Soviet Army Badges
of the Afghanistan War (Part 2)
(1979-1991)
 

 

Army badges of the Late Cold War (Part 2)

This section continues the exhibit of the many badges that awarded to members of the Soviet Army during the Afghanistan War.  In each case we will attempt to give a full history of each badge when possible.
Back to Patches, Badges, Medals and
Awards of the War in Afghanistan and the Late Cold War

 

 

Junior Officer School Badge (1961)

Established by Order #24 of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR on 6 February 1961, this badge was issued to graduates of Junior Officer Schools.  It is a screw back type composed of brass and enamel.  The badge measures 46 mm by 26 mm.  In 1981 this badge was replaced by a new design.

 

 

Suvorov Army Cadet School Graduation Badge (1958) (2)

This badge was established on 18 April 1958 by Order #151 of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR.  It was made by the 'Pobeda' factory and given to all graduates of the Suvorov schools.  It is made of brass and enamel.  The Pobeda makers mark can be seen at the 7 o'clock position on the rear as a small star shaped impression.
  

    

 

 

Senior Officer's School Badge (1957)

This badge was established in 1957 and was awarded to graduates of an academy for senior officers.  It is made of aluminum and enamel.  It was used from 1957 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

 

          
Army Long Service Badge (1957) (1)

Badges for service beyond the mandatory two year conscription period were authorized in 1957 by Ministry of Defense Order #146.  Early versions were made of brass and enamel, but later ones were made of painted aluminum.  A marker denoting how many years of faithful extended service could be attached to the hangers below the badge itself. This badge is a pin back type.

    

 

Excellence in Service Badge (1957)

This badge was established in 1957 and awarded to soldiers and airmen for their excellent service. These badges are made of aluminum and enamel. The army badge says - Excellence in Soviet Army.

 

 

Military School Graduate Badge (1957)

A unified badge design was adopted by the Soviet Army in 1957 and was used until the end of the Soviet era in 1991.  The badge is a screwback type made of of brass and enamels.  They were made at the Pobeda factory.

 

 

Excellent Military Construction Worker Badge (1954)

This badge was established in 1954 and given to officers and enlisted men for good work and service in the field of military construction.  It is made of brass and enamel.  It was used from 1954 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.
  

 

 

Komsomol Membership Badge (1953) (2)

This badge signifies that the wearer was a member of the young Communist society known as Komsomol.  It was established on 26 June 1953 and was worn by both soldiers, airmen, and sailors.

This version of the badge is the military (screw back) type used in the late 1970's and 1980's.  The civilian version of the badge is a pin back type.

 

 

Guards Badge (1942) (1)

This is a more recent version of the Soviet Guards badge. It was worn by all members of a unit within a Guards division. Guards badges (and divisions) were created in May 1942 during the Great Patriotic War. They were divisions who distinguished themselves in battle. Since then other units (usually airborne) have been awarded Guards status. This version of the badge is made of brass and enamel, later versions were made of aluminum and paint.  This remained in use until it was replaced by a Russian Federation design in 1994.

 

 

Works Cited

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

(2) Borisov, V.A., НАГРУДНЫЕ ЗНАКИ СОВЕТСКИХ ВООРУЖЕННЫХ СИЛ 1918-1991, St. Petersburg: FARN, 1994. Print.