Probably everyone knows what shoulder straps are. That's right, these are insignia used in state security or paramilitary structures - army, police, and so on. Those who served in the army can easily distinguish a lieutenant from a lieutenant colonel. Meanwhile, for many, the location of the stars on the shoulder straps does not mean anything.

Brief information about shoulder straps of officers and warrant officers of the Russian police

First, let's note one important point. In Russia, officer's shoulder straps for military personnel and police officers have the same appearance. Naturally, we are talking here about the size of the stars and their location. This, by the way, also applies to warrant officers. The colors, of course, will be different everywhere. Accordingly, in order to find out the rank of an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, you need to look at the size of the stars on his shoulder straps (large or small), their number and location. After all, all the parameters here are regulated by the relevant order. This means that the perpetrator may be subject to disciplinary action for violations.

All ranks in the Russian police are generally divided into 4 groups of commanding personnel:

• junior - sergeants, sergeant major, warrant officers;
• middle - lieutenants, captain;
• senior – major, lieutenant colonel, colonel;
• the highest - general.

Let's look at these points in more detail. First, let's determine how many stars correspond to a particular title. In addition, let’s clarify their size. So, the following rules currently apply in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The diameter of the stars for petty officers, warrant officers, lieutenants and captains is 13 millimeters each. Moreover, their number, as mentioned above, differs depending on the rank, and sergeants and sergeants have stripes on their shoulder straps. The lieutenant has 2 stars (the senior has 3), the captain has 4.

Now we move on to the senior command staff. All ranks of this group have two longitudinal stripes of red color on their shoulder straps - they are also called clearance. By the way, junior command staff also have them, but one at a time. The number of stars is from 1 to 3. The youngest rank here is major. On the chase in this case there is 1 star with a diameter of 20 millimeters, located on the center line.

More senior ranks are lieutenant colonel and colonel. They have 2 and 3 20mm stars on their shoulder straps, respectively.

And, finally, the highest commanding staff - major general, lieutenant general, colonel general and police general. The first three ranks have 1, 2 and 3 22mm stars on their shoulder straps, respectively. Separately, it is worth dwelling on the title of “police general”. Currently, it has been assigned to only one person - the current head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If someone else replaces him in this position, the ex-minister will be called a retired police general. The thing is that the titles are assigned to law enforcement officers forever. Well, the minister’s successor, accordingly, will become a police general. In this case, it is easy to understand that this is the most important person in this structure. On the police general's chase there is 1 star with a diameter of 40 millimeters.

Now let's look at one more point. We are talking about the distance from the edge of the shoulder straps to the center of the first star. This is regulated very strictly. In particular, here are the distances for different ranks (the numbers in millimeters are given in parentheses):

• major general (50);
• Colonel General, Lieutenant General (25);
• major, junior lieutenant (45);
• colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain, lieutenants, warrant officers (30).

These are not all the numbers that matter. If police officers have several stars on their shoulder straps, then the distance between them should be exactly 25 millimeters. In fact, all the requirements listed above remain from Soviet times. Therefore, knowledgeable people can easily distinguish a lieutenant from a lieutenant colonel. The location of the stars on their shoulder straps is the same, but the size is different. The diameter of a lieutenant colonel, as mentioned above, is 20 millimeters versus 13 for a lieutenant. By the same criterion one can also distinguish a major from an ensign.

There are also requirements for the placement of chevrons on the sleeve. They can be sewn on or secured with Velcro. However, the first option is considered more reliable. That is, the risk of accidentally losing a chevron and thereby disrupting the uniform of clothing is much higher here. Therefore, despite the innovation, almost all police officers still sew the chevron at the required distance - 8 centimeters from the edge of the shoulder. The only exception is made for winter jackets. If they have an outer pocket on the sleeve, then the chevron should be located in its central part. In this case, the requirement to maintain a distance of 8 centimeters from the edge of the shoulder may not be adhered to.

Now let's talk about the "Police" patches on jackets. There are also certain requirements for their location. So, the patch on the back should be located at a distance of 1 centimeter from the red transverse line there. Approximately the same rule applies to “facials”. Only in this case the patch is located at a distance of 1 centimeter above the patch pocket.

Ranks in the Russian army are a topic that I was able to understand only thanks to my service in the army. I remember how in life safety lessons the teacher forced all the guys to learn them by heart, but even after long cramming, only empty sounds were stored in my head.

Now I have the opportunity to compare these words with real people I meet around. Thanks to this, I was able to structure this knowledge very simply and clearly so that each of you, dear readers, could easily and for a long time remember what sometimes takes soldiers a whole week to remember...

What are the ranks in the Russian army?

As you already understood, before joining the army I had almost no understanding of military ranks. I only knew the basics. The service forced me to memorize them so that I could easily determine who I was addressing or, conversely, who was addressing me.

As always in such articles, I want to start by defining the basic concept. Let's figure out what ranks there are in the Russian army.

In our country, there are two types of military ranks for military personnel - military And ship.

Ship military ranks are assigned to sailors:

• surface and submarine forces of the Navy;
• naval military units of the internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia;
• Coast Guard Border Service of the FSB of Russia.

Military ranks are assigned to other military personnel performing military service in:

• Russian Emergency Situations Ministry;
• Federal Security Service;
• Foreign Intelligence Service;
• Federal Security Service;
• Internal troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation;
• other troops, military formations and bodies.

Great. We understand the concepts. Now let's go upward. From lower rank to higher. What is their hierarchy?

Non-officer ranks in the army

1. Private ~ Sailor.
2. Corporal ~ Senior sailor.
3. Junior sergeant ~ Sergeant major of the second class.
4. Sergeant ~ Foreman of the first article.
5. Senior Sergeant ~ Chief Petty Officer.
6. Petty Officer ~ Chief petty officer.
7. Ensign ~ Midshipman.
8. Senior Warrant Officer ~ Senior Midshipman.

What did everyone think? What are all these ranks in our army? No, my friends. The most interesting thing is ahead - the officer corps. It is divided into several parts:

• Junior officers.
• Senior officers.
• Senior officers.

Officer ranks in the army

Military rank ~ Ship rank.

1. Junior Lieutenant ~ Junior Lieutenant.
2. Lieutenant ~ Lieutenant.
3. Senior Lieutenant ~ Senior Lieutenant.
4. Captain ~ Lieutenant Captain.

These were junior officers. Now let's move on to the older one.

1. Major ~ Captain 3rd rank.
2. Lieutenant Colonel ~ Captain 2nd rank.
3. Colonel ~ Captain 1st rank.

And finally, the senior officers.

1. Major General ~ Rear Admiral.
2. Lieutenant General ~ Vice Admiral.
3. Colonel General ~ Admiral.
4. General of the Army ~ Admiral of the Fleet.
5. Marshal of the Russian Federation ~ There are no analogues.

As you can see, the number of ship ranks is exactly one less than the number of military ranks. But what kind!

OK then. We figured out the ranks and their order. How can we now distinguish them from each other? And for this, dear readers, people came up with shoulder straps and sleeve insignia (the latter only for ship ranks).

It is them that we will now analyze. First - in words, then - graphically.

Shoulder straps

• Soldiers and sailors

They do not have any insignia on their shoulder straps.

• Sergeants and petty officers

They have insignia in the form of fabric braids - stripes. In the army these stripes are called “snot”.

• Ensigns and midshipmen

They have insignia in the form of small stars located vertically. The shoulder straps are similar to the officer's, but without gaps and may have edgings (for more details, see the pictures below).

• Junior officers

One vertical stripe is a gap. The sprockets are metal, small (13 mm).

• Senior officers

Two clearances and large metal sprockets (20 mm).

• Senior officers

Vertically located embroidered stars of large size (22 mm), no gaps.

• General of the Army, Admiral of the Fleet

One large embroidered star with a diameter of 40 mm.

• Marshal of the Russian Federation

It has one very large embroidered star (40 mm) against a background of radiating silver rays forming a pentagon, and the coat of arms of Russia (without the heraldic shield).

For those who find it difficult to perceive the text and just to consolidate the information received, I suggest you look at the pictures corresponding to the above.

Shoulder straps of non-officers

Officer's shoulder straps

Russian Army Command

The next point of our analysis is faces. Those people who lead our army.

First of all, of course, I want to name the Supreme Commander-in-Chief - the President of the Russian Federation.

Supreme Commander-in-Chief - President of the Russian Federation

Supreme Commander-in-Chief is not a rank, but a position. The only position that allows you to lead the Marshal of the Russian Federation.
An interesting fact is that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin finished his service in the FSB with the rank of colonel, and his current position allows him to lead representatives of the highest officer ranks.

Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation

Please note that Sergei Kuzhugetovich bears the rank and shoulder straps of an army general.

The Minister of Defense is the commander of both the ground forces and the navy. This is why there is no rank higher than fleet admiral in the navy.

By the way. Which of you, friends, noticed that I began to write such high ranks as admiral and marshal in small letters? Do you think this is a mistake? I have to disappoint you. No! Why? Read the next part of the article.

Interesting facts about ranks in the army

• The prefix “guard” (for example, “guard major”) is applied to the military ranks of military personnel of guards units.
• In relation to military personnel of the legal and medical services, the words “justice” and “medical service” are added respectively.
• For military personnel who are in reserve or retired, the words “reserve” and “retired” are added, respectively.
• Military personnel studying at a military educational institution of professional education are called: those who do not have the military rank of officers - cadets, and those who have a military rank - students.
• Citizens who did not have a military rank before entering a military educational institution or who had the military rank of sailor or soldier are assigned the military rank of cadet upon admission to study. Other military ranks awarded before entering a military educational institution of vocational education are retained.
• Military ranks are given after the required time of service and for personal merit. If everything is clear with merits, then let’s figure out how long it is necessary to serve in order to reach the desired rank. In accordance with paragraph 2 of Art. 22 “Regulations on the procedure for military service” the following deadlines are established for military service in military ranks:
  - private, sailor - five months;
  - junior sergeant, sergeant major 2 articles - one year;
  - sergeant, foreman 1st article - two years;
  - senior sergeant, chief petty officer - three years;
  - ensign, midshipman - three years;
  - junior lieutenant - two years;
  - lieutenant - three years;
  - senior lieutenant - three years;
  - captain, captain-lieutenant - four years;
  - major, captain 3rd rank - four years;
  - lieutenant colonel, captain 2nd rank - five years.
  Next - 5 years.

Important point. The title can only be obtained if there is a suitable position in the unit. About positions and what ranks you can reach in a particular position in the next article.

• The ranks of petty officer and chief petty officer have not been awarded since 2012. They still exist in documents.
• All military ranks - from private to marshal of the Russian Federation - are written with a small letter.
• The rank of major is higher than the rank of lieutenant, but major general< генерал-лейтенант.
• The highest rank that can be achieved in a year of military service is now sergeant.

Dear readers. I hope that while reading this small but very important article, you have formed an understanding of what ranks there are in our army and in what order they are located.

A serviceman's shoulder straps are his unique calling card, that is, one glance at the shoulder insignia is enough to understand what rank the soldier has. The stars on the shoulder straps provide enough information about which officer corps the serviceman belongs to.

However, the shoulder straps and stars did not immediately acquire their modern appearance. In pre-revolutionary times, they were interspersed with additional stripes called stripes. Only later did the stars on shoulder straps begin to demonstrate the serviceman as a person belonging to a certain rank in the military hierarchy.

How did the stars appear on the shoulder straps and what is their meaning?

Even during the times of Tsarist Russia, military personnel differed significantly in appearance from ordinary citizens, since their clothing had its own special insignia. However, during that period of time, shoulder straps as such, much less stars, did not exist. They were not the distinctive insignia of a soldier, as they are now.

As a rule, the appearance of a military man had few elements by which his rank and position in the hierarchy of the army could be judged. More attention was paid not to individual details, but to all military clothing as a whole. Therefore, the status of a serviceman was evidenced by the external cut of clothing, as well as the type of military weapon that the military man always had at hand. Basically, this rule applied to senior and junior officers. Generals, for example, had their own insignia, which distinguished them from military personnel of lower rank.

Reformation in this area occurred during the reign of Peter the Great, who, in his travels abroad, was inspired to change the appearance of the army during Tsarist Russia. The basic attribute initially became breastplates, which looked like a scarf. On it were the heraldic symbols of the army in tsarist times. When the hour of the nineteenth century struck, a new transformation took place in the appearance of the soldier’s clothing, which began to resemble a uniform in appearance, and it was more of a tailcoat look.

In addition, original headdresses began to appear on the heads of officers, which also became part of the serviceman’s appearance, as a sign of distinction.

After such transformations, it was the turn of the epaulettes, which were the prototype of modern shoulder insignia. There is a significant difference between shoulder straps and epaulettes - the latter never had stars. Therefore, officers were distinguished in this case solely by the color scheme of their epaulettes.

If these are officers of the junior and senior ranks, then the shoulder insignia of tsarist times coincided in shade with the color of the uniform they wore. Generals, as a more privileged class in the military hierarchy, wore gold-colored epaulettes. Another difference between royal epaulettes and modern shoulder straps was that they were a decoration for a military man; they were very catchy and elegant.

Find out: Current generals of the Russian army, a small list

Often wealthy military personnel had them made to order from pure gold. Modern shoulder straps are more modest, since after the Revolution took place, preference was given to practicality rather than beauty.

In the twenties of the last century, the military uniform replaced epaulettes with shoulder straps of the modern type, which the Russian army still uses. Since then, a hierarchy has also appeared in the Russian army, which has survived to this day.

For example, one star on the shoulder straps meant that the serviceman had the rank of warrant officer, but if the soldier had two stars, then he was a major, if there were three, then the serviceman moved to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and if there were four, then he was a staff captain.

Five stars mean that the serviceman has the highest military rank. If this concerns ground forces, then this is a field marshal, and if this concerns naval forces, then it is an admiral of the fleet. However, five stars are not sewn on his shoulder straps; they are replaced by one large one and the coat of arms of the Russian Federation (in a modern interpretation).

However, in those days, epaulettes had not yet completely disappeared from military uniforms, since they were worn by colonels. And just like in the distant tsarist times, they did not have such insignia as stars. They came into common use on military uniforms only after another reformation took place in Soviet times, which led to the fact that soldiers began to wear overcoats.

In addition to stars, the Soviet army began to use brass buttons. In addition, emblems were used that demonstrated the insignia of a particular branch of the military. Since then, the military uniform has acquired the form that is used to this day.

Sequence of ranks and corresponding stars

Stars are not currently used among the rank and file of the army. The youngest rank of a soldier who is just entering military service is private; he wears shoulder straps that do not have clear insignia. If this is a soldier who belongs to the security services, then an additional word is assigned to the rank. For example, if this is a prosecutor, then an ordinary justice is assigned.

• If this is a junior sergeant, then his shoulder straps have two transverse stripes.
• If it's just a sergeant, then it has three stripes.
• A few years later, the sergeant receives the rank of senior, and then a single stripe appears on his shoulder insignia, which is twice as wide.

Find out: What rank in the Russian Army corresponds to the rank of corporal?

Stars on shoulder straps and ranks follow a clear pattern, since in each composition they differ from each other only in quantity and size. Two stars are worn by warrant officers, and senior warrant officers wear three on each shoulder strap.

After a military man has passed the senior warrant officer, he becomes an officer.

• The junior lieutenant has one star on his shoulder straps. On the shoulder insignia there is a small star, which signifies the initial step among junior officers. On their shoulder straps there is one gap, which is a red stripe on which all the stars are located.
• Often people who are not yet very well versed in such a hierarchy ask the question, two stars on shoulder straps - what is the rank? In the junior ranks, this is a lieutenant; his stars are located at equal distances from each other on both sides of the central stripe.
• Three stars on the shoulder straps are a senior lieutenant, where the third star is slightly higher than the first two. Therefore, in order to determine the name of the rank to which a serviceman currently belongs, it is necessary to decipher the meaning of the stars on his shoulder straps. This can be done very easily, since it is enough to know the number that a particular rank has, as well as the principle of their location on the shoulder insignia. Therefore, when asked, three stars on shoulder straps - what rank, the serviceman knows for sure that this is a senior military man.
• The captain has 4 stars on his uniform. At the same time, it combines the position of the stars of all previous ranks, and the fourth is located slightly higher than the three previous ones.

Senior officers have the following hierarchy of ranks:

• Every serviceman knows by heart how many stars the first level has. The hierarchy begins with the major, who has one star on his shoulder straps and two gaps, which are represented as two parallel red stripes. The star, which is slightly larger in size than the stars in the younger composition, is located exactly between the two gaps.
• The second level is the lieutenant colonel, whose stars are located on two parallel openings, and at the same distance between each other and from the edge of the shoulder straps.
• Colonels have 3 stars on their shoulder straps, whose first two stars on their shoulder straps are located in the same way as that of a lieutenant colonel, and the third is located slightly higher.

After a serviceman has passed all the stages in the senior officer corps, he moves to the so-called elite, that is, to the senior officer corps. On shoulder straps of this composition there are no red parallel stripes, but there is a edging of a certain color. If these are ground forces, then the edging is red.

Find out: The rank of captain of the Navy, which means the first, second and third ranks

The following hierarchy takes place here:

• The first level of the military elite is a major general, who in the naval forces corresponds to the rank of rear admiral. The serviceman who bears this rank has one star, larger in size than that used in senior personnel.
• Next comes the lieutenant general with two stars, which are arranged in a row, which is the difference from the peculiarities of the arrangement in the senior officer corps. The stars line up in a row, but at a strictly defined distance in relation to each other.
• If there are 3 stars on the shoulder straps, then this is the rank of lieutenant colonel general. A serviceman who is in this rank has one more star than the previous general, which is located just above the two already on his shoulder straps.
• An army general has four stars. This rank was considered the highest in the military hierarchy for a long time. However, several decades later the rank of marshal was introduced. The army general's stars are arranged in a row and occupy most of the shoulder strap.

The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation is responsible for control and supervision of the implementation of punishments. It has its own seal, uniform, main and special titles. Each employee receives shoulder straps from the Federal Penitentiary Service in accordance with his rank and position in the system. They are subject to a number of requirements, including regarding the position of stars, emblems and other elements.

Each employee is required to wear, along with his uniform, shoulder straps corresponding to his special rank. A certain ranking is typical for both the army, the police, and in general, the arrangement of shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service is quite standard.

Ordinary employees do not have any special distinctive elements. For the rest, the characteristic insignia remains stars and stripes, the number of gaps and their location, as well as the size of the stars (the highest ranks in the FSIN system have large stars on their shoulder straps, while the rest have small ones).

Features of shoulder straps

Shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service can be everyday or for ceremonial wear, as well as plastic and sewn on. The distance between the stars and their color design are somewhat different from the usual ones. Depending on the affiliation of a particular employee, different requirements are imposed on shoulder straps:

1. For the uniform of privates, as well as commanding officers (from junior to senior), the width for all types and varieties of shoulder straps is 5 cm with a gap width of 30 mm and an edge width of 25 mm. This applies to shoulder straps with a tucked edging, as well as those with a rounded top edge.
2. For the uniform of the highest authorities of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation, removable shoulder straps 4.5 cm wide may be provided, in which there is no edging and the upper edge is rounded.
3. Cadets of this structure wear shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the distance of which is as follows: the width is 5 cm, of which 25 mm are on the edging, 50 mm are on the golden stripes running in the longitudinal direction.
4. For employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service, with the exception of the top management of the structure, it is possible to wear shoulder straps, the upper edge of which has a triangular shape, their width is 4.5 cm.

Emblem position

On shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the emblem must be located directly on their axis, moving away from the button at a distance of 5 mm. This is stated in the relevant documents and instructions.

In another embodiment, the emblem can be worn in the collar area, and its vertical axis must have a strictly parallel position relative to the collar's rise.

Shoulder straps for senior ranks in the FSIN system

Representatives of senior management in the penitentiary system must wear shoulder straps that meet all basic requirements:

1. As part of the ceremonial clothing on the tunic, there are sewn-on products that are made of a special golden material; they differ from other types with a maroon edge. The shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, the distance between the stars and other elements must be strictly maintained both on everyday uniforms and on dress uniforms.
2. As part of the everyday uniform, on the tunic, as well as on items of outerwear, including coats, there are sewn-type products in which a separate field of material with a blue-gray weave is highlighted, the edges on them are painted maroon.
3. For woolen jumpers, as well as insulated and woolen jackets, appropriate products for the Federal Penitentiary Service are required of a removable type, on which a field of blue-gray material is provided, with an edge painted in maroon.
4. For white and gray employee shirts, special removable products are provided, on which the field can be made of shirt fabric or from traditional material, they also have golden embroidery, in addition, they must have a traditional maroon edge.
5. For camouflage jackets, there are special removable products, on which the field is made of gray-blue material; in principle, there is no edge highlighting on them.

By these characteristic features of shoulder straps, you can recognize representatives of the highest authorities in the penitentiary system. The distance of the stars on the shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service and their number, as in all law enforcement agencies, reflect the rank of their bearer.

Shoulder straps for middle ranks and junior employees in the FSIN system

The requirements for shoulder straps for representatives of middle ranks and junior employees in the penal system are as follows:

1. For ceremonial uniforms, there are sewn-on products that have a field of golden braid; both the edging and the gaps on them are speckled.
2. For everyday clothes and jackets, as well as coats, sewn-on products are suggested, where the field of braid has a characteristic blue-gray color, the edgings and gaps on them are painted speckled.
3. For insulated and wool jackets, a variety of removable products has been developed, which uses a field of blue-gray galloon and speckled dyeing for edging and gaps.
4. For uniform shirts, regardless of their color, removable products have been developed, where the field can be made of shirt fabric or braid of the appropriate color, the edging and gaps on them are also maroon.
5. Wool sweaters and camouflage jackets require removable shoulder straps and are made from materials similar to the outside of the garment itself.

Shoulder straps of junior and ordinary commanding staff of the Federal Penitentiary Service

• for winter coats, as well as tunics and dress uniforms, everyday uniforms, sewn-on shoulder straps with a blue-gray braid on top are required, their edging has a speckled coloring;
• for insulated jackets, removable shoulder straps are assumed, where the piping has a traditional maroon coloring, and the field has a blue-gray color;
• for shirts, regardless of their color, shoulder straps of a removable type are required, the field of which will have a corresponding gray or white coloring, made of shirt fabric or galloon, and they also have a maroon edging;
• For woolen sweaters and camouflage jackets, removable shoulder straps have been developed, which are sewn from the same material as the item of clothing.

Cadets studying in the field of FSIN

Separate requirements are also stipulated for the shoulder straps of cadets in the penitentiary system who are trained in the relevant educational institutions. The following rules apply to them:

• for an insulated jacket, you need removable shoulder straps with blue-gray braid, where there is a maroon edging and longitudinal gold stripes;
• the jacket requires sewn shoulder straps with a speckled edging, along which there are golden longitudinal stripes against a background of a gray field;
• for gray shirts, removable shoulder straps with speckled edging and longitudinal gold stripes have been developed;
• for woolen sweaters and camouflage jackets, fabric shoulder straps are provided, which are made from the same material as the item of clothing itself.

Types and location of stars

Depending on the assigned rank, the following plates (stripes) or stars are used on the shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service:

• among higher ranks you can see corresponding stars with a maroon edge on shoulder straps with a golden field;
• its size for senior management, if it is embroidered, is 22 mm;
• The size of its senior management made of metal is 20 mm;
• its size for the average composition is 13 mm;
• The plate size is 20 mm in width;
• The size of a similar sergeant strip is 10 mm.

It is important to note that these stripes, for example for the shoulder straps of a FSIN sergeant, can be black in color (for camouflage jackets) or golden in color.

Location of stars

Among the main requirements, there is not only a certain set of elements on the shoulder straps of the Federal Penitentiary Service, but also the distance between the stars and plates relative to each other and the edge of the shoulder strap.

For all types of products, the FSIN has established the following distance between stars:

• employees with the rank of Colonel General are provided with 3 stars, and they are located strictly along the axis;
• employees are provided with 2 stars, located strictly along the axis;
• Employees with the rank of major general are provided with 1 star, which is also located on the longitudinal axis;
• employees with the rank of colonel have a total of 3 stars: one of them is on the center line, the other two are in the middle between the edge and the center line, symmetrically;
• employees with the rank of lieutenant colonel have 2 stars, each of which is located in the middle part of the field between the edge and the axis, symmetrically to each other;
• for employees with the rank of major - 1 star, strictly on the center line;
• for the captain, 4 stars are provided: two of them are located on the sides relative to the longitudinal axis, two more - strictly on the center line;
• a senior lieutenant can be recognized by three stars: 2 of them are located on either side of the center line, the third lies on it;
• The FSIN looks like this: 2 stars on each shoulder strap, they are located on both sides of the center line;
• The junior lieutenant has one star, lying on the longitudinal axis of the shoulder strap.

Location of metal strips

Metal plates should be located depending on the rank as follows:

• for the sergeant major - a wide stripe along the axis;
• for a senior sergeant - a wide stripe across the longitudinal axis;
• for a sergeant - 3 narrow stripes across the longitudinal axis;
• for junior sergeant - 2 narrow stripes across the longitudinal axis.

The distance from the edge and other elements on the shoulder strap for stars and plates is strictly regulated depending on the rank of the employee.

It is difficult for ordinary people who do not know the military fate to understand how difficult it can sometimes be for military personnel. Especially when they are assigned privileged positions and when they are promoted.

The changes on the serviceman's shoulder straps are also of particular interest, since depending on the assigned rank, the number of stars on the shoulder distinctive elements changes, their size changes, and the appearance of the shoulder straps and color design also change. The lieutenant is the very first step in the officer ranks, and the shoulder straps of a lieutenant are already significantly different from those worn by warrant officers.

Ensign

Despite the fact that a lieutenant already belongs to the officer corps, he is still listed as belonging to the middle ranks, because this is only the first step on the path to higher ranks.

Externally, shoulder straps ml. lieutenant are significantly different from those who were with him in the rank of senior sergeant. However, as soon as such a promotion occurs, the army or police officer immediately receives shoulder straps, on which there are larger stars, and the external design of the shoulder insignia is somewhat different.

A senior sergeant receives the shoulder straps of a junior lieutenant if he has demonstrated exemplary behavior. If he approached the assignments entrusted to him with full responsibility, and also made competent decisions, then a promotion in rank could come to him after just a year.

Lieutenant shoulder straps are worn by a serviceman promoted to rank for the next two years. During this time, he must prove that he is worthy of promotion to the next level.

The characteristics of the junior lieutenant's shoulder straps are as follows:

• since this is only the first step, there is no talk of how many stars are on the shoulder straps of a junior lieutenant, since only one star comes with a new rank of a higher rank;
• the size of the star on the shoulder straps of this rank is 1.3 cm in diameter;
• the distance on the junior lieutenant's shoulder straps, starting from the very edge of the shoulder distinctive element and ending with the center of the first (and in this case, the only) star is 4.5 cm;
• the distance from the center of one star to the center of another is not established in this case due to the presence of only one star.

Find out: What shoulder straps did different ranks wear in the Tsarist Army of Russia?

The shoulder straps of a junior lieutenant also differ in external features, since from edge to edge of the shoulder straps there is a red line, called a clearance in military circles, strictly in the center.

Lieutenant

After a serviceman or representative of law enforcement agencies has served in the rank of junior lieutenant for two years and shown himself in the best possible light, he is promoted to the rank of lieutenant. This is a related title, but it carries greater responsibility and covers a larger scope of responsibilities to management.

Accordingly, a soldier must also serve in this rank for several years in order to prove to his superiors that he is able to cope with more complex work. If he does not have any negative situations that could tarnish his military honor, then after a while he is promoted to the rank of senior lieutenant, the highest rank in his category.

The characteristics of a lieutenant's shoulder straps include the following:

• speaking about how many stars a lieutenant has on his shoulder straps, one can follow the logic that this rank is one rank higher than the previous one, therefore, the number of stars increases to two;
• the distance of the stars on the shoulder straps from their edge to the centers of both stars (since they are at the same distance from each other) is reduced by almost half and amounts to 2.5 cm;
• if the only star that the junior lieutenant has is located strictly on the central red line, then the lieutenant’s two stars are located on the sides of the central clear;
• there is no information about what the distance between the stars on the lieutenant’s shoulder straps should be, since usually in the army or law enforcement agencies a measurement is made along the shoulder straps, but in this case the stars are placed on the lieutenant’s shoulder straps at the same distance in relation to each other;
• the diameter of each star is the same as that of the junior lieutenant, that is, the same 1.3 cm.

Find out: What kind of shoulder straps does a lieutenant colonel wear, how many stars are there on them?

Senior Lieutenant

As soon as a lieutenant advances to the rank of senior lieutenant, in order to reach the next level of the military hierarchy, he must properly perform his duties and not receive reprimands from his superiors for the next three years. This amount of time will be quite enough for the serviceman to gain experience and master the art of war so much that he could be promoted to the rank of captain.

The captain also belongs to the junior officer corps, however, upon reaching it, the serviceman is at the last step before he is transferred to the senior officer corps.

The distinctive characteristics of the shoulder straps of this rank are the following:

• The senior lieutenant's shoulder straps already have three stars, which indicate solid military experience and skills;
• the diameter of each star on the shoulder straps of a senior lieutenant does not differ from the previous two ranks of junior officers and is 1.3 cm;
• the distance from the edge of the shoulder straps to the center of the first star is similar to 2.5 cm;
• the arrangement of the stars on the shoulder straps is as follows: two stars are located on the sides of the central red line, like a lieutenant, and the third star is slightly higher and strictly in the middle of the clearance, like a junior lieutenant;
• the distance between the stars on the shoulder straps of the senior lieutenant is already present and clearly marked, since along the shoulder straps they are not located at the same level, so it is 2.5 cm.

Where should shoulder straps be placed on military personnel's clothing?

As a rule, shoulder straps are sewn onto clothing on the shoulders. Depending on whether a serviceman is attending a ceremonial event or a casual uniform, the color scheme of the shoulder straps also differs. On special occasions they have a gilded base and variegated edging. The color depends on the branch of the military to which the soldier belongs.