In all states, it is customary to reward people whose most of their lives have been devoted to work in state and military structures. In the USSR, medals “For Impeccable Service” were established to reward servicemen whose service life was 10, 15, or 20 years.
Awards of Tsarist Russia
The tradition of representing officers who have served more than 25 years for the award was introduced by Catherine II. In 1769, the Statute of the Order of St. George the Victorious was issued, where the fifth article stated that, since not every officer can get into a situation “where his jealousy and courage can shine”, these awards of the IV degree were received by those who either served 25 years in the field service, or took part in at least 18 naval campaigns. However, in 1855, the Order of St. George of the IV degree was canceled by registered decree, and the Order of St. Vladimir of the IV degree was also awarded for 25 years of service, while now it was possible to receive it not only military officers, but also cool civilian ranks.
Service awards in the USSR
In the Soviet Union, they began to submit for a long service in the Red Army in 1944. Decrees on such awards were issued on June 4 for members of the Red Army, September 25 for the Navy and October 2 for employees of the NKGB and NKVD. But since military orders were used for rewarding , this led to the depreciation of their significance. For example, the Order of the Red Banner - one of the most honorable military awards - was awarded about 300,000 times for its length of service. In this regard, such awards in the period from 1954 to 1957 were discontinued. But already in 1958, it was decided to assign the USSR medal “For Impeccable Service” to military personnel and employees of law enforcement agencies, whose length of service was more than 10 years.
Who honored
Representatives of the Russian Federation officially appointed to government service represent the award. Medals “For Impeccable Service” are awarded to servicemen of the Navy, the Soviet Army, troops and bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Committee, who have served in these units for at least 10 years and have no penalties for the period of service. Presentation is based on the Decree, which governs the assignment of orders and medals. The award is presented by the Minister of Defense and is distinguished as follows: the medal "For Impeccable Service" 3 degrees, 2 and 1.
Award Order
The lists of awarded persons are compiled on the basis of decrees approved by the ministers of defense in the regions. Medals “For excellent service” of the first degree are awarded to citizens whose service life has exceeded 20 years and who do not have current penalties or other shortcomings in their performance. The second-degree medal is awarded to persons who have served for 15 years. The medal “For Impeccable Service” of 3 degrees is awarded to citizens whose service life has exceeded 10 years. Moreover, if the service life is more than 15 or 20 years for the award period, then a medal of 2 or 1 degree can be awarded, bypassing the rest. Applications for the award will be submitted until May 10. Awarding the medal “For Impeccable Service” occurs, as a rule, on November 7 or February 23. The award is considered departmental, worn on the left side and, in the presence of other medals of the USSR and the Russian Federation, is located after them.
Appearance
The medal is a circle whose diameter is 32 millimeters. In the center of the front part there is a five-pointed star, from under the concave angles of which beams of rays diverge. Rays can be either sharp or dull. In the center of the star, around the circumference of which there is a laurel wreath, there are a sickle and a hammer. For all departments, the front side has the same pattern. An exception is the Merit Medal issued by the GB Committee. On its obverse between the lower rays of the star are the Roman numerals XX, XV and X, respectively, on medals of 1, 2 and 3 degrees.
With the help of a ring and an eyelet, the medal is attached to a pentagonal block covered with red moire ribbon, the width of which is 24 millimeters. A narrow green stripe runs along the edge of the tape. In the center are narrow yellow stripes. The 1st degree medal has one, the 2nd degree award has two. The medal "20 years of excellent service" has three golden yellow stripes on a moire ribbon.
Production material
Medals of the 1st degree, issued during 1958-1965, were made of silver. Later reward samples were made of silver plated brass or tompac. A distinctive feature of the 1st degree medal was the surface of the star covered with red enamel. Awards of the 2nd degree were also made of brass and nickel silver, while their surface, with the exception of the star, was covered with silver. Silver medals of 3 degrees are absent. The reverse of the medals differs for each of the three (Armed Forces, Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB) departments.
Some more facts
Today, the medal “For Impeccable Service” exists in Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus, but their appearance differs from the Russian award. The Ukrainian award looks like a cross located on a blue ribbon. The Kazakh award, which was established in 2002, like the Russian one, has a round shape. Like the medal of the Russian Federation, on the obverse it has a laurel wreath and a five-pointed star, but there is also an inscription in the Kazakh language. The medal is attached to a blue ribbon with yellow stripes. The Belarusian award has a green sash.
Despite the fact that the units of the Ministry of Emergencies are equal to the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, their employees cannot receive the medal “For Impeccable Service”. And all because the management of the Ministry of Emergencies of the Russian Federation in 2010 approved its own award, bearing the same name. However, its appearance is significantly different from the government medal. On the obverse, instead of a five-pointed star, the Ministry of Emergencies logo. It is in connection with the release of its own departmental medal that the awarding of employees of various services of the Ministry of Emergencies occurs separately from the rest of the military.
And finally, some information for collectors. In the USSR, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Union Republics wore different insignia, including this medal. Since 1960, medals of the Ministries of the Interior: Moldavian, Lithuanian, Tajik and Armenian SSRs have been issued for merits and excellent service in some republics. Subsequently (in 1962), the ministries of the republican air forces were transformed into MOOPs (ministries of public order protection) and the issuance of medals was already started indicating these departments. However, in 1970 an order was issued to hand over the MOOP medals for remelting, which makes them, from the point of view of faleristics, much more valuable. So, for example, the Lithuanian and Tajik medals “For Impeccable Service” are considered quite rare, the price of which varies from ten to twenty seven thousand rubles. On average, collectors, depending on the year of release and departmental affiliation, can offer from one to seven thousand rubles. The highest demand medals of the 1st degree of 1958 by the KGB of the USSR. For them, they can offer from four to seven thousand rubles.