The Russian army has a long tradition.
That tradition is everyone taking leave before discharge.
During Alexander III's time, there was welfare-that-wasn't-welfare like treating the last 24 months of 6 years service as 'leave' or giving long leaves practically equivalent to discharge to soldiers who fought in wars with the Ottoman Empire.
The moment they leave for this leave, soldiers effectively never return to their units.
Though such traditions have decreased now that service time is reduced to 3 years, like any military, soldiers become half-civilians before discharge.
"Yuri."
"Ah, Company Commander."
Here Yuri Toka was also one of those commonly slack final-year soldiers.
Just another young man going home anyway, more worried about what to do and how to make a living after getting out than military life.
"How long until discharge?"
"About two months."
"Do you have work after getting out?"
