THE ESSENCE AND STRUCTURE OF FORMING THE READINESS OF FUTURE NGU OFFICERS FOR COMBAT OPERATIONS

Introduction.The chronology of focusing political attentionon military actions in the country, conducting anti-terrorist operations, operations of joint forces, and currently repelling the full-scale invasion by Russia requires regulation of processes in Ukraine's defense sector. It is also important to modernizethe personnel training system for the needs of security institutions. At the moment, Ukraine is undergoing the procedure for accession to the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) and integration into the European community. These processes also affect the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, which includes the National Guard of Ukraine.Purpose.The purpose of this work is to define the essence and structure of readiness for future officers of the National Guard to conduct combat operations.Methods.Currently, the most relevant focus and primary effort of the National Guard of Ukraine and the Armed Forces, as well as the entire security and defense sector, is conducting military (combat) operations in the armed conflict against Russia. For educational institutions, this means preparing future officers and specialists who will serve as leading experts in training subordinate personnel, issuing combat orders, and executing combat tasks in conflict zones.Results.Let's examine the essence and structure of readiness for future officers of the National Guard to conduct combat operations. According to the explanatory dictionary, the word ‘Officer' (from Latin ‘officiarius') translates as an official. Based on reference materials, an officer is an individual in command and leadership positions in the services of various countries worldwide. Therefore, higher educational institutions primarily train commanders and leaders within the security and defense sector.Originality. In accordance with the above, I believe that the structure of readiness for future officers of the National Guard to conduct combat operations includes the following components:Functional readiness: Formation and development of necessary competencies required for conducting combat operations.Reflective readiness: Understanding the challenges of combat operations, overcoming them, and assessing one's abilities regarding managing mental and physical states.Psychological readiness: Cultivating high psychological resilience to extreme conditions in the security and defense environment.Conclusion. Prospects for further research in this direction provide forthe determination of approaches, principles, forms, methods and means (technical means of training), which are expedient to apply during practical classes on tactics–special training in the system of professional education, for the formation of the readiness of future officers of the NGU to conduct combat operations . As well as determination of criteria, indicators and levels of formation of readiness of future officers of the NGU to conduct combat operations.