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.

 

Light Wound Stripe Heavy Wound Stripe

First Wound

Coming Soon!!
Second Wound Coming Soon!!
Third Wound Coming Soon!!

    

Officer Cadet Stripes

These patches were established by Ministry of Defense Order #190 on 26 June 1969.  This order decreed that all students of military schools would wear stripes to denote how many years of study they had completed.  These stripes were sewn on the left sleeve of the tunic and greatcoat one centimeter below the branch of service insignia.

All army stripes were thermally molded plastic on red felt.  Members of the Medical academy could acquire up to six of these stripes, but most other branches could only attain four.  Unofficially men called these stripes 'kursovki'.


6 Years


3 Years


5 Years


2 Years


4 Years


1 Year

   

Length of Service Chevrons for Warrant Officers

In 1971 the Soviet Defense Ministry created the rank of Praporchik (Warrant Officer) for the Soviet Navy in an effort to develop a class of skilled extended servicemen and improve reenlistment.  It was decreed that these warrant officers would wear length of service chevrons to show how long they had served.

On 4 March 1988 the new Uniform Regulations were introduced by the Soviet Ministry of Defense.  This decree was known as Order #250, and mandated that the length of service stripes worn by warrant officers since 1971 would now be worn by enlisted extended servicemen as well.  They were worn on the left sleeve 16mm above the lower cuff edge on both the tunic and the greatcoat. 

Three Years of Service 		-
Ten Years

Two Years of Service 		-
Five Years

One Year of Service


Four Years of Service

      

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Insignia of the late Soviet Union