoye and Kasumba’s Ayo swaying rhythmically back in formation with the rest of their team. Okoye eyes Ayo flirtatiously for a long time as the camera pans in on them. Eventually, she says, appreciatively and appraisingly, “You look good.” Ayo responds in kind. Okoye grins and replies, “I know.”

More recently, Screen Crush interviewed writer Joe Robert Cole, who backpedaled in his response to the cut scene:

I know that there were quite a few conversations around different things, different directions with different characters, and characters that we may have. We thought, Well, maybe we’ll work it this way with an arc or work it that way with an arc. The scene you’re talking about, I don’t remember. I can’t remember the exact exchange you’re talking about, but I think it was really brief. I’m not sure. I know that it was not — there wasn’t some major theme through that we were looking to explore with that in terms of the story. We didn’t like, pull out a full thread of some theme.

In the completed movie, Okoye’s relationship is not with Ayo but with W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya), and thus an opportunity for a Marvel film to represent black queer characters was missed. Black Panther offers so much in the way of representation for black superhero fans, but giving Okoye the queer storyline that may have ended up on the cutting room floor could have offered representation for yet another marginalized group rarely reflected in blockbusters.

4) We’ll see more of Okoye soon — but Nakia’s future is still in question

Nakia dons a Dora Milaje uniform to head into battle in Black Panther.
Marvel

Danai Gurira will appear in Avengers: Infinity War, out May 4; the most recent trailer for the film shows Okoye running alongside T’Challa and the Avengers, ready to kick some ass. However, Lupita Nyong’o has not been confirmed for Infinity War and has stated that she doesn’t know what the future holds for Nakia — who is, after all, not a member of the Dora Milaje in the film.

In Black Panther, as Wakanda is under the threat of Killmonger, Shuri grabs weaponry and points Nakia toward a Dora Milaje uniform, but Nakia hesitates, saying that she is “not a Dora.” While she does end up joining the battle at film’s end, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see her fight alongside the Dora Milaje in Avengers: Infinity War. However, given that Black Panther scored the biggest February box office debut ever, it’s a safe assumption that a sequel announcement will come sooner rather than later — and when it does, Nakia’s involvement is all but assured.

But fans of the new movie characters should be excited for the return of characters beyond Okoye: It’s been confirmed that both the tech wizard Shuri and Jabari tribe leader M’Baku will appear in Infinity War.

5) The Dora Milaje represent characters that a fandom starved for representation can embrace wholeheartedly

Nakia and Okoye flank T’Challa in Black Panther.Marvel/Disney

Seeing big-screen versions of Nakia, Okoye, Shuri, Queen Ramonda, and all the women of the Dora Milaje was something that I, a black female comic book geek, never expected to see in my lifetime. I’ve read, researched, interviewed, and written about black characters in comics over the years; I’m deeply invested in comic book fandom, but the comic book industry rarely seemed invested in me.

Any given white man can easily walk into a comic book store and see an abundance of superheroes that look like him. He’s surrounded by an industry that empowers him to believe he can be anything he wants to be — at least metaphorically. But Black Panther takes that supernatural, extraordinary stuff of modern myth and gives it to a bunch of characters who aren’t white men — and include black women. It bolsters our confidence and gives us the courage to believe in how we see ourselves.

When you don’t see yourself represented in popular culture, you feel like you don’t matter. You feel like you don’t have value. You feel like your worth is not as important as that of others. I can’t say this enough, but the fact that Shuri, a 16-year-old black girl, is the head of the Wakandan Design Group — and according to producer Nate Moore is the smartest person in the world — is a big damn deal. I’m certain that Shuri’s presence alone will empower more black girls and women to join science, technology, engineering, and math groups and organizations, just as I’m certain that the depiction of the Dora Milaje will encourage more black girls and women to take martial arts classes — or at least cosplay as their new favorite characters.

This is how representation works: You see someone (real or fictional) and you feel inspired to do what they do. It may not necessarily be the same exact thing, but you feel bold enough to take a leap of faith: “If they can do it, so can I.” The Dora Milaje are superheroes, and thanks to their portrayal in Black Panther, so many of us black women can see ourselves as heroes too.

Guard warrior of glory worthy

Apr 30 2020, 18:05

The Guard is called the elite of the armed forces. From the times of Peter the Great to the present day, not a single battle of the Russian army was complete without the participation of its best military formations. With the arrival of the enemy on our land once again – with the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War – the exploits of the Soviet guard were inscribed in golden letters in the history of the country.

One of such glorious warriors is Mikhail Prokofievich Panenkov from Lukhovich.

He was born in 1922 in the village of Bolshoye Tishovo, Glinkovsky District, Smolensk Region. His native village was occupied by Nazi troops in July 1941. Shortly before that, on July 13, 1941, Mikhail Prokofievich was drafted into the ranks of the Workers ‘and Peasants’ Red Army (RKKA) and sent to study at the Kaluga Tank School.

With the approach to the enemy’s city, the school was transferred to the Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod) region. Here Panenkov continued his studies in a separate radio channel.

A tank unit was formed from the graduates of the school, which was sent to the Stalingrad region. Mikhail Prokofievich received his baptism of fire on the day of the start of the Red Army’s counteroffensive at Stalingrad in November 1942.

The Battle of Stalingrad … this is a battle on the Kalachevskaya land. This is where it began. Here, six kilometers from Kalach-on-Don, the ring of the Stalingrad boiler closed. In the city there was a bridge across the Don, after crossing which only 75 kilometers of open steppe remained to Stalingrad.

Our command, realizing this, tried to prevent the enemy from crossing the Don.

On the early foggy morning of November 20, 1942, the 1st Panzer Corps, together with the 8th Cavalry Corps, attacked the 22nd German Division and threw it back south of the village of Bear. Then the 1st Tank Corps, developing the offensive, by the end of November 22 reached the Liska River in the area of ​​the Zryaninsky-Tuzov settlements.

Further, the offensive developed rapidly and ended with the union of Soviet units in the area of ​​the city of Kalach-na-Donu.

Panenkov’s reconnaissance group was instructed to find approaches to the Don River in the Kalach region. After completing the assignment, the armored car in which the reconnaissance group was moving came under fire. The driver was injured and the car stopped. Mikhail Prokofievich replaced the wounded comrade and brought the armored car out of the fire. As a result, intelligence was delivered on time.

In December 1942 M.P. Panenkov was nominated for the highest medal in the award system of the USSR, established to reward for personal courage and courage shown in the defense of the socialist Fatherland and the performance of military duty – the medal “For Courage”.

From the award list:

“In the battles with the German fascists, Comrade Panenkov proved to be the best Komsomol fighter when performing combat missions in the area of ​​the village of Bolshaya Osipovka – he took a German prisoner, destroyed 5 enemy soldiers … then destroyed up to 10 enemy soldiers, in the area of ​​the crossing over the Don in the area of ​​Berezovskaya he personally killed a German pilot who was trying to escape by fleeing from a downed plane. ”

In December 1942, for the courage and heroism shown in the Battle of Stalingrad, the 26th Panzer Corps, in which Mikhail Prokofievich served, was reorganized into the 1st Guards Tank Corps by order of the Supreme Command Headquarters, and the Guardsman of the 13th Separate Motorcycle Battalion, Mikhail Panenkov received another award – the medal “For the Defense of Stalingrad”.

Further, the combat path of the unit lay to the west in the direction of the town of Izyum, where the 1st Guards Tank Corps was to take part in the battle on the Kursk Bulge.

And again the 13th separate motorcycle battalion was in the most dangerous places. On August 5, 1943, our troops took Orel. After the liberation of the city, the unit in which M.P. Panenkov, was withdrawn for reforming and replenishment.

On June 23, 1944, Soviet troops launched a new offensive.The 1st Guards Tank Corps entered the Bobruisk area and cut off the enemy’s retreat.

From the award list:

“While performing a combat mission to attack an enemy grenadier battalion in the Sikerichi area on June 25, 1944, a machine gunner, guard foreman Panenkov, burst into the enemy’s defenses. He killed 12 German soldiers with machine gun fire. Finding the enemy’s machine-gun point in the bunker, he threw grenades at it, thereby enabling the submachine gunners to advance. Bursting into the trenches, he took two German soldiers and one officer prisoner. ”

For this feat, Mikhail Prokofievich received his first order – the Order of Glory, III degree.

The next order of “Glory”, II degree, was received by the radio operator-machine gunner of the guard foreman Mikhail Panenkov for battles on German soil near the town of Stetin.

From the award list:

“Guards. Petty Officer Panenkov was in reconnaissance throughout the entire period of combat operations from 01/14 to 01/22/1945 and kept uninterrupted radio communications, immediately transmitting the obtained information about the enemy by radio.01/14/45, when the reconnaissance group burst into the settlement of Moshevo, M. Panenkov conducted accurate fire from a machine gun. Noticing that the motorcycle of the main patrol with the crew was disabled and there was a threat of its capture by the Germans, Guards. Sergeant Major Panenkov, despising the danger, pulled out two wounded under enemy fire, took the documents of the killed soldier Monakhov and evacuated the motorcycle. During this battle, Panenkov destroyed two enemy machine-gun points and up to a dozen Germans with the fire of his machine gun. Wounded in the leg and face, he did not leave the battlefield, but remained in the ranks and continued to carry out the task. “

Mikhail Prokofievich ended the war in 1945 in the German city of Rostock on the shores of the Baltic Sea.

And on June 24, 1945, our fellow countryman received the honorary right to participate in the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow.

Source: http://inluhovitsy.ru/specproekty/pobeda-v-licah/gvardii-voin-slavy-dostoin

90,000 Rosgvardia. CBD

• 
  February 16, 2021 11:44 am

Deputy Chief of the Private Security Police for the Baksan District of the Rosgvardia Directorate for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, Police Major Alim Gukov and the Deputy Commander of the Private Security Police Company for the Baksan District, Senior Police Lieutenant Azamat Nadzirov debt on the territory of the Republic of Afghanistan.

Representatives of the local administration, public and veteran organizations, schoolchildren and youth soldiers took part in the laying ceremony, which took place in the park of Memory and Glory in the city of Baksan.

“On the Day of Remembrance of the Russians who performed their official duty outside the Fatherland, we remember not only veterans of the war in Afghanistan, but also compatriots who took part in armed conflicts in other states,” said Police Major Alim Gukov.

As part of the events, on behalf of the Chairman of the Committee for Coordination of Joint Activities of Veteran Associations, Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel-General Boris Gromov, Major of Police Mukhamedin Goshokov was awarded a certificate of honor for his many years of contribution to the military-patriotic education of youth.

Press Service of the Directorate of the Federal Service of the National Guard of the Russian Federation for the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic

90,000 Memorial events were held in Rosgvardia with the participation of Afghan soldiers

Day of remembrance of the soldiers who performed
service duty outside the Fatherland, celebrated on February 15 in Russia. It was on this day in 1989 that the official withdrawal of the Soviet
troops from Afghanistan. Until 2011, the Internationalist Warrior Day had
official status, although it was noted by everyone who passed the Afghan,
Angolan and other wars outside the USSR.

V
troops of the National Guard of the Russian Federation on February 15, memorable meetings were held and
lectures on the participation of law enforcement forces in the Afghan war. As reported
correspondent of “RG” in the Russian Guard, from the very beginning of the armed conflict
served as military advisers in Afghanistan 3
general, 627 officers and 226 warrant officers of the internal troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs.Day
the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is also noted by many officers of the OMON, SOBR
and AOSN. Most of them passed the Afghan during the conscription service. Per
exemplary performance of military duty, orders and medals of the USSR were
552 were awarded, and state awards of the Republic of Afghanistan were awarded
352 servicemen of the internal troops.

BB officers helped Afghans form their own ministry
Internal Affairs – Tsaranda and internal troops, as well as units
safety and security.Generals served as military advisers
under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Afghanistan, officers were advisers to commanders
military units of Tsarandoi, officials of the Main Directorate of Protection
revolution – GUZR, and warrant officers were driving instructors and
maintenance of combat vehicles. Officers of the Interior Troops of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs also
took part in the training of personnel for the military units of the GUZR.
The officers were trained in the military and higher political schools of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
USSR, and junior specialists were trained at the Higher Courses of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR in
Tashkent.Sergeants from Tsarandoi units were also trained there, but
officers’ ranks were assigned to them already in Afghanistan based on the results
practical work. In total, for Tsarandoy Afghanistan,
over 10,000 military specialists of various profiles.

Meanwhile

celebrates its 55th birthday on 15 February
editor-in-chief of the military journalistic and literary and artistic
of the magazine “On a combat post” of the troops of the National Guard of the Russian Federation Colonel
Sergey Kolesnikov.

Yubilyar was congratulated by the Chairman of the Presidium of “Officers of Russia”, Hero
Russia, General Sergei Lipovoy, noting the great personal contribution of Kolesnikov
in strengthening the rule of law and security of the country, the development of military
journalism and patriotic education of the population.

“You are an example of a Russian officer, a professional in your field, an example to follow and deepest respect,” Lipovoy emphasized.

Revision
Rossiyskaya Gazeta joins numerous congratulations in
the address of a distinguished colleague and wishes him success in solving the
him tasks, as well as a sharp and light pen.

Help “RG”

Sergey
Kolesnikov graduated from the Faculty of Journalism with a gold medal in 1991
Lvov Higher Military-Political School. In editions of internal
troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia has consistently gone from the instructor
culture to the editor-in-chief of the magazine “On a combat post”, which then
became the central printed edition of the Russian National Guard troops. Leads
active work on military-patriotic, spiritual and moral
educating young people, perpetuating the memory of the dead servicemen.Has state awards – medals of the Order of Merit
Fatherland “I and II degrees,” For Courage “. Sergei Kolesnikov – veteran
military operations and Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation.

4483 Individual grave of the soldier-internationalist of the guard Private LUKYANENKO Alexander Vsevolodovich Bobruisk – Our city – Perpetuation of memory – List of military graves

1. Place and date of burial : Republic of Belarus, Mogilev region, g.Bobruisk, city cemetery

2. Type of burial : individual grave

3. Dimensions of the burial : width – 5 m, length – 5 m.
In the meantime, there is no need to worry about it. ”

4. Brief description of the monument (gravestone) at burial :
Black painted metal fence.Made from black
granite with a photo and an inscription embossed on it. Installed
09/15/1986

5. Number of buried : 1 serviceman (surname known).

6. Personal information about the buried people :

View War graves in a larger map

90,000 Saratov “Young Guard” posted a portrait of the Soldier-Liberator of 10 thousand candles

photos: mger / vkontakte

In the town of Balakovo, Saratov Region, on June 21, on the eve of the Day of Memory and Mourning, the “Candle of Memory” campaign was held.The activists of the Balakovo branch, together with the Saratov regional branch of the Young Guard, organized a patriotic event dedicated to the tragic events of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Thousands of residents and guests of the city of Balakovo took to the street to take part in the procession, honoring the memory of the fallen and surviving participants of the Great Patriotic War. The column began its movement with lighted candles from the Monument to the builders of five All-Union shock Komsomol construction projects.Participants of the action laid out a portrait of the Soviet Soldier-Liberator out of 10,000 candles near the Obelisk in Memory of the Balakians who died in the Great Patriotic War.

“June 22 will forever remain a day of memory and sorrow in the history of our country. There is no family in Russia where the memory of the Great Patriotic War passes by. The “Candle of Memory” action unites those who remember the defenders of the Motherland, home front workers, prisoners of concentration camps and all the victims of that terrible war.We are all gifted with life under a peaceful sky, for which we are in an invaluable debt to our ancestors, “said Dmitry Gorbunov, head of the Saratov regional branch of Molodaya Gvardiya.

For the third year already, the Young Guards gather at the eternal flame in memory of the feat accomplished by our ancestors. So, earlier the participants of the action laid out the composition “The Motherland Calls!” From several thousand candles. Last year, the flames repeated the “Combat” photograph. This year, thousands of candles have merged into the silhouette of the Liberator Warrior.

“We Remember” campaign is timed to coincide with the 78th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. We pay tribute to all the winning heroes. It is important for us to remember the tragedy of the Great Patriotic War, our duty is to preserve and pass on from generation to generation the truth about the courage and great feat of the people. Everlasting memory. Low bow, ”said Denis Davydov, Chairman of the Coordinating Council of the Young Guard of United Russia

It should be noted that all over the country, MGER activists lit 30 thousand candles in memory of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War on the Day of Memory and Sorrow. More than 7 thousand people from 48 regions of Russia took part in the action “Remember”.

Soldiers of the Russian National Guard were honored in Feodosia | Feodosia

03/25/2017

The celebration of the Day of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation began in Feodosia with the laying of flowers at the Eternal Flame. Later, a solemn meeting was held at the House of Officers of the Navy.The event was attended by the heads of the city, law enforcement agencies, servicemen and veterans of military unit 6915.

Congratulating on the first anniversary of the formation of the National Guard, the Head of the Municipal Formation of the City District of Feodosia of the Republic of Crimea – Chairman of the Feodosia City Council Svetlana Gevchuk expressed gratitude from all residents of Feodosia for the difficult service that requires courage and tolerance:

– Under your reliable protection, we feel safe, we can work with full dedication for the benefit of our beloved Feodosia, Crimea and Russia. Not a single mass event is complete without your direct participation. Svetlana Nikolaevna wished you further successes in solving important tasks, peaceful skies and kindness, and personally presented Thanks to the especially distinguished employees.

For reasonable initiative, diligence and distinction in service, shown in the performance of military service duties and in connection with the celebration of the Day of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, the following employees of military unit 6915 were awarded with gratitude from the Chairman of the Feodosia City Council:

– Zavyalov Dmitry Ivanovich – Head of the Bath and Laundry Plant;
– Dmitry Sergeevich Zaitsev – machine gunner of the 1st squad of the 1st operational platoon of the operational company;
– Marina Anatolyevna Kivshan – Head of the clothing repair shop of the material support company;
– Pakhomov Andrey Ivanovich – trainer of the 1st canine group of the combat support company;
– Podzizey Anatoly Leontievich – soloist of the military orchestra.

First Deputy Head of the Feodosia Administration Matvey Solomatin, a representative of the Feodosia Department of Internal Affairs and veterans also spoke with words of welcome and warm wishes. At the end of the official part, a festive concert was given for the heroes of the occasion.

As a reminder, the National Guard was created by the Decree of the President of Russia on April 5, 2016 and is intended to ensure state and public security, protect the rights and freedoms of citizens. The structure of the service included detachments of SOBR, OMON, command and control bodies and subdivisions in the field of private security and a number of other subdivisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Day of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation was established on January 16, 2017. Earlier on this day, employees of the Interior Ministry troops celebrated their professional holiday.

90,000 warrior, worker, Christian – Young Guard

Petrova N. G. Nakhimov. M .: “Molodaya gvardiya”, 2019.415 p. – (The life of wonderful people.)

In Russian history there are many generals and naval commanders who possessed the charm of moral strength, the charisma of a noble soul.It is precisely those qualities that are most needed in war, in battle, when life and death are intermingled in a single moment, when not only words and orders, but the very personality of a military leader is a guarantee of incredible feats of a huge mass of soldiers and sailors. Such were our national heroes Ushakov, Suvorov, Kutuzov, and such was Pavel Stepanovich Nakhimov.

Documentary evidence about Nakhimov helps to feel the amazing charm of this man, who devoted his whole life to the sea and service. A man for whom, according to the reviews of his acquaintances, “his own self did not exist positively,” and all the strength of his soul was devoted to caring for his neighbors: about the officers and sailors who made up his family, about the wounded and killed, about the ships that were like his own children. It is impossible not to feel the spiritual strength of his personal courage, which was nothing more than the same care about people, about their moral condition, about their readiness to fulfill their duty to the end.

Throughout the book, the author, historian and writer Natalya Petrova illustrates this moral strength of Nakhimov with eyewitnesses. And in the chapters devoted to the defense of Sevastopol, – his stay at the height of the religious, Christian. His personal spiritual life in those nine months, when he was the “soul of defense” of Sevastopol, became extremely tense, focused not only on military duty, but also on the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments – absolutely natural and unpretentious, so inherent in the nature of the admiral.

This biography of Nakhimov is the third in the series “The Life of Remarkable People” – after two published in the Soviet period. Another time, the accumulated documentary publications, archival “excavations” carried out by the author, demanded a new biography of the famous hero, a different approach to the particulars of his personality and fate.

The book is strewn with many previously unknown or little-known details, opens unfamiliar pages of Nakhimov’s life. For example, the case of the Decembrists, to which he was brought in as a witness.In Soviet times, this topic in the fate of Nakhimov and could not pedal, because … to the Decembrist and any other revolt against the government, he had a negative attitude. Having lived for two years while sailing around the world in the same cabin with D. Zavalishin, the future accomplice of the Decembrist revolt, Nakhimov (like most naval officers, to their credit) did not incline to the spirit of overthrow that the rebels from Senate Square were so fond of. When you read the interrogation sheets of Lieutenant Nakhimov, one involuntarily suggests a comparison of his testimony with the abundant words of “heroes” on December 14th.During interrogations, those confessed to anything – what was and what was not, slandered and drowned each other. Nakhimov, in his answers to the unpleasant questions of the investigator, is stingy, dry, does not renounce his friendship with Zavalishin, hides awkward details that cast a shadow on his former colleague. At that time, Nakhimov was only 22 years old, but he is already a mature personality, with established notions about life, about what is moral and what is not. He is from the breed of creators and workers, not destroyers and bloody projectors.

It is as a worker that Nakhimov is revealed in the book in new details, in a new light.His name, for example, is associated with several cases of application of innovations not only in maritime practice, but also in engineering works, advanced for that time. This is a long, laborious installation of “dead anchors” in the Tsemesskaya Bay, where Novorossiysk later grew up: the bay during the strongest winds, bora, was disastrous for ships, and with dead anchors to which the ship’s anchors clung, it became safe. This and the lifting of a sunken warship from the bottom of the same bay – a new, most complicated thing for those times.This is the first ever loading of coal on a steamer on the open sea – according to the bold decision of Nakhimov.

What is known to the general public about Nakhimov from previous biographies? Around the world, the Battle of Navarino with the Turks, the Sinop defeat of the same Turks, the defense of Sevastopol. By and large, that’s it. But Nakhimov’s life is much richer and more varied. We see him as the designer of the ship’s equipment; one of the leaders of a grueling cruising off the Caucasian coast – to protect Russian fortresses from the Turks and mountaineers during the Caucasian War; the creator of the Sevastopol Maritime Library; a participant in the development of a new Maritime Charter.Even a patient of German clinics (considered the best in Europe), whose doctors so diligently healed Nakhimov that he became like that evangelical relaxed on his bed. And yet, having escaped untreated from aesculapians and infirmities, he found the strength to brilliantly serve the Fatherland for more than a decade and a half.

But the main thing is that we see Nakhimov the Christian. An absolutely impossible hypostasis of a national hero in the biographies of the past, not so long ago. The author of the book honestly shows the religious evolution of his hero: from a young midshipman, indifferent to Lenten fasting, to an admiral bowing to the will of God.A fresh graduate of the Marine Corps at that time, apparently, could not have had any other way of thinking than religious freethinking. The book on this score cites the testimony of Saint Innocent (Veniaminov), who met Nakhimov and other participants in the circumnavigation of Russian America. But you can also cite another testimony of the senior contemporary of Nakhimov, sailor SI Yanovsky, who ended his life as a monk: “I was brought up in the Marine Corps; knew many sciences and read a lot; but, unfortunately, science from sciences, i.e.f. He barely understood the Law of God superficially, and even then theoretically, without applying it to life, and was only a Christian in name, but in his soul and in deed he was a freethinker, a deist; like almost all those who are brought up in buildings and in state institutions . .. “. Yanovsky had a teacher of Orthodoxy – the Monk Herman of Alaska. For Nakhimov, such a teacher of faith, obviously, was the naval life itself, its trials. In the end, his pure soul could not help but reach out to God, the giver of all the blessings to people, about whom Nakhimov himself was so worried and jealous.

Surprising fact: the only lifetime portrait of Pavel Stepanovich was sketched by V. Timm stealthily in the church, at a divine service. “At this time, as I painted Nakhimov, as if on purpose, he prayed with great zeal and made frequent bows to the ground,” Timm later admitted. So, thanks to the indelicacy of the artist, we have an image not just of Nakhimov at the moment of his heroic mission to defend Sevastopol, but of a Christian admiral, an absolute believer, humbly praying to God.

And the myth that Nakhimov, who allegedly fell into melancholy after the flooding of the fleet in the bay, deliberately sought death on the bastions of Sevastopol? He was not looking for death, but completely entrusted his life to God: “After all, everything is God’s will, and if He pleases, then anything can happen: no matter what you do here, no matter what you hide behind, no matter what you hide, nothing would oppose His command, ”- these are his words. And he thought about the state of mind of the soldiers and sailors: his permanent gold admiral’s epaulettes, a target for enemy riflemen, were supposed to support their belief in victory.

The Crimean War itself, as it was later called, was for Nakhimov a sacred battle for faith, in defense of Orthodoxy. The admirals-comrades-in-arms of Kornilov and Istomin who had died before him, he considered martyrs for their faith. His bullet in the head, his last torment for faith, Pavel Stepanovich received at the hour when the all-night service of the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul was going on, his name day: the Lord honored Nakhimov with such a gift.

Although the topic of Christianity and personal faith of Nakhimov does not occupy so much space in the book, it is important for the author. This is evidenced by the details scattered throughout the pages of the study, connected with the church life of the sailors and especially the defenders of Sevastopol. Camping iconostases with icon lamps in the dugouts of the bastions, Sevastopol monks – participants in hostilities, the fasting of sailors and soldiers during Great Lent in the besieged city with special “heartbreak” .