The V Corps (also called the Fifth Legion) is a formation that was set up in late 2016 as a Russian-backed volunteer 'assault' force in a broader effort to bolster the Syrian government's military forces. As it happens, I was recently able to get hold of a copy of an old version of a recruitment contract for the V Corps and some forms to fill in for recruitment. These documents date to the very early days of the formation when it was led by the Syrian army major general Abdo Ibrahim Eisa, who was succeeded by major general Zaid Saleh in early 2018. I obtained copies of these documents from a Syrian online chat group discussing the possibility of recruitment contracts with the Russians. I post them here with translation for historical interest: the main point of interest being the V Corps' connection to the General Command for the Army and Armed Forces (rather than being a truly separate Russian-commanded formation). Note that I do not believe the documents here constitute all the those that had to be completed for recruitment in the V Corps.
I feature this recruitment contract and forms with translation below for historical interest.
Syrian Arab Republic
General Command for the Army and Armed Forces
V Corps: Volunteer Assault
No.
Date
The Major General Abdo Eisa Ibrahim
Commander of the V Corps Assault
Volunteer Contract for the Interest of the V Corps: Volunteer Assault
. On the basis of the formation command no. 23 circulates with no. 10800/86 date 26 November 2016 CE and the instructions of organisation no. 12/2016 CE circulated with number 10885/86 date 29 November 2016 CE.
. And in accordance with what the national interest requires, the General Command for the Army and the Armed Forces has decided to enter into contracts with those who have desire to perform combat tasks that the national interest requires.
. And after review of the second party as to the nature of the tasks required from him, there is a desire to undertake the aforementioned work, as he affirms that he has the expertise in the work and that he is in good health and free from illnesses and complying with the work with the first party in all that is entrusted to him during the period of validity of this contract, and in accordance with the laws and the systems.
Therefore, the two parties have agreed on the following:
First party: General Command for the Army and the Armed Forces- V Corps: Volunteer Assault
Second party: Mr...son of...his mother...of nationality...bearing personal card number...national number...
Nature of the mutual contract: complete freeing up of time
Period of contract: [in writing: two years], beginning from date / / and ending on date / / subject to renewal on the basis of the desire of the two parties.
Nature of work: fighter with various fighting tasks and specialities and over all the lands of the Syrian Arab Republic and the the first party has the right to modify the nature of the work in what accords with the necessities of the combat work.
Financial payment: the second party is to receive a sum of $200 only for each month of service.
Social guarantee: the volunteer recruit to the V Corps: Volunteer Assault enjoys all the rights that the military personnel in the Syrian Arab Army enjoys.
Compliances and obligations of the second party: the volunteer complies with the systems and laws and pledges to commit to all that is decided by the first party and to protect public and private property and mutual respect and to comply completely with the instructions and commands given and transfer from one formation to another within the V Corps: Volunteer Assault, without grumbling and objection.
Rights of the first party: the first party has the right to dissolve the contract of the second party and end the remain portion of the time of contracting and immediately in the event that the second party commits any violation infringing on the systems and laws put in place and in particular the following violations:
1. Absence from service without justified excuse for a period of 15 consecutive days or 30 separate days.
2. Making use of money, preparations and work equipment outside the points of work.
3. Committing violations against citizens (attack, plunder, kidnap).
4. There is right of financial deduction from the entitlements of the second party for the period of his absence from service in his foundational portion and for violations.
Renewal of contract: this contract is subject to renewal according to a decision from the first party and in the event that the second party desires renewal he must inform the first party two months before its end.
First Party: Commander of the V Corps: Volunteer Assault
Second Party: Name, Signature and Fingerprint
Syrian Arab Republic
General Command for the Army and Armed Forces
V Corps: Volunteer Assault
No.
Date / /2016 CE
[in top right: photo]
Date of filling of form: / /
Request for recruitment to the V Corps: Volunteer Assault
Personal ID:
Name:
Father:
Family name:
Three-fold name of mother:
Place of birth:
Date of birth: / /
National number:
Province:
Region:
Amana:
Place and number of domicile:
Nationality:
Do you have another nationality? Yes/No
What is it?
General characteristics:
Height:
Weight:
Skin Colour:
Blood type:
Shoe size:
Clothing size:
Health situation:
Does he suffer ailment or wound?
Reason:
Its position in the body:
Date of its occurrence:
Notes:
Residential status:
Ownership
Renting
For the family
With the family
Borrowing
Displaced
Province:
Area:
Neighbourhood:
Street: ....near....
Means of contact:
Landline number:
Mobile number:
Second mobile number if available:
Relative's landline number:
Your home number:
Current work:
Type of work:
Work address:
Date of commencement:
Period of work daily (from hour to hour):
Do you want to leave work or continue with it and why?
Do you have competence in any other craft or skill, and what is it?
Educational level:
Illiterate
Primary
Preparatory
High-school
Intermediate institution
University
Master's
Doctorate
Societal situation:
Single
Engaged
Married
Divorced
Widower
Number of children:
Military service:
Exempted from service:
Date of exemption: / /
Reason:
Deferred in service:
Date of deferral: / /
Reason:
Completed service:
Enlisted:
Officer:
Date of enlistment: / /
Place of service:
Date of discharge: / /
Reason:
Syrian Arab Republic
General Command for the Army and Armed Forces
V Corps: Volunteer Assault
No.
Date / /2016 CE
Date of interview:
Volunteer form:
Name:
Father's name:
Family name:
Mother's name:
Nationality:
Province:
Place of birth:
Date of birth:
Amana:
Place and number of domicile:
Recruitment branch [?]:
ID number:
Date of ID:
Familial status [?]:
Sex: Male/Female
National number:
Permanent address:
Current address:
House number:
Mobile:
Employment status in the state:
Employed/Retired/Not employed
Blood type:
Result of the committees:
Opinion of the medical committee:
Accepted/Rejected
Reasons for rejection:
Name and signature of doctor:
Opinion of the training committee:
Accepted/Rejected
Reasons for rejection:
Name and signature of doctor:
Final result of the preliminary interview (organisation/recruitment):
Accepted/Rejected
Reasons for rejection:
Name and signature of recruitment official:
Note: immediately following the issuing of the result of the preliminary interview, the volunteer is to be informed of it straight away and he is to be handed a receipt with the required documents and a date is to be set for him to fill in the form and recruitment contract and in the event that the result is [one of rejection], he is to be informed of that politely and with apology to him along with the clarification of the reasons to him.
Date: / /2016 CE
[Military skills?]:
Special:
Sniper:
Artillery:
Tanks:
Machine guns:
Anti-armoured vehicles:
Engineering:
Reconnaissance:
- Military courses followed previously:
Type of course:
Place of course:
Date of course:
Duration [?]:
Executive authority:
Level:
- The combat military formations to which you were affiliated previously during the crisis:
Side to which one was affiliated:
Date of recruitment:
Duration [?]:
Nature of work:
Reason for leaving work:
- Military assignments and activities you have undertaken during the crisis:
Type of assignment:
Side to which one was affiliated:
Nature of the assignment [?]:
Place of assignment:
Date of assignment:
Duration of assignment:
Name, signature and fingerprint:
Opinion of the branch committee:
Syrian Arab Republic
General Command for the Army and Armed Forces
V Corps: Volunteer Assault
No.
Date / /2016 CE
Volunteer's pledge for the interest of the V Corps (Volunteer Assault) for the period of ( ).
I the signatory below:
Father's name:
Mother's name:
National number:
Beginning from date / / until date / /
I pledge before God and the homeland the following:
1. Defending the homeland with all courage and boldness.
2. Complying with the orders issued by the General Command for the Army and Armed Forces.
3. Being completely free for work.
4. Protecting all public and private property.
5. Protecting ammunition and weapons and their readiness for use and not leaving them in the land of the battle.
6. Respecting the leaders and complete compliance with the instructions and orders and implementing the entrusted assignments with sincerity.
7. Complete secrecy in work.
8. Joining all the courses applied for inside the sector and outside it.
9. Not submitting any false information whatever the reasons.
10. Bearing all responsibility and the imposed sanctions (prison, financial fine, referral to the military judiciary) in the event of abandoning work without a necessary excuse before the period of end of the contract or undertaking any work that infringes on the laws, systems and instructions put in place.
Name and surname:
Date: / /
Signature: