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 knight's armor, designed to protect the shoulders from blows, is one of the most common misconceptions. A simple study of 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. At that time, it was impossible to find a universal model of shoulder straps in the army of the Russian Empire. 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).
For some time, a strange mixture of military symbols was in effect in the army of the new country. 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 of 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 of various shapes covered with red enamel, allowing one to determine the rank of the 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 of designating ranks in the Red Army was often subject to changes, which greatly confused the situation. Often, due to supply shortages, military personnel 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 a standard width of 6 cm and a length of 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.
They were designated by stars of 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 particularly 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 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”, yellow in color and 20 mm high, must be sewn 15 mm from the bottom edge. 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 upward at an acute angle. 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, affiliation with military educational institutions and the position of a cadet can be determined by sleeve emblems with a coat of arms symbol, as well as by “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 land 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 “VS” (Armed Forces) or “F” (navy) in 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 white field, 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 outerwear - blue shoulder straps with blue clearance, an emblem and golden stars.
- 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. Naval officers only have casual and dress uniforms.
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, high-echelon officers wear the following types of shoulder straps:
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 the edging and stars: red - for the 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.
The rank of a serviceman, according to the general rule, is determined by the number of characters. In particular, 1 star adorns the lieutenant general - 2, and the 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 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 shoulder straps, the colors are reversed - a black field and a gold cord along 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 largest star (40 mm) belongs to the fleet admiral.
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 provide an informed person with 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 types of troops.
In order to know exactly how, according to the regulations, you are supposed to address a military personnel, you need to understand the ranks. Ranks in the Russian Army and shoulder straps provide clarity in relationships and allow you to understand the chain of command. In the Russian Federation there is both a horizontal structure - military and naval ranks, and a vertical hierarchy - from the rank and file to the highest officers.
Rank and file
Private is the lowest military rank in the Russian Army. Moreover, the soldiers received this title in 1946, before that they were addressed exclusively as fighters or Red Army soldiers.
If the service is carried out in a guards military unit or on a guards ship, then when addressing a private, it is worth adding the same word "guard". If you want to contact a military personnel who is in the reserve and has a diploma of higher legal or medical education, then you should contact - "Private Justice", or "private medical service". Accordingly, it is worth adding the appropriate words to someone who is in reserve or retired.
In a ship, the rank of private corresponds to sailor.
Only senior soldiers who perform the best military service are given the rank Corporal. Such soldiers can act as commanders during the latter's absence.
All additional words that were applicable for a private remain relevant for a corporal. Only in the Navy, this rank corresponds to Senior sailor.
The one who commands a squad or combat vehicle receives the rank Lance Sergeant. In some cases, this rank is assigned to the most disciplined corporals upon transfer to the reserve, if such a staff unit was not provided for during service. In the ship's composition it is "sergeant major of the second article"
Since November 1940, the Soviet army received a rank for junior command personnel - sergeant. It is awarded to cadets who have successfully completed the sergeant training program and graduated with honors.
A private can also receive the rank - Lance Sergeant, who has proven himself worthy to be awarded the next rank, or upon transfer to the reserve.
In the Navy, a sergeant of the ground forces corresponds to the rank foreman.
Next comes the Senior Sergeant, and in the Navy - chief petty officer.
After this rank, there is some overlap between land and sea forces. Because after senior sergeant, in the ranks of the Russian army appears Sergeant Major. This title came into use in 1935. Only the best military personnel who served excellently in sergeant positions for six months deserve it, or upon transfer to the reserve, the rank of sergeant major is awarded to senior sergeants certified with excellent results. On the ship it is - chief petty officer.
Next come warrant officers And midshipmen. This is a special category of military personnel, close to junior officers. Complete the rank and file, senior warrant officer and midshipman.
Junior officers
A number of junior officer ranks in the Russian Army begin with the rank Ensign. This title is awarded to final year students and graduates of higher military educational institutions. However, in the event of a shortage of officers, a graduate of a civilian university can also receive the rank of junior lieutenant.
Lieutenant Only a junior lieutenant can become a junior lieutenant who has served a certain amount of time and received a positive educational certificate. Further - senior lieutenant.
And he closes the group of junior officers - Captain. This title sounds the same for both ground and naval forces.
By the way, the new field uniform from Yudashkin obliged our military personnel to duplicate the insignia on the chest. There is an opinion that the “runaways” from the leadership do not see the ranks on our officers’ shoulders and this is done for their convenience. Senior officers
Senior officers begin with rank Major. In the navy, this rank corresponds to Captain 3rd rank. The following Navy ranks will only increase the rank of captain, that is, the rank of land Lieutenant Colonel will correspond Captain 2nd rank, and the rank Colonel – Captain 1st rank.
Senior officers
And the highest officer corps completes the hierarchy of military ranks in the Russian army.
Major General or Rear Admiral(in the navy) - such a proud title is worn by military personnel who command a division - up to 10 thousand people.
Above the Major General is Lieutenant General. (The lieutenant general is higher than the major general because the lieutenant general has two stars on his shoulder straps and the major general has one).
Initially, in the Soviet army, it was more likely not a rank, but a position, because the Lieutenant General was an assistant to the general and took on part of his functions, in contrast to Colonel General, who can personally fill senior positions, both in the General Staff and in the Ministry of Defense. In addition, in the Russian armed forces, a Colonel General may be the deputy commander of a military district.
And finally, the most important serviceman who has the highest military rank in the Russian army is Army General. All previous links must obey him.
About military ranks in video format:
Well, new guy, have you figured it out now?)
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. By the beginning of the 19th century, 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 sergeant stripes from the times of the Soviet Union.
The appearance of an analogue of the first shoulder straps
Something similar to shoulder straps with stars of more or less modern designs began to appear in the 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 on the uniform. The size of all officer shoulder straps, including the highest ranks, 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 the Russian army.
Stars on the uniforms 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
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 large size sprockets 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 straps with one large and three-headed Russian coat of arms are worn only by police generals of the Russian Federation, which is a great rarity in this service hierarchy.
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them
VKontakte has a lot of information: interesting facts, news, articles. One day I came across a post about military ranks of the Russian Federation and quickly memorized them.
Now I decided to write a short article on how anyone can quickly learn them. I myself remembered it differently, but here I will describe it in accessible language for everyone.
DO IT STRICTLY IN STEPS and by the end of reading the post you will remember all the ranks (military) and the corresponding shoulder straps!
It will take you no more than 5 minutes!
1. Private
2. Corporal
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3. Junior Sergeant
4. Sergeant
5. Senior Sergeant
6. Sergeant Major
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7. Ensign
8. Senior warrant officer
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9. Junior Lieutenant
10. Lieutenant
11. Senior Lieutenant
12. Captain
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13. Major
14. Lieutenant Colonel
15. Colonel
—————————
16. Major General
17. Lieutenant General
18. Colonel General
19. Army General (not in the picture above)
20. Marshal of the Russian Federation (not in the picture above)
Military ranks
1. Let’s encode some titles with associatively vivid visual images.
Private - carrot bed
Corporal - flute
Sergeant - earring
Major - mayonnaise
Lieutenant - watering can
Colonel - ladle
Lieutenant Colonel - bent ladle
Ensign - Borschik
Foreman - grandfather with a beard
General - crocodile Gena
2. We read and imagine the images, then look at the pictures.
Tomato: there is a row of carrots on the stems (Private), a flute pierces a tomato (Corporal).
Orange: on the leaf there is a small earring (Junior Sergeant), on the stem of medium size (Sergeant), on the peel there is a large earring (Senior Sergeant), in the pulp there is a grandfather with a beard (Sergeant Major).
Lemon: at one end there is a plate of borscht (Ensign), in the middle there is a pan of borscht (Senior Ensign), at the end there are 2 stars.
Grass: one behind the other is a small watering can (Junior Lieutenant), a medium watering can (Lieutenant), a large watering can (Senior Lieutenant), the Captain stands next to him, followed by a fairy wand.
Cloud: at one end there is mayonnaise (Major), in the middle there is a bent ladle (Lieutenant Colonel), a ladle (Colonel), a pregnancy tester with a star.
Marker: On the cap there is a crocodile Gena with mayonnaise (Major General), on the stem Gena with a watering can (Lieutenant General), in the middle Gena with a ladle (Colonel General).
Each item has a specific appearance with shoulder straps.
Tomato And Orange- only stripes (easy to remember)
Lemon— the stars begin (that’s why there are 2 stars hanging on the lemon)
Grass- a stripe and a star appear (fairy wand on the grass)
Cloud— a second stripe and a star appear (pregnancy tester on the cloud)
Marker- zigzag pattern (zipper on marker)
The sequential appearance of stars on ranks is not difficult to remember visually.
The last ones are the General of the Army and the Marshal of the Russian Federation; they are also easy to remember at the end.
Private, Corporal
Jr. Sergeant, Sergeant, St. Sergeant, Foreman
Ensign, St. Ensign
Jr. Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Senior Lieutenant, Captain
Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel
G.Major, G.Lieutenant, G.Colonel
3. Now let’s remember the colors of the rainbow.
Each (red - tomato)
Hunter (orange - orange)
Wishes (yellow - lemon)
Noble (green - grass)
Where (blue - sky)
Sitting (blue - marker)
Pheasant (we don’t need it 🙂)
This way we remember the order of all objects.
Repeat several times from memory.
Congratulations!
Now you know all the ranks in order, and you can name the rank by shoulder straps and remember which rank corresponds to which shoulder straps.
At first you will name it slowly, but with each repetition the speed of recall will increase.
This is how you can quickly learn the ranks and shoulder straps of Russian military personnel.
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EMAPOLDS AS A SYMBOL OF HONOR
“...A sign of honor placed on the shoulders”
A. Nesmelov (Miropolsky)
Russian poet, officer of the Russian Imperial Army, in exile after 1920
We often come across this piece of uniform, which distinguishes a civil servant from an ordinary citizen. They have become so familiar that sometimes we don’t even notice. Especially today, when they can be seen on the shoulders not only of military personnel, but also, sometimes, of people who have no relation to law enforcement agencies or the state.
Shoulder straps have a long history and now we will try to tell about it.
First, let’s try to understand that titles, ranks, awards, and the corresponding insignia and insignia regulate social relations in the military formations of any state. Insignia traditionally refers to conventional distinctive signs on the uniform of military personnel, designed to indicate personal military ranks, belonging to a military specialty or service. These, as a rule, include shoulder straps, as well as buttonholes, various kinds of breast and sleeve badges, cockades, stars, gaps, piping, stripes, etc.
The appearance of shoulder straps in the Russian army
There is a widespread misconception that shoulder straps as an element of a military uniform come from knightly armor, or rather metal shoulder plates that protected a warrior’s shoulders from saber strikes. It is a myth.
Shoulder straps have a long history in the Russian army. They were first introduced by Emperor Peter the Great back in 1696, when he began to build his army according to the European type. But in those days, shoulder straps served only as a strap that kept the belt of a gun, backpack or cartridge bag from slipping off the shoulder. Shoulder straps were most often an attribute of the uniform of lower ranks: officers were not armed with guns, and therefore they did not need shoulder straps.
In 1762, an attempt was made to use shoulder straps as a means of distinguishing military personnel from different regiments and distinguishing soldiers and officers. To solve this problem, each regiment was given shoulder straps of different weaving from a harness cord, and to separate soldiers and officers, the weaving of shoulder straps in the same regiment was different. However, since there was no single standard, the shoulder straps performed the task of the insignia poorly.
Under Emperor Paul I, only soldiers began to wear shoulder straps, and again only for a practical purpose: to keep ammunition on their shoulders.
They began to be used again as insignia with the accession of Alexander I to the throne. However, now they did not denote rank, but membership in a particular regiment. The shoulder straps showed a number indicating the number of the regiment, 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.
To distinguish a soldier from an officer, officer's shoulder straps were first trimmed with galloon, and from 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.
Why was a star chosen as a sign of distinction? And why five-pointed?
Stars in heraldry and emblems differ both in the number of rays forming them and in color. The combination of both gives different semantic and national meanings for each star. The five-pointed star is the oldest symbol of protection, security, and safety. In Ancient Greece it could be found on coins, on house doors, stables and even on cradles. Among the Druids of Gaul, Britain, and Ireland, the five-pointed star (Druid cross) was a symbol of protection from external evil forces. And it can still be seen on the window panes of medieval Gothic buildings.
The Great French Revolution revived five-pointed stars as a symbol of the ancient god of war, Mars. They denoted the rank of commanders of the French army - on hats, epaulettes, scarves, and on uniform coattails. The military reforms of Nicholas I largely imitated the French army - this is how the stars “rolled” from the French horizon to the Russian one.
65From 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, but located longitudinally from golden braid, and for non-commissioned officers - from white (silver) braided braid.
The presence of epaulettes, sewing and buttonholes among officers sharply distinguished them from the mass of soldiers, which created a particular danger for officers during combat operations. This was especially evident during the Crimean War of 1853-1856. There is a version that Admiral P.S. Nakhimov in 1855 in Sevastopol was killed by a bullet from a French sniper, who was guided by the brightly visible epaulettes, which the general basically did not remove from his uniform.
The Crimean War revealed the inconsistency of some, especially ceremonial, items of officer uniform with the new, positional nature of combat operations. Instead of uniforms, helmets and shakos, officers preferred to wear frock coats and caps in positions. On April 29, 1854, Nicholas I, by a personal decree, ordered that instead of overcoats with a cape, “in wartime, all generals, headquarters and chief officers of the infantry, cavalry, pioneers, artillery and gendarmes should have military overcoats” of a soldier’s type. Like the lower ranks, the officer's field overcoats were made of coarse thick cloth and had a stand-up collar in colors according to the military branches and colored cloth shoulder straps assigned to the lower ranks of the unit.
To distinguish categories of officers, gaps appeared on the shoulder straps: chief officer shoulder straps had one gap, headquarters officers had two gaps, general shoulder straps were made of solid braid of a special weave and had no gaps.
The ranks were distinguished by forged stars, like on epaulettes. The uniforms of adjutant generals and wing adjutants were supposed to have imperial monograms on their shoulder straps.
Speaking of terminology. For many, such names as lumen and edging are incomprehensible. But all this is as simple as shelling pears. The piping is a cloth edging along the edge of the shoulder strap. Clearance - a longitudinal strip of fabric dividing the shoulder strap into two or three parts. Junior officers have only one gap. The older ones have two. True, before the revolution, the juniors were called, in the German manner, “chief officers,” and the seniors were called “staff officers.”
The reign of Alexander II ushered in a period of special love among the people for their army. The unprecedented rise of patriotism in those years made serving the Fatherland the ultimate dream for many. Brilliant officers enjoyed great success at all kinds of balls, and the cut of military uniforms confidently entered secular fashion. The feelings of his subjects were shared by Alexander II, who not only dressed the troops in luxurious uniforms, but also introduced shoulder straps of a new type. The usual officer's shoulder straps and shoulder straps of lower ranks acquired an oblong pentagonal shape. The general's shoulder strap was hexagonal in shape, that is, the one that is still used today. And in general, today's shoulder straps are not much different from the shoulder straps of that time - the same gaps, the same stars. The only difference is that initially the stars were attached next to the gaps.
Since 1874, in accordance with the order of the military department No. 137 of May 4, 1874, the shoulder straps of both the first and second regiments of the division became red, and the color of the buttonholes and cap bands of the second regiment 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 grenadiers had yellow shoulder straps. The shoulder straps of the Akhtyrsky and Mitavsky Hussars, the Finnish, Primorsky, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kinburn Dragoon Regiments were also yellow.
With the advent of rifle regiments, the latter were assigned crimson shoulder straps.
1. Rifleman of the 10th New Ingermanland Infantry Regiment. Number encryption.
2. Gunner of the 23rd horse artillery battery. Encrypted license plate and special artillery insignia.
3. Grenadier of the 5th Grenadier Kyiv Heir to the Tsarevich Regiment. Encryption in the form of the Tsarevich's monogram. On yellow shoulder straps the code is red. Blue edging - assigned to this regiment.
4. Hussar of the 6th Hussar Klyastitsky Regiment. Shoulder strap color of instrument cloth - light blue. Button color of instrument metal shelf - silver.
5. Cossack of the 14th Don Cossack Troop Ataman Efremov Regiment.
6. Sapper of the company of His Majesty's Life Guards Sapper Battalion. The monogram is a metal invoice, which is placed in the companies of His Majesty in all branches of the military.
Military officials and officials of some civilian departments, as well as the police, had shoulder straps.
In appearance, the everyday shoulder straps of the pre-revolutionary Russian army were similar to the so-called “everyday” gold and silver shoulder straps of the Soviet Army, but with the following differences:
1. The colors of the edges and gaps did not mean the type of troops (as now), but this or that regiment.
2. The stars were not metal, but embroidered: on gold shoulder straps - in silver, on silver ones - in gold.
3. The size of the stars was the same for all ranks, from ensign to general.
4. Numbered army regiments had embroidered numbers on their shoulder straps.
5. Regiments with chiefs (mainly in the guard) had on their shoulder straps a so-called “cipher” (an embroidered monogram with a crown above it).
Everyday officer shoulder straps were of two types: attached hard ones - they were worn on jackets, uniforms, frock coats; sewn on - soft, which were worn on overcoats, and then began to be worn on tunics and jackets.
The style of the shoulder straps worn on tunics was the same as on the shoulder straps (with a purlin button and a trapezoidal edge of the upper edge). In fact, these were attached shoulder straps, removed from the hard lining and sewn on.
Until 1917, the system of shoulder insignia did not change significantly, but the events of the war with Japan at the beginning of the twentieth century. and heavy losses from massive small arms fire led to the appearance of so-called field shoulder straps.
The field shoulder straps on the overcoats were made of overcoat cloth, the gaps on them were embroidered with golden-yellow silk. The stars on the shoulder straps were metallic black-green (oxidized); they were attached to the top of the shoulder strap. The shape of the stars was thinner and flatter than the stars worn later in the Soviet Army. There was a circle in the middle of the star. The rays of the star had horizontal stamped stripes.
1.6th sapper battalion of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich the Elder.
2. Fortress telegraph of the Brest-Litovsk Fortress.
3. 8th railway battalion.
4. 5th convoy company.
5. 8th Dragoon Regiment.
6. 3rd Lancer Regiment.
7.4th Hussars.
8. 25th Artillery Brigade.
9. 5th Kiev Grenadier Regiment of the Heir to the Tsarevich.
10. 7th Grenadier Samogitsky General-Adjutant Count Totleben Regiment.
11.37th Yekaterinburg Infantry Regiment.
12. 5th East Siberian Rifle Regiment.
From the site http://army.armor.kiev.ua/
There was another type of field shoulder straps - made of light green silk braid with woven colored gaps and edgings made of cutlery cloth. These shoulder straps were worn mainly on tunics, tunics and service jackets.
68The stars on them were exactly the same as on overcoat and field shoulder straps, but they also wore gold and silver, and sometimes even embroidered. In addition to the stars on the shoulder straps - both everyday and field - they wore emblems indicating the branch of the military. The emblems were both embroidered and metal attached. The color of the emblem was always the same as that of the stars.
Infantry, cavalry, and Cossacks did not have emblems. The artillery had an emblem that has survived to this day in the Soviet Army - two crossed cannons, machine gun units - the silhouette of a Colt machine gun (on a tripod). The armored vehicles had an emblem (also preserved to this day) - an axle with two wheels and a steering wheel in the middle, between two wings. The railway troops had a crossed ax and an anchor as their emblem, sappers had a crossed pick and shovel, military doctors had a snake wrapped around a bowl (this emblem has also survived to this day).
Aviation had the emblem of a double-headed eagle with outstretched wings, holding a propeller and a sword in its paws (after the February Revolution, the eagle was deprived of its crown). The emblems were placed above the stars.
The junior officer corps (in the Russian army it was called “chief officer”) included ranks from ensign to captain (in the cavalry - captain, in Cossack units - esaul), had shoulder straps with one gap.
In 1914, field shoulder straps were worn in a disciplined manner by everyone who found themselves on the fronts of the First World War. However, over time, this dullness began to irritate and bring melancholy to the officers. And for the most part, those who were not constantly in infantry trenches and were not exposed to the immediate danger of rifle and machine-gun fire tried to wear galloon shoulder straps.
But, as is usually the case, the farther from the front, the more militant a person becomes. Since marching shoulder straps were the outward sign of a front-line officer, they were, so to speak, covered in gunpowder smoke, they became very popular among officers “entrenched in the rear,” especially in the capital’s garrisons. To such an extent that the commander of the Moscow district in February 1916 was forced to issue an order prohibiting the wearing of marching shoulder straps “... by gentlemen officers in Moscow and throughout the entire district.”
Ensign of rifle units. 1914-1918
Abolition of shoulder straps by the 1917 revolution: an army without shoulder straps
However, after the October Revolution, shoulder straps were abolished along with military and civilian ranks.
After the Civil War, shoulder straps could dramatically shorten the life of their owner. The insignia of the tsarist army, together with the officer’s bearing, served as an indicator of the “unfinished counter-revolution” - that is, they were the basis for reprisals.
“...Oh, spring of the seventeenth year,
The roar of July, the grapeshot of October!..
Red freedom was torn apart
All shoulder straps are from officer’s shoulders.”
So in 1945, in the poem “Old Epaulets,” the Russian emigrant poet Arseny Nesmelov (Mitropolsky), a former officer of the Russian Imperial Army, wrote about the abolition of shoulder straps. Further in the text, the author calls shoulder straps both “a sign of honor placed on the shoulders” and “a lever tested by valor.”
Then class hatred for shoulder straps subsided, and in 1936, one of the first Soviet marshals, Mikhail Tukhachevsky, raised the issue of returning the shoulder straps at a meeting. “The uniform is comfortable and beautiful, it obliges the commander to behave accordingly, to remember that “the honor of the uniform” is not empty words,” he told J.V. Stalin when the leader demanded an explanation.
Stalin did not support the proposal, but over time the leader’s opinion changed: in March 1940, the proposal to introduce insignia in the form of “longitudinal shoulder pads made of fabric” was already made at the official level. Three years later, these shoulder pads were transformed into shoulder straps.
But the first insignia in the Red Army appeared earlier. January 16, 1919 They were triangles, cubes and diamonds sewn onto the sleeves. 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. But these valves did not last long - already in 1924, the insignia moved to the buttonholes. In addition, in addition to these geometric figures, another one appeared - a rectangle (it was called a “sleeper”), intended for those service categories that corresponded to pre-revolutionary staff officers.
In 1935, personal military ranks were introduced in the Red Army. Some corresponded to the pre-revolutionary ones - colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain. Some were taken from the ranks of the former Imperial Navy - lieutenant and first 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 Alexander III, was restored. 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.
On August 5, 1937, the rank of junior lieutenant was introduced, and on September 1, 1939, the rank of lieutenant colonel.
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 (it was adopted from the German system of general ranks of that time). The colonel general had four stars, and the army general who followed him, whose rank was borrowed from the French army, had five stars. In this form, the insignia remained until January 6, 1943, when shoulder straps were introduced in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA).
Triumphant return
In the fall of 1941, in fierce battles near Yelnya, units of the Red Army showed the whole world that they were worthy of the glory of their ancestors. Immediately four rifle divisions were awarded the honorary title of Guards for the courage and heroism shown in battles.
It was for them that shoulder straps began to be developed as a distinctive sign. But for some reason these developments were late. Then I.V. Stalin was asked to approve shoulder straps as insignia for the entire army. Realizing that this would help strengthen morale, he agreed.
Respecting the continuity of traditions, shoulder straps began to be developed according to models from the time of Alexander II, as then, the stars on the shoulder straps were attached not to the gaps, but next to them, however, for a very short time, and narrow shoulder straps were provided for military doctors and military lawyers. Insignia (stars, gaps, stripes) and emblems were placed on the shoulder strap, thanks to which one could easily determine the military rank of a serviceman and his belonging to the branch of the military. It is interesting that the infantry emblem, unlike other branches of the military, appeared only in the mid-1950s. Basically, the shoulder straps were an almost complete copy of what modern soldiers and officers now wear on their shoulders.
This was an important symbol returned to the victorious army. Golden shoulder straps, which back in the 1920s were a symbol of the White Guards (“gold chasers” - the Red Army soldiers contemptuously called them), suddenly become a symbol of the Red Army. Following the shoulder straps for the army, the National Anthem is introduced in the country, instead of the party “International”.
But it turned out that the interrupted tradition is not so easy to restore. Throughout the Soviet Union, they were looking for old masters who had once woven galloon ribbons, looking for machines, and reviving technologies. According to the order, it was required to switch to shoulder straps from February 1 to February 15 - half a month in advance. But even on the Kursk Bulge in July 1943, some pilots and tank crews, as photographs show, wore old buttonholes rather than shoulder straps. And most of the infantry put their shoulder straps on tunics with a turn-down collar, and not with the new “stand.” Only when the stocks of old uniforms ran out did the Red Army completely switch to the new uniform.
No matter how difficult it was, following the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, from January 13, Soviet shoulder straps of the 1943 model began to enter the troops. 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 indicated by a different number of stars than before 1917, and shoulder straps without stars were not restored.
In the strict sense of the word, Stalin's shoulder straps were not a copy of the tsarist ones. A slightly different braid weave. A little rougher work. Another rank designation system. And the titles are different. Instead of a second lieutenant - a lieutenant. Instead of a staff captain - a captain. Instead of a captain - a major. Instead of a field marshal - a marshal of the Soviet Union. On royal shoulder straps, ranks were indicated only by small stars. Stalin introduced large stars for senior officers, starting from major, and generals. Before the revolution, the rank of field marshal was designated by two crossed batons on a zigzag braid. The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was symbolized by a large star and the coat of arms of the USSR.
Thus, rifle troops had a crimson background shoulder strap and black edging, cavalry had a dark blue shoulder strap with black edging, aviation had a blue shoulder strap with black edging, tank crews 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, while internal troops received cherry shoulder straps with blue trim. On khaki-colored field shoulder straps, the branch of service was determined only by the edging, the color of which was the same as the color of the shoulder strap field on the everyday uniform.
In the army, the introduction of shoulder straps was greeted with enthusiasm, especially since this happened on the eve of the greatest victory in the Battle of Stalingrad.
Ashot Amatuni, Lieutenant General, Hero of the Soviet Union, tank officer during the Great Patriotic War: “It was happiness! We received the return of shoulder straps with great enthusiasm. After all, they have been in the army for centuries, our ancestors carried them on their shoulders in battles. I received my first shoulder straps in Saratov.”
Boris Ershov, colonel: “At that time I was a senior lieutenant, a company commander. I liked the old uniform because I had three stripes on the sleeve, three stripes, they looked good. It was very comfortable to wear under an overcoat, under a jacket. And the shoulder straps were uncomfortable at first. The cardboard base was fragile, and the stars were attached not with screws, but with paper clips. You put your overcoat on your tunic, then take it off - and the stars fly in all directions! I had to sew them on with thread.
But in battle with shoulder straps it was better. Under the padded jacket, under the overcoat, the buttonholes are not visible, and you can’t immediately figure out who is in front of you. And with shoulder straps it’s immediately clear.
We had old people, participants in the Civil War, who did not immediately agree to wear shoulder straps. They said: “My grandfather and father were hacked to death by gold chasers” - and they refused. But young people wore shoulder straps with pleasure.”
But there were other opinions. There are photographs where some soldiers and officers are still wearing buttonholes, while others are already wearing shoulder straps. One of the most famous of them is a 1943 photograph of the future writer Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn and his friend Nikolai Vitkevich. Vitkevich already has shoulder straps. Solzhenitsyn also has buttonholes with two cubes and artillery cannons. By the way, young Solzhenitsyn did not like the return of the shoulder straps. He saw this as a departure from revolutionary traditions.
At the same time, the seemingly disappeared word “officer” returned to the official military lexicon, although before the war the cumbersome phrase “commander of the Red Army” remained the legally correct term.
But the words “officer”, “officers”, the phrase “officers” were heard more and more often - first in informal use, and then gradually began to appear in official documents. For the first time, the term “officer” officially appeared in the holiday order of the People’s Commissar of Defense dated November 7, 1942. Since the spring of 1943, along with the appearance of shoulder straps, the word “officer” began to be used so widely and universally that in the post-war period the front-line soldiers themselves very quickly forgot the term “commander” Red Army". Although formally the term “officer” was formalized in military use only with the publication of the first post-war Internal Service Charter in 1946, when the Red Army was renamed the Soviet Army.
The return of shoulder straps became one of the stages in the revival of the imperial spirit. The Soviet Union recognized itself as the heir to the Russian Empire, which will be especially evident after the war - in the imperial pomp of architecture and, among other things, in the dressing up of people of civilian professions, and even schoolchildren, in military uniforms.
Since the end of 1943, shoulder straps have been introduced for railway workers, the USSR prosecutor's office, and foreign affairs officers. The wave of dressing up of all workers or students in government institutions in a uniform is growing, especially after the war. Officials from the Ministry of Finance, Geology and Oil Industry, Customs Service, Civil Air Fleet - more than 20 departments in total - began to wear uniforms. The so-called “counter shoulder straps” began to be worn by students of mining faculties of all universities in the country. Schoolchildren had to wear uniforms with uniform buttons, a badge on the belt and a badge on the uniform cap. Lifetime badges are being introduced for reserve officers and employees of all “uniformed” departments, and speeches are heard everywhere about preserving the honor of the new uniform.
Post-war fate
N.S. Khrushchev was going to abolish the shoulder straps. First they were taken away from civilians - they started with railway workers, diplomats and representatives of other peaceful professions. In 1962, the government of the Soviet Union adopted a resolution to return military uniforms to the norms of the first years of Soviet power: with buttonholes instead of shoulder straps. But the military delayed the implementation of this project, and then, after Nikita Sergeevich was removed, they abandoned it.
In the post-war period, there were some changes in shoulder straps. So, in October 1946, a different form of shoulder straps for officers of the Soviet Army was established - they became hexagonal. In 1963, the 1943 model sergeant's shoulder straps with the "sergeant's hammer" were abolished. Instead, 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. Silver general's shoulder straps are being abolished. All of them became gold, framed with an edging according to the type of troops, with gold stars.
In 1974, new shoulder straps for army generals were introduced to replace the shoulder straps of the 1943 model. Instead of four stars, a marshal's star appeared on them, above which the emblem of motorized rifle troops was placed.
Shoulder straps of the army of the revived Russia
In the Russian Federation, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of May 23, 1994, subsequent Decrees and the Decree of March 11, 2010, shoulder straps remain insignia of military ranks of military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces. According to the change in the essence of the socio-political system, characteristic changes were made to them. All Soviet symbols on the shoulder straps have been replaced with Russian ones. This refers to buttons with the image of a star, hammer and sickle or the colored coat of arms of the USSR. As amended by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated February 22, 2013 No. 165, a specific description of the insignia by military rank is given.
Modern shoulder straps of Russian military personnel generally remain rectangular, with a button in the upper part, with a trapezoidal upper edge, with a field of galun of a special weave in a golden color or the color of the clothing fabric, without piping or with red piping.
In aviation, the Airborne Forces (Airborne Forces) and the Space Forces, a blue edging is provided; in the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation and the Special Objects Service under the President of the Russian Federation, there is a cornflower blue edging or no edging.
On the shoulder strap of the Marshal of the Russian Federation, on the longitudinal center line there is a star with a red edging; above the star is an image of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation without a heraldic shield.
On the shoulder strap of an army general there is one star (larger than that of other generals), a colonel general has three stars, a lieutenant general has two, and a major general has one star. The color of the edging on the shoulder straps of all generals is set according to the type of troops and type of service.
The fleet admiral has one star (larger than other admirals), the admiral has three, the vice admiral has two, and the rear admiral has one. On all admiral's shoulder straps, the stars are superimposed on gray or black rays, with golden anchors located on black pentagons in the center of the stars. Shoulder straps of senior officers - colonels, lieutenant colonels, majors, in the navy, captains of 1st, 2nd and 3rd ranks - with two gaps; junior officers - captains, captain-lieutenants, senior lieutenants, lieutenants and junior lieutenants - with one clearance.
The number of stars is an indicator of the military rank of a particular officer. Senior officers have three, two and one stars, respectively, junior officers have four, three, two, one, starting from a higher level. The stars on the shoulder straps of senior officers are larger than the stars on the shoulder straps of junior officers. Their sizes have a ratio of 3:2.
The shoulder straps of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were established taking into account the improvement of military uniforms in general over the centuries-old history of the Russian and Russian troops. Their modern appearance indicates a desire to improve the quality and practicality of uniforms in general, and to bring them into line with the changing conditions of military service.
But in modern Russia, the fate of shoulder straps was not entirely simple; sometimes they had to withstand tests that were almost comparable to those after the 1917 revolution.
The rejection of the traditional arrangement of shoulder straps became one of the main features of the new field uniform, introduced in 2010 on the initiative of the “reformer minister” A. Serdyukov. In the old “Soviet-style” uniform, the straps of backpacks, other equipment and weapons quickly wore out the shoulder straps. It was assumed that the new military uniform would meet the most modern requirements of the army, in particular, the mandatory clothing of infantry in light body armor.
The decision to switch to a new uniform was made in 2007, and it was planned to completely transfer the army to it in 2011. It is known that specialists from the fashion houses Igor Chapurin and Valentin Yudashkin, the Central Research Institute of the Textile Industry, and the Central Scientific Research Institute took part in its development. -Research Institute of Leather and Footwear, Heraldic Department of the Ministry of Defense and Logistics of the Armed Forces.
For the first time in the new uniform, participants of the Victory Parade on Red Square in Moscow appeared in public in 2008. In total, 100 million rubles were allocated from the budget for the creation of new uniforms. The military estimates the cost of switching military personnel to the new uniform at 25 billion rubles.
It was in the uniform “from Valentin Yudashkin” that the shoulder straps were moved to the chest and sleeve. The left shoulder strap is located just above the elbow, and the right one is on the chest, on the lapel of the tunic. When the body armor is put on, the right shoulder strap becomes invisible, and the soldier can only be identified by the mark on the elbow. At the same time, in the old-style uniform, the insignia was attached to false shoulder straps, and to the everyday uniform, the shoulder straps were attached with buttons.
“Salvation” for the shoulder straps came in the person of the new Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation S.K. Shoigu. On his initiative, the Ministry of Defense decided to return to the traditional arrangement of shoulder straps on the field uniform of military personnel, which, after Serdyukov’s reform, “migrated” from the shoulders to the chest.
The main argument for returning the field uniform shoulder straps to their original place was that they did not justify themselves on the chest and sleeves.
Symbol of honor
Currently, shoulder straps continue to serve the Fatherland. Covered with unfading glory, Soviet shoulder straps were designed to preserve the continuity of valiant traditions in the Russian Armed Forces. That is why, having undergone minor changes, they became a true decoration of the uniform of the Russian defender of the Fatherland.
“Wear shoulder straps with dignity” - these words became a matter of honor for the Russian officer. And the tradition has been preserved for more than two centuries, since the first shoulder straps were introduced almost 250 years ago.
They do not remain unchanged; some ministers who accidentally became bosses even tried to remove them from the shoulders of military personnel. Finally, their purpose in modern conditions has been scientifically substantiated and it is now believed that shoulder straps are intended for quick visual identification in battle conditions of a person who has the right to give orders.
Unfortunately, the long years of lack of spirituality that our country went through in the difficult 90s affected people’s attitude towards shoulder straps. Today we can see them not only among those to whom they are due “by law and honor,” but also among representatives of the creative craft, whose human qualities cannot always be called moral. It is depressing that employees of the prosecutor's office, police and other services have shoulder straps identical to military ones. This is one of the strongest blows to the image of the military profession and its prestige.
At the same time, many officers of the Russian army, in the most difficult time for the country of collapse and lack of spirituality, managed to preserve traditions, including those associated with shoulder straps. For example, graduates of the Suvorov military schools, as a symbol of brotherhood, wore and continue to wear under their uniform and even under a civilian suit, shoulder straps their educational institutions.
I would like to believe that over time this will pass and the concept of “honor shoulder straps” will become as familiar as it always has been.
The history of Russian shoulder straps ends here for now. Having passed through the centuries, they often changed their appearance, but never their content. Shoulder straps have always been and will be a shrine and a symbol of honor for a Russian officer devoted to the Motherland.
You can purchase or order shoulder straps of the military branches, shoulder straps of the Ministry of Defense and shoulder straps of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Patriot company store.