NP 303 Smolensk regiment grenadiers NCO

Non-commissioned officer corps was composed mainly by nobles who had to spend three years with this setting to access the officer corps. 

In 1798, the Tsar forbade access to the officer corps to all non-commissioned officer with servile origins or peasants. But in 1806, because of the low high caused by the campaigns against the revolutionary France, this changed.  The nobles served three months as soldiers, and three months as a non-commissioned officer before being promoted to non-commissioned officers. With this new regulation, kinds of troop of humble origin, looked closed the passage to the promotion in the army.