Army Service Patches
of the Afghanistan War and Late Cold War
 (1979-1991)
  

  

Army Uniform Patches

This section covers the patches that were worn by members of the Soviet Army during the Afghanistan War and in the final years of the Soviet Union.  They generally followed the reforms of the early seventies, with several minor changes taking place in 1980.  Larger changes were made in 1988 when the Ministry of Defense instituted the final uniform reforms of the Soviet period.  It should be noted that VDV (paratrooper) patches follow the Air Force pattern rather than that of the army.  Samples of these various patches can be seen in this section.
Back to Badges, Patches, and Awards
of the Afghanistan War and Late Soviet Era

 

 

Military Specialty Patches (1969-73)

The original branch of service patches were introduced on 26 July 1969 by Ministry of Defense Order 190 at the directive of Minister of Defense A.A. Grechko.  The designer of the patches was the artist of the Technical Committee of the Clothing Supply Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, a man named A.B. Zhuk.  Originally the patches were to be embroidered, but this was considered too expensive.  Instead the patches were to be made of thermally molded plastic on a cloth background. (1)

All conscripts, extended servicemen, warrant officers, and officer cadets were to wear the patches.  Order number 191 defined that the patch was to be worn on the left sleeve of parade tunics and overcoats 12 centimeters from the top point of the sleeve.  Initially 14 branch of service patches were introduced for the army. (2)

The Ministry of Defense ordered changes to some of the existing patches and even established new patches prior to 1979.  These are discussed in more detail in the earlier section about military specialty patches.
 

Motor Rifles

Airborne

Band

Artillery

Construction Troops

Armor

Signals

Pipeline Troops

Motor Transport

Topographical Service

Railroad Troops

Engineering Troops

Commandant Service

Chemical Troops Engineering Troops

 

 

Medical Service Patch Changes (1980)

Ministry of Defense Order #85 issued on 15 March 1980 changed the background color of the Medical/Veterinary Service patches from crimson to red.  The color change also applied to other aspects of the medical/veterinary service uniform, such as the bands on the visor caps worn by the troops of that service. (1)

 Medical Troops (pre-1980) Medical Troops (1980-1991)
(Coming Soon!!)
Late Period Soviet Army Patches

   

    

  

Road Service Patch (1988)

The last patch of this series was established on 4 March 1988 by Ministry of Defense Order #250. (1)  It created a patch for the Road Service troops (seen at right).

On 9 October 1989 the Ministry of Defense issued Directive D-49 which mandated that arm patches would be worn of the left sleeve pocket of the summer camouflage jacket for the airborne troops.  This was the last major directive concerning this series of patches.  In the late 1980's the Soviets attempted to replace these patches with a single unified patch, but the project never progressed past the design stage. (1)

 Road Service Troops

 

 
Wound Stripes

These small 40mm long stripes were awarded to those who had suffered wounds in action.  They came in two variants: Red for light wounds and Yellow for serious wounds. (2)

 

Light Wound Stripe Heavy Wound Stripe

First Wound

Coming Soon!!
Second Wound

Third Wound

Coming Soon!!

 

 

      

Works Cited

(1) Stepanov, A., Нарукавных Знаки Вооруженных Сил СССР.  1920-1991 (1), Moscow: Zeughaus, 1999. Print.

(2) Prilutskaya, N. V. and N. L. Kortunova, ВОЕННАЯ ОДЕЖДА ВООРУЖЕННЫХ СИЛ СССР И РОССИИ (1917-1990), Moscow: Military Publishing, 1999. Print.