Red Army penal units

[JBFloyd]

I know who wound up in penal units in the Red Army (and the opportunities they were given to excell), but does anyone know if the officers of such units were chosen from among the politically reliable (and therefore ready to mete out draconian punishments without flinching), or were they similar to the rabble they commanded (and therefore ready to mete out draconian punishments without flinching)?

[chechaco1]

the garbage is in your head, not knowledge. it was not "rabble" who were sent to penal companies and penal battalions at military units, but soldiers and officers who had committed crimes of minor and medium gravity, while the usual regulations of the Soviet Army operated in them without any sophistication shown in films about penal units of Europe and the United States. Barrage detachments were not used, the period of stay was no more than three months, often there was not even participation in battles. Officers (permanent staff) are ordinary.