Shoulder straps of the Russian army. Shoulder straps of the Russian army and navy: photo

14.10.2019

70 years ago, shoulder straps were introduced in the Soviet Union for the personnel of the Soviet Army. Shoulder straps and stripes in the navy were abolished in Soviet Russia after the October Revolution of 1917 by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR (they were considered a symbol of inequality).

Shoulder straps appeared in the Russian army at the end of the 17th century. Initially they had a practical meaning. They were first introduced by Tsar Peter Alekseevich in 1696, then they served as a strap that kept the gun belt or cartridge pouch from slipping off the shoulder. Therefore, shoulder straps were an attribute of uniform only for lower ranks, since officers were not armed with guns. 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 Pavel Petrovich, only soldiers began to wear shoulder straps again, and again only for a practical purpose: to keep the ammunition on their shoulders. Tsar Alexander I returned the function of rank insignia to shoulder straps. However, they were not introduced in all branches of the military; in infantry regiments, shoulder straps were introduced on both shoulders, in cavalry regiments - only on the left. In addition, back then, shoulder straps did not indicate rank, but membership in a particular regiment. The number on the shoulder strap indicated the number of the regiment in the Russian Imperial 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. Yellow color indicated the army (non-guards) grenadier units, as well as the Akhtyrsky, Mitavsky Hussars and the Finnish, Primorsky, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kinburn Dragoon regiments. To distinguish lower ranks from officers, officers' shoulder straps were first lined with gold or silver braid, and a few years later epaulettes were introduced for officers.

Since 1827, officers and generals began to be designated by the number of stars on their epaulettes: warrant officers had one star each; for second lieutenants, majors and major generals - two; for lieutenants, lieutenant colonels and lieutenant generals - three; staff captains have four. Captains, colonels and full generals did not have stars on their epaulettes. In 1843, insignia were also established on the shoulder straps of lower ranks. So, the corporals got one stripe; for non-commissioned officers - two; senior non-commissioned officer - three. Sergeant majors received a transverse stripe 2.5 centimeters wide on their shoulder straps, and ensigns received exactly the same stripe, but located longitudinally.

Since 1854, instead of epaulettes, shoulder straps were introduced for officers; epaulettes were reserved only for ceremonial uniforms. Since November 1855, shoulder straps for officers became hexagonal, and for soldiers - pentagonal. Officer's shoulder straps were made by hand: pieces of gold and silver (less often) braid were sewn onto a colored base, from under which the field of the shoulder strap was visible. Stars were sewn on, gold stars on the silver shoulder strap, silver stars on the gold shoulder strap, the same size (11 mm in diameter) for all officers and generals. The field of shoulder straps showed the number of the regiment in the division or the branch of service: the first and second regiments in the division are red, the third and fourth are blue, the grenadier formations are yellow, the rifle units are crimson, etc. After this, there were no revolutionary changes until October 1917 of the year. Only in 1914, in addition to gold and silver shoulder straps, field shoulder straps were first established for the active army. The field shoulder straps were khaki (protective color), the stars on them were oxidized metal, the gaps were indicated by dark brown or yellow stripes. However, this innovation was not popular among officers who considered such shoulder straps unsightly.

It should also be noted that officials of some civil departments, in particular engineers, railway workers and the police, had shoulder straps. After the February Revolution of 1917, in the summer of 1917, black shoulder straps with white gaps appeared in shock formations.

On November 23, 1917, at a meeting of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, the Decree on the abolition of estates and civil ranks was approved, and shoulder straps were also abolished along with them. True, they remained in the white armies until 1920. Therefore, in Soviet propaganda, shoulder straps became a symbol of counter-revolutionary, white officers for a long period of time. The word “golden chasers” has actually become a dirty word. In the Red Army, military personnel were initially allocated only by position. For insignia, stripes were established on the sleeves in the form of geometric shapes (triangles, squares and rhombuses), as well as on the sides of the overcoat; they indicated rank and affiliation with the branch of the military. After the Civil War and until 1943, insignia in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army remained in the form of collar buttonholes and sleeve chevrons.

In 1935, personal military ranks were established in the Red Army. Some of them corresponded to the royal ones - colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain. Others were taken from the ranks of the former Russian Imperial Navy - lieutenant and senior lieutenant. The ranks that corresponded to the previous generals were retained from the previous service categories - brigade commander (brigade commander), division commander (divisional commander), corps commander, army commander of the 2nd and 1st ranks. The rank of major, which had been abolished under Emperor Alexander III, was restored. The insignia has remained virtually unchanged in appearance compared to the 1924 models. In addition, the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was established; it was no longer marked with diamonds, but with one large star on the collar flap. On August 5, 1937, the rank of junior lieutenant appeared in the army (he was distinguished by one kubar). On September 1, 1939, the rank of lieutenant colonel was introduced; now three sleepers corresponded to a lieutenant colonel, not a colonel. The colonel now received four sleepers.

On May 7, 1940, the ranks of general were established. The major general, as in the times of the Russian Empire, had two stars, but they were located not on the shoulder straps, but on the collar flaps. The lieutenant general was given three stars. This is where the similarity with the royal ranks ended - instead of a full general, the lieutenant general was followed by the rank of colonel general (was taken from the German army), he had four stars. Next to the colonel general, the general of the army (borrowing from the French armed forces), had five stars.

On January 6, 1943, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, shoulder straps were introduced in the Red Army. By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 25 of January 15, 1943, the decree was announced in the army. In the Navy, shoulder straps were introduced by order of the People's Commissariat of the Navy No. 51 of February 15, 1943. On February 8, 1943, shoulder straps were established in the People's Commissariats of Internal Affairs and State Security. On May 28, 1943, shoulder straps were introduced at the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs. On September 4, 1943, shoulder straps were established in the People's Commissariat of Railways, and on October 8, 1943, in the USSR Prosecutor's Office. Soviet shoulder straps were similar to the tsarist ones, but there were some differences. Thus, army officer's shoulder straps were pentagonal, not hexagonal; the colors of the gaps showed the type of troops, and not the number of the regiment in the division; the clearance was a single whole with the shoulder strap field; color edgings were introduced according to the type of troops; the stars on the shoulder straps were metal, silver and gold, they differed in size for senior and junior ranks; ranks were designated by a different number of stars than in the imperial army; shoulder straps without stars were not restored. Soviet officer shoulder straps were 5 mm wider than the tsarist ones and did not have encryption. Junior lieutenant, major and major general received one star each; lieutenant, lieutenant colonel and lieutenant general - two each; senior lieutenant, colonel and colonel general - three each; captain and general of the army - four each. For junior officers, the shoulder straps had one gap and from one to four silver-plated stars (13 mm in diameter), for senior officers, the shoulder straps had two gaps and from one to three stars (20 mm). Military doctors and lawyers had stars with a diameter of 18 mm.

Badges for junior commanders were also restored. The corporal received one stripe, the junior sergeant - two, the sergeant - three. Senior sergeants received the former wide sergeant major's badge, and senior sergeants received the so-called shoulder straps. "hammer".

Field and everyday shoulder straps were introduced for the Red Army. According to the assigned military rank, belonging to any branch of the military (service), insignia and emblems were placed on the shoulder straps. For senior officers, the stars were initially attached not to the gaps, but to a field of braid nearby. Field shoulder straps were distinguished by a khaki-colored field 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 introduced: for aviation - blue, for doctors, lawyers and quartermasters - brown, for everyone else - red. For everyday shoulder straps, the field was made of galloon or golden silk. Silver braid was approved for everyday shoulder straps of engineering, quartermaster, medical, legal and veterinary services.

There was a rule according to which gilded stars were worn on silver shoulder straps, and silver stars were worn on gilded shoulder straps. Only veterinarians were an exception - they wore silver stars on silver shoulder straps. The width of the shoulder straps was 6 cm, and for officers of military justice, veterinary and medical services - 4 cm. The color of the shoulder strap edging depended on the type of troops (service): in the infantry - crimson, in aviation - blue, in the cavalry - dark blue, in technical for the troops - black, for doctors - green. On all shoulder straps, one uniform gilded button with a star, with a sickle and hammer in the center was introduced; in the Navy - a silver button with an anchor.

The shoulder straps of the generals, unlike those of officers and soldiers, were hexagonal. General's shoulder straps were gold with silver stars. The only exceptions were shoulder straps for generals of justice, medical and veterinary services. They received narrow silver shoulder straps with gold stars. Unlike the army, naval officer's shoulder straps, like the general's, were hexagonal. Otherwise, naval officer's shoulder straps were similar to army ones. However, the color of the piping was determined: for officers of the naval, engineering (ship and coastal) services - black; for naval aviation and aviation engineering services - blue; quartermaster - raspberry; for everyone else, including justice officers - red. The command and ship personnel did not have emblems on their shoulder straps.

Application. Order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
January 15, 1943 No. 25
“On the introduction of new insignia
and about changes in the uniform of the Red Army"

In accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 6, 1943 “On the introduction of new insignia for the personnel of the Red Army,” -

I ORDER:

1. Establish the wearing of shoulder straps:

Field - military personnel in the Active Army and personnel of units preparing to be sent to the front,

Everyday - by military personnel of other units and institutions of the Red Army, as well as when wearing full dress uniform.

2. All members of the Red Army should switch to new insignia - shoulder straps in the period from February 1 to February 15, 1943.

3. Make changes to the uniform of the Red Army personnel, according to the description.

4. Put into effect the “Rules for wearing uniforms by personnel of the Red Army.”

5. Allow the wearing of the existing uniform with new insignia until the next issue of uniforms, in accordance with the current deadlines and supply standards.

6. Unit commanders and garrison commanders must strictly monitor compliance with the uniform and correct wearing of the new insignia.

People's Commissar of Defense

I. Stalin.

The workshop group thanks Stavr (Alexey Ivantsov) for his help in writing the article and the materials provided

Initially, the uniform of all armies of the Civil War was based on the Russian military uniform of the former tsarist army. However, since large commissary warehouses were located in the center of the country, on territory controlled by the Bolsheviks, as the clothes wore out, the variety of uniforms of the white armies increased. The uniforms of the Entente countries received from the allies were very widely used. However, whites, as a rule, sought to introduce some elements of their sign system on someone else’s uniform - for example, shoulder straps.

The emerging anti-Bolshevik armed formations in their political, territorial and material capabilities were sometimes so far from each other that at first they developed their own sign system. By 1919, there was some unification of uniforms - thus, the wearing of old Russian cockades and insignia (epaulets with stars, gaps and piping) according to the system of the former Russian army became widespread, the restoration, to one degree or another, of the colors of the branches of the armed forces, branches of the military etc.

All types of uniforms adopted in various units were based on the field uniform of the Russian army of the 1912 model. The military field uniform included the following elements:

1. A khaki cloth cap or hat (to whom it was assigned).

2. Camping jacket or tunic.

3. Hiking trousers, khaki, gray-blue or dark green.

5. Coat (overcoat) with shoulder straps.

6. Gloves (in full dress).

7. Travel combat belt.

8. A checker on a traveling belt (shoulder or waist, which one is assigned to).

9. A revolver in a traveling holster with a traveling cord (in the ranks, on guard and when performing official duties).

10. Hiking bag (with binoculars).

11. Officer's bag - in service.

1. Headdress.

It was used as the main headdress in the summer. cap. At the same time, each part of the Russian army corresponded to the colors of the piping, crown and band. However, during the World War, field caps became widespread, often with protective edging, which can be recommended as the most universal type.

The chin strap was not always worn on the cap; the lower ranks of the infantry were not required to wear it.

In addition to caps, they also wore hats. The hats were different. Firstly, general military hats. Most similar to them are modern colonel's hats, but the cut is different (the front and back parts are connected at the top with buttons, while the butt plate can be folded back and cover the neck and back of the head). The lower ranks have gray short faux fur. The khaki cloth top was trimmed for privates with cords the color of applied cloth, for non-commissioned officers - with white-orange-black cord (the cord was sewn crosswise). The officers had a hat with an uncut edge, with a top trimmed with galloon.

There were also Cossack hats that differed in appearance. They were often made from longer fur, and taking into account the fact that the Kuban Cossacks wore Caucasian-style clothing, they generally came in a wide variety of sizes, styles and colors. However, the colors were usually either black or white.

Worn over a cap in the cold season hood– a special cloth hood. The colors of the cloth and the trim of the cap were different for different parts.

2. Jacket, tunic.

The jacket was made from khaki fabric, and the colors and shades could be different for the period being played. The sleeves of both the tunic and the overcoat differed for the infantry and cavalry - the cavalrymen had them with a toe. Otherwise, the design of the sleeves was the same.

During the Civil War, tunics, introduced in 1912, were worn much more often than tunics. The tunic was a loose shirt with a stand-up collar (a marching shirt of Russian cut, a kosovorotka). It was made from cotton fabric or thin cloth. In appearance, tunics could be slightly different from each other: the neckline could be cut on the left, right or in the middle. Pockets also varied: from the complete absence of any to mortise and patch pockets of various types.

And on the tunic, and on the tunic, and on the overcoat, shoulder straps were always worn - the main difference between white and red, visible well from afar. If there were no shoulder straps at all and there was nothing to sew them from, then they were drawn with a “chemical” pencil on the shoulders. Contrary to popular belief, there were not so many gold shoulder straps, because the production of shoulder straps was curtailed at the beginning of the war (in 1914), and pre-war stocks were subsequently used. Mostly, shoulder straps made of protective moleskin were worn. The gaps on the officer's shoulder straps were sewn from ribbons of the appropriate colors. The width of the shoulder straps is approximately 6 cm, the length is along the length of the shoulder. Shoulder straps were fastened on the tunic and tunic; on the overcoat, the lower edge should have been sewn into the shoulder seam, but in practice they were often sewn on or fastened.

3. Bloomers, breeches.

During the war, uniform trousers were used, loose in the groin and not restricting movement. From the groin down, the bloomers gradually tapered, fitting quite tightly around the ankle. From the lower edge of the trouser leg, along the side seams, slits were left, trimmed along the edge with braid or a canvas strip. Strings were sewn to the lower corners of the cuts and to the lower edge of the inner seam of the trousers. Bloomers had side and back pockets, just like modern trousers.

At the end of the war, instead of the standard straight trousers, breeches came into fashion - trousers that fitted the legs and greatly flared at the hips, which were worn along with ordinary army trousers.

4. Shoes.

Officers wore boots, chrome or yuft, which have remained almost unchanged from those times to the present day. Soldiers wore boots or boots with windings.

5. Overcoat.

The overcoat, which was worn by the lower ranks of all branches of the military both in peacetime and in wartime, was made of gray-green cloth. It was single-breasted, with six buttons along the front (metal buttons in peacetime and protective ones or without them in wartime) and a turn-down collar with colored flaps (buttonholes). During the First World War, khaki buttonholes were used and were often not worn at all. The officer's overcoat was double-breasted. Non-commissioned officers and officers were provided with buttons on their buttonholes. The cuffs of the overcoat were straight cut in the infantry and toe-cut in the cavalry. The length of the overcoat was set in the infantry - 35 cm from the floor, in the cavalry - to the spurs.

Also, in wartime, instead of overcoats, officers could use burkas, which are essentially an ordinary black cloth cape.

6. Gloves.

Officers wore white suede gloves with their dress uniform. White gloves were not worn with field uniforms, so during the Civil War they were a piece of clothing worn mainly by staff officers. Brown kid gloves were worn with the field uniform.

Instead of suede and kid gloves, it was allowed to use thread gloves of the same colors in the summer and wool during the rest of the year.

7. Travel combat belt.

The soldier's belt was a simple brown belt with a single-pin buckle. English-style two-pin officer belts were almost never used at that time, although they could have come from the British. The lower ranks of the cavalry wore the saber on a shoulder belt (a strap over the shoulder).

Since 1912, a new type of belt was installed for officers. It consisted of a waist belt with two shoulder straps, brown and khaki. There were two couplings on the waist belt: the back one for attaching shoulder straps and the side one for attaching a checker or dirk. A holster for a revolver and a revolver cord woven from thin leather straps, a case for binoculars and a field bag were also attached to the waist belt. All belt straps were secured with T-shaped metal fasteners.

Outside the formation and service in wartime, it was allowed to wear only one waist belt with a coupling for a saber - under the jacket without shoulder straps. It was also allowed to wear only a waist belt over the jacket, without shoulder belts, in the case when only a saber or only a revolver was worn. Practically during the war, equipment was worn at the front as it was convenient for anyone, although the general rules were usually preserved. The gymnast was always worn with a belt.

8. A saber on a traveling belt.

An ordinary saber of the 1881/1909 model. The saber differs from the saber in that the blade has less curvature and in that the saber is worn with the blade (the curved side of the sheath) forward, and the saber with the blade (the curved side) backward. A lanyard was necessarily tied to the guard of the saber - a loop of fabric with a tassel, designed to be attached to the hand.

During the World War, infantry officers often wore daggers instead of sabers, which were inconvenient in the trenches. This practice continued during the Civil War.

9. Revolver (pistol) in a traveling holster with a traveling cord.

The authorized weapon of an officer during the Great War was the Nagan system revolver of the 1895 model. In addition, there was a list of weapons recommended and permitted for officers to carry in the ranks, which included the Mauser K96, Colt M1911, Lugger P08 (Parabellum), Brownings several models.

The shoulder belt was removed along with the weapon, but the waist belt was not removed, but its belts were connected to each other.

Shoulder straps.

The shoulder straps of soldiers and officers differed in the number of stripes and stars on them. Below is a table of correspondence between shoulder straps and military ranks in the White Army.

Rank	Shoulder strap
Private (gunner, hussar/lancer/dragoon)
Corporal (bombardier)
Junior non-commissioned officer (junior fireworks officer)
Senior non-commissioned officer (senior fireworker)
Feldwebel (sergeant)
Ensign
Second Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Staff Captain (Staff Captain)
Captain (captain)
Lieutenant colonel
Colonel
Major General
Lieutenant General
General from infantry (from artillery, from cavalry)

In addition, the chase could contain certain numbers indicating the number of the regiment. In the “chief” units, numbers were often replaced by a letter - the initial letter of the surname of the regiment chief: “A” for the Aleksevites, “D” for the Drozdovites, “K” for the Kornilovites, “M” for the Markovites.

The artillerymen also had on their shoulder straps an emblem of two crossed cannons, the engineering troops - two crossed axes, telephone and telegraph operators - wings and two crossed lightning bolts.

______________________________
Distinctive features of the uniform of the white armies of the South of Russia.

The main feature of the Volunteer Army uniform was the volunteer chevron - a tricolor white-blue-red corner. It could be made of cloth, but was usually made from a ribbon 3-5 cm wide. The dimensions and angle were not strictly regulated; on average, the ribbon was sewn at a right angle and had each half 7-8 cm long.

In addition to the generally accepted khaki field uniform, officers and soldiers of the so-called. The “boss” units wore their own uniforms. The cut was practically no different from the combined arms uniform; only the colors differed, which is why these units were called “colored.”

Kornilovites.

Officers of the Kornilov units most often wore a black tunic or tunic with white piping on the chest slit (plate), sleeve cuffs and sometimes on the chest flaps of pockets. Officer's trousers are black riding breeches with white piping. The officer's buttonholes (with white edging) on the overcoat are double: the upper half is black and the lower half is red. The cap is red and black (red crown, black band) with three white piping, a black visor and the usual officer's cockade.

Privates and non-commissioned officers of the Kornilov units often wore black and red visors with two white piping and a regular soldier's cockade.

Officers wore silver shoulder straps with black edging and black and red highlights; often - with the boss’s letter “K”. Soldiers were given black and red shoulder straps.

Along with the three-color corner on the left sleeve, the Kornilovites simultaneously wore a two-color black and red chevron on the right. In addition, many continued to wear on the left sleeve the emblem of the Kornilov regiment approved in 1917: a blue or black shield with the inscription “KORNILOVTSY” in white, a skull with crossbones underneath and crossed swords with the hilts up; under the swords is a red flaming grenade.

The Kornilov artillerymen, wearing a similar uniform, wore an old artillery cap (dark green crown and black band; three red piping), black shoulder straps with red piping and golden crossed guns and the letter “K”. On the left sleeve they had the same emblem sewn on them as the infantry, but in black color and with gun barrels on top of the grenada (this emblem was a symbol of the grenadier artillery in the former Russian Imperial Army).

Due to the chronic shortage of uniforms, the Kornilovites often wore ordinary protective uniforms - but with the appropriate emblems.

***

Markovites.

The Markovian uniform was established in early 1918. Its main colors were black (“death for the Motherland”) and white (“resurrection of the Motherland”). Due to the fact that the battalion originated on Cossack soil, its ranks had to wear a black lambskin hat with a white top crossed with a black cord, a black cap with a white tassel and the same neck cord, as well as a Cossack saber instead of the usual officer's. The uniform included a cap with a white crown (with black piping) and a black band (with white piping), a black tunic with white piping along the bottom seam of the collar, black breeches with the same piping, black shoulder straps with white piping and gaps, and an overcoat with black buttonholes , which had white edges. For officers, the cap band, shoulder straps and buttonholes are black velvet, for privates - black cloth.

After the death of Lieutenant General S.L. Markov's 1st company of the 1st Officer General Markov's regiment received a white chef's monogram "GM" on its black shoulder straps. Formed in 1919, the 2nd and 3rd regiments began to differ from the 1st in that for the 2nd, with the black uniform of the 1st, a white edging was added along the strap of the tunic, and for the 3rd - to the uniform of the 2nd – white piping on the sleeve cuffs of the tunic.

The officers of the Markov artillery brigade wore a cap with a white crown (with black piping) and a black velvet band with red piping; a tall hat of long white fur, with a black velvet top (with gold braid). Shoulder straps: for the 1st General Markov Battery - black, velvet, with gold gaps, red piping and gold braid along its inner edge (indicating its origin from the Separate Junker Battery), with gold embroidered (or applied) letters "GM"; for other batteries - the same shoulder straps, but without braid and with the letter “M”. The tunic is white, there is red piping along the bottom of the collar, and black along the slit on the chest and on the cuffs. The breeches are dark blue with red piping. The overcoat is of a soldier's type, the collar has red piping, the buttonholes are white, velvet, with black piping and gold buttons. White leather waist belt, and on ceremonial occasions an officer's scarf. Black leather holster with gold revolver cord. Privates and non-commissioned officers have visors of the same color as the officers, but the band is made of cloth. The hat is like that of officers, but the top is cloth with orange braid. The shoulder straps of the 1st battery are black cloth, with red piping and the same braid as the officers (but orange), with stenciled orange letters “G” and “M”; for other batteries – without a band and with an orange letter “M”. Non-commissioned officer stripes are orange. Tunic, breeches (gray-blue), overcoat, waist belt, holster (with orange cord) and saber - like those of officers.

***

Alekseevtsy.

For the Alekseev infantrymen, the traditional colors were blue and white - the colors of the youth who made up the Partisan Cossack Foot Regiment. In mid-April 1918, after the battle for the village. Gulyai-Borisovka, during the Easter holidays, the partisans for the first time put on their blue shoulder straps with white piping, sewn for them by the women of the village. Subsequently, they began to wear caps with a white crown (with blue piping) and a blue band (with two white piping). Officers most often had blue shoulder straps with white piping and gaps, but there were also silver galloon shoulder straps with blue piping. The patronage letter “A” in Slavic script appeared after the patronage of General M.V. was granted to the regiment. Alekseev, however, it was not always worn on shoulder straps. The black tunic was apparently not worn often. It had white piping on the placket, breast pocket flaps and cuffs. On the protective tunic there was blue piping on the collar section (very rare), the placket, pocket flaps and cuffs. Since 1919, Alekseevites wore British uniforms, shoes and equipment.

Alekseevsky artillerymen had a cap with a white crown and a black band (all with three red piping), black shoulder straps with red piping and gaps, yellow guns and the same Slavic letter “A” (for officers, the letter “A” is silver, and guns - gold). It should be noted that the letter “A” on shoulder straps was worn only by the ranks of the 1st General Alekseev light battery of the Alekseev artillery brigade.

***

Drozdovites.

The main Drozdov colors were white and crimson (the latter - by continuity from the rifle units of the former Russian Imperial Army). Drozdovites had a cap with a crimson crown (with white piping) and a white band (with two black piping), crimson shoulder straps with white and black piping, black gaps and a yellow (gold) letter “D” (for some ranks of the 2nd Officer Regiment - crimson shoulder strap with the same clearance, with white piping and a gold Russian Imperial eagle at the bottom). The white tunic had crimson piping on the cuffs and flaps of the breast pockets and crimson braid along the cut side. Russian and British uniforms were also often worn.

Drozdovtsy artillerymen wore a cap with a crimson crown (with black piping) and a black band (with two red piping), shoulder straps - red with the same gaps, with black piping and gold (yellow) braid, guns and the letter “D”; Black shoulder straps with red gaps and piping and gold guns and the letter “D” could also be worn.

Insignia of soldiers and sergeants. Shoulder straps

From left to right: 1- Petty Officer (ceremonial uniform or greatcoat of the ground forces). 2-Senior sergeant (ceremonial uniform or overcoat of the Airborne Forces or aviation). 3- Sergeant (ceremonial uniform or greatcoat of the ground forces). 4-Junior Sergeant (white blouse of a female soldier). 5- Corporal (beige dress of a female soldier). 6th Private (green shirt).

Emblems for the branches of the military are worn only on shirt shoulder straps, shoulder straps on raincoats (demi-season and summer), woolen jackets, and on shoulder straps on blouses and dresses of female military personnel. On other types of uniforms, the emblems are worn on the collar in its lower corners.

Cadets' rank insignia. Shoulder straps

Cadets of military schools in full dress uniform, overcoats and types of uniforms similar to officers wear green (in the Air Force blue) soldier-type shoulder straps with galloon along the side edges of the shoulder strap. The emblems of the branches of the military are worn only on shirt shoulder straps. Cadets with sergeant ranks wear golden squares on their shoulder straps. On field and casual uniforms (in "Afghanka" type uniforms), cadets wear camouflage-colored muffs with the plastic letter "K" and golden squares on regular shoulder straps.

From left to right: 1-Cadet with the rank of sergeant major. 2-Cadet with the rank of senior sergeant. 3- Air Force College cadet with the rank of sergeant. 4-Cadet with the rank of junior sergeant. 5-Cadet at the Air Force School with the rank of corporal. 6-Cadet. 7- Muff for the shoulder strap of a cadet with the rank of sergeant major.

Insignia of lieutenants. Shoulder straps

Ensigns on their dress and everyday uniforms received soldier-style shoulder straps, green with scarlet stripes along the edges for the ground forces and with blue stripes for the Airborne Forces. Aviation ensigns received the same shoulder straps, but blue with blue side stripes. The green shirt (blue in the Air Force) has the same shoulder straps, but without the side stripes. On a white shirt, the shoulder straps are white.

Emblems for the branches of the military are only on shirt shoulder straps. The stars are golden. On the field uniform there are gray stars on the shoulder straps

From left to right: 1- Senior warrant officer of the ground forces. 2nd Warrant Officer of the Air Force. 3-Ensign of the airborne or military space forces. 4-Epaulette for a green warrant officer's shirt with the emblem of the military space forces. 5- Shoulder strap for the white shirt of a senior warrant officer with the emblem of motorized rifle troops.

Officers' rank insignia The Russian Army were introduced by Russian Presidential Decree No. 1010 of May 23, 1994, simultaneously with the introduction of the Russian Army uniform. There was no significant change in the officers' rank insignia. Only the size of the shoulder straps and shape have decreased, the colors of the shoulder straps have changed. The emblems of the military branches have changed. Now the shoulder strap does not reach the collar of the jacket, has a pentagonal shape and a button at the top. Shoulder strap width 5 cm, length 13.14 or 15 cm.

Shoulder strap colors:
*on a white shirt, white shoulder straps with colored gaps, golden emblems for the branches of the military and golden stars;
*on a green shirt, green shoulder straps with colored gaps, emblems for the branches of the military in golden color and golden stars;
*for an everyday jacket, a woolen jacket, an overcoat, a summer raincoat, a demi-season jacket, green shoulder straps with colored gaps, emblems for the branches of the military in golden color (where appropriate) and golden stars;
*on the ceremonial tunic, golden-colored shoulder straps with colored gaps and edging, golden stars;
*on a blue Air Force shirt, the shoulder straps are blue with blue highlights, golden Air Force emblems and golden stars;
*for a casual tunic, a woolen jacket, an overcoat, a summer raincoat, a demi-season jacket, the Air Force shoulder straps are blue with blue gaps, golden Air Force emblems (where required) and golden stars.
* on the field uniform, shoulder straps are the color of the uniform with stars of a dull gray color.

The number of gaps and stars has not changed. Also, as before, the stars of senior officers are larger than those of warrant officers and junior officers.

Junior officers - one star and one star:
1st Junior Lieutenant.
2nd Lieutenant.
3-Senior Lieutenant.
4-Captain.

Examples of officer's shoulder straps:

1st ceremonial shoulder strap of a captain of the ground forces. 2nd shoulder strap of a major in the Air Force, Aerospace Forces, Airborne Forces. 3rd parade shoulder strap of a colonel of the ground forces. 4-Everyday shoulder strap of a colonel of the ground forces. 5-Everyday shoulder strap of an Air Force major. 6-Everyday shoulder strap of a senior lieutenant of the Airborne Forces, VKS. 7-Lieutenant's shoulder straps to a white shirt with a combined arms emblem. 8-field shoulder strap of a lieutenant colonel. 9-Field shoulder strap of a lieutenant. 10-field shoulder strap of captain. 11-Lieutenant's shoulder straps to a green shirt with a combined arms emblem.

The ranks of senior officers with the creation of the Armed Forces of Russia (Decree of the President of Russia No. 466 of May 7, 1992) underwent significant changes. First of all, the ranks of marshals and chief marshals of the military branches were abolished, the title “Marshal of the Soviet Union” was abolished as meaningless. General ranks have lost the addition of the “general-……..artillery” type. This supplement was left only to the generals of the medical, veterinary and justice services. A new rank of “Marshal of the Russian Federation” was introduced

In connection with this, as well as in connection with the change in uniform (Decree of the President of Russia No. 1010 of May 23, 1994), in 1994 the shape, size of generals' shoulder straps and other insignia changed.

The color of the shoulder straps for the dress uniform for all is golden, the edging of the shoulder straps and sewn stars (diameter 22mm) is red for generals of the ground forces and blue for generals of aviation, airborne troops and military space forces.

The color of everyday shoulder straps for generals of the ground forces is green with red edging on the shoulder straps. For generals of the Airborne Forces and Aerospace Forces, the edging of the shoulder straps is blue with a green field.

The color of everyday shoulder straps of aviation generals is blue with blue edging

Green field shoulder straps of generals with green stars

Generals' shoulder straps for white shirts are white with golden embroidered stars. Green shirts have green shoulder straps with golden embroidered stars. Blue aviation shirts have blue shoulder straps with gold embroidered stars. Only generals of the medical, veterinary and justice services wear emblems on their shirt shoulder straps.

It should be noted that if earlier generals differed by branch of the military (for example, major general of the signal troops, lieutenant general of artillery, etc.), now the general ranks, as well as officer ranks, have become the same for all branches of the military and among themselves There is no difference in colors or emblems. All that remains is the color difference between the generals of the Airborne Forces and the Aerospace Forces, and in aviation, with the transition to the blue color of the uniform, the shoulder straps became blue.

Insignia of generals (sewn stars with a diameter of 22 m, arranged in one vertical row):
1 star - major general
2 stars - Lieutenant General
3 stars - Colonel General
1 large star and higher general arms emblem-army General
1 large star and higher double-headed eagle- Marshal of the Russian Federation

1st shoulder strap of Marshal of the Russian Federation. 2nd shoulder strap of an army general. 3rd Parade shoulder strap of Colonel General of Aviation, Airborne Forces, Aerospace Forces. 4-parade shoulder strap of a lieutenant general of the ground forces. 5-Everyday shoulder strap of a Marshal of the Russian Federation. 6-Everyday shoulder strap of an army general. 7-Everyday shoulder strap of a Colonel General. 8-Everyday shoulder strap of an aviation major general.9-Epaulette for the green shirt of a lieutenant general of the medical service. 10-Epaulette for the white shirt of the Lieutenant General of Justice. 11-Field shoulder strap of an army general. 12-Field shoulder strap of Lieutenant General.

By Decree of the President of Russia No. 48 of January 27, 1997. For army generals, shoulder straps with one large star and a general arms emblem were abolished, and ordinary general shoulder straps with four stars in one vertical row were introduced.

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, 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 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 ones 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, senior 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 is also 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, 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 field uniforms are not provided for 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 corresponding 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.

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 joyfully exclaimed 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 - 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 do not have any clear stripes on their shoulder straps; they have large stars 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 will be able to determine the military rank just by looking at the shoulder straps.