Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army 1955–1991

During period 1955 to 1991, shoulder straps and epaulettes (1943 to 1955) were reintroduced, along with more basic changes due to reorganization in the Soviet armed forces, e.g., service ranks, rank insignia, and uniforms.

Changes to distinction insignia

Shoulder straps to field utilization

In December 1956 the coloured border piping on officer’s shoulder straps was changed. Instead to the so fare used Bordeaux (red), to commanders and commanding officers cinnamon-colour (brown) was dedicated. All other officers wore corps colours as follows:

• Motorised & mechanised rifles –   raspberry
• Artillery & armored troops –  black,  red
• Air Force / aviation –  blue
• Technical troops any kind – 

Enlisted men, non-commissioned officers and Praporshchik/ Michman

Enlistedmen			Non-commissioned officers					Praporshchiks
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic (ground forces)
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic (Air Force/ Aviation)
Rank designation	Rjadovoj	Jeferejtor	Mladshi sershant	Sershant	Starscij sershant	until 1963 Starshina	from 1964 Starshina	from 1971 Praporshchik	from 1981 Starshi praporshtchik
	Рядовой	Ефрейтор	Мл. сержант	Сержант	Ст. сержант	Старшина	Старшина	Прапорщик	Ст. прапорщик
Enlisted men			Boatswain/ petty officers					Michmen
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic
Rank designation	Matros	Starshi matros	Strashina 2nd class	Strashina 1st class	Glawnyj starshina	Michman (until 1963)	Michman (1963-1971) Glawnyj korabelnyj starshina (from 1971)	Michman (from 1971)	Starshi michman (from 1981)
	Матрос	Ст. матрос	Старшина 2 статьи	Старшина 1 статьи	Главный старшина	Мичман	Мичман Гл. корабельный старшина	Мичман	Ст. мичман
NATO-equivalent	OR-1	OR-2	OR-4	OR-5	OF-7	OR-8		WO-1	WO-2

Letter codes from 1972:
1. The letter imprint CA on Army (land forces) shoulder boards OR1 to OR7^[1] stood for "Советская Аpмия (en: Sovetskaja Armija) " and was the symbol of adherence to the Soviet army.
2. The letter imprint on Soviet navy shoulder boards OR1 to OR7 symbolised the adherence to the appropriate fleet or naval major command.^[2]

• Ф – Fleet (Russian: Флот, Flot), general

• БФ – Baltic Fleet (Балтийский Флот; Baltiski Flot)
• ЧМ – Black Sea Fleet (Черноморский Флот, Chernomorski Flot)
• СФ – Northern Fleet (Северный Флот, Severnyj Flot)
• ТФ – Pacific Fleet (Тихоокеанский Флот, Tikhookeanski flot)

3. Other letter symbols

• BB – (Внутренние Войска, Vnutrennie Voiska) – Internal Troops
• ВМУ – (Военно-музыкальное Училище, Vojenno-musykalnoje Utchilishche) – students of military musician schools or cadets of military bands
• ВС – (Вооружённые Силы, Voorushonnye Sily) – armed forces (Soviet Army, later USSR armed forces, also Armed forces of the USSR)
• ГБ – (КГБ, KGB) – KGB
• К – (Курсант, Kursant) – Kursant
• H – (Нахимовец, Nakhimovez) – Cadet on a Nakhimov Naval School
• ПВ – (Пограничные войска, Pogranitshnye voiska) – Border troops
• СШ – (Cпециальная школа, Spezialnaja shkola) – Special school
• СВУ – (Суворовец, Suvorovez) – Cadet on a Suvorov Military School

Officers, Generals and Flag officers

Designation	Lieutenats			Captain´s rank	Field officers			Higher commanders & Commander in chief
Shoulder boards to parade uniform land forces (Army)
Air Force
Rank designation	Mladshi lejtenant	Lejtenant	Starshi lejtenant	Kapitan	Major	Podpolkovnik	Polkovnik	General-major	General-lieutenant	General-polkovnik	Genral armii until 1974  |  after 1974		Marshal of the Soviet Union
	Мл. лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан	Майор	Подполковник	Полковник	Генерал-майор	Генерал-лейтенант	Генерал-полковник	Генерал аpмии		Маршал Советского Союза
Designation	Lieutenents			Kapitan-lejtenants	Staff officers			Flagg officers & higher commanders
Shoulder board to parde uniform Navy
Sleeve insignia
Rank designation	Mladshi lejtenant	Lejtenant	Starshi lejtenant	Kapitan-lejtenant	Kapitan 3rd rank	Kapitan 2nd rank	Kapitan 1st rank	Kontr-admiral	Vize-admiral	Admiral	Admiral flota (1955-1961) | (1962-1994)		Admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union (1955-1991)
	Мл. лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан-лейтенант	Капитан 3-го ранга	Капитан 2-го ранга	Капитан 1-го ранга	Контр-адмирал	Вице-адмирал	Адмирал	Адмирал флота		Адмирал Флота Советского Союза
NATO-equivalent	OF-1			OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9		OF-10

Remarks

• The abbreviation "OF" stands for de: "Offizier / en: officer / fr: officier / ru: офицер"

Description sleeve insignia navy

• OF1c – Mladshi lejtenent: officer star (nautical star, full, gold colour embroidery), below one basic stripe (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF1b – Lejtenent: officer star (nautical star, full, gold colour embroidery), below one stripe small and on stripe basic (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF1c – Starshi lejtenent: officer star (nautical star, full, gold colour embroidery), below two stripes basic (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF2 – Kapitan-lejtenant: officer star (nautical star, full, gold colour embroidery), below one stripe small and two stripes basic (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF3 – Kapitan 3rd rank: officer star (nautical star, full, gold colour embroidery), below three stripes basic (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF4 – Kapitan 2nd rank: officer star (nautical star, full, gold colour embroidery), below four stripes basic (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF5 – Kapitan 1st rank: officer star (nautical star, full, gold colour embroidery), below one big (Flagg officer´s stripe) stripe (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF6 – Kontr-admiral: officer star (Flagg officer´s star, with the state emblem hammer & sickle, gold colour embroidery), below one stripe basic and one stripe big (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF7 – Vize-admiral: Flagg officer star (with the state emblem hammer & sickle, gold colour embroidery), below two stripes basic and one stripe big (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF8 – Admiral: Flagg officer star (with the state emblem hammer & sickle, gold colour embroidery), below three stripes basic and one stripe big (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF9 – Admiral of the fleet: officer star (nautical star (without state emblem), full, gold colour embroidery), below one stripe small, three stripes basic and one stripe big (embroidery, gold coloured)
• OF10 – Admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union: officer star (nautical star (without state emblem), full, gold colour embroidery) encircled by two laurel twigs (above ca. 20° open), below four stripes basic and one stripe big (embroidery, gold coloured)

Top ranks

Marshal ranks and Supreme commanders of the Soviet armed forces
Shoulder board to dress uniform
Rank designation	Marshal of the branch					Chief marshal of the branch					Marshal of the Soviet Union	Generalissimus of the Soviet Union (no referenced project)
NATO-equivalent	OF-9										OF-10
Supreme commander of the Soviet Navy
Shoulder board to dress uniform	—					—						—
Rank designation	—					—					Fleet admiral of the Soviet Union (1955-1991)	—
NATO-equivalent											OF-10

See also

• History of Russian military ranks
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian armed forces until 1917
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Red Army 1918–1935, ... 1935–1940, and ... 1940–1943
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army 1943–1955
• Army ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation

References

1. ↑ The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
2. ↑ MEYERS UNIVERSALLEXIKON, 3th edition 1982, order number: 576 973 7, licence number: 433 130/182/82, volume IV, page 128-129 "Rank insignia of the Soviet Navy."