General epaulettes: colors and types of epaulettes

The generals in the Russian Federation, like in any other country, belong to the higher officer corps. To designate the highest ranks in the military and law enforcement agencies of Russia, general epaulettes are used.

When were shoulder straps introduced?

In the history of Russia epaulettes began to be used during the reign of Peter I. Initially they were intended only for soldiers. Over time, they began to use the officers. Since there was no single sample of epaulettes, they did not perform a distinctive function. To correct it it has turned out at the expense of introduction of the form of various расцветок: each battalion or regiment had the color scale. The officers 'epaulettes were hexagonal in shape, and the soldiers' epaulets were pentagonal. General's epaulettes in those days were gold or silver lace without stars. Similar insignia were used until 1917.

After the October Revolution, the soldiers' and general's epaulettes were abolished, because they were perceived as enemy in Soviet Russia. They were preserved by the White Guards. Signs of distinction became a counter-revolutionary symbol, and the officer staff wearing them was called "gold wagon". A similar situation persisted until the very beginning of the Great Patriotic War.

Who today wears shoulder straps in Russia?

Today, on the territory of the Russian Federation, as in some other countries, the right to wear shoulder straps is not only the personnel of the Armed Forces. Epaulettes are used in the prosecutor's office, police, tax and environmental inspections, railway, sea, river and civil aviation.

Who are the generals?

General's rank refers to the highest officer ranks, for each of which the corresponding general's epaulettes are provided. The ranks, which used to differ from each other according to the kind of troops, are now united. The Russian army provides for the presence of titles:

• Major-General;
• Lieutenant general;
• Colonel-General;
• General.

How do the general's epaulettes look?

After the Decree of the Russian President in May 1994, a new form was introduced for the army officers of the Russian Federation. The size, color and shape of the shoulder straps have been changed. Now they do not reach the collar of the tunic. Potholes, both sewn and removable, have become hexagonal in shape. Their upper part contains a button that performs a decorative function. Today shoulder straps have a width of 50 mm, length - 150 mm.

General stars on epaulettes are located depending on the rank in one vertical row:

• One major general's epaulettes have one star;
• Wearing two stars is provided on the shoulder straps of the Lieutenant-General ;
• Colonel-General wears three stars;
• General - four.

After 2013 in the Russian army, the general's shoulder straps of all types began to be equipped with a combined arms emblem and one big star. In comparison with the star of the marshal, the star of the general of the Russian army is smaller. But from the rank of marshal in various branches of the army refused in 1993. The marshal's star, a distinction, adopted in 1981, was then canceled.

What colors are used?

After the adoption of the 1994 law, the parade uniform of generals is equipped with epaulettes of golden color with sewn stars, whose diameter is 22 mm. In the land forces of the Russian Federation, for the general's epaulettes, there is a red edging, for the Airborne Forces, VCS and aviation - blue.

On the daily form of the generals of the land forces, green shoulder straps with a red border are sewn. In the airborne troops and Russian military space forces, generals in everyday life wear green shoulder straps with a blue edging. For aviation, it is envisaged to wear blue shoulder straps with a blue edging. In the field, the color of the shoulder straps is green. They are sewn green stars.

According to the statute for white shirts, generic shoulder straps of white color are designed. They are sewn with golden stars.

On green shirts - green shoulder straps and golden stars. For the generals of aviation, blue shirts and blue shoulder straps with gold-stitched stars are provided for. For shirts of the generals of justice, veterinary and medical services, it is mandatory to wear appropriate emblems. For everyday wearing of generals, they use shoulder straps. Removable are applied only for shirts.

Other distinguishing means

The ranks of the higher officer corps can be identified, not only using stars sewn on general's epaulettes. The photo below presents the features of the design of these distinctive features. July 31, in 2014, the Russian president signed a decree on the creation of a new shoulder strap. Recognize the general of the army of the Russian Armed Forces can be used with the help of a shoulder band.

The generals of the Russian army have a red army , the Air Force has a blue one. The officers of FSB generals on shoulder straps have cornflower cornflower. Red shoulder straps are sewn on shoulder straps. The Federal Service for Protection of Special Objects under the President of the Russian Federation also uses cornflower corn for the epaulettes of generals. For these services are provided golden stars. For the general's shoulder straps there is a special texture: even the field uniform is completed with shoulder straps, embroidered threads. This makes it possible to distinguish the three-star epaulettes worn by the colonel-general, from the shoulder straps of ensigns. Their attachment to clothing is carried out with a special clutch and a semi-flap.

When wearing a black leather jacket generals apply shoulder straps - couplings.

What are the shoulder straps of the police generals?

In their appearance, the general's shoulder straps of the Ministry of Internal Affairs are almost identical to the army ones. In the police, the posts of generals are added to the postscript - not the "army", but the "police". There are titles available:

• Major-General of Police;
• Lieutenant general of the police;
• Colonel-general of the police.

The general of the Russian police is a special rank of the top command staff. This title can be obtained by the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. To date, he received Kolokoltsev VA. In the Ministry of Internal Affairs, generals use shoulder straps, on which large stars are sewn. On these shoulder straps there are no gaps.

Insignia in the police sample of 2011 and 2014

In 2011, the longitudinal center line of the general's police line was equipped with four stars and a red edging. The embroidered stars had a diameter of 22 mm. In 2014, the size of the stars increased to 4 cm. The red edge remained the same.

Often, in the general's shoulder straps, you can find a tag of FGUP 43 CEPC of the RF Ministry of Defense, the oldest Moscow enterprise engaged in individual tailoring of uniforms for higher officers.

The production of this enterprise is still used by the generals of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Security Service, FSO, the Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Emergencies of Russia.