Star standards for police shoulder straps. Russian police shoulder straps. Shoulder straps and ranks of Russian police officers

The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation is responsible for control and supervision of the implementation of punishments. It has its own seal, uniform, main and special titles. Each employee receives shoulder straps from the Federal Penitentiary Service in accordance with his rank and position in the system. They are subject to a number of requirements, including regarding the position of stars, emblems and other elements.

Each employee is required to wear, along with his uniform, shoulder straps corresponding to his special rank. A certain ranking is typical for both the army, the police, and in general, the arrangement of shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service is quite standard.

Ordinary employees do not have any special distinctive elements. For the rest, the characteristic insignia remains stars and stripes, the number of gaps and their location, as well as the size of the stars (the highest ranks in the FSIN system have large stars on their shoulder straps, while the rest have small ones).

Features of shoulder straps

Shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service can be everyday or for ceremonial wear, as well as plastic and sewn on. The distance between the stars and their color design are somewhat different from the usual ones. Depending on the affiliation of a particular employee, different requirements are imposed on shoulder straps:

  1. For the uniform of privates, as well as commanding officers (from junior to senior), the width for all types and varieties of shoulder straps is 5 cm with a gap width of 30 mm and an edge width of 25 mm. This applies to shoulder straps with a tucked edging, as well as those with a rounded top edge.
  2. For the uniform of the highest authorities of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation, removable shoulder straps 4.5 cm wide may be provided, in which there is no edging and the upper edge is rounded.
  3. Cadets of this structure wear shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the distance of which is as follows: the width is 5 cm, of which 25 mm are on the edging, 50 mm are on the golden stripes running in the longitudinal direction.
  4. For employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service, with the exception of the top management of the structure, it is possible to wear shoulder straps, the upper edge of which has a triangular shape, their width is 4.5 cm.

Emblem position

On shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the emblem must be located directly on their axis, moving away from the button at a distance of 5 mm. This is stated in the relevant documents and instructions.

In another embodiment, the emblem can be worn in the collar area, and its vertical axis must have a strictly parallel position relative to the collar's rise.

Shoulder straps for senior ranks in the FSIN system

Representatives of senior management in the penitentiary system must wear shoulder straps that meet all basic requirements:

  1. As part of the ceremonial clothing on the tunic, there are sewn-on products, which are made of a special golden material; they differ from other types with a maroon edge. The shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the distance between the stars and other elements must be strictly maintained both on everyday uniforms and on dress uniforms.
  2. As part of the everyday uniform, on the tunic, as well as on items of outerwear, including coats, there are sewn-type products in which a separate field of material with a blue-gray weave is highlighted, the edges on them are painted maroon.
  3. For woolen jumpers, as well as insulated and woolen jackets, appropriate products for the Federal Penitentiary Service are required of a removable type, on which a field of blue-gray material is provided, with an edge painted in maroon.
  4. For white and gray employee shirts, special removable products are provided, on which the field can be made of shirt fabric or from traditional material, they also have golden embroidery, in addition, they always have a traditional maroon edge.
  5. For camouflage jackets, there are special removable products, on which the field is made of gray-blue material; in principle, there is no edge highlighting on them.

By these characteristic features of shoulder straps, you can recognize representatives of the highest authorities in the penitentiary system. The distance of the stars on the shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service and their number, as in all law enforcement agencies, reflect the rank of their bearer.

Shoulder straps for middle ranks and junior employees in the FSIN system

The requirements for shoulder straps for representatives of middle ranks and junior employees in the penal system are as follows:

  1. For ceremonial uniforms, there are sewn-on products that have a field of golden braid; both the edging and the gaps on them are speckled.
  2. For everyday clothes and jackets, as well as coats, sewn-on products are suggested, where the field of braid has a characteristic blue-gray color, the edgings and gaps on them are painted speckled.
  3. For insulated and wool jackets, a variety of removable products has been developed, which uses a field of blue-gray galloon and speckled dyeing for edging and gaps.
  4. For uniform shirts, regardless of their color, removable products have been developed, where the field can be made of shirt fabric or braid of the appropriate color, the edging and gaps on them are also maroon.
  5. Wool sweaters and camouflage jackets require removable shoulder straps and are made from materials similar to the outside of the garment itself.

Shoulder straps of junior and ordinary commanding staff of the Federal Penitentiary Service

  • for winter coats, as well as tunics and dress uniforms, everyday uniforms, sewn-on shoulder straps with a blue-gray braid on top are required, their edging has a speckled coloring;
  • for insulated jackets, shoulder straps of a removable type are assumed, where the piping has a traditional maroon coloring, and the field has a blue-gray color;
  • for shirts, regardless of their color, shoulder straps of a removable type are required, the field of which will have a corresponding gray or white coloring, made of shirt fabric or galloon, and they also have a maroon edging;
  • For woolen sweaters and camouflage jackets, removable shoulder straps have been developed, which are sewn from the same material as the item of clothing.

Cadets studying in the field of FSIN

Separate requirements are also stipulated for the shoulder straps of cadets in the penal system who are trained in the relevant educational institutions. The following rules apply to them:

  • for an insulated jacket, you need removable shoulder straps with blue-gray braid, where there is a maroon edging and longitudinal gold stripes;
  • the jacket requires sewn shoulder straps with a speckled edging, along which there are golden longitudinal stripes against a background of a gray field;
  • for gray shirts, removable shoulder straps with speckled edging and longitudinal gold stripes have been developed;
  • for woolen sweaters and camouflage jackets, fabric shoulder straps are provided, which are made from the same material as the item of clothing itself.

Types and location of stars

Depending on the assigned rank, the following plates (stripes) or stars are used on the shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service:

  • among higher ranks you can see corresponding stars with a maroon edge on shoulder straps with a golden field;
  • its size for senior management, if it is embroidered, is 22 mm;
  • The size of its senior management made of metal is 20 mm;
  • its size for the average composition is 13 mm;
  • The plate size is 20 mm in width;
  • the size of a similar sergeant strip is 10 mm.

It is important to note that these stripes, for example for the shoulder straps of a FSIN sergeant, can be black in color (for camouflage jackets) or golden in color.

Location of stars

Among the main requirements, there is not only a certain set of elements on the shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, but also the distance between the stars and plates relative to each other and the edge of the shoulder strap.

For all types of products, the FSIN has established the following distance between stars:

  • employees with the rank of Colonel General are provided with 3 stars, and they are located strictly along the axis;
  • employees are provided with 2 stars, located strictly along the axis;
  • employees with the rank of major general are provided with 1 star, which is also located on the longitudinal axis;
  • employees with the rank of colonel have a total of 3 stars: one of them is on the center line, the other two are in the middle between the edge and the center line, symmetrically;
  • employees with the rank of lieutenant colonel have 2 stars, each of which is located in the middle part of the field between the edge and the axis, symmetrically to each other;
  • for employees with the rank of major - 1 star, strictly on the center line;
  • for the captain, 4 stars are provided: two of them are located on the sides relative to the longitudinal axis, two more - strictly on the center line;
  • a senior lieutenant can be recognized by three stars: 2 of them are located on either side of the center line, the third lies on it;
  • The FSIN looks like this: 2 stars on each shoulder strap, they are located on both sides of the center line;
  • The junior lieutenant has one star, lying on the longitudinal axis of the shoulder strap.

Location of metal strips

Metal plates should be located depending on the rank as follows:

  • for the sergeant major - a wide stripe along the axis;
  • for a senior sergeant - a wide strip across the longitudinal axis;
  • for a sergeant - 3 narrow stripes across the longitudinal axis;
  • for junior sergeant - 2 narrow stripes across the longitudinal axis.

The distance from the edge and other elements on the shoulder strap for stars and plates is strictly regulated depending on the rank of the employee.

Which turned out to be more convenient and practical. Compared to the previous one, it began to look more dignified and respectable. And this is important, because good relationships between people and representatives of law enforcement agencies will depend, among other things, on the positive perception of their appearance, and not just their professional qualities.

The changes also affected police insignia, including shoulder straps. The shoulder straps now have curved stripes, but their meaning has been preserved since Soviet times.

A brief history of insignia on police uniforms

Some historians agree that until the time when armed forces operating on a regular basis were able to appear in our country, military ranks had little difference. Thus, among senior and junior ranks, differences could only be detected in the cut of the uniform and type of weapon.

Some modernization was carried out during the reign of Peter I. The officers of that time began to wear gorgets, which were scarf-type breastplates with elements of state heraldry. By the beginning of the 19th century, innovations were introduced into the Russian army in the form of uniforms, outwardly similar to the current ones (“tailcoats”).

There was an appearance of headdresses that began to emphasize the difference in military ranks. Little by little, epaulettes began to become common among military fashionistas. The officer's epaulettes were made in the same color as the uniform itself, while the general's epaulettes were distinguished by golden shades.

In the early 20s of the 19th century, the military uniform of Russian soldiers began to be distinguished by the appearance of stars. The presence of one asterisk could mean that the serviceman is a warrant officer, two - a major, three - a lieutenant colonel, four - a staff captain. But the colonel wore epaulettes that had no stars at all. Since 1840, non-commissioned officers began to have something similar to insignia. These were transverse stripes, somewhat similar to sergeant stripes from the times of the Soviet Union.

The appearance of an analogue of the first shoulder straps

Something similar to shoulder straps with stars of more or less modern designs began to appear in the Russian state from the middle of the 19th century. Some historians associate their emergence with the introduction of new models of military uniforms, and specifically with the overcoat that is now familiar to us all. Shoulder straps with sewn braid and stars were fixed in the shoulder area on the uniform. The size of all officer shoulder straps, including the highest ranks, was completely the same.

Following the revolution of 1917, stars with shoulder straps, which were perceived by the Bolsheviks as a symbol of tsarism and autocracy, were simply abolished. However, over time, the Soviet military leadership decided to return the historical insignia. Initially, this was expressed in the appearance of sleeve patches, and starting from 1943, shoulder straps.

Shoulder straps and ranks of Russian police officers

The distribution of military ranks and the use of insignia, including shoulder straps, is used not only by the Russian army, but also to determine special ranks by law enforcement and other structures. Due to a certain level of similarity between military and police activities, the placement of stars and other elements on police shoulder straps is similar to that typical for the Russian army.

Stars on the shoulder straps of ordinary police officers in order

On the shoulder straps of ordinary police officers there is a distinctive sign - a button, next to which there is an emblem with the inscription “police”. Police cadets have a distinctive sign with the letter “K” on their shoulder straps.

Shoulder straps and ranks of junior police officers

Shoulder straps worn by junior sergeants, sergeants and senior sergeants have rectangular stripes that are located across the shoulder straps. Two stripes indicate the rank of junior sergeant, three stripes indicate the rank of sergeant, one wide transverse stripe on the shoulder strap is worn by senior sergeants, and the same wide stripe, but located vertically, is worn by foremen.

Shoulder straps and ranks of warrant officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

The shoulder straps of each ensign are decorated with small stars located vertically. Shoulder straps with two stars are worn by warrant officers, and with three stars - by senior warrant officers.

Shoulder straps and ranks of middle management

On shoulder straps of medium composition there is a vertical red stripe, which is called a clearance, as well as small stars. Junior lieutenants wear one star located on a red stripe, police lieutenants wear two stars on their shoulder straps and a transverse stripe between them, senior lieutenants wear three stars (two are parallel, and the third is on a stripe), senior lieutenants wear four stars (two parallel). and two on the strip) - captains.

Shoulder straps and ranks of senior command personnel

The shoulder straps differ from the shoulder straps of previous employees by two gaps - stripes of red color located vertically along the entire length of the shoulder strap. There are also large size sprockets from one to three. One star in the middle inside the stripes is worn on the shoulder straps of majors. Shoulder straps with two stars located on the stripes themselves, parallel to each other, are worn by lieutenant colonels. Shoulder straps with three stars, two of which are placed parallel on the stripes, one in the middle of the stripes a little in front, are worn by colonels.

Shoulder straps and ranks of senior command staff

General's shoulder straps have large stars located vertically and have no gaps. Major generals wear one star in the middle of their shoulder straps. Lieutenant generals wear two stars, and colonel generals wear three stars. Shoulder straps with one large and three-headed Russian coat of arms are worn only by police generals of the Russian Federation, which is a great rarity in this service hierarchy.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

The general rules for how to sew a chevron onto an aircraft uniform are specified in Order No. 300 dated June 22, 2015. Chevrons are sewn on the outside of the sleeve at a distance 8 cm from the shoulder seam.

Left sleeve: badge of belonging to the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff, the Logistics of the Armed Forces, branches and branches of the Armed Forces, the Railway Troops.

Right sleeve: a sign indicating membership in military districts or fleets, special forces and services, or specific military formations. Only one patch on the sleeve!

Sleeve insignia are placed on

  • woolen jackets
  • demi-season jackets (except for senior officers
  • woolen jackets (except for summer woolen jackets
  • woolen jackets
  • flannel
  • casual winter jackets
  • casual demi-season jackets
  • casual suit jackets

Breast badges ("Armed Forces of Russia" - on the right, name badge - on the left) are placed on

  • casual suit jackets
  • field jackets (except for windproof suit

Read more in our vivid and detailed article about military uniforms. All models of the new RF uniform are presented there in high resolution with explanations; you can see the placement of chevrons on any type of uniform. The information corresponds to Order 300 of June 22, 2015.

How to sew on yearlings?

“Godichki” is the colloquial name for chevrons that denote the year of service and contract soldiers. Their wearing is regulated by Order of the Minister of Defense No. 89, “On amendments to Appendix No. 1 to the Order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation of June 22, 2015 No. 300” dated March 23, 2017.

Who wears "one year old"? Military personnel performing military service under a contract in the positions of soldiers (sailors), sergeants and foremen.

How to sew on “one-year-olds” correctly? “One-year-olds” are worn on the lower part of the outer sides of the sleeves of winter casual jackets, demi-season casual jackets, long-sleeved jackets of casual suits, jackets of naval suits, and are placed at a distance of 10 cm from the bottom of the sleeves. On the jacket of a summer camouflage-colored suit (VKPO), olive-colored “one-year-olds” are worn.

How to sew on police chevrons?

Order of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation dated July 26, 2013 N 575, Moscow, tells how to sew on new police chevrons. The chevrons should be sewn onto the police uniform on the outside of the sleeve, at a distance of 80 mm from the top edge of the chevron to the shoulder.

Left sleeve: sleeve insignia declaring membership in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

Right sleeve: sleeve insignia indicating affiliation with a specific unit.

The chevron is worn on a summer shirt with short or long sleeves! General - on the left sleeve, about belonging to the unit - on the right.

Chevron patch on police uniform

Aviation Division. The sleeve insignia is not worn.

Camouflage. The sleeve insignia is not worn.

Special police rank. Stripes on the back and left front of the suit.

Traffic police departments. The chevron patch “DPS traffic police” is on the left side of the suit. “Police” and “DPS” stripes and reflective materials are on the back.

Special forces units. “OMON” and “SOBR” stripes on jackets.

Special police regiment of the Special Purpose Center for Private Security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. “Police” patches in camouflage gray colors.

Police Regiment of the Special Purpose Security Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. “Police” patches in camouflage green colors.

How to sew a police patch on a shirt?

Sleeve insignia are worn on both long-sleeved and short-sleeved shirts. The same applies to women's uniforms: the sleeve insignia is worn on all blouses.

On white shirts and blouses a patch with a white background is worn, on blue ones - with a blue background.

The distance from the top edge of the patch to the shoulder seam is 8 cm.

The badge is worn by traffic police officers and employees on external duty. The latter also have a badge on the right pocket.

For more information about which chevron should be sewn onto which item of uniform, see the article about police uniforms. All models of modern uniforms and the location of chevrons on police uniforms are presented there. You can find the specific shape that interests you and see how the chevrons are located on it!

Location of police chevrons: badges

On jackets, raincoats, vests. The patch is attached to the left breast pocket with a pin.

On shirts, blouses, jumpers, sweaters. The patch is attached to the flap of the left breast pocket using a folding button fastening or a pin.

On the jacket. The patch is attached to the left side of the chest 1 cm below the order ribbons or in their place using a pin.

On coats, woolen jackets, demi-season raincoats. The patch is attached to the left side of the chest 8 cm below the lapel ledge using a pin.

On a sheepskin coat, a sheepskin jacket. The patch is attached to the left side of the chest 4 cm below the “Police” patch using a pin.

Location of chevrons on police uniforms

We still have the right side of our chest free. What is sewn there?

On the right side of the chest are the badges of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. They are located horizontally in one row from left to right with intervals of 5 mm, to the right of the badge of graduation from an educational institution. The total number of badges in a row is no more than three.

Badges for senior staff are located 1 cm above these signs.

Now do you understand how to properly sew on police chevrons? This is it, the arrangement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs chevrons!

How to sew EMERCOM chevrons

Left sleeve- sleeve badge of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, at a distance of 80 mm from the upper edge of the sleeve seam.

Right sleeve- sleeve emblem of the Ministry of Emergency Situations indicating affiliation with specific units and institutions, at a distance of 80 mm from the upper edge of the sleeve seam, above it - an arc patch with a flag.

Chest pockets- the badge “Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia” on the left patch pocket of the suit, a patch with the name of the Ministry of Emergency Situations on the lapel of the right pocket. Round Emercom patch - on the left pocket in the center.

Cadets wear a chevron on the left sleeve. It is a golden square on a gray-blue textile base. What a course - so many courses. The upward beams are connected at an angle of 105 degrees. The distance of the chevrons on the Ministry of Emergency Situations uniform between the upper and lower connection points of the beams is 8 mm. The distance between the upper edges of the beams is 80 mm. The vertical side edge on the upper beams is 8 mm. On jackets and coats, the chevron on the Ministry of Emergency Situations uniform is placed below the main chevron of the Ministry of Emergency Situations at a distance of 1 cm, with an angle downwards.

How to sew chevrons onto a Ministry of Emergency Situations uniform

How to sew on FSIN chevrons?

Order of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation dated November 8, 2007 No. 211 “On approval of the description of uniform items for employees of institutions and bodies of the penal system and the rules for wearing them” will tell you how to properly sew on FSIN chevrons.

Right sleeve- sleeve insignia of employees of the penal system.

Left sleeve- sleeve insignia of employees of the central office of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, sleeve insignia of employees of territorial bodies of the penal system, sleeve insignia of employees of penitentiary institutions. The stripes on the FSIN uniform, the location of which was not specified above, are also worn on the left sleeve.

Honorary and breastplates of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and the Federal Penitentiary Service are worn on the right side of the chest after the distinction for graduating from educational institutions of vocational education.

On the tunic and jacket, the badges are placed so that the upper edge of the badge is located 70 mm below the level of the lapel corner, and in the presence of orders (medals or class badges - 10 mm below them. FSIN chevrons: the distance from the shoulder louse to the upper edge of the badge is 8 cm.

The chevron on the UIS uniform is an oval shield measuring 95 mm in height and 80 mm in width. In the center of the emblem is a double-headed eagle with raised wings, with a sword and a lictor's tuft. On the eagle's chest is a shield with the "pillar of the Law".

The chevrons on the FSIN uniform are an oval shield measuring 95 mm in height and 80 mm in width. The shield depicts a crossed pole, a lictor's tuft and a sword, and a wreath of laurel and oak branches.

How to sew on an FSB chevron?

The location of the chevrons on the FSB uniform will be indicated by the order of the FSB of the Russian Federation dated August 27, 2010 N 413 “On the military uniform of military personnel of the federal security service.”

Left sleeve- sleeve insignia indicating membership in the FSB. Distance – 80 mm from the shoulder seam to the top point of the chevron. On camouflage - in the center of the sleeve pocket.

Right sleeve- a sign of belonging to a specific unit.

Left side of chest, 10 mm below the ribbons of orders or in their place - insignia of duty services and forces.

How to sew on cadet chevrons?

The location of the cadets' chevrons corresponds to the order of the RF Armed Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Emergency Situations or another service. Cadets wear chevrons according to the pattern adopted by the RF Armed Forces, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Emergency Situations or another service. The main differences in the design of the cadet uniform are special shoulder straps indicating affiliation with the cadet corps or school, as well as course stripes on the sleeve. Courses are charcoal stripes, they are worn on the left sleeve (in some schools on both sleeves, below the general chevron. The number of courses corresponds to the course of study: one stripe in the first year, two in the second, etc.

Chevrons of cadets of the Russian Armed Forces. Each cadet school has its own charter, which sets out the rules for wearing insignia. The most common scheme for sewing on cadet badges is as follows: a badge indicating membership in cadets or the RF Armed Forces is on the left sleeve 8 cm below the shoulder seam, under this badge of a course, the badge of a specific school is on the right sleeve. On field uniforms, stripes are worn in the center of the sleeve pockets.

Police cadet chevrons. Cadets of the Ministry of Internal Affairs wear two chevrons on their jacket: a general one on the left sleeve, and a specific school chevron on the right sleeve. Some schools add coursework to the left sleeve.

Chevrons of cadets of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Cadets of the Ministry of Emergency Situations wear chevrons in accordance with the general rules of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

How to sew chevrons onto cadet uniforms

How to sew on a Cossack chevron?

The revival of the Cossacks has been actively carried out throughout the country over the past five years. We'll tell you how to properly sew chevrons onto a Cossack uniform.

The Cossack uniform is more free in the use of insignia. Often, Cossacks make do with one single chevron, indicating their membership in a specific Cossack army. This chevron is worn on the left sleeve, 8 cm below the shoulder seam. Above it is worn an arced patch with the decoding of the name of the army.

If your Cossack army is large and has several units, you can sew a common chevron on the left shoulder, and a private one on the right.

Some Cossacks use chevrons. They are worn on the right or left sleeve, below the main chevron, with an angle down. Such a chevron, made in the colors of the tricolor, indicates belonging to the Russian Cossacks. Chevrons of other colors may be traditional symbols of a particular army.

A patch with the blood type is sometimes worn on the field uniform.

Our chevrons and stripes

New chevrons "Russian Armed Forces"

Chevron "Sofa Troops"


Chevrons of the Ministry of Emergency Situations for the State Public Institution of the Moscow Region "Mosoblpozhspas"

Which side is the chevron on?

On the left is a general sign, on the right is a specific unit.

When it comes to the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the general chevron is on the left sleeve, a specific unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Ministry of Emergency Situations is on the right.

At what distance is the chevron sewn?

The sleeve chevron is traditionally sewn at a distance of 8 cm from the shoulder seam to the top point of the chevron.

This is also called “per matchbox”.

How to sew a chevron?

It is best to use a “hidden” seam. This way you can sew the chevron beautifully so that the threads do not stick out and spoil the overall appearance of the form.

Chevrons: where to sew?

There are sleeve chevrons: in the center of the sleeve pocket or 8 cm from the shoulder seam. There are chest chevrons: in the center of the pocket.

Which sleeve has a chevron?

The branch chevron is on the left, the unit chevron is on the right.

How to sew a chevron onto a pea coat?

Special ranks are awarded to those who serve in the army. This allows you to maintain subordination and build a clear hierarchy of subordinates and superiors. There are 30 military ranks in the armed forces of the Russian Federation. The rank of sergeant belongs to the non-officer rank. Ordinary soldiers will receive the rank of junior sergeant for special services. Next comes the sergeant, then the staff sergeant. Each rank has its own shoulder straps.

Military personnel are distinguished from civilians by their uniforms, which contain insignia. Using these unique signs, military personnel distinguish among themselves belonging to the branch of the military, department, rank, and military ranks.

Insignia are special elements on clothing that convey information about the owner through color, shape, and size. They were placed in different eras on the head, arms, neck, and shoulders. Of the insignia, history has preserved epaulettes, stripes, cockades, shoulder straps, buttons, chevrons, piping, and other decorative elements. Currently, insignia are worn not only in the armed forces, but also in the prosecutor's office, the mountain rescue service, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Cossack societies, the small boat inspection, and other organizations.

Assignment of title

Men who came to serve in the Armed Forces are assigned the first rank - privates. Contract soldiers can receive the following military rank after 5 months of impeccable service. The squad leader can receive the rank of junior sergeant if he proves himself to be a reliable subordinate during the period of service. He must be disciplined, organized, demanding of himself and others. If the corporal wants to serve under a contract, and not resign after military service, then he will also be assigned the next military rank. Only after serving as a corporal for 3 months can you receive the rank of junior sergeant.

The military rank above corporal is junior sergeant; he can become the commander of a combat vehicle, a tank, or an entire squad. As an exception, for good service, the rank of junior sergeant can be given upon transfer to the reserve to a corporal who was not in a regular position. The junior sergeant's shoulder straps will have one thin stripe.

Sergeant is already a military rank of junior command personnel. He is a squad leader who conducts combat exercises, manages daily operations, and is the commander of a combat vehicle or tank.

Senior sergeant – deputy platoon commander. Manages the Soldier team in daily activities and during practical exercises in the field.

Sergeant major is the highest rank of non-commissioned officers; this is a company official. He is responsible for the correct performance of official duties by sergeants and ordinary soldiers. Subordinate to the company commander (ensign).

A potential candidate for sergeant rank must:

  • to serve with dignity;
  • know the regulations of the armed forces of the Russian Federation;
  • be able to handle weapons;
  • have leadership qualities;
  • navigate difficult situations, quickly find non-standard solutions;
  • have secondary education;
  • have no criminal record.

Candidates for the rank of sergeant undergo training under a special program in the training unit. Upon passing all the standards, they receive the rank and shoulder straps of sergeant.

There is another way to become a sergeant - to enroll in a higher military educational institution. The cadets there are sergeants.

Deprivation of rank

As punishment for misdeeds or crimes, a delay in the assignment of the next rank or its deprivation may be imposed.

The grounds for such actions may be:

  • violation of the law, in connection with which a criminal case is initiated;
  • written disciplinary action;
  • An inspection is underway to identify any violations.

In this case, the next rank is not awarded as long as the investigation into the case continues or he is deprived of his military rank.

The disciplinary measure is demotion in rank. Sometimes immediate superiors do this when there is a more suitable representative for a full-time position. They are also demoted due to negligence in official matters or failure to fulfill official duties. Restoration can be done no earlier than in a year.

Early assignment to the next rank

Depending on the set of parameters (education, knowledge of military affairs, position held, length of service), the following ranks are assigned. To become a junior sergeant, you need to serve in the Russian army for at least a year. It will be possible to advance to another title only after 2 years. It is possible to move from sergeants to senior sergeants in just 3 years. You can become a sergeant major after a senior sergeant depending on your personal data. Here length of service does not matter much.

In some cases, early assignment of military rank is possible. This is possible for special merit, as the law formulates. This should be understood as a conscientious act, which is associated with over-fulfillment of one’s duties.

Buttonholes as a badge of honor

After the revolution of 1917, the symbols of the tsarist army were banned. In 1918, the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was created. It was necessary to come up with new insignia for her. For some time they used sleeve stripes and red cloth stars on the headdress or chest.

Since 1924, the ranks of military personnel began to be distinguished by buttonholes, which were located on the collar of the shirt. The colors indicated the type of troops. Infantry had a crimson color with a black border, cavalry had a blue background with a black border, signalmen were distinguished by a black buttonhole with a yellow border. The buttonholes of leaders and army commanders were colored according to the type of troops, but the edging was trimmed with golden-colored cord.

In the field of the buttonhole there was a copper figure made of red enamel. She helped determine the rank of an army soldier. The buttonholes of ordinary and junior employees were empty; in 1941 they began to make a triangle with sides of 10 mm. The middle command staff had squares in their buttonholes. Senior commanders wore rectangles, which were popularly called sleepers. Senior commanders had a diamond. A special insignia was a chevron made of gold braid on the sleeve of the uniform. The Marshal of the USSR had a large gold star in his buttonholes and on his sleeve.

The system of distinctions in the army changed frequently, this greatly complicated the situation. Due to supply disruptions, some units may have worn old uniforms or hand-made insignia for a long time. The buttonhole system was canceled, but after it the distribution of colors by type of troops remained.

Shoulder straps in our time

Military rank can be determined by the characteristics of the shoulder straps. Sewn on sergeant's shoulder straps in red. In the aviation, airborne, and aerospace forces, the shoulder straps are blue. Dress shirts are green. The field uniform has detachable sergeant shoulder straps in camouflage colors.

Sergeant shoulder straps have a distance of 25 mm from the edge of the shoulder straps to the first stripe. To distinguish junior employees in the Russian army, badges are used. These are special trailer strips. The junior sergeant's stripes have one stripe. The next military rank has two narrow 10 mm sergeant stripes on its shoulder straps. The distance between the tabs is 5 mm. The senior sergeant has one wide stripe on his shoulder straps - a stripe.

Sergeant of the Ground Forces and Sergeant Major of the Navy, these ranks correspond to each other, they have shoulder straps of a similar pattern. The upper part of the shoulder strap has the shape of a trapezoid, with a button located on it. The color of the shoulder straps of the Russian armed forces is dark green for everyday uniforms, for the field version - camouflage shoulder straps. Sailors have black shoulder straps.

The galloon on the shoulder straps comes in different colors; it indicates the type of military service. The shoulder straps of the Airborne Forces and Aviation are edged with blue braid, and red for all other branches of the Russian army. The Navy has galloons on the shoulder straps of a white shade.

At a distance of 15 mm from the bottom edge of everyday shoulder straps there are the letters “VS” - Armed Forces or “F” - navy, embossed with golden threads. Shoulder straps for field exercises do not have such inscriptions. On the shoulder straps, sergeant major is the highest rank of non-commissioned officers and has the emblem of the military branch.

New requirements for wearing shoulder straps have been established since 2017. Removable shoulder straps are attached to the uniform jacket. Epaulets with a field of specially woven braid are sewn onto everyday uniforms. On outerwear and woolen items, removable shoulder straps are attached with a field of galloon.

Many people think that in order to attach a star to the shoulder strap of a military uniform or field jacket, you don’t need much intelligence. After all, for this you will need only 3 things: the shoulder strap itself, the stars and an awl with which to pierce the holes. However, to these 3 items it is also necessary to add a ruler in order to arrange the stars on the chase strictly according to the Charter. Otherwise, big problems may arise in the process of communication with immediate superiors.

The stars attached to officer's shoulder straps must be of the correct shape and size, that is, their shape must be faceted. It is precisely these stars that have taken root in the Russian army and in the armies of some CIS countries since the times of the USSR. If the uniform is casual or formal, then the color of the stars should be golden. If the so-called field uniform, then their color is preferable to the khaki color. Before attaching the sprocket, you should not forget about its size depending on the rank. Junior officers have small stars, while senior officers, starting from major, have large ones. It should be noted that only those sprockets that were purchased in Voentorg stores should be attached to the shoulder strap.

Take a ruler and place its beginning on the bottom edge of the shoulder strap. If the star is attached to the shoulder strap of a junior lieutenant, then the distance from the edge and further along the shoulder strap should be at least 4.5 cm. Lieutenant stars are attached at a distance of 2.5 cm from the edge of the shoulder strap. In the event that the shoulder straps will be worn by a captain or senior lieutenant, then for fastening it is necessary to retreat 2 cm from the edge of the shoulder strap.

The hole in the chase must be pierced carefully and only with an awl of a suitable diameter, so as not to spoil it or make a hole in it that is too wide. When the hole is ready, you need to insert an asterisk into it and secure it on the reverse side with a screw nut (as was the case with old-style shoulder straps), or simply open the legs of the asterisk. Moreover, the fixed sprocket should fit tightly to the plane of the shoulder strap and not wobble. Otherwise, it will quickly come off and get lost. The stars on the shoulder straps should be attached to the field uniform very well. The fact is that during field trips and exercises, poorly attached sprockets can easily come off. In this regard, it is recommended to purchase a certain supply of stars for the field uniform.

Subsequent sprockets should be attached to the chase in the same way. True, here we must take into account that if they are attached to the shoulder straps of a lieutenant, the dimensions between the stars should be no more than 2.5 cm. For other ranks, starting from lieutenant colonel, the horizontal centers of adjacent stars should be at a different distance from each other. The third and fourth stars on the shoulder straps of captains and senior lieutenants should be attached at a distance of 2 cm from the line that visually connects the centers of the stars below. When the sprockets on one shoulder strap are fixed, exactly the same operation should be done with the second shoulder strap.