Airborne uniform, history from the leather helmet to the blue beret. Shoulder straps and ranks in the Russian army Buy shoulder straps of the Airborne Forces

27.10.2019

On November 2, 1930, during an exercise in the Moscow Military District, twelve people were air-dropped as part of a special unit. It is this moment that is taken as the starting point of the history of our Airborne Forces. Throughout its existence, not only the status of the paratroopers changed more than once, but also their uniforms.

The uniform of our Airborne Forces received its current form relatively recently and has become a kind of business card one of the elite units Russian army.

First paratrooper uniform

Until the 40s of the last century, the uniform of the airborne detachment differed little from the uniform of the Red Army soldiers serving in the aviation troops. It consisted of a leather or canvas helmet with a soft lining and overalls made of moleskin or avisent. The blue buttonholes sewn to the collar of the overalls indicated that the detachment belonged to aviation.

The edging of the buttonhole indicated the official position of the serviceman: the command staff had a golden edging, while political workers, sergeants and privates wore uniforms with buttonholes with black edging, which was considered an everyday (or as it is now called - office) option. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, overalls were replaced by trousers with large patch pockets and a jacket.

The paratrooper's equipment in the pre-war years, in addition to the uniform, consisted of the following elements:

Main parachute. Before the war of 1941 and for some time after its outbreak, airborne troops used the PD-6 parachute, which is essentially a licensed analogue of the American “Irvin”. Before establishing their own parachute production, the Soviet military performed jumps with American parachutes.
A reserve parachute, or a line cutter.

The complete equipment of an Airborne Forces employee was:

two parachutes (main on the back, reserve in the lower abdomen);
duffel bag;
a machine gun with a magazine removed, which was attached vertically with the barrel down behind the left shoulder.

IN winter time A large sheepskin collar of dark blue, brown or khaki color was attached to the overalls with buttons or a zipper. When raised, the collar was tightened with internal straps. Often, the style of winter airborne uniforms directly depended on the manufacturer's factory.

After the failed Finnish campaign, the military personnel were dressed in padded jackets, short fur coats, felt boots, cotton trousers, and a hat with earflaps. At the same time, the winter version is equipped with a camouflage white robe with a hood.

Headgear of paratroopers

The headdress was another way to show the official affiliation of a soldier. For commanders after 1938, a dark blue cap was officially approved as a headdress.

After 1941, its color was changed to a protective green hue.

The upper part, rim and band of the cap were decorated with blue edging. She also wore a cockade with a red star surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves. During the parachute jump, the command staff used special caps, which were fastened under the chin with straps.

Ordinary paratroopers wore caps in dark of blue color with blue edging and stars made of cloth, on top of which red stars were attached.

By the beginning of the war, the Airborne Forces had several standard clothing options, which depended on the time of year and official position:

	Average command staff	Average command staff
Summer:	over the everyday uniform there is a camouflage jumpsuit of reconnaissance military groups, a cap, chrome boots, a traffic police machine gun, and command equipment.	Over the everyday uniform there is a camouflage jumpsuit, a cotton or cloth cap, tarpaulin boots, a rifle (after the fall of 1941 a PPSh assault rifle), and equipment.
Winter:	over a casual uniform jacket with fur collar, equipment and weapons, earflaps and high boots.	a white camouflage robe over an overcoat, weapons and equipment.

Since the helmet could fly off the paratrooper during a jump, this headgear was used exclusively during ground battles.

The evolution of the Airborne Forces headdress

The blue beret can easily be called the calling card of a modern paratrooper, but it only became part of the uniform after 1969. On June 30, 1967, the commander of the Airborne Forces, Colonel General V.S. Margelov. has been approved new sample form created according to the sketches of the artist A.B. Beetle.

The artist proposed two options for the appearance of Airborne Forces employees:

The daily uniform of the Airborne Forces included a khaki beret and a red star. This coloring of the headdress remained on paper.
The second option involved wearing a crimson beret, and it was this that was accepted.

The right side of the beret was decorated with a blue flag with the symbols of the Airborne Forces, the so-called “corner”, and on the front side of the beret there was a star surrounded by a wreath of ears.

For officers, a beret with a 1955 model cockade and a star with wings were provided.

During the military parade on November 7, 1967, paratroops marched across Red Square in crimson berets. And already in 1969, an order was issued that officially approved a new type of uniform for Airborne Forces employees with a blue beret.

The tradition of wearing a beret is different among paratroopers and airborne reconnaissance officers. The former wear the beret curved to the right, while the special forces of the air forces have an unspoken rule to bend the beret to the left.

The editors of the site hope that readers do not shy away from military service. You can read how you are punished for evading the army on this website.

The airborne troops were separated into a separate branch of the military only in 1991. Until this moment, the paratroopers belonged to ground forces, Navy, Air Force, and since 1946 included in the reserve composition of the Supreme Commander and were directly subordinate to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

In this regard, the color scheme of the uniform and insignia of the senior and junior command staff of the Airborne Forces were associated with the branch of troops to which they belonged in this moment.

In addition, the type of uniform of the Soviet paratrooper depended on the climatic conditions of the landing site and the position of the employee. It is customary to distinguish four groups of military clothing of the Soviet Airborne Forces:

casual summer uniform for sergeants and privates;
summer uniform for sergeants, privates and air force cadets;
casual summer set with shoulder straps and buttonholes for cadets;
winter version of the uniform with sleeve insignia for sergeants, military builders and airborne cadets.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the equipment of paratroopers included a dark blue overcoat; a little later its color was changed to a combined arms color. Also, the equipment of the airborne special forces included so-called camouflage robes: white for winter and protective spotted colors for summer. Exactly the same robes were worn by scouts and riflemen of the assault group.

During the special mission, the landing group was additionally equipped with special uniforms. This included overalls, helmet, high boots, and goggles.

After the introduction of shoulder straps, aviation insignia appeared. The famous emblem with a parachute and two planes on either side was introduced in 1955. It is this badge that today is a symbol of unity and brotherhood of employees in air forces.

In 1979, a limited contingent of troops was introduced into Afghanistan, including special group Airborne Forces In view of the climatic conditions of the territory of presence, a special airborne force was developed. The prototype was the uniform of the army of the President of the Congo.

Features of the old-style Airborne Forces dress uniform

For special occasions, the air infantry was provided with a ceremonial set of uniforms, presented in summer and winter versions. In 1988, it underwent a number of changes.

Old style summer dress uniform:

cap with band;
untucked trousers;
open uniform;
White shirt;
black tie;
White gloves;
black low shoes or boots.

The ceremonial set of the summer uniform had a blue (sea) wave color.

The ceremonial winter uniform of an old-style Airborne Forces soldier:

hat with ear flaps, lieutenant colonels have a hat;
gray overcoat;
open uniform;
untucked blue trousers;
White shirt;
black tie;
white muffler;
brown gloves;
black boots.

Since 1967, the beret has become part of the ceremonial set of clothing, replacing the cap.

Distinctive features of the field uniform

Soviet paratroopers had two options for clothing for field conditions: summer and winter. The summer field uniform set included:

cap;
jacket and trousers in khaki colors;
vest;
boots or high boots.

Description of the winter uniform of the Airborne Forces:

hats with earflaps;
khaki jacket and pants;
gray muffler;
brown gloves;
berets or boots.

The entry of Soviet troops into Afghanistan required the leadership to reconsider the equipment of employees. The classic field uniform is being replaced by a lighter version, popularly called Mabuta after the colonel of the Congolese army. It was made of raincoat fabric with water-repellent impregnation, ventilation system and more comfortable fit.

The sand uniform consisted of trousers, a jacket and a cap and was used during combat missions in regions with a hot climate.

What do modern paratroopers wear?

The shape of the new airborne forces is based on the principle of multi-layering. Depending on weather conditions, military personnel are allowed to combine clothing:

modern form employees Russian Airborne Forces includes several combinations and sets of diverse clothing;
in the cool season, soldiers are provided with an additional lined jacket;
often military personnel from the special forces of the Airborne Forces are allowed to wear a jacket under their jacket;
in rainy, damp weather, the uniform consists of an underwear fleece shirt and overalls with waterproof impregnation.

Thus, what uniform the airborne soldiers will have in a particular case is decided independently by the unit commander, taking into account weather conditions.

A modern hat with earflaps has elongated ears, making it easy to overlap and fastened with Velcro, protecting the chin.

Additionally, the hat is equipped with a top flap, allowing it to turn inside out and transform into a visor. Felt boots were replaced with warm boots with thermal inserts. The outer jacket is a designer one and can easily be transformed from a windbreaker into a warm peacoat.

The new uniform set of the Russian Airborne Forces uniform for soldiers and field officers includes 19 items:

several jackets;
insulated vest;
costume;
three types of boots (summer, demi-season and winter);
balaclava;
mittens and gloves.

The summer uniform of the airborne special forces includes:

underwear (T-shirt and boxer shorts);
light jacket;
trousers;
cap (beret);
summer boots.

To sew a lightweight version of the airborne uniform, a mechanical stretch treated with a water-repellent compound is used.

Winter uniform for the Airborne Forces option includes:

two sets of insulated underwear (lightweight and fleece);
demi-season suit;
windproof suit;
insulated vest;
boots;
balaclava.

In winter, it is allowed to wear a blue sweater under a jacket that is part of the uniform.

The winter uniform of an officer and warrant officer of the Airborne Forces allows wearing black fur hat and a black jacket.

For hot climates, a separate set of uniforms for airborne troops was developed. The new uniform of airborne troops has a light brown or sandy color.

The first option consists of a shirt with short sleeve and a turn-down collar, shoulder straps, trousers and boots in a basic color. The headgear used is a soft cap similar to a baseball cap with a hard visor and a field cockade.

Shorts are allowed instead of trousers. Insignia on this type of uniform are placed similarly to everyday uniforms. This clothing option does not include award stripes. The second option consists of an elongated jacket with shoulder straps, trousers tucked into ankle boots. On the head is a cap or Panama hat that matches the statutory uniform.

Casual or office workwear for the air infantry is similar to the uniform of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, only in blue.

The field uniform of an officer is exactly the same as that of the enlisted personnel of the Airborne Forces, only the dress clothes are different.

The ceremonial set of the Airborne Forces uniform consists of a blue jacket and trousers, a vest, a blue beret, aiguillette, white gloves and ankle boots.

Officer ceremonial uniform:

blue jacket;
untucked blue trousers;
shirt;
black tie;
White gloves;
black boots;
gold aiguillette;
blue cap with cockade.

The winter dress uniform of midshipmen and airborne officers includes a black jacket, a woolen cap or blue beret, a vest and combat boots. For enlisted personnel and cadets:

gray hats with earflaps;
demi-season blue jacket;
costume;
vest;
beret.

Airborne special forces take part in the parade in field uniform. Not only shoulder straps, but also chest and sleeve stripes and chevrons are used as insignia.
Before the collapse Soviet Union The uniform was identical for all Airborne Forces employees, regardless of the republic.

Today, each country that was part of the USSR has its own version of the uniform. IN Russian Federation The main ceremonial color of the Airborne Forces uniform is blue.

For example, not so long ago, the uniform of the highly mobile Ukrainian Airborne Forces was completely changed, in particular, the blue beret was removed from the military personnel’s clothing, replacing it with a similar purple-colored headdress. The main reason for this transformation is that in Russia the blue beret is an integral part of the Airborne Forces uniform.

In turn, in the Republic of Belarus the uniform of the special forces of the airborne special forces still includes a blue beret, as in Russia.

Clothing option for women

Despite the fact that there have been girls in the ranks of paratroopers before, until recently, service in the Airborne Forces was the privilege of men. So in 2008-2009 “Ryazan Higher Airborne School named after. Margelov” was recruiting girls to master the profession of a paratrooper officer. Six years later educational institution repeated the experience.

Combat female uniform The airborne forces are exactly the same as those of men:

several jackets;
costume;
three boot options;
mittens and gloves;
balaclava;
insulated vest.

Women's parade airborne uniform:

blue jacket;
blue skirt;
White gloves;
white muffler;
black boots.

What is a birch pattern

Camouflage is a mandatory part of the equipment of the military and, in particular, the reconnaissance troops of the Airborne Forces. The range of camouflage suits is wide, which allows you to choose the ideal camouflage for any climatic and weather conditions. Despite this, the leader of camouflage clothing until recently was the birch (official name KZM-P).

Initially, camouflage with a birch tree pattern was developed for border troops; later it was liked by airborne reconnaissance officers.

A camouflage suit with a birch pattern was created in 1957 and was used as part of the summer equipment of border guards and paratroopers. This camouflage ideally hid the fighter in deciduous forests and swampy areas. Due to its special pixel pattern, KZM-P is capable of dispersing the silhouette of a person at short and long distances.

The raster pattern of the birch camouflage suit resembles spots with jagged edges. Large and small patterns create an optical illusion of a melting silhouette. The light and dark colors of the camouflage coat suggest its use during the day and at night.

Ghillie suits with a birch pattern are presented in the form of a camouflage suit with voluminous hood, overalls and jacket with pants.

Although today the birch camouflage is not a statutory uniform, it is still popular, not only among the military, but also among civilians.

What kind of demobilization uniform do paratroopers have?

The tradition of sewing a demobilization outfit comes from the Soviet Union, when military service was considered honorable. DMB is a kind of confirmation that the soldier served well and is proud of his army uniform. What can we say about the guys who paid their debt to the Motherland in the ranks of the Airborne Forces.

And although in the early 90s they preferred to go into the reserves for demobilization civilian clothes, today military personnel have returned to this beautiful custom.

The demobilization uniform of an Airborne Forces soldier is prepared on the basis of a field uniform using several rules:

the suit should not be pretentious or overly elegant;
placement of insignia and external chevrons is carried out in accordance with the statutory rules.

For the layout of the suit, an acanthus tunic or “gorka” can be used, which is often chosen by airborne special forces, trousers, a vest and combat boots. A mandatory attribute of the finished outfit is a blue beret.

Today it is not at all necessary to sew a demobilization suit yourself, since online stores offer ready-made options.

Serve in airborne troops It’s an honor and many guys would like to be in the ranks of the blue berets. But this honor is not granted to everyone, which does not prevent civilians from trying on the paratrooper uniform.

Today there are not only adult, but also children's airborne uniforms on sale. Why do civilians wear military uniforms at events dedicated to the celebration of victory and other celebrations? Everyone has their own reasons for this. For example, children's military uniform The Airborne Forces are popular during the Victory Day celebrations.

On the other hand, as boxer Denis Lebedev explained, this shows respect for the paratroopers. It's hard to disagree with the athlete; they really deserve respect.

Video

In the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, two types of ranks have been established for persons undergoing military service - military and naval. In ancient Rus', the presence of insignia and certain military units formed on a permanent basis was completely excluded. The division of the then pitiful semblance of a standing army into separate formations took place in accordance with the number of soldiers who were in one or another formation. The principle was as follows: ten warriors - a unit called the “ten”, led by the “ten”. Then everything is in the same spirit.

The history of the emergence of military ranks in Russia

Under Ivan the Terrible, and later under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, this system underwent some changes: Streltsy hundreds appeared, and military ranks appeared in them. At that time, the hierarchy of ranks was the following list:

Sagittarius
foreman
Pentecostal
centurion
head

Of course, between all the above ranks and the ranks that currently exist, the following analogy can be drawn: a foreman is a warrior, in our time performing the duties of a sergeant, or a foreman, a pentecostal is a lieutenant, and a centurion, respectively, is a captain.

After some time, already during the reign of Peter the Great, the hierarchical system of ranks was again transformed to the following:

soldier
corporal
ensign
lieutenant, called lieutenant
captain (captain)
quartermaster
major
lieutenant colonel
Colonel

The year 1654 became outstanding in the history of the formation of military ranks in Russia. It was then that for the first time in the history of Russia the rank of general was awarded. Its first owner was Alexander Ulyanovich Leslie, the leader of the operation to capture and liberate Smolensk.

Categories of military ranks in the Russian Army

One of the largest political events of the 20th century that occurred in Russia, namely the October Revolution of 1917, became the last stage towards the formation of an established system of military ranks, which has not undergone any changes for a whole century.

Military ranks

Private. One of the first, considered the lowest military rank armed forces RF.
Corporal. A rank that is awarded to military personnel who are part of the armed forces of the Russian Federation for any military distinction.

Major.
Lieutenant colonel.
Colonel.

Ship ranks

Ship ranks can simply be listed in order of seniority (lowest to highest) due to their full correspondence with the land equivalent:

Sailor, senior sailor.
Foreman 2 (second) article, foreman 1 (first) article, chief foreman, chief ship's foreman - representatives of a group of military personnel classified as sergeants and foremen.
Midshipman, senior midshipman - military personnel of the group of warrant officers and midshipmen.
Junior lieutenant, lieutenant, senior lieutenant, captain-lieutenant - a group of military personnel representing junior officers.
Captain 3 (third) rank, captain 2 (second) rank, captain 1 (first) rank - representatives of senior officers.
Rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral, and fleet admiral are representatives of senior officers, respectively.

As with military ranks, the highest military rank for the navy is Marshal of the Russian Federation.

What is very noteworthy is that naval and military military ranks are also assigned to the following formations: the security forces of the Russian Federation - the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, etc., as well as water border formations that ensure security near coastal borders.

Colors and types of shoulder straps

Now let's turn to the shoulder straps. With them, unlike ranks, things are somewhat more complicated.

Shoulder straps are usually distinguished according to the following series of criteria:

the color of the shoulder strap itself (different depending on the military structure);
the order of arrangement of distinctive signs on shoulder straps (also depending on a particular military structure);
the color of the decals themselves on the shoulder straps (similar to the points above).

There is another important criterion - the form of clothing. Accordingly, the army does not have the widest selection of clothing, which is allowed according to the regulations. More precisely, there are only three of them: everyday uniform, field uniform and dress uniform.

Shoulder straps of non-officers

Let's start with a description of the everyday uniform and the shoulder straps that come with it:

The everyday uniform of non-officers includes shoulder straps with two narrow stripes along the edges of the longitudinal part. Such shoulder straps can be seen on the shoulders of privates, non-commissioned officers, and warrant officers. All these images are presented above in the sections of military and ship ranks.

Officer's shoulder straps

Shoulder straps for the everyday uniform of officers are divided into three more subtypes:

Shoulder straps for the everyday uniform of junior officers: have only one stripe running down the center along the shoulder strap itself.
Shoulder straps for the everyday uniform of senior officers: they have two longitudinal stripes, also located in the center.
Shoulder straps for the everyday uniform of senior officers: they differ sharply from each of the previous types in that they have a special fabric relief over the entire area of the shoulder strap. The edges are framed by one narrow strip. A distinctive sign is also the stars that follow strictly in one row.
It is impossible not to include in a separate group the Marshal of the Russian Federation and the type of shoulder straps corresponding to his everyday uniform: they also have a special fabric relief, which was mentioned in the paragraph above, but are fundamentally different in color. If the shoulder straps in each of the previous paragraphs were a rectangle of dark green color, then these same ones are distinguished by their immediately striking golden color, which is quite consistent with the high-profile title of their wearer.

An interesting fact is that on February 22, 2013, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin signed a decree that on the shoulder straps of army generals and admirals of the Russian Navy there will be one star with a diameter of 40 mm instead of 4 stars in one line as before. The corresponding image is presented above.

Non-officer field uniform: shoulder straps are a regular rectangle, camouflaged as a summer taiga with a transverse (or longitudinal) stripe.
Field uniform for junior officers: stars of relatively small size serve as a distinctive sign.
Field uniform of senior officers: major, lieutenant colonel have one and two large stars on their shoulder straps, respectively, colonel - three.
Field uniform of senior officers: all persons holding ranks in accordance with the previously announced composition have absolutely the same structure (dark green stars, strictly in a row), but shoulder straps different in the number of distinctive insignia. Just like in everyday uniforms, the General of the Army and the Marshal of the Russian Federation are distinguished by large stars

These features can be seen in more detail in the picture:

It was not long before military clothing became comfortable and practical. Initially, her beauty was valued more than the qualities mentioned a little earlier. Fortunately, under Alexander III (the third), it was realized that rich uniforms were too expensive. It was then that practicality and convenience began to be considered the primary value.

In certain periods of time, the soldier's uniform resembled ordinary peasant attire. Even in the conditions of the already existing Red Army, little attention was paid to the fact that there was no uniform military uniform. The only distinctive sign of all soldiers was a red bandage on their sleeves and hats.

Even shoulder straps managed to be replaced for some time with ordinary triangles and squares, and only in 1943 were they returned as distinctive signs.

By the way, to this day, military personnel of the Russian Federation wear a uniform that was designed by the well-known fashion designer V. Yudashkin in 2010.

If you have read the entire article and are interested in testing your knowledge, we suggest taking the test -

Cadets of the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School (RVVDKU) staged a protest at the monument to General Vasily Margelov. They piled new shoulder straps next to him, expressing disagreement with the change in the traditional color of cadet shoulder straps from sky blue to green, a source at the school said.

The action was supported by more than 40 cadets, including sergeants. The reason for this demarche, as the agency’s interlocutor noted, was the dissatisfaction of some students with the change in the color of their shoulder straps, which, as they believe, is a violation of the traditions established in the Airborne Forces.

One of the cadets, on condition of anonymity, explained to the Gorod television company that these actions were not an action or a manifestation of discontent. “We simply expressed our opinion regarding the order to cancel blue shoulder straps. There is a military rule that says that orders are carried out first and only then discussed. We carried out the order, and now we can only apologize to Vasily Filippovich [Margelov],” he said.

The TV company's interlocutor emphasized that, except for Margelov, according to the students, no one has the right to remove their shoulder straps. According to him, the majority of military personnel in the educational institution supported the activists.

The photographs from the scene of the action, which were published by the City, show that some of the shoulder straps placed on the monument had different inscriptions: “By removing our shoulder straps, you are burying our memory!”, “Forgive us, Vasily Filippovich,” “The Judases have appeared! Ready to sell for a nickel!”, “Glory and honor have been humiliated, the soldiers’ wings have been clipped.”

The protesters were to some extent joined by a State Duma deputy from the Ryazan region, who was outraged by the change in the color of the shoulder straps at the Ryazan Airborne Forces School on the VKontakte social network.

“It became known that at the Ryazan Airborne Forces School they changed the historical sky-blue color of cadet shoulder straps. Previously, they “distributed” airborne berets as a statutory uniform to the Aerospace Forces. I raised the question of the inadmissibility of such changes. And now - another “reform”?! Does anyone want to make the elite of the Russian Armed Forces as inconspicuous as possible?” — the parliamentarian wrote.

He attached a photo from the scene to the post. “In the photographs there is a monument to our landing battalion V.F. Margelov in Ryazan, tonight. This is what today’s cadets themselves think about it,” the Ryazan online publication YA62.RU quotes him as saying. The publication was subsequently deleted.

According to him, the change of uniform was planned, according to the order of the garrison chief, and it was associated with the beginning summer period training.

He noticed that in the camouflage uniform, the inserts on the shoulder straps with insignia were the same green color for camouflage.

He also criticized Sherin's position on this issue. “Unfortunately, as the chairman of the defense committee, I have to say that the deputy from, a graduate of the [RVVDKU] school, Mr. Sherin, took an unconstructive position. Instead of going into detail and understanding it, he began actions that do not look good on a State Duma deputy,” Shamanov said.

The military man added that they were sent to the RVVDKU for investigation officials Airborne Forces Command, Main Directorate educational work The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, representatives of the veteran community, as well as the Union of Russian Paratroopers.

The Ryazan school is considered an elite military school educational institution, where foreign specialists are also trained. Last November, it celebrated the 100th anniversary of its formation as the First Ryazan Infantry Course for Red Commanders.

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Distinguishing marks

Since the dawn of the winged infantry, different military units have tried to stand out with their insignia and impressive uniforms, thereby conveying the history of their unit. Therefore, in different airborne units, the distinctive insignia is largely similar, but at the same time they are somewhat different.

There are generally accepted official and semi-official insignia, attached to the sleeve of the uniform, worn by paratroopers of a certain unit. At the same time, they are generally similar to the stripes of other parts and may differ only in small details. Soviet patches had a red star, modern ones have the Russian tricolor with a coat of arms. The location of the signs remained unchanged, as did the main colors.

Like other branches of the military, paratroopers have their own lapel symbol.

The badge is made of metal and depicts two flying airplanes between which an open parachute canopy with a star in the center is opened. The symbol is attached to the jacket with special antennae. There are ceremonial buttonholes in golden color. They are used on special occasions - at holidays, parades or during demobilization.

On maps, the Russian military indicates its landing force in red. The area of the proposed landing is outlined by a red dotted line, inside which a schematic parachute is drawn in the form of a rectangle connected to a cross. The disembarkation time is also written there. If the landing is completed, the line is replaced with a solid one.

The shoulder straps and ranks of the Russian winged infantry are almost no different from the shoulder straps of other ground forces.

The only difference is that they have a characteristic bluish-blue color. The location of the stripes and stars corresponds military ranks other troops.

For example, the rank of major corresponds to shoulder straps with two longitudinal blue stripes, symbolizing senior officers, and one star. A similar correspondence is observed among junior personnel (rank and file soldiers, sergeants, foremen). Airborne shoulder straps are also divided into ceremonial, combat and field.

A little history

The peculiarity of the signs of the airborne troops is that they reflect the history of their formation. Therefore, they are somewhat different from each other, maintaining the overall blue color. This symbolizes the winged infantry and emphasizes its nobility and specificity. They differ quite strongly from the signs of other branches of the military.

Chevrons that complemented badges, gradually changed over time.

Since 2015, the chevrons have become rectangular. At the bottom of the chevron is a symbol of a particular type of troops. There are special medals, badges and orders of the Airborne Forces that are awarded to paratroopers. They have many design and layout options.

Particularly common are anniversary medals, which are received by paratroopers who did not participate in hostilities. Like other awards, they come with a certificate.

There is a medal “70 years of the Airborne Forces” with the image of their creator, and a similar medal “75 years of the Airborne Forces”. By 2015, the next anniversary medal “85 Years of the Airborne Forces” was issued.

It is distinguished by its golden color and brighter design than the “80 Years of Airborne Forces” medal. However, both awards are new and the time interval between releases is short. Nevertheless, having an Airborne Forces badge is a great pride, because service in the airborne forces is truly difficult and responsible.

However, getting badges is not so easy.

To receive the Excellent Parachutist badge, you must perform ideal tasks during parachute training and during landing. For the first jump, paratroopers also receive a badge. It looks like a blue parachute canopy and symbolizes the “baptism” of the paratrooper by the sky. But for ordinary people it does not represent much value.

Paratroopers also receive badges for passing physical standards, getting into certain classes. The hardest thing to get is a first class badge, since to do this you need to have an excellent physical fitness. Earning a second and third class badge is much easier.

There are other awards: the “Excellence in the Airborne Forces” badge, the “Veteran of the Airborne Forces” medal, medals for achievements in certain positions, for example, miner or sniper. Like other badges, paratrooper badges are made of metal and covered with enamel.

The association was founded on June 2, 2002 by one of the commanders of the Airborne Forces - V.A. Anapov. The Union is dedicated to protecting the rights of military personnel, veterans and their families. Nowadays, the Union of Paratroopers includes not only veterans, but also ordinary people who served in the Airborne Forces, Marine Corps, special forces soldiers, people with disabilities due to local conflicts, accident and disaster liquidators, and their relatives.

Various charity events are held, as well as meetings between young people and veterans, to increase the patriotic spirit and popularize the Airborne Forces. Thanks to the Union, a number of awards appeared. For clarity, let's summarize them in a small table.

"Combat Veteran"	The medal appeared in 2005 in Chisinau. Veterans of hot spots outside the Land of the Soviets receive it.
Medal of the Order "Army General Margelov"	Received by former and current airborne troops and people who contributed to strengthening the airborne troops.
"For military valor"	They reward soldiers and officers who perform their duty in a risky situation, showing valor and courage. The medal was established in 2000 with the assistance of the “Combat Brotherhood” union. It is received by paratroopers who fought not only in Afghanistan, but also in other hot spots.
“Veteran of local wars of the USSR and Russia”	This medal evaluates the exploits of internationalist soldiers and soldiers who went through Afghanistan and other hot spots within a particular country.
"For loyalty to the airborne brotherhood"	Like the previous ones, it is awarded not by the government, but by citizens, founded in 2007. Used to award veterans, soldiers and officers of the Airborne Forces who promote service in special forces and airborne forces.
"Veteran of the Russian Armed Forces"	Presented to soldiers and officers, long time served in the Russian army. The title of veteran is awarded to individuals who have served at least twenty years. After twenty years of service, military personnel are entitled to the benefits of a veteran.
"For service in the North Caucasus"	This medal was awarded to military personnel and civilians of Russian security forces. Each participant in a counter-terrorism or any other special operation carried out in the North Caucasus received it. The award was established by decree of the Central Council of the Airborne Forces Union in 2005; it is not governmental, as it was established by a public organization.
"For loyalty to duty and the Fatherland"	The award was approved by the Association of Russian Paratroopers in 2006. This medal was awarded to soldiers who participated in armed confrontations, special operations, and military operations to protect the interests of the Fatherland, for which it received its name.
"Russian Airborne Forces Veteran" “Veteran of the Airborne Forces. For military service"	They are awarded on August 2, the holiday of the “winged infantry”. Former soldiers are awarded during ceremonial events, parades, reviews, and concerts that take place during military holidays.
"For service in the Airborne Forces"	Not only active paratroopers are awarded, but also retired and old-timers. And this is not without reason. After all, not a single armed conflict involving Russia is complete without parachutist soldiers. Therefore, warriors in vests are especially respected and revered in our country. It is not for nothing that they wear their awards.
"Russian Airborne Forces. Nobody except us"	The phrase that has become the calling card of the airborne troops, “Nobody but us,” arose quite a long time ago. It was pronounced by paratroopers during the Great Patriotic War. In the future, in particular, during the war in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Yugoslavia and other countries, the paratroopers fully justified their motto. It has become so popular that it is used not only in films and songs, but also on medals and badges of airborne troops.
“15 years of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the DRA” “20 years of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the DRA”	The Afghan War was difficult for the Soviet Union. It was even harder for the soldiers who fought there. The “blue berets” who showed themselves were also included in the Limited Contingent in the best possible way. In 1989, all troops were withdrawn from the DRA, and the list memorable dates replenished with a new figure. As a result, a medal appears for the anniversary of the withdrawal of the Soviet army from Afghanistan, which appeared thanks to the Committee for the Affairs of Internationalist Soldiers.

In addition to the above, there are a number of other awards. These are, for example, the following medals: “Participant in hostilities in the North Caucasus. 15 years”, “Veteran of military operations in the Caucasus”, “For participation in counter-terrorism operations in the Caucasus”, as well as “Participant in military operations in the North Caucasus. 1994 - 2004".

In conclusion, we will say that the paratroopers were, are and will be the support and defense of Russia.

It may seem that anniversary medals too many, but the winged infantrymen deserved them. They are more than worthy not only to stand out with a special uniform, but also to wear orders, medals and other awards. Those who served in the airborne forces are the elite of our society. So let this elite be visible from afar.

ellesilver.ru

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