Serdtsev's career culminated with the command of the Engineering Troops of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, between 1999 and his retirement in 2008.

Enrolling in the Soviet Armed Forces in August 1967, he studied at the Tyumen Higher Military Engineering Command School [ru], graduating with honours in 1970.

In July that year he was given command of an independent engineer battalion, in which role he went on to serve with the Limited Contingent of Soviet Troops in Afghanistan [ru] between 1981 and 1983, during the Soviet–Afghan War.

[1] In 1983 Serdtsev took command of an army engineer battalion, followed in 1984 by the 62nd Pontoon Bridge Regiment in the Odessa Military District.

[1][3] In February 1988 Serdtsev was appointed head of the Engineering Troops of the 32nd Combined Arms Army [ru] of the Central Asian Military District, based at Semipalatinsk.

[1] This was followed in November 1988 with the post of chief of staff and deputy head of the Engineering Troops of the Central Group of Forces in Czechoslovakia.