Kolchuk was born in western Belorussia in 1894, and was called up to the Tsar's army in 1915, but led a battalion of Red Guards in the revolution in Petrograd in 1917. While serving as a Red Guard he had the misfortune to be captured while fighting the White forces of Admiral Kolchak. He spent ten months in captivity before being conscripted into Kolchak's army in March, 1919, but soon deserted and joined the Red Army in May. He took command of a battalion on the Turkestan front later that year, and then in the Polish-Soviet War in 1920, where he was wounded in action. After the Civil War ended, Kolchuk graduated from the "Vystrel" Officers Course in 1924 and the Frunze Academy in 1931. During the 1920s he commanded each rifle regiment of the 24th Rifle Division in turn, and later the 4th Turkestan Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Rifle Division. Following the Frunze course he was appointed to command of Far Eastern Front's 6th Separate Railroad Exploration Brigade until April, 1936, and eventually earned the Order of the Red Banner of Labour.