Shoulder straps are an essential attribute of any military or law enforcement officer in most countries of the world. How long have they appeared in Russia? How to distinguish them depending on the specific military rank? Do military uniforms differ from those worn by law enforcement officers? Are there any state standards governing the appearance of insignia in the army and in law enforcement? In this article we will try to give an answer to all these questions, along the way we will analyze how the mentioned attributes of the uniform of junior and senior command personnel look, including the epaulets of the major. Photos will also be presented.
History of Army Insignia
A number of historians agree that before the army, which functions on a regular basis, appeared in Russia, the external difference in military ranks had very few criteria. Senior and junior ranks differed except in the fact that they were covered with clothes and the type of weapon. Some modernization occurred during the time of Peter the Great. Officers began to wear gorget (badges in the form of a scarf, which was attended by elements of state heraldry). At the beginning of the 19th century, uniforms were introduced in the Russian army that were similar in design to modern ones (“uniforms”). Hats appeared emphasizing the difference in military ranks. Epaulettes gradually came into fashion. For officers, they were the same color as the uniform, and for generals they had golden hues. Some examples of epaulettes made it possible to distinguish, say, the chief and headquarters officers. True, this insignia did not say anything about military ranks.
In the 1920s, stars appeared on the military uniform of Russian soldiers. One meant that the military had the rank of ensign, two - major, three - lieutenant colonel, four - staff captain. The colonels, however, wore epaulettes on which there were no stars at all. In the 1840s, non-commissioned officers acquired insignia in the form of transverse stripes, somewhat similar to sergeants in the Soviet Army.
Epaulettes and stars in a more or less modern form appeared in Russia in the middle of the XIX century. Some historians attribute their appearance to the introduction of a new type of clothing - a camping overcoat. Epaulettes on which galloons and stars were sewn (it is noteworthy that all officers, including the highest ranks, their size was the same), fastened on the shoulders of the uniform.
After the 1917 revolution, stars and epaulettes, as one of the symbols of the tsarist regime, were abolished. But over time, the military leadership of the USSR began to return to historical signs of distinction. First, stripes appeared on the sleeves, and in 1943, shoulder straps. Photo and video materials of those years allow to study in detail their features.
Shoulder straps in the army of the USSR
In January 1943, the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the introduction of epaulettes for the Red Army was adopted. From that moment, this insignia was certainly present on the clothes of Soviet soldiers, and then Russian. Many historians agree that the appearance of epaulettes in the USSR could be considered a sensation: in the relatively recent - relative to that moment - historical retrospective, this element of military clothing was openly despised by the Bolsheviks, as it was strongly associated with tsarism. Two types of epaulettes appeared in the Red Army (just like in the imperial one, by the way): for wearing in the field and everyday. The former were distinguished by camouflage color (“khaki”), trimmed with colored piping.
The epaulettes intended for everyday wear housed an emblem corresponding to the military branch, as well as brass buttons. Badges of rank and file composition sometimes contained the number of the military unit. One of the fundamental differences, according to a number of military historians, between the tsarist and Soviet epaulets - in the size of asterisks. In the USSR they were larger.
Some historians note the following fact: from the moment the epaulettes were introduced into the USSR into the military’s speech, the forgotten word “officer”, which was actively used under the tsarist regime, gradually began to return. Under Soviet rule, this category of military was called the command and command structure. Sometimes the expression "commander of the Red Army" was used.
Legally, the term "officer" was not enshrined in the Soviet Union. At first it was used unofficially, in oral conversations. But over time, he entered the army workflow on a completely official basis. True, as historians note, in some orders as early as 1942 the word "officer" was still present.
Stars on uniform
In the army of the Russian Empire, in the Soviet troops (after 1943) and in the modern armed forces of the Russian Federation, stars are one of the main elements on uniform. At different time periods, their shape and color may vary. There were pure gold stars on epaulettes, silver, metal. At the time of approval in 1943, they were flat, and only over the years acquired a three-dimensional shape - they became ribbed, with corrugation elements. The diameter of the large elements is 20 mm, small - 13 mm. At first, the Soviet army was supplied with brass stars, later - with aluminum. Until the beginning of the 80s they had a silver color, then a golden color (with the exception of stars for field epaulets - they were dark green and were made of steel).
These features of army stars, formed in the Soviet years, remain relevant for modern Russian troops. Changes, if any, are small. Sometimes in the army of the Russian Federation there are stars of a protective color or ordinary green. Even parts made of metal now in most cases have smooth edges. Among other noteworthy innovations are “false poshogony”, on which various elements, including stars, are painted. Their use is almost always limited to the field form. According to some military experts, the “false poshony” appealed to the soldiers because of the convenience - ordinary metal stars could cling to backpacks, waistcoats, shine in the sun and thereby give out a soldier to the enemy.
The main formats of military shoulder straps in the Russian Federation
The appearance of shoulder straps of modern Russian officers was first approved by the Decree of the President of the country in 1994 and a similar legal act in 2010 (and its subsequent editions). The symbolism characteristic of the Soviet era (hammer and sickle, coat of arms of the USSR) was replaced by Russian. According to the standards adopted at the highest state level, shoulder straps should have a rectangular shape (the upper edge is in the form of a trapezoid), have a color - golden or matching the uniform tones. On the shoulder straps of various departments there is a edging of a certain color. Also, a button is present on these attributes of the form.
In the Airborne Forces, the Air Force of the Russian Federation, and the space forces, shoulder straps are equipped with a blue edging. In the FSB, the Special Objects Service and the Federal Guard Service, this element on uniform is not at all or it is cornflower blue.
A distinctive feature are the shoulder straps of the Marshal of the Russian Federation - on their longitudinal line of the axis is a star, and the edging is red.
Stars on the insignia of soldiers of the modern army of the Russian Federation are also located in accordance with the standards. The uniform of the army general is distinguished by one star, the size of which is larger than that of lower-ranking officers whose rank contains the word "general". The color of the edging depends on the type of troops. A similar format is the epaulettes of fleet admirals. They have one star, larger in size than those located on the insignia of the vice and rear admirals.
Epaulettes approved in the Russian Federation have such an element as clearance. Their number depends on the rank of a soldier. The shoulder straps of the colonel of the Russian army and the major contain two gaps. Captain, lieutenant - one.
The rank and file of the Russian army
The lowest military rank approved in the Russian army is private. It was officially secured in 1946, before the soldiers were called soldiers or Red Army soldiers. Sometimes, when addressing a soldier, other words are added. For example, ordinary justice (if we are talking about a compulsory reserve). In the Navy, an analogue of the rank of private is a sailor. Soldiers who have achieved some success in performing military service may receive the rank of corporal (in the navy - the senior sailor). In the absence of superior commanders, they can control a platoon of privates (sailors). How to determine both military ranks by epaulettes? Very simple: the private on the insignia has the abbreviation BC and there are no additional elements. The corporal has a tag.
The next rank for rank and file is Junior Sergeant. As a rule, corporals receive it for any merits or good discipline, sometimes when they are dismissed from the army. In the fleet, the rank of junior sergeant corresponds to the rank of foreman of the second article. A soldier can be promoted to sergeant. The same title can get a cadet of a military school. A rank higher in the ground forces is foreman. An interesting fact is that this title and the exact same sound in the Navy is not the same thing. In the ground forces, the foreman is considered two steps higher than the sergeant. On ships - otherwise. There, a foreman is called a military officer, corresponding in rank to a land sergeant. Higher in the ground forces is a senior sergeant. In the Navy, he is the main ship foreman. Further, a soldier of the Russian army can rise to the rank of ensign (in the navy - the midshipman), and after that - gain the title of "senior".
On the shoulder straps of the younger sergeant there is an abbreviation of the aircraft and two reds. The sergeant has three, the elder has one wide little string. The foreman wears epaulets with one wide and one narrow strap. Warrant officers and warrant officers wear two stars on shoulder straps, three in the rank of elders. The location of the stars on the shoulder straps is in one row.
Junior officers
The junior officer corps refers to the totality of army ranks, ranging from a junior lieutenant (who is considered higher in rank than a warrant officer) to a captain (lower in rank than a major). Often, military personnel present in battalion units, platoons and companies are also referred to as junior officers. Graduates of military universities (or students of the last courses of these institutions) can be promoted to junior lieutenant. In some cases (for example, if there are not enough officers to complete a certain group of tasks), this rank may be assigned to a graduate of a regular civilian higher education institution. However, the rank of lieutenant can only be received by the soldier who served in the army. Similarly, the military rank of senior lieutenant. Junior officers include soldiers with the rank of captains.
An interesting fact is that it is the location of the stars on the shoulder straps, and not their number, that distinguishes junior officers from representatives of the rank and file of the army. Here are some examples. The lieutenant's epaulettes contain only two stars, while a soldier with a rank lower than that of a senior warrant officer has three. However, the officer’s stars are located in the neighborhood and across the epaulette. At the same time as the ensign - in a line along. The senior lieutenant has three stars, they are arranged in a triangle, the distance of the stars on uniform is the same. The captain, in turn, has four stars. Three of them are in the form of a triangle, and one more of the same size captain's shoulder straps fit in an area that is closer to the collar of the uniform. The junior lieutenant wears epaulets with one star in the middle of the epaulet (slightly closer to the edge relative to the middle).
Senior officers
A soldier who has received the rank of major may rank himself as a senior officer. An interesting fact is that words uttered additionally when referring to a military officer of this rank in the reserve may coincide with those used when referring to an ordinary. The captain of the ground forces in the Russian fleet corresponds to a rank with a similar sound, but the phrase “third rank” is added. Above the major is the lieutenant colonel (in the navy - the captain of the second rank), then - the colonel (in the Navy - the captain of the first rank).
If, when comparing the insignia for junior officers and the rank and file of the army, the decisive role was played by the location of the stars on uniform, then for the older category of officers, the size of these elements is decisive. Here are some examples. The junior lieutenant has one star on his shoulder straps. Major superior to him several degrees in rank also has one star. But they differ in size. Major's shoulder straps are decorated with a larger star. The insignia of lieutenant and lieutenant colonel are likewise correlated. Both have two stars. But the senior officer has a lot more.
In exactly the same way, one can distinguish the epaulettes of the colonel of the Russian army and the similar insignia of the senior lieutenant. Both have three stars. The junior officer wears those that are much smaller. The distance of the stars on uniform is the same. By the way, the captain's epaulettes are unique in their own way. Only four stars are present on them. None of the officers have more or the same amount. As for the comparison of epaulettes of servicemen of various ranks in the navy, the exact same rules apply.
Senior officers
At the top of the hierarchy of ranks in the army of the Russian Federation is the senior officer corps. The first step is occupied by Major General (Rear Admiral corresponds to him in the Navy). These are officers who command divisions, the number of which exceeds 150 thousand soldiers. This is followed by the lieutenant general (and this despite the fact that in the lower officer ranks the major is more important than the lieutenant). Historically, the lieutenant general assumed functions of a higher level (for example, a part of those under the authority of an army general). In some cases, a representative of the senior officers of the Russian Armed Forces may be appointed to the position of the General Staff or the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. As a rule, servicemen of this category carry the rank of colonel general. In the fleet, their ranks correspond to them. The officer at the highest level in the armed forces of the Russian Federation is the Army General, and in the Navy, the Fleet Admiral.
To correctly distinguish the ranks of senior officers from junior and senior, you need to take into account many nuances: the location of the stars on uniform, their size and even color. There are options when it is difficult to make a mistake, for example, if the colonel wears epaulettes. How many stars on his epaulettes, we have already noted above - three. The same is with the senior lieutenant, but their size is smaller. Both military men have a triangle — no one else has such an arrangement. There is a high probability of mistakes when recognizing the shoulder straps of a major general. They have one star. Major's epaulets also contain a single asterisk. The same situation is with the attributes of the uniform of the second lieutenant. The highest officer can be accurately recognized by the absence of other elements (strips) on his uniform. Another example is the lieutenant general. The military epaulettes in this rank contain two stars located along. In the same way as the ensign. But the senior officer has more stars. A similar example is Colonel General. His epaulettes contain three stars - as much as the senior warrant officer. The difference is the same size.
Shoulder straps in the police of the Russian Federation
Ranking by rank and using shoulder straps as insignia is used not only in the army of the Russian Federation, but also in law enforcement agencies, including the police. Due to some similarity of activities - military and law enforcement, the principles of the location of stars and other elements on uniform in the police in general are similar to those characteristic of the Russian army.
The rank and file of the police does not have any elements on uniform. An exception is the insignia of cadets who have the letter “K” on them. Above the rank and file in the police ranks are the junior commanding officers, represented by sergeants, foremen and ensigns. The key element in the insignia characteristic of these ranks is the Lyrics and asterisks. Sergeants, regardless of level, have no stars. The younger ones have two thin strings, the sergeants have three, the elders have one wide.
The foreman of the police owns epaulets with one wide longitudinal strip. The insignia of the ensign is characterized by the presence of asterisks: the usual two, the oldest three. They are located in a row. The middle commanding staff is represented by the ranks from junior police lieutenant to captain. Their epaulettes are characterized by the presence of a "gap" - a red strip running in the middle. There are asterisks: the junior lieutenant has one, the ordinary - two, the senior - three. Epaulettes of a police captain contain four stars. Next in rank is the senior commanding staff. Shoulder straps of this category of police officers contain two “gaps”. Ranks differ in the number of stars. On the shoulder straps of the major - one. The lieutenant colonel has two. The colonel's epaulettes contain three stars. The highest commanding police are the generals. They wear epaulets without “gaps”, with stars of a larger size than that of medium-sized officers. - – . : - , - – .
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Igor Sergeyev was born in the USSR, in 1938. He served in the Armed Forces of the USSR since 1955. In 1960, he joined the Rocket Forces, where he went from the head of the department to the post of Commander-in-Chief. In 1973 he graduated with honors from the Military Academy. Dzerzhinsky, in 1980 - the Military Academy of the General Staff of the USSR. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, he continued to serve in the army of the Russian Federation. In the period from 1992 to 1997, he commanded the missile forces of the country. He improved the level of combat training of troops, provided technical equipment. He supervised the introduction of new missile systems into the army. In May 1997, he was appointed Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation. He was a member of the Security Council, the Presidium of the Government of Russia. In November, Igor Sergeyev was awarded the title of Marshal of the Russian Federation. Until now, none of the Russian military has been awarded him. In 2001, Igor Sergeyev resigned and became an assistant to the President in resolving issues related to strategic stability. He worked in the field of negotiation processes on missile defense systems, strategic weapons, and nuclear non-proliferation issues. He held the position until March 2004. After a long illness, he passed away on November 10, 2006. In the Donetsk region (Ukraine) a memorial plaque dedicated to Igor Sergeyev was installed.