Differences in shoulder straps in the army. Insignia of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Which turned out to be more convenient and practical. Compared to the previous one, it began to look more dignified and respectable. And this is important, because good relationships between people and representatives of law enforcement agencies will depend, among other things, on the positive perception of their appearance, and not just their professional qualities.
The changes also affected police insignia, including shoulder straps. The shoulder straps now have curved stripes, but their meaning has been preserved since Soviet times.
A brief history of insignia on police uniforms
Some historians agree that until the time when armed forces operating on a regular basis were able to appear in our country, military ranks had little difference. Thus, among senior and junior ranks, differences could only be detected in the cut of the uniform and type of weapon.
Some modernization was carried out during the reign of Peter I. The officers of that time began to wear gorgets, which were scarf-type breastplates with elements of state heraldry. TO early XIX centuries, innovations were introduced into the Russian army in the form of uniforms, outwardly similar to the current ones (“tailcoats”).
There was an appearance of headdresses that began to emphasize the difference in military ranks. Little by little, epaulettes began to become common among military fashionistas. The officer's epaulettes were made in the same color as the uniform itself, while the general's epaulettes were distinguished by golden shades.
In the early 20s of the 19th century, the military uniform of Russian soldiers began to be distinguished by the appearance of stars. The presence of one asterisk could mean that the serviceman is a warrant officer, two - a major, three - a lieutenant colonel, four - a staff captain. But the colonel wore epaulettes that had no stars at all. Since 1840, non-commissioned officers began to have something similar to insignia. These were transverse stripes, somewhat similar to the sergeant's stripes of the times Soviet Union.
The appearance of an analogue of the first shoulder straps
Something similar to shoulder straps with stars, more or less modern designs began to appear in Russian state from the middle of the 19th century. Some historians associate their emergence with the introduction of new models of military uniforms, and specifically with the overcoat that is now familiar to us all. Shoulder straps with sewn braid and stars were fixed in the shoulder area of the uniform. The size of all officer's shoulder straps, including senior officials, was completely the same.
Following the revolution of 1917, stars with shoulder straps, which were perceived by the Bolsheviks as a symbol of tsarism and autocracy, were simply abolished. However, over time, the Soviet military leadership decided to return the historical insignia. Initially, this was expressed in the appearance of sleeve patches, and starting from 1943, shoulder straps.
Shoulder straps and ranks of Russian police officers
The distribution of military ranks and the use of insignia, including shoulder straps, is used not only by the Russian army, but also to determine special ranks by law enforcement and other structures. Due to a certain level of similarity between military and police activities, the placement of stars and other elements on police shoulder straps is similar to that typical for Russian army.
Stars on the shoulder straps of ordinary police officers in order
On the shoulder straps of ordinary police officers there is a distinctive sign - a button, next to which there is an emblem with the inscription “police”. Police cadets have a distinctive sign with the letter “K” on their shoulder straps.
Shoulder straps and ranks of junior police officers
The shoulder straps worn by junior sergeants, sergeants and senior sergeants have rectangular stripes that are located across the shoulder straps. Two stripes indicate the rank of junior sergeant, three stripes indicate the rank of sergeant, one wide transverse stripe on the shoulder strap is worn by senior sergeants, and the same wide stripe, but located vertically, is worn by foremen.
Shoulder straps and ranks of warrant officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs
The shoulder straps of each ensign are decorated with small stars located vertically. Shoulder straps with two stars are worn by warrant officers, and with three stars - by senior warrant officers.
Shoulder straps and ranks of middle management
On shoulder straps of medium composition there is a vertical red stripe, which is called a clearance, as well as small stars. Junior lieutenants wear one star located on a red stripe, police lieutenants wear two stars on their shoulder straps and a transverse stripe between them, senior lieutenants wear three stars (two are parallel, and the third is on a stripe), senior lieutenants wear four stars (two parallel). and two on the strip) - captains.
Shoulder straps and ranks of senior command personnel
The shoulder straps differ from the shoulder straps of previous employees by two gaps - stripes of red color located vertically along the entire length of the shoulder strap. There are also stars large sizes from one to three. One star in the middle inside the stripes is worn on the shoulder straps of majors. Shoulder straps with two stars located on the stripes themselves, parallel to each other, are worn by lieutenant colonels. Shoulder straps with three stars, two of which are placed parallel on the stripes, one in the middle of the stripes a little in front, are worn by colonels.
Shoulder straps and ranks of senior command staff
General's shoulder straps have large stars located vertically and have no gaps. Major generals wear one star in the middle of their shoulder straps. Lieutenant generals wear two stars, and colonel generals wear three stars. Shoulder strap with one large and three-headed Russian coat of arms worn only by police generals of the Russian Federation, which is a rarity in this service hierarchy.
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Every detail of a military uniform is endowed with a practical meaning and did not appear on it by chance, but as a result of certain events. We can say that elements of military uniforms have both historical symbolism and utilitarian purpose.
The appearance and development of shoulder straps in the Russian Empire
The opinion that shoulder straps come from a part of knightly armor, designed to protect the shoulders from blows, is one of the most common misconceptions. A simple study of the armor and army uniforms of the past, from the second half of the 12th century to the end of the 17th century, allows us to conclude that nothing like this existed in any army in the world. In Rus', even the strictly regulated uniform of the archers did not have anything similar to protect the shoulders.
Shoulder straps of the Russian army were first introduced by Emperor Peter I in the period between 1683-1698 and had a purely utilitarian meaning. Soldiers of the grenadier regiments and fusiliers used them as an additional mount for backpacks or cartridge bags. Naturally, shoulder straps were worn exclusively by soldiers, and only on the left shoulder.
However, after 30 years, as the branches of troops increase, this element spreads throughout the troops, serving in one or another regiment. In 1762, this function was officially assigned to shoulder straps, beginning to decorate officers’ uniforms with them. While in the army Russian Empire it was impossible to find a universal pattern of shoulder straps. The commander of each regiment could independently determine its type of weaving, length and width. Often wealthy officers from prominent aristocratic families wore the regimental insignia in a more luxurious version - with gold and precious stones. Nowadays, shoulder straps of the Russian army (pictures below) are a coveted item for collectors of military uniforms.
During the reign of Emperor Alexander I, shoulder straps took on the appearance of a fabric flap with clear regulation of color, fastenings and decor, depending on the number of the regiment in the division. Officers' shoulder straps differ from soldiers' shoulder straps only by being trimmed with gold cord (galloon) along the edge. When the knapsack was introduced in 1803, there were two of them - one on each shoulder.
After 1854, not only uniforms, but also cloaks and overcoats began to be decorated. Thus, the role of “determiner of ranks” is forever assigned to the shoulder straps. By the end of the 19th century, soldiers began to use a duffel bag instead of a backpack, and additional shoulder straps were no longer required. Shoulder straps are removed from the fastenings in the form of buttons and are tightly sewn into the fabric.
After the collapse of the Russian Empire, and with it the tsarist army, shoulder straps and epaulettes disappeared from military uniforms for several decades, recognized as a symbol of “inequality of workers and exploiters.”
Shoulder straps in the Red Army from 1919 to 1943
The USSR sought to get rid of the “remnants of imperialism,” which also included the ranks and shoulder straps of the Russian (tsarist) army. On December 16, 1917, by the decrees of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars "On the elective principle and organization of power in the army" and "On the equalization of rights of all military personnel", all previously existing army ranks and insignia were abolished. And on January 15, 1918, the country's leadership adopted a decree on the creation of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA).
Some time in the army new country there was a strange mixture of military symbols at work. For example, insignia are known in the form of armbands of red (revolutionary) color with the inscription of the position, stripes of a similar tone on the sleeves of a tunic or overcoat, metal or cloth stars different sizes on the headdress or chest.
Since 1924, in the Red Army it was proposed to recognize the ranks of military personnel by the buttonholes on the collar of the tunic. The color of the field and border was determined by the type of troops, and the gradation was extensive. For example, infantry wore crimson buttonholes with a black frame, cavalry wore blue and black, signalmen wore black and yellow, etc.
The buttonholes of the highest commanders of the Red Army (generals) had the color of the field according to the branch of service and were trimmed along the edge with a narrow golden cord.
In the field of the buttonholes there were copper figures covered with red enamel various shapes, allowing you to determine the rank of commander of the Red Army:
- Privates and junior command staff are triangles with a side of 1 cm. They appeared only in 1941. And before that, military personnel of these ranks wore “empty” buttonholes.
- The average command structure is squares measuring 1 x 1 cm. In everyday use, they were more often called “cubes” or “cubes”.
- Senior command staff - rectangles with sides 1.6 x 0.7 cm, called "sleepers".
- Higher command staff - rhombuses 1.7 cm high and 0.8 cm wide. Additional insignia for commanders of these ranks were chevrons made of gold braid on the sleeves of uniforms. The political composition added to them large stars made of red cloth.
- Marshals of the Soviet Union - 1 large gold star in the buttonholes and on the sleeves.
The number of characters varied from 1 to 4 - the more, the higher the rank of the commander.
The system for designating ranks in the Red Army was often subject to changes, which greatly confused the situation. Often, due to supply shortages, troops wore outdated or even homemade badges for months. However, the buttonhole system left its mark on the history of military uniforms. In particular, shoulder straps in the Soviet army retained the colors according to the types of troops.
Thanks to the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 6, 1943 and the Order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 25 of January 15, 1943, shoulder straps and ranks returned to the lives of military personnel. These insignia will last until the collapse of the USSR. The colors of the field and edging, the shape and location of the stripes will change, but in general the system will remain unchanged, and subsequently shoulder straps of the Russian army will be created according to similar principles.
Military personnel received 2 types of such elements - everyday and field, having standard width 6 cm and length 14-16 cm depending on the type of clothing. The shoulder straps of non-combat units (justice, military veterinarians and doctors) were deliberately narrowed to 4.5 cm.
The type of troops was determined by the color of the edging and gaps, as well as a stylized symbol on the lower or middle (for privates and junior personnel) part of the shoulder strap. Their palette is less varied than before 1943, but the basic colors have been preserved.
1. Edging (cord):
- Combined arms (military registration and enlistment offices, military institutions), infantry units, motorized rifles, quartermaster services - crimson.
- Artillery, tank troops, military medics - scarlet.
- Cavalry - blue.
- Aviation - blue.
- Other technical troops - black.
2. Clearances.
- The command (officer) composition is Bordeaux.
- Quartermasters, justice, technical, medical and veterinary services - brown.
Denoted by asterisks different diameters- for junior officers 13 mm, for senior officers - 20 mm. Marshals of the Soviet Union received 1 large star.
Shoulder straps for everyday wear had a gold or silver field with embossing, rigidly attached to a hard cloth base. They were also used on dress uniforms, which military personnel wore for special occasions.
Field shoulder straps for all officers were made of silk or khaki linen with edging, gaps and insignia corresponding to the rank. At the same time, their pattern (texture) repeated the pattern on everyday shoulder straps.
From 1943 until the collapse of the USSR, military insignia and uniforms were subject to repeated changes, among which the following are especially worth noting:
1. As a result of the 1958 reform, officers’ everyday shoulder straps began to be made of dark green cloth. For the insignia of cadets and enlisted personnel, only 3 colors were left: scarlet (combined arms, motorized rifle), blue (aviation, airborne forces), black (all other branches of the military). The gaps of officer's shoulder straps could only be blue or scarlet.
2. Since January 1973, the letters “SA” (Soviet Army) appeared on all types of shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants. Somewhat later, the sailors and foremen of the fleet received the designations “Northern Fleet”, “TF”, “BF” and “Black Sea Fleet” - Northern Fleet, Pacific Fleet, Baltic and Black Sea Fleet, respectively. At the end of the same year, the letter “K” appears among cadets of military educational institutions.
3. The new field uniform, called the “Afghan”, came into use in 1985 and became widespread among military personnel of all branches of the military. Its peculiarity was the shoulder straps, which were an element of the jacket and had the same color as it. Those who wore the "Afghan" sewed stripes and stars onto them, and only generals were given special removable shoulder straps.
Shoulder straps of the Russian army. Main features of the reforms
The USSR ceased to exist in the fall of 1991, and along with it, shoulder straps and ranks disappeared. The creation of the Russian Armed Forces began with Presidential Decree No. 466 of May 7, 1992. However, this act did not in any way describe the shoulder straps of the Russian army. Until 1996, military personnel wore SA insignia. Moreover, confusion and mixing of symbols occurred until the year 2000.
The military uniform of the Russian Federation was almost entirely developed on the basis of the Soviet legacy. However, the reforms of 1994-2000 brought several changes to it:
1. On the shoulder straps of non-commissioned officers (foremen and sailors of the fleet), instead of transverse stripes made of braid, metal squares appeared, located with the sharp side up. In addition, naval personnel received a large letter "F" at the bottom of them.
2. Ensigns and midshipmen had shoulder straps similar to those of soldiers, trimmed with colored braid, but without gaps. The long-term struggle of this category of military personnel for the right to officer insignia was devalued in one day.
3. There were almost no changes among the officers - the new shoulder straps developed for them in the Russian army almost completely repeated the Soviet ones. However, their sizes decreased: the width became 5 cm, and the length - 13-15 cm, depending on the type of clothing.
Currently, the ranks and shoulder straps of the Russian army occupy a fairly stable position. The main reforms and unification of insignia have been completed, and in the coming decades the Russian Army does not expect any significant changes in this area.
Shoulder straps for cadets
Students of military (naval) educational institutions are required to wear everyday and field shoulder straps on all types of their uniform. Depending on the clothing (tunics, winter coats and overcoats), they can be sewn on or removable (jackets, demi-season coats and shirts).
Cadet shoulder straps are strips of thick colored cloth, edged with golden braid. On field camouflage of army and aviation schools, the letter “K” must be sewn 15 mm from the bottom edge. yellow 20 mm high. For other types of educational institutions, the designations are as follows:
- ICC- Naval Cadet Corps.
- QC- Cadet Corps.
- N- Nakhimov School.
- Anchor symbol- Navy cadet.
- SVU- Suvorov School.
On the field of students' shoulder straps there are also metal or sewn squares facing acute angle up. Their thickness and brightness depend on the rank. A sample of shoulder straps with a diagram of the location of insignia, presented below, belongs to a military university cadet with the rank of sergeant.
In addition to shoulder straps, belonging to the military educational institutions and the position of the cadet can be determined by the sleeve emblems with the symbol-coat of arms, as well as by the “course” - coal stripes on the sleeve, the number of which depends on the time of training (one year, two, etc.).
Shoulder straps for privates and sergeants
Privates in the Russian ground army are the lowest. In the Navy, it corresponds to the rank of sailor. A soldier who conscientiously serves can become a corporal, and on a ship - a senior sailor. Further, these servicemen are able to advance to the rank of sergeant for the ground forces or petty officer for the Navy.
Representatives of the lower military personnel of the army and navy wear shoulder straps of a similar type, the description of which is as follows:
- The upper part of the insignia has the shape of a trapezoid, within which a button is located.
- The field color of the shoulder straps of the RF Armed Forces is dark green for everyday uniforms and camouflage for field uniforms. Sailors wear black cloth.
- The color of the edging indicates the type of troops: blue for the Airborne Forces and Aviation, and red for all others. The Navy frames its shoulder straps with white cord.
- At the bottom of the everyday shoulder straps, 15 mm from the edge, are the letters “BC” (Armed Forces) or “F” (navy) golden color. The field workers do without such “excesses”.
- Depending on the rank within the private and sergeant corps, sharp-angled stripes are attached to shoulder straps. The higher the position of the serviceman, the greater their number and thickness. On the shoulder straps of the sergeant major (the highest rank of non-commissioned officers) there is also a troop emblem.
Separately, it is worth mentioning warrant officers and midshipmen, whose precarious position between privates and officers is fully reflected in their insignia. For them, the shoulder straps of the new Russian army seem to consist of 2 parts:
1. Soldier's "field" without gaps, trimmed with colored braid.
2. Officer stars along the central axis: 2 for a regular warrant officer, 3 for a senior warrant officer. A similar number of badges is provided to simply midshipmen and senior midshipmen.
Shoulder straps for junior officers
The lower officer ranks begin with a junior lieutenant and are completed by a captain. The stars on the shoulder straps, their number, size and location are identical for the ground forces and the Navy.
Junior officers are distinguished by one gap and from 1 to 4 stars of 13 mm each along the central axis. In accordance with Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1010 of May 23, 1994, shoulder straps can have the following colors:
- For a white shirt - shoulder straps with a field white, emblems and golden stars.
- For a green shirt, everyday tunic, jacket and overcoat - green insignia with gaps according to the type of troops, emblems and gold-colored stars.
- For the Air Force (aviation) and everyday top form- shoulder straps of blue color with blue clearance, emblem and stars of golden color.
- For the ceremonial jacket of any branch of the military, the insignia is silver with colored gaps, braid and gold stars.
- For field uniforms (aircraft only) - camouflage shoulder straps without gaps, with gray stars.
Thus, for junior officers there are 3 types of shoulder straps - field, everyday and dress, which they use depending on the type of uniform worn. U naval officers There are only casual and formal ones.
Shoulder straps for middle officers
The group of ranks of the Armed Forces begins with major and ends with colonel, and in the Navy - from captain 3rd rank to, respectively. Despite the differences in the names of the ranks, the principles of construction and the location of insignia remain almost identical.
Shoulder straps of the Russian army and navy for medium personnel have the following distinctive features:
- In everyday and formal versions, the texture (embossing) is more pronounced, almost aggressive.
- There are 2 gaps along the shoulder straps, spaced 15 mm from the edges and 20 mm from each other. They are absent in the field.
- The size of the stars is 20 mm, and their number varies from 1 to 3 depending on the rank. On field uniform shoulder straps, their color is muted from golden to silver.
Middle-ranking officers of the Armed Forces also have 3 types of shoulder straps - field, everyday and dress. Moreover, the latter have a rich golden color and are sewn only on the jacket. To be worn on a white shirt (summer version of the uniform), white shoulder straps with standard insignia are provided.
According to surveys, the major, whose uniform stars are single (and it is very difficult to make a mistake in determining the rank), is the most recognizable serviceman among that part of the population that is in no way connected with the military sphere.
Shoulder straps of senior officers of the Armed Forces
The ranks in the ground forces underwent significant changes during the creation of the army of the Russian Federation. Presidential Decree No. 466 of May 7, 1992 not only abolished the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union, but also stopped the division of generals by branch of the military. Following this, the uniform and shoulder straps (shape, size and insignia) underwent adjustments.
Currently, senior officers wear the following types shoulder strap:
1. Ceremonial - a golden-colored field on which sewn stars are located in the number corresponding to the rank. Army generals and marshals of the Russian Federation have the coats of arms of the army and the country in the upper third of their shoulder straps. Color of edging and stars: red - for ground forces, blue - for aviation, airborne forces and military space forces, cornflower blue - for the FSB.
2. Everyday - the color of the field is blue for senior officers of aviation, airborne forces and aerospace forces, for others - green. There is a cord edge, only the General of the Army and the Marshal of the Russian Federation also have a star outline.
3. Field - khaki field, not camouflage, like other categories of officers. The stars and coats of arms are green, several tones darker than the background. There is no colored edging.
It’s worth mentioning the stars that adorn the shoulder straps of the generals. For country marshals and army generals, their size is 40 mm. Moreover, the latter symbol has a backing made of silver. The stars of all other officers are smaller - 22 mm.
Serviceman's rank, according to general rule, determined by the number of characters. In particular, there is 1 star, a lieutenant general - 2, and a colonel general - 3. Moreover, the first of those listed is the lowest in position in the category. The reason for this is one of the traditions of the Soviet era: in the USSR army, lieutenant generals were deputy generals of the troops and took on part of their functions.
Shoulder straps of senior officers of the Navy
The leadership of the Russian Navy is represented by such ranks as rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral and fleet admiral. Since there is no field uniform in the Navy, these ranks wear only everyday or ceremonial shoulder straps, which have the following features:
1. The color of the field of the ceremonial version is gold with zigzag embossing. The shoulder strap is framed by a black edging. In everyday uniforms the colors change places - black field and a gold cord around the edge.
2. Senior officers of the Navy may wear shoulder straps on white or cream shirts. The field of the shoulder strap corresponds to the color of the clothing, and there is no piping.
3. The number of sewn stars on shoulder straps depends on the rank of the serviceman and increases depending on his promotion. Their main difference from similar signs in the ground forces is the backing of silver rays. Traditionally the most big star(40 mm) from the admiral of the fleet.
When dividing troops into the Navy and the Armed Forces, it is assumed that some swim, while others move on land or, in extreme cases, by air. But in fact, the naval forces are heterogeneous and, in addition to ship commands, include coastal troops and naval aviation. This division could not but affect the shoulder straps, and if the former are classified as ground forces and have the corresponding insignia, then with naval pilots everything is much more complicated.
Senior officers of naval aviation, on the one hand, bear ranks similar to generals of the Armed Forces. On the other hand, their shoulder straps correspond to the uniform established for the Navy. They are distinguished only by the blue color of the edging and the star without a radial backing with the appropriate design. For example, the ceremonial shoulder straps of a major general of naval carrier aviation have a gold field with an azure border around the edge and a star outline.
In addition to shoulder straps and the uniform itself, military personnel are distinguished by many other insignia, including sleeve insignia and chevrons, cockades on headdresses, symbols of the military branches in buttonholes and breastplates (badges). Together, they can tell an informed person basic information about a military man - type of military service, rank, duration and place of service, expected scope of authority.
Unfortunately, most people fall into the “ignorant” category, so they pay attention to the most noticeable detail of the form. The shoulder straps of the Russian army are quite rewarding material in this matter. They are not overloaded with unnecessary symbolism and are of the same type for different kinds troops.
Shoulder straps have a long history in the Russian army. They were first introduced by Peter the Great back in 1696, but in those days, shoulder straps served only as a strap that kept the gun belt or cartridge pouch from slipping off the shoulder. The shoulder strap was only an attribute of the uniform of the lower ranks: the officers were not armed with guns, and therefore they did not need shoulder straps.
Epaulets began to be used as insignia of rank with the accession of Alexander I to the throne. However, they did not denote rank, but membership in a particular regiment. The shoulder straps depicted a number indicating the number of the regiment in the Russian army, and the color of the shoulder strap indicated the number of the regiment in the division: red indicated the first regiment, blue the second, white the third, and dark green the fourth.
Since 1874, in accordance with the order of the military department No. 137 of 04.05. 1874, the shoulder straps of the first and second regiments of the division became red, and the color of the buttonholes and cap bands became blue. The shoulder straps of the third and fourth regiments became blue, but the third regiment had white buttonholes and bands, and the fourth regiment had green ones.
Army (not guards) grenadiers had yellow shoulder straps. The shoulder straps of the Akhtyrsky and Mitavsky Hussars and the Finnish, Primorsky, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kinburn Dragoon Regiments were also yellow. With the advent of rifle regiments, they were assigned crimson shoulder straps.
To distinguish a soldier from an officer, officer's shoulder straps were first trimmed with galloon, and since 1807, officers' shoulder straps were replaced with epaulettes. Since 1827, officer and general ranks began to be designated by the number of stars on their epaulettes: for warrant officers - 1, second lieutenant, major and major general - 2; lieutenant, lieutenant colonel and lieutenant general - 3; staff captain - 4; Captains, colonels and full generals did not have stars on their epaulettes. One star was retained for retired brigadiers and retired second majors - these ranks no longer existed by 1827, but retirees with the right to wear a uniform who retired in these ranks were preserved. Since April 8, 1843, insignia also appeared on the shoulder straps of lower ranks: one badge went to the corporal, two to the junior non-commissioned officer, and three to the senior non-commissioned officer. The sergeant major received a 2.5-centimeter-thick transverse stripe on his shoulder strap, and the ensign received exactly the same one, but located longitudinally.
In 1854, shoulder straps were also introduced for officers, leaving epaulettes only on ceremonial uniforms, and until the revolution there were almost no changes in shoulder straps, with the exception that in 1884 the rank of major was abolished, and in 1907 the rank of ordinary ensign was introduced .
Officials of some civil departments - engineers, railway workers, police - also had shoulder straps.
However, after the October Revolution, shoulder straps were abolished along with military and civilian ranks.
The first insignia in the Red Army appeared on January 16, 1919. They were triangles, cubes and diamonds sewn onto the sleeves.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1919-22
In 1922, these triangles, cubes and diamonds were transferred to sleeve valves. At the same time, a certain color of the valve corresponded to one or another branch of the military.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1922-24
But these valves did not last long in the Red Army - already in 1924, rhombuses, kubars and triangles moved to the buttonholes. In addition, in addition to these geometric figures, another one appeared - a sleeper, intended for those service categories that corresponded to pre-revolutionary staff officers.
In 1935, personal military ranks were introduced into the Red Army. Some of them corresponded to the pre-revolutionary ones - colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain. Some were taken from the ranks of the former Tsarist Navy - lieutenant and senior lieutenant. The ranks corresponding to generals remained from the previous service categories - brigade commander, division commander, corps commander, army commander of the 2nd and 1st ranks. The rank of major, abolished under Alexandra III. The insignia, in comparison with the buttonholes of the 1924 model, has hardly changed in appearance - only the four-cube combination has disappeared. In addition, the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was introduced, no longer designated by diamonds, but by one large star on the collar flap.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1935
On August 5, 1937, the rank of junior lieutenant (one kubar) was introduced, and on September 1, 1939, the rank of lieutenant colonel. Moreover, the three sleepers now corresponded not to the colonel, but to the lieutenant colonel. The colonel received four sleepers.
On May 7, 1940, general ranks were introduced. The major general, as before the revolution, had two stars, but they were located not on the shoulder straps, but on the collar flaps. The lieutenant general had three stars. This is where the similarities with pre-revolutionary generals ended - instead of a full general, the lieutenant general was followed by the rank of colonel general, modeled on the German general oberst. The colonel general had four stars, and the army general who followed him, whose rank was borrowed from the French army, had five stars.
The insignia remained in this form until January 6, 1943, when shoulder straps were introduced into the Red Army. On January 13, they began to enter the troops.
Rank insignia of the Red Army 1943
Soviet shoulder straps had much in common with pre-revolutionary ones, but there were also differences: officer shoulder straps of the Red Army (but not the Navy) in 1943 were pentagonal, not hexagonal; the colors of the gaps indicated the type of troops, not the regiment; the clearance was a single whole with the shoulder strap field; there were colored edgings according to the type of troops; the stars were metal, gold or silver, and varied in size for junior and senior officers; ranks were designated by a different number of stars than before 1917, and shoulder straps without stars were not restored.
Soviet officer shoulder straps were five millimeters wider than pre-revolutionary ones. No encryption was placed on them. Unlike pre-revolutionary times, the color of the shoulder strap now corresponded not to the regiment number, but to the branch of the army. The edging also mattered. So, rifle troops the shoulder straps had a crimson background and black edging, cavalry had dark blue with black edging, aviation had blue shoulder straps with black edging, tankers and artillerymen had black with red edging, but sappers and other technical troops had black but with black edging. Border troops and the medical service had green shoulder straps with red trim, and the internal troops received cherry shoulder straps with blue trim.
On khaki-colored field shoulder straps, the type of troops was determined only by the edging. Its color was the same as the color of the shoulder strap on the everyday uniform. Soviet officer shoulder straps were five millimeters wider than pre-revolutionary ones. Encryptions were placed on them very rarely, mostly by cadets of military schools.
A junior lieutenant, a major and a major general received one star each. Two each went to a lieutenant, a lieutenant colonel and a lieutenant general, three each went to a senior lieutenant, a colonel and a colonel general, and four went to the captain and general of the army. The shoulder straps of junior officers had one gap and from one to four silver-plated metal stars with a diameter of 13 mm, and the shoulder straps of senior officers had two gaps and from one to three stars with a diameter of 20 mm.
Badges for junior commanders were also restored. The corporal still had one stripe, the junior sergeant had two, the sergeant had three. The former wide sergeant major's stripe went to the senior sergeant, and the sergeant major received the so-called “hammer” for his shoulder straps.
According to the assigned military rank, belonging to the branch of the military (service), insignia (stars and gaps) and emblems were placed on the shoulder straps. For military lawyers and doctors, there were “medium” sprockets with a diameter of 18 mm. Initially, the stars of senior officers were attached not to the gaps, but to the field of braid next to them. Field shoulder straps had a field of khaki color (khaki cloth) with one or two gaps sewn to it. On three sides, the shoulder straps had piping according to the color of the branch of service. Clearances were installed - blue - for aviation, brown - for doctors, quartermasters and lawyers, red - for everyone else.
The field of an everyday officer's shoulder strap was made of golden silk or galloon. For everyday shoulder straps of engineering and command personnel, quartermaster, medical and veterinary services and lawyers, galun was approved silver color. There was a rule according to which silver stars were worn on gilded shoulder straps, and vice versa, gilded stars were worn on silver shoulder straps, except for veterinarians - they wore silver stars on silver shoulder straps. The width of the shoulder straps is 6 cm, and for officers of the medical and veterinary services, military justice - 4 cm. It is known that such shoulder straps were called “oaks” in the army. The color of the piping depended on the type of military service and service - crimson in the infantry, blue in aviation, dark blue in cavalry, a gilded button with a star, with a hammer and sickle in the center, in the navy - a silver button with an anchor.
General's shoulder straps of the 1943 model, unlike soldiers' and officers', were hexagonal. They were gold, with silver stars. The exception was the shoulder straps of generals of the medical and veterinary services and justice. Narrow silver shoulder straps with gold stars were introduced for them. Navy officer shoulder straps, unlike army ones, were hexagonal. Otherwise, they were similar to the army ones, but the color of the shoulder straps was determined: for officers of the naval, naval engineering and coastal engineering services - black, for aviation and engineering - aviation service - blue, quartermasters - crimson, for everyone else, including number of justice – red. Emblems were not worn on the shoulder straps of command and ship personnel. The color of the field, stars and edging of the shoulder straps of generals and admirals, as well as their width, were also determined by the type of troops and service; the field of shoulder straps of senior officers was sewn from a special braid. The buttons of the Red Army generals had the image of the coat of arms of the USSR, and the admirals and generals of the Navy had the emblem of the USSR superimposed on two crossed anchors. On November 7, 1944, the location of the stars on the shoulder straps of colonels and lieutenant colonels of the Red Army was changed. Until this moment, they were located on the sides of the gaps, but now they have moved to the gaps themselves. On October 9, 1946, the shape of the shoulder straps of officers of the Soviet Army was changed - they became hexagonal. In 1947, on the shoulder straps of officers transferred to the reserve and retired by order of the Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR No. 4, a golden (for those who wore silver shoulder straps) or silver (for gold-plated shoulder straps) patch was introduced, which they are required to wear when they put on a military uniform (in 1949 this the patch was canceled).
IN post-war period Insignificant changes occurred in the insignia. Thus, in 1955, everyday field double-sided shoulder straps were introduced for privates and sergeants.
In 1956, field shoulder straps for officers with stars and khaki emblems and clearances according to the branch of service were introduced. In 1958, the narrow shoulder straps of the 1946 model for doctors, veterinarians and lawyers were abolished. At the same time, the edging for everyday shoulder straps of soldiers, sergeants and foremen was also canceled. Silver stars are introduced on gold shoulder straps, and gold stars on silver ones. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms, airborne troops), crimson (engineer troops), black (tank troops, artillery, technical troops), blue (aviation), dark green (medics, veterinarians, lawyers); blue (the color of cavalry) was abolished due to the liquidation of this type of troops. For generals of the medical, veterinary services and justice, wide silver shoulder straps with gold stars were introduced, for others - gold shoulder straps with silver stars.
In 1962, the “Project for the abolition of shoulder straps in the Soviet Army” appeared, which, fortunately, was not implemented.
In 1963, blue lights were introduced for airborne officers. The 1943 model sergeant's shoulder straps with the sergeant's hammer are being abolished. Instead of this “hammer”, a wide longitudinal braid is introduced, like a pre-revolutionary ensign.
In 1969, gold stars were introduced on gold shoulder straps, and silver stars on silver ones. The colors of the gaps are red (ground forces), crimson (medics, veterinarians, lawyers, administrative services) and blue (aviation, airborne forces). Silver general's shoulder straps are being abolished. All general's shoulder straps became gold, with gold stars framed by edging according to the branch of service.
In 1972, ensign shoulder straps were introduced. Unlike the pre-revolutionary ensign, whose rank corresponded to the Soviet junior lieutenant, Soviet ensign His rank was equal to that of an American warrant officer.
In 1973, the codes SA (Soviet Army), VV (Internal Troops), PV (Border Troops), GB (KGB Troops) were introduced on the shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants, and K on the shoulder straps of cadets. It must be said that these letters appeared back in 1969, but initially, according to Article 164 of Order of the USSR Minister of Defense No. 191 of July 26, 1969, they were worn only on the ceremonial uniform. The letters were made of anodized aluminum, but since 1981, for economic reasons, metal letters were replaced by letters made of PVC film.
In 1974, new army general shoulder straps were introduced to replace the 1943 model shoulder straps. Instead of four stars, they had a marshal's star, above which was the emblem of motorized rifle troops.
In 1980, all silver shoulder straps with silver stars were abolished. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms) and blue (aviation, airborne forces).
Shoulder straps SA 1982
In 1981, shoulder straps for a senior warrant officer were introduced, and in 1986, for the first time in the history of Russian officer shoulder straps, shoulder straps without gaps were introduced, differing only in the size of the stars (field uniform “Afghan”)
Currently, shoulder straps remain the insignia of the Russian army, as well as some categories of Russian civilian officials.
Shoulder straps of senior officers (except Navy): 1 – Marshal of the Russian Federation (casual uniform); 2 – Army General (casual uniform, Air Force); 3 – Colonel General (ceremonial uniform); 4 – Lieutenant General (casual uniform); 5 – Major General (field uniform)
Shoulder straps of senior officers (except Navy): 1 – Colonel (casual uniform); 2 – Lieutenant Colonel (ceremonial uniform); 3 – major (ceremonial uniform, Air Force, Airborne Forces)
Shoulder straps for junior officers (except Navy): 1 – captain (casual uniform); 2 – senior lieutenant (ceremonial uniform, Air Force); 3 – Lieutenant (ceremonial uniform)
Shoulder straps for warrant officers and midshipmen: 1 – senior warrant officer (casual uniform); 2 – ensign (ceremonial uniform, Airborne Forces); 3 – midshipman (casual uniform, Navy)
1 – foreman; 2 – senior sergeant; 3 – Sergeant (Airborne)
Shoulder straps for sergeants and soldiers (except Navy): 1 – junior sergeant; 2 – corporal; 3 – private
Sleeve insignia for belonging to the Armed Forces: 1 – Armed Forces (except the Navy); 2 – Armed Forces (Navy); 3 – military representatives in foreign countries; 4 – a special contingent within the Armed Forces to participate in peacekeeping activities
Sleeve insignia according to branch of the Armed Forces: 1 – the central apparatus of the Ministry of Defense; 2 – Ground forces; 3 – Air Force; 4 – Navy
Sleeve insignia for belonging to other troops: 1 – internal troops; 2 – civil defense troops; 3 – railway troops
Emblems of branches, branches and services of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: 1 – Rocket Forces strategic purpose; 2 – Ground forces; 3 – Air Defense Forces; 4 – Air Force; 5 – Airborne troops; 6 – Space Forces; 7 – motorized rifle troops; 8 – tank troops; 9 – missile forces and artillery; 10 – engineering troops; 11 – radiation, chemical and biological protection troops; 12 – signal troops; 13 - automobile troops; 14 – road troops; 15 – topographical service; 16 – legal service; 17 – military communications service; 18 – fuel and lubricants service; 19 – medical service; 20 – veterinary and sanitary service; 21 - military band service
On the table there were cups on beautiful patterned saucers, small neat spoons lay nearby, and the middle of the table was occupied by a beautiful sweet berry pie that my mother had baked. Everything was already ready for the arrival of the guests, because today was a holiday, and Pochemuchka already knew about it. Today they celebrated February 23, Defender of the Fatherland Day.
And then, finally, the doorbell rang. Mom went to meet the guests. Pochemuchka also ran into the corridor and saw Uncle Sasha there.
- Hello! - Pochemuchka exclaimed joyfully and ran up to the guest.
“Hello, hello, Pochemuchka,” answered Uncle Sasha and picked up the girl in his arms.
- Uncle Sasha, you are unusual today. You have such a beautiful outfit.
- Why, this is not an outfit, this is a ceremonial military uniform, I decided to wear it in honor of the holiday.
- Very beautiful uniform, what are you wearing on your shoulders? Are these some special military decorations to make you even more beautiful?
- No, these are shoulder straps. They appeared under the Russian Tsar Peter I and were invented to make it more convenient to carry a bag with cartridges so that its strap would not slip off. After some time, shoulder straps began to be used to distinguish the rank of military personnel.
- What military ranks are there?
- There are a total of twenty steps by which you can rise from the lowest private to the highest - a marshal. These steps are ranks that are given to the military for certain merits. Let me list their names for you:
The very first ranks with which a military career begins are called private and corporal. On their field uniform, the shoulder straps do not have any insignia, but on the front uniform there are golden letters.
Junior sergeant, sergeant, senior sergeant and foreman: these ranks can be called in one word - non-commissioned officers. On their shoulder straps there are insignia in the form of stripes - these are strips or corners sewn to the shoulder strap. And on the dress uniform, in addition to the stripes, there are also metal letters.
The warrant officer and senior warrant officer have insignia on their shoulder straps in the form of stars located along the shoulder strap.
Junior lieutenant, lieutenant, senior lieutenant and captain are junior officers. On the shoulder straps of these military men there is a stripe called a gap (very often confused with stripes) and small stars. There are no stripes on field shoulder straps.
Major, lieutenant colonel and colonel are senior officers. Their shoulder straps have two clear stripes and larger stars than those of junior officers. On field uniforms they also have no clearance.
So we got to the ranks of senior officers: these are major general, lieutenant general, colonel general and army general. They don't have any stripes on their shoulder straps, they have stars. large size, located vertically.
On the shoulder straps of the Marshal of the Russian Federation there is one very large star and the coat of arms of Russia.
Oh, how many ranks there are in our army, you won’t remember right away. - Why said. - But I will try and be able to determine military rank, just by looking at the shoulder straps.
