Every detail of the military uniform is endowed with practical meaning and appeared on it not by chance, but as a result of certain events. We can say that the elements of uniforms of military personnel have both historical symbolism and utilitarian purpose.
The appearance and development of shoulder straps in the Russian Empire
The opinion that epaulettes come from the part of knightly armor designed to protect the shoulders from a blow is one of the most common misconceptions. A simple study of the armor and army uniforms of the past, from the second half of the XII to the end of the XVII century, allows us to conclude that nothing like this existed in any army in the world. In Russia, even the strictly regulated form of archers did not have anything similar to protect their shoulders.
Epaulettes of the Russian army were first introduced by Emperor Peter I between 1683-1698 and were of purely utilitarian importance. Grenadier regiment soldiers and fusiliers used them as additional mounts for knapsacks or cartridge bags. Naturally, the epaulettes were worn exclusively by soldiers, and only on the left shoulder.
However, after 30 years, as the arms of service increase, this element spreads throughout the troops, serving as an identification mark of one or another regiment. In 1762, this function was officially assigned to epaulettes, starting to decorate the uniforms of officers with them. At that time, it was impossible to find a universal uniform of epaulettes 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 a regimental insignia in a more luxurious version - with gold and precious stones. Nowadays, epaulettes of the Russian army (pictures are presented below) are a desirable subject for collectors of military uniforms.
During the reign of Emperor Alexander I, shoulder straps take the form of a fabric valve with clear regulation of color, fixtures and decor, depending on the number of the regiment in the division. Shoulder straps of officers differ from soldiers only in lining with a gold cord (galloon) along the edge. When a satchel is introduced in 1803, there are 2 of them - one for each shoulder.
After 1854, the insignia began to decorate not only uniforms, but also raincoats and overcoats. Thus, the epaulets forever assigned the role of "qualifier of ranks." Towards the end of the 19th century, soldiers began to use a duffel bag instead of a satchel, and additional shoulder mounts were no longer required. Shoulder straps get rid of fastenings in the form of buttons and tightly sewn into the fabric.
After the collapse of the Russian Empire, and with it the tsarist army, epaulettes and epaulettes for several decades disappear from their military uniforms, recognized as a symbol of the "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 ranked the ranks and epaulets of the Russian army (imperial). On December 16, 1917, all previously existing army ranks and insignia were canceled by decrees of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars "On the elective beginning and organization of power in the army" and "On the equation in the rights of all military personnel". 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 in the army of the new country there was a strange mixture of military symbols. For example, the insignia in the form of red (revolutionary) color armbands with the inscription of a position similar to the stripe on the sleeves of a gymnast or overcoat, metal or cloth stars of different sizes on a headdress or chest are known.
Since 1924, in the Red Army, it was proposed to recognize the ranks of military personnel by the buttonholes on the gymnast's collar. The color of the field and the edging was determined by the type of troops, and the gradation was extensive. For example, infantry wore raspberry black buttonholes, cavalry blue and black, signalmen black and yellow, etc.
The buttonholes of the top commanders of the Red Army (general) had the color of the field according to the type of troops and were trimmed around the edge with a narrow golden cord.
In the field of buttonholes, copper figures covered in red enamel of various shapes were located, which made it possible to determine the rank of commander of the Red Army:
- Ordinary, junior command personnel - triangles with a side of 1 cm. They appeared only in 1941. And before that, soldiers of these ranks wore “empty” buttonholes.
- The average command is squares of 1 x 1 cm. In everyday life, they are often called "cubes" or "cubes."
- The senior command personnel are rectangles with sides 1.6 x 0.7 cm, called "sleepers".
- The highest command personnel are rhombs 1.7 cm high and 0.8 cm wide. Additional insignia for the commanders of these ranks were gold gal chevrons on the sleeves of uniforms. The political composition added to them large stars from red cloth.
- Marshals of the Soviet Union - 1 large gold star in buttonholes and on sleeves.
The number of characters ranged from 1 to 4 - the more, the higher the rank of commander.
The ranking system in the Red Army often underwent changes, which greatly confused the situation. Often due to interruptions in the supply of military personnel for months wore obsolete or even makeshift signs. However, the buttonhole system left its mark on the history of military uniforms. In particular, epaulettes in the Soviet army retained their colors according to the branches of the armed forces.
Shoulder straps in the Soviet army in 1943-1990
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, epaulettes and ranks returned to the life of servicemen. These insignia exist until the collapse of the USSR. The colors of the field and the edging, the shape and location of the stripes will change, but in general the system will remain unchanged, and subsequently, uniforms of the Russian army will be created according to similar principles.
The military 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. Epaulettes of non-combat units (justice, military veterinarians and doctors) were deliberately narrowed to 4.5 cm.
The definition of the type of troops was based on the color of the edging and gaps, as well as a stylized symbol on the lower or middle (for ordinary and junior compositions) parts of the epaulet. Their palette is less diverse than before 1943, but the main colors are preserved.
1. Edging (cord):
- Combined arms (military registration and enlistment offices, military institutions), infantry units, motorized rifles, commissary services - raspberry.
- Artillery, tank troops, military doctors - scarlet.
- The cavalry is blue.
- Aviation is blue.
- Other technical troops - black.
2. Enlightenment.
- Command (officer) staff - Bordeaux.
- Quartermaster, Justice, Technical, Medical, and Veterinary Services - Brown.
The military rank was designated with asterisks of different diameters - 13 mm for junior officers and 20 mm for senior officers. Marshals of the Soviet Union received 1 major star.
The shoulder straps of everyday wear had an embossed gold or silver field rigidly fixed on a solid cloth basis. They were also used in full dress, which the military put on for special occasions.
Field epaulettes for all officers were made of silk or khaki cloth with the appropriate title of edging, gaps and signs. At the same time, their pattern (texture) repeated the pattern on everyday uniforms.
From 1943 until the collapse of the USSR, military insignia and uniforms were subjected to repeated changes, among which the following are especially noteworthy:
1. As a result of the 1958 reform, officers' everyday shoulder straps began to be made of dark green cloth. For the distinction marks between cadets and ordinary personnel, only 3 colors were left: scarlet (combined arms, motorized infantry), blue (aviation, airborne forces), black (all other branches of the army). The gleams of officer epaulets could only be blue or red.
2. Since January 1973, the letters "SA" (Soviet Army) appeared on all types of shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants. A little later, the sailors and foremen of the fleet had the designations "SF", "TF", "BF" and "Black Sea Fleet" - the Northern Fleet, Pacific Fleet, Baltic and Black Sea Fleets, respectively. At the end of the same year, the letter "K" appears among cadets of military educational institutions.
3. The field form of the new model, called the "Afghan", came into use in 1985 and spread widely among members of the armed forces. Her peculiarity consisted in epaulettes-straps, which were an element of the jacket and had the same color with her. Those who wore the "Afghan" sewed on stripes and stars, and only the generals had special removable shoulder straps.
Shoulder straps of the Russian army. Key Reform Features
The USSR ceased to exist in the fall of 1991, and with it the epaulettes and ranks of the Soviet army disappeared . The creation of the Armed Forces of Russia began with Presidential Decree No. 466 of May 7, 1992. However, this act did not describe the shoulder straps of the Russian army. Until 1996, military personnel wore CA insignia. Moreover, confusion and confusion of characters met until 2000.
The military form of the Russian Federation was almost entirely developed on the Soviet heritage. However, the 1994-2000 reforms introduced several changes in it:
1. On the shoulder straps of the sergeant’s staff (foremen and sailors of the fleet), metal squares appeared with the sharp side up, instead of transverse bastards from the braid. In addition, fleet officers received a large letter "F" in their lower part.
2. Warrant officers and warrant officers had similar shoulder straps, trimmed with colored galloon, but without gaps. The long-standing struggle of this category of military personnel for the right to officer insignia was depreciated in one day.
3. The officers had almost no changes - the new shoulder straps of the Russian army designed for them were almost completely repeated by the Soviet. However, their sizes decreased: the width became 5 cm, and the length was 13-15 cm, depending on the type of clothing.
Currently, the ranks and epaulettes of the Russian army occupy a fairly stable position. The main reforms and the unification of the insignia have been completed, and in the coming decades the Russian army does not expect any significant changes in this area.
Cadets shoulder straps
Students of military (naval) educational institutions without fail wear daily and field uniforms on all kinds of their uniforms. Depending on the clothes (tunic, winter coat and overcoat) they can be sewn or removable (jackets, demi-season coats and shirts).
Cadets epaulets are strips of dense colored cloth, trimmed around the edge with a golden braid. On the field camouflage of army and aviation schools 15 mm from the lower edge, the yellow letter “K” with a height of 20 mm is mandatory sewn. For other types of educational institutions, the designations are as follows:
- IWC - Naval Cadet Corps.
- KK - Cadet Corps.
- N - Nakhimov School.
- The symbol of the anchor is the cadet of the fleet.
- IED - Suvorov School.
On the field of students' shoulder straps there are also metal or sewn-on squares facing with an acute angle up. Their thickness and brightness depend on the rank. The sample epaulette with the arrangement of signs presented below belongs to the cadet of a military university with the rank of sergeant.
In addition to shoulder straps, belonging to military educational institutions and the position of the cadet can be determined by the sleeve emblems with the emblem, as well as by the “insignia” - coal stripes on the sleeve, the number of which depends on the training time (year, two, etc.).
Shoulder straps of privates and sergeants
Privates in the ground army of Russia - this is the lowest military rank. In the Navy, he corresponds to the rank of a sailor. A conscientiously serving soldier can become a corporal, and on a ship, a senior sailor. Further, these military personnel are able to transfer to a sergeant rank for the ground forces or sergeant for the Navy.
Representatives of the lower military units of the army and navy wear shoulder straps of a similar pattern, the description of which is as follows:
- The upper part of the insignia has the shape of a trapezoid, within which there is a button.
- The field color of the shoulder strap of the RF Armed Forces has a dark green color for everyday uniforms and camouflage for the field. 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 a white cord.
- At the bottom of everyday epaulettes, 15 mm from the edge, there are letters “Armed Forces” (Armed Forces) or “F” (fleet) of golden color. Field do without such "excesses."
- Depending on the rank within the ranks of the rank-and-file and sergeant formations, acute-angled stitches are attached to shoulder straps. Their number and thickness is greater, the higher the position of a soldier. On the uniform of the foreman (the highest rank of sergeant staff) is also the emblem of the troops.
Separately, we should mention the warrant officers and warrant officers, whose precarious position between the rank and file and officers is fully reflected in their insignia. For them, the shoulder straps of the Russian army of a new model seem to consist of 2 parts:
1. Soldier "field" without gaps, sheathed with colored galloon.
2. Officer stars on the central axis: 2 for the ordinary ensign, 3 - for the senior. A similar number of characters is provided simply to midshipmen and senior midshipmen.
Shoulder straps of junior officers
The lower officers begin with the second lieutenant, and the captain completes it. Stars on uniform, their number, size and location are identical for the ground forces and the Navy.
Younger officers are distinguished by one clearance and from 1 to 4 stars in 13 mm each along the central axis. In accordance with the 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 gleams by the type of troops, emblems and stars of gold color.
- For a blue shirt of the Air Force (aviation) and everyday upper uniform - epaulets of blue color with a blue clearance, an emblem and asterisks of golden color.
- For the formal tunic of any kind of troops - the insignia of silver color with colored gaps, galloon and gold stars.
- For the field uniform (only aircraft) - camouflage epaulettes-straps without gaps, with gray stars.
Thus, for junior officers, there are 3 types of epaulettes - field, everyday and formal, which they use depending on the type of wearable uniform. The naval officers have only casual and ceremonial.
Shoulder straps of average officers
The aircraft rank group begins with a major and ends with a colonel, and in the Navy - from a captain of rank 3 to a captain of rank 1, respectively. Despite the differences in the name of the ranks, the principles of construction and arrangement of the insignia remain almost identical.
The epaulettes of the Russian army and navy for the medium composition have the following distinctive features:
- In everyday and ceremonial versions, texture (embossing) is more pronounced, almost aggressive.
- On the shoulder straps there are 2 gaps remote from the edges by 15 mm and from each other by 20 mm. In the field, they are absent.
- The size of the stars is 20 mm, and their number varies from 1 to 3, depending on the rank. On shoulder straps of the field form, their color is muted from golden to silver.
Mid-range officers also have 3 types of epaulettes - field, casual and ceremonial. Moreover, the latter have a rich golden color and are sewn only on a tunic. For wearing on a white shirt (summer version of the uniform), white shoulder straps with standard symbols of distinction are provided.
According to the polls, the major, whose stars on the epaulettes are lonely (and it is very difficult to make a mistake in determining the rank), is the most recognizable soldier in that part of the population that is in no way connected with the military sphere.
Shoulder straps of senior officers
The highest category of military personnel, the so-called general, epaulettes of the Russian army and navy cease to duplicate each other. Noticeable differences appear.
Ranks in the ground forces have undergone significant changes in 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 halted the division of generals by combat arms. Following these adjustments, uniforms and uniforms (uniform, size and insignia) were subjected.
Currently, officers of the highest echelon wear the following types of uniform:
1. Ceremonial - a golden color field on which embroidered stars are located in an amount corresponding to the rank. The generals of the army and marshals of the Russian Federation have the arms of the army and the country in the upper third of the epaulettes. The 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 field color is blue for senior aviation officers, airborne and airborne forces, for others it is green. There is a cord edging, only the General of the Army and the Marshal of the Russian Federation also have a star outline.
3. Field - a khaki-colored field, not camouflage, like other categories of officers. Stars and coats of arms are green, a few tones darker than the background. No color edging.
Separately, it is worth stopping at the stars that adorn the epaulettes of the general. For marshals of the country and army generals, their size is 40 mm. Moreover, the latter symbol has a silver top substrate. Stars of all other officers are smaller - 22 mm.
The rank of a soldier, as a general rule, is determined by the number of characters. In particular, the shoulder straps of the major general are decorated with 1 star, the lieutenant general - 2, and the colonel general - 3. Moreover, the first of those listed is ranked lower than all 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 over part of their functions.
Shoulder straps of senior naval officers
The leadership of the naval forces of the Russian Federation is represented by such titles as Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral and Fleet Admiral. Since the field form is not provided for in the Navy, these ranks are worn only for everyday or ceremonial epaulets, which have the following features:
1. The color of the solemn variant field is golden with a zigzag embossing. A shoulder strap at the same time frames the black edging. In everyday uniforms, colors change places - a black field and a gold cord around the edge.
2. Senior naval officers may wear epaulets on white or cream shirts. The epaulette field corresponds to the color of the clothes, and there is no edging.
3. The number of embroidered stars on uniform depends on the rank of a military man and increases depending on his increase. The main difference between them and similar signs in the ground forces is a substrate of silver rays. Traditionally, the largest star (40 mm) at the fleet admiral.
When dividing the troops into the Navy and the Armed Forces, it is assumed that some float, while others move along the ground or, in extreme cases, through the air. But in fact, the naval forces are heterogeneous and, in addition to naval commands, include coastal forces and naval aviation. This division could not but affect the epaulettes, and if the former are attributed to land forces and have the corresponding insignia, then with naval pilots everything is much more complicated.
Top naval officers, on the one hand, carry ranks similar to the generals of the Armed Forces. On the other hand, their uniforms correspond to the uniform established for the Navy. They are distinguished only by the blue color of the edging and the star without a radiation substrate with the appropriate design. For example, the parade uniform of the Major General of Marine Deck Aviation has a gold field with an azure border around the edge and a star outline.
In addition to the epaulettes and uniforms themselves, military personnel are distinguished by many other insignia, including sleeve insignia and chevrons, cockades on hats, symbols of the military branches in buttonholes and breast symbols (signs). Together, they can provide the informed person with basic information about the military person - the type of army, rank, term and place of service, the estimated scope of authority.
Unfortunately, most people fall into the category of "uninformed", so they pay attention to the most noticeable detail of the form. Shoulder straps of the Russian army in this matter are quite grateful material. They are not overloaded with unnecessary symbols and are of the same type for different types of troops.