Serdyukov served in the Soviet Airborne Forces as a junior officer and rose to battalion command. He graduated from the Frunze Military Academy and became a deputy regimental commander in the Russian Airborne Troops and then a regimental commander. Serdyukov fought in the First Chechen War and served as a deputy brigade commander in Kosovo, participating in the Incident at Pristina airport. Between 2002 and 2003 he led the 138th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade and in 2004 took command of the 106th Guards Airborne Division.