Military Specialty (MS) in Ukraine’s military personnel system

A Military Specialty (MS) is a personnel classification that assigns service members and reservists a specific military specialization and identifies their affiliation with a particular military branch or type of forces. These classifications reflect the practical skills and competencies that a Ukrainian citizen has acquired to fulfill the constitutional duty to defend the Homeland.

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine approves separate Military Specialty (MS) lists for:

• privates, sergeants, and senior NCOs;
• officers.

Ukrainian citizens who have not previously served in the military are assigned their MS when registering with Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (enlistment offices). Individuals’ education levels, including relevant degrees and specializations, are taken into account. For example, if you held a junior (secondary) medical qualification in civilian life, you would be assigned MS-879 “Junior Medical Specialists.

During their service, service members may obtain an additional Military Specialty after completing the required training at military training units. Officers are assigned their MS upon completing education at higher military educational institutions, military training units within civilian higher education institutions, or through the re-certification process.

All service members who have not previously served undergo the Basic General Military Training (BGMT) course after being called up for military service. Upon completing the course, they are assigned MS-100 “Rifleman.” After this, they may be directed to specialized training to obtain an additional military specialty.

Each MS has a numerical designation, which enables automated personnel record-keeping. The interpretation of MS codes is set out in the relevant regulatory documents, separately for privates, sergeants, and senior NCOs, and for officers. These lists may be updated over time.

Ukrainian citizens liable for military service can verify their Military Specialty (MS) through the Reserve+ mobile application. Service members’ MS codes are recorded in their military registration documents and entered into their personal files.