Unlike in much of the former Soviet Union, young men in Uzbekistan clamor to do military service, and the competition is so intense that authorities have introduced stringent new entrance requirements.
Officials estimate that only one out of every 10 hopeful applicants is successful.
A decree published this week on legal affairs website Norma.uz contains all the details. The fitness section comprises three routines: chin-ups, a 100-meter dash and a 3,000-meter run. Next comes a three-part written exam testing knowledge of math, and Uzbek language and history.
Enrolment takes place just once annually and hopeful conscripts can apply only once.
The relative prestige associated with doing obligatory service in Uzbekistan dates back to reforms enacted in 2008, when the length of service was reduced from 24 months to 12. Wages paid to conscripts were also raised.
There are numerous correlated benefits to serving. One is that it increases chances of getting government jobs or the professional army itself, where positions are also highly sought after for the perks. The Defense Ministry has said that between 2007 and 2015, it allocated more than 3,000 apartments to servicemen and their families.
With unemployment a chronic problem in Uzbekistan, any path to regular, respectable and well-paid work is eagerly pursued.
Those that have completed military service are also eligible to receive additional benefits while completing their university studies.
Perhaps most importantly, it would appear that Uzbekistan has been fairly successful is clamping down on hazing in the armed forces. The systematic bullying that occurs across the former Soviet Union is typically compounded by long terms of conscription and low levels of professionalism.
No precise numbers are publicly available about the number of conscripts serving in Uzbekistan’s army, but the army proper is estimated to have a standing force of around 80,000 men.
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