The Baku Higher Combined Arms Command School (BVOKU) was one of the military academies of the USSR. It trained military personnel in a number of specializations. It was located in Baku in the Azerbaijan SSR.
History
During a parade in Baku in 1970
On November 29, 1939, the school was founded by order of the People's Commissariat of Defense of the Soviet Union, MarshalKliment Voroshilov.[1] Colonel Vasily Sytnikov was appointed the first head of the school. In 1950, a two-year training period was introduced. In 1951, the school ranked 6th place among the infantry schools in the country. On November 28, 1966, by order of the Supreme Soviet, the school was given the honorific of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR.[2] In the 1980s, during the period of hostilities of the limited contingent of Soviet troops in Afghanistan, mountain and airborne training of cadets was introduced in the BVOKU. In 1987, the Ministry of Defense suggested that the school be closed and its cadets be sent to other parts of the country, which resulted in cadets rioting throughout its premises, which only stopped after Azerbaijani Politburo member Heydar Aliyev intervened.[3] In 1991, the school was formally disbanded as a result of the collapse of the Soviet government and the following year, was replaced by the Azerbaijan Higher Military Academy. The cadets of the 1988, 1989, and 1990 school years were sent for graduation to other general military schools of the Russian Federation.
In 1978, the BVOKU was awarded the Diploma of the Minister of Defense and was recognized as one of the best according to the results of the All-Army review contest dedicated to the diamond jubilee of the Great October Socialist Revolution. In 1980, the school was awarded the Memorial Red Banner of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan following the results of a socialist competition in honor of the 110th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Lenin.
The band of the school (Russian: Оркестр БВОКУ) consisted in the early 60s of 25 musicians, which was around the national average at the time for Russian military bands. Most of the band were active duty servicemen, with around two-fifths being students. Many were also members of the headquarters bands of the 4th Army and the Baku Air Defense District. The band was responsible for accompanying cadets with music at events such as morning assemblies, parades and pass outs of cadets. It also often participated in the review of bands in the Transcaucasian Military District in Tbilisi. The band dormitory and studio was located at the BUO (Training Support Battalion).[8]
A public organization of veterans called Commonwealth of BVOKU graduates is currently active and hosts meetings of alumni, commanders, teachers and family members, usually held on the anniversaries of the school. A museum of the history of the school is located on the premises of the Azerbaijan Higher Military School. A virtual museum of the BVOKU is on a website dedicated to the 4th Cadet Battalion.[12]
Gallery
The Honor Guard of the academy during a parade in 1966
The march of the school colours
The release of lieutenants in 1968
The headquarters of the school
Major General Alexander Lobanov who commanded the school from 1987 to 1990