The truth about the work of the TCC from the military: how plans are made and what they prefer to keep silent about 

Nowadays, society is increasingly showing a negative attitude towards employees of territorial picking centers (TCC). This is due to numerous stories about their harsh, sometimes aggressive behavior, which sometimes borders on illegality. Stories about how men are “packaged” in beads right on the streets, outrage the public and create an image of TCC employees as soulless executors of the system. But what is really happening? What does this job look like from the inside? Who is behind the mobilization process, and are they really as ruthless as they seem? One of the military personnel of the TCC from the Rivne region on condition of anonymity told about your service, real working conditions, management requirements and personal observations.

Who works at TCC?

According to the serviceman, among the employees of the TCC there are people with different experience:

“Among the military personnel of the TCC there are different people: some with combat experience, and some without it. If we talk about the management team, then only a part of the people have combat experience. In my opinion, there are more leaders among the leaders who have not participated in combat operations.

In addition, there are military personnel who are part of the guard companies. They are constantly checked: they are transferred from brigade to brigade, assessing whether a fighter is suitable for service. If it does not fit, it is returned. This process continues continuously, albeit very slowly.

I myself got into TCC due to limited eligibility. He was in a combat brigade, but he took advantage of the right to transfer – according to the law, disabled people should not be kept on the front lines. It took several months.

Personally, I have two or three months of direct combat experience. But not only people like me work in TCC. There are mobilized people who received summonses, got into the TCC and stayed here to serve. There are those who came back in the days of ATO. There are not many contract workers, most of them are transferred.”

How do they become TCC employees?

According to the serviceman, both mobilized and contract workers can become TCC employees. But many end up here because of transfers from combat units. And although there are rumors in society about “bought seats” in TCC for big money, the employees themselves deny such statements.

“People write about amounts of eight or even eleven thousand dollars. But who would want to come here? The work is hard: the salary is low, you work day and night, and everyone sucks you. No one specifically wants to serve in the TCC.

At first I performed other tasks, but now I have become a “typical tskshnik”. We ride a bus, “pack” people and, as they say, “have nightmares”. Although this is, of course, a joke.” – he says.

Work “on the streets” and execution of the plan

The main part of the work of TCC employees is related to the delivery of summonses. According to a serviceman, “there are far fewer men on the streets now,” so serving summonses is becoming more and more difficult. Many people deliberately avoid contact with representatives of the TCC, and if they do come into view, they often refuse to receive summonses. In such cases, an act of refusal is drawn up, after which the person can be declared wanted.

Many men, after receiving the summons, begin to draw up documents for postponement or reservation, which also complicates the implementation of mobilization plans. Sometimes TCC employees, in order to avoid conflicts, do not tell potential soldiers the truth about their future service. As the employee of the TCC admitted, “I used to do this myself, but my conscience began to torment me.”

He also added that often men, after receiving a summons, start drawing up documents for postponement or reservation. This complicates the work:

“We don’t know in advance whether a person is fit. If everyone passed the medical examination themselves, it would make our task much easier.”

The serviceman drew special attention to the planned system of work that regulates the activities of the TCC. He told:

“There are always plans. They are brought down from above. For example, it used to be demanded that at least one subpoena be served or an evader be found per day. And better – both. The work of the entire system depends on how the plan is executed.”

To the question of whether there are penalties for failure to implement the plan, he answered:

“It can be something like: I didn’t fulfill the plan – I didn’t get a day off. With us, the day off is like a currency. But such sanctions are rarely applied, because it is physically impossible to work for a long time without rest.”

Sometimes management even uses threats to motivate workers. The military serviceman notes:

“From time to time we hear something like: “We will not make a plan – we will all go to the front”. It sounds scary, but usually these are just words for psychological pressure.”

Do they pack people in beads?

He categorically denies the use of violence in his work:

“I’ve worked with the police, and only they have the right to detain evaders. We don’t have that right. A person can tell me: ‘Go to **’- and just leave. I can’t detain her.”

However, he admits that rumors of tight “packaging” exist:

“I heard of one crew that did use force. But I didn’t see it myself, so I can’t say for sure. If that’s true, it’s a problem of commanders not controlling their subordinates.”

Why does society perceive the TCC as hostile?

“People hate us because of fear. They are afraid that their men will be taken to the war, where they may die. In the eyes of many enemies, it is not the Russians, but us, who conduct the mobilization. Personally, it is very offensive to me, because I am just doing my work and try to do it honestly.

I do not use violence and did not dream of working here. But someone has to do it. Mobilization is a necessity, albeit painful for everyone. War is a terrible thing, and none of us want it. But if there is no mobilization, there will be no one to defend the country,” – military serviceman believes.

According to him, TCC employees often face psychological difficulties. Hostility from society, conflicts on the ground, a busy schedule – all this affects their morale. Despite this, they do not receive any psychological support:

“There are people who even enjoy this work because of the conflicts, but for most it is a huge stress.”

Concluding the story, the TCC employee added:

“This work makes you become indifferent. You are constantly faced with aggression, fear, hatred. But we are also people. And all these problems that surround us – they destroy you from the inside.”