UNIFORM

(Ranks 1935-1945)

November 25, 2005

Data is given using info of the www.rkka.ru site

• Personal ranks in RKKA (1935-1940)
• Personal ranks of the RKKA and RKKF (Navy)
• Personal ranks of the RKKA and RKKF (Navy) 1943-1945
• State Security (NKVD, NKGB) Staff 1935-1943
• State Security (NKVD, NKGB) Staff 1935-1943

Personal ranks in RKKA (1935-1940)

(oringinals)

*1 - introduced on Aug. 20, 1937

*2 - introduced on Apr. 5, 1938

Personal ranks in RKKA (1935-1940)

(approximate translation)

*1 - introduced on Aug. 20, 1937

*2 - introduced on Apr. 5, 1938

Some additional specifications:

Politruk = Political leader;

Intendant = Commissary (not to mix with political "Commissar" ranks) ;

Tekhnik-Intendant = Technician-Commissary;

Personal ranks of the RKKA and RKKF (Navy)*

(originals)

Personal ranks of the RKKA and RKKF (Navy)*

(approximate translation)

*-introduced for highest commanders of the army, navy and technical Navy services on May 7'1940; for privates and junior army commanders on Nov. 2'1940; for sailors and junior Navy commanders - on Dec.3'1940.

** - also existed special ranks for Aircraft, Tank, Artillery, Engineer, Technical, Signals combat arms.

E.g. General-Major: Aviatsii (Air Forces), Tankovykh vojsk (Tank troops), Artillerii (Artillery), Inzhenernykh vojsk (Engineer troops), Tekhnicheskikh vojsk (Technical troops), Vojsk Svyazi (Signals troops).

*** - For coastal service existed equivalent General ranks. E.g. Kontr-Admiral=>General-Major Beregovoj Sluzhby (General-Major of Coastal Service)

*1 - intorduced on July 26, 1940;

*2 - were cancelled on Jan 28'1942 for technical staff of the Air Forces.

The next ranks were intoroduced:

• Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Lieutenant-technician);
• Starshiy Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Senior Lieutenant-technician);
• Inzhener-Kapitan (Engineer-Captain);
• Inzhener-Major (Engineer-Major);
• Inzhener-Podpolkovnik (Engineer-Lieutenant Colonel);
• Inzhener-Polkovnik (Engineer-Colonel)
• General-Major inzhenerno-aviatsionnoy sluzhby (General-Major of the Air Engineering service)
• General-Lejtenant inzhenerno-aviatsionnoy sluzhby (Lieutenant-General of the Air Engineering service)
• General-Polkovnik inzhenerno-aviatsionnoy sluzhby (Colonel-General of the Air Engineering service)

were cancelled for engineering staff of artillery on March 4, 1942.

The next ranks were introduced:

• Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Lieutenant-technician);
• Starshiy Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Senior Lieutenant-technician);
• Inzhener-Kapitan (Engineer-Captain);
• Inzhener-Major (Engineer-Major);
• Inzhener-Podpolkovnik (Engineer-Lieutenant Colonel);
• Inzhener-Polkovnik (Engineer-Colonel)
• General-Major inzhenerno-artillerijskoi sluzhby (General-Major of the Artillery Engineering service)
• General-Lejtenant inzhenerno-artillerijskoi sluzhby (Lieutenant-General of the Artillery Engineering service)
• General-Polkovnik inzhenerno-artillerijskoi sluzhby (Colonel-General of the Artillery Engineering service)

Were cancelled for engineering staff of the auto-armored troops.

The next ranks were introduced:

• Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Lieutenant-technician);
• Starshiy Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Senior Lieutenant-technician);
• Inzhener-Kapitan (Engineer-Captain);
• Inzhener-Major (Engineer-Major);
• Inzhener-Podpolkovnik (Engineer-Lieutenant Colonel);
• Inzhener-Polkovnik (Engineer-Colonel)
• General-Major inzhenerno-tankovoy sluzhby (General-Major of the Tank-Engineering service)
• General-Lejtenant inzhenerno-tankovoy sluzhby (Lieutenant-General of the Tank-Engineering service)
• General-Polkovnik inzhenerno-tankovoy sluzhby (Colonel-General of the Tank-Engineering service)

On Sept. 14, 1942 for artillery commanders who had secondary technical education the next ranks were intorduced:

• Kapitan inzhenerno-tekhnicheskoy sluzhby (Captain of Engineering Service);
• Major inzhenerno-tekhnicheskoy sluzhby (Major of Engineering Service);
• Podpolkovnik inzhenerno-tekhnicheskoy sluzhby (Lieutenant Colonel of Engineering Service);
• Polkovnik inzhenerno-tekhnicheskoy sluzhby (Colonel of Engineering Service)

*3 - Were cancelled on March 30'1942.

The next ranks were introduced:

• Lejtenant Intendantskoy Sluzhby (Lieutanant of Commissary Service);
• Starshiy Lejtenant Intendantskoy Sluzhby (Senior Lieutenant of Commissary Service);
• Kapitan Intendantskoy Sluzhby (Captain of Commissary Service);
• Major Intendantskoy Sluzhby (Major of Commissary Service);
• Podpolkovnik Intendantskoy Sluzhby (Lieutanant Colonel of Commissary Service);
• Polkovnik Intendantskoy Sluzhby (Colonel of Commissary Service).

*4 - Were cancelled on Oct. 9'1942. Political staff got common command ranks instead.

*5 - Were cancelled on Jan. 2'1943.

The next ranks were introduced for medical serivce staff:

• Mladshiy Lejtenant Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Junior Lieutenant of Medical Service);
• Lejtenant Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Lieutenant of Medical Service);
• Starshiy Lejtenant Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Senior Lieutenant of Medical Service);
• Kapitan Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Captain of Medical Service);
• Major Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Major of Medical Service);
• Podpolkovnik Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Lieutenant Colonel of Medical Service);
• Polkovnik Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Colonel of Medical Service);
• General-Major Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (General-Major of Medical Service);
• General-Lejtenant Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Lieutenant-General of Medical Service);
• General-Polkovnik Meditsinskoy Sluzhby (Colonel-General of Medical Service);

The next ranks were introduced for vetirinary serivce staff:

• Mladshiy Lejtenant Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Junior Lieutenant of Veterinary Service);
• Lejtenant Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Lieutenant of Veterinary Service);
• Starshiy Lejtenant Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Senior Lieutenant of Veterinary Service);
• Kapitan Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Captain of Veterinary Service);
• Major Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Major of Veterinary Service);
• Podpolkovnik Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Lieutenant Colonel of Veterinary Service);
• Polkovnik Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Colonel of Veterinary Service);
• General-Major Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (General-Major of Veterinary Service);
• General-Lejtenant Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Lieutenant-General of Veterinary Service);
• General-Polkovnik Veterinarnoy Sluzhby (Colonel-General of Veterinary Service);

*6 - All engineering ranks (except Artillery, Air, Tank and Mechanised troops) were cancelled on Feb. 4'1943.

The next ranks were introduced for engineer staff:

• Mladshiy Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Junior Lieutenant-technician);
• Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Lieutenant-technician);
• Starshiy Tekhnik-Lejtenant (Senior Lieutenant-technician);
• Inzhener-Kapitan (Engineer-Captain);
• Inzhener-Major (Engineer-Major);
• Inzhener-Podpolkovnik (Engineer-Lieutenant Colonel);
• Inzhener-Polkovnik (Engineer-Colonel);
• General-Major inzhenerno-tekhnicheskoy sluzhby (General-Major of the Engineering service);
• General-Lejtenant inzhenerno-tekhnicheskoy sluzhby (Lieutenant-General of the Engineering service);
• General-Polkovnik inzhenerno-tekhnicheskoy sluzhby (Colonel-General of the Engineering service).

The next ranks were introduced for military jurists:

• Mladshiy Lejtenant Justitsii (Junior Lieutanant of justice);
• Lejtenant Justitsii (Lieutanant of justice);
• Starshiy Lejtenant Justitsii (Senior Lieutanant of justice);
• Kapitan Justitsii (Captain of justice);
• Major Justitsii (Major of justice);
• Podpolkovnik Justitsii (Lieutanant Colonel of justice);
• Polkovnik Justitsii (Colonel of justice);
• General-Major Justitsii (General-Major of justice);
• General-Lejtenant Justitsii (Lieutanant-General of justice);
• General-Polkovnik Justitsii (Colonel-General of justice);

The next ranks were introduced for administrative service:

• Mladshiy Lejtenant Administrativnoy Sluzhby(Junior Lieutanant of Administrative Service);
• Lejtenant Administrativnoy Sluzhby (Lieutanant of Administrative Service);
• Starshiy Lejtenant Administrativnoy Sluzhby (Senior Lieutanant of Administrative Service);
• Kapitan Administrativnoy Sluzhby (Captain of Administrative Service);
• Major Administrativnoy Sluzhby (Major of Administrative Service);
• Podpolkovnik Administrativnoy Sluzhby (Lieutanant Colonel of Administrative Service);
• Polkovnik Administrativnoy Sluzhby (Colonel of Administrative Service);

Personal ranks of the RKKA and RKKF (Navy) 1943-1945*

(originals)

Personal ranks of the RKKA and RKKF (Navy) 1943-1945*

(approximate translation)

* - Ranks of Marshal Aviatsii [Aviation] (Artillerii[Artillery], Bronetankovykh Vojsk[Armored Forces]) were introduced on Jan. 6'1943. (Rem. In "[]" brackets translated ranks are given)

Ranks of Glavniy Marshal Aviatsii [Aviation](Artillerii [Artillery], Bronetankovykh Vojsk [Armored forces], Vojsk Svyazi [Signals Troops], Inzhenernykh Vojsk[Engineer Troops]), Marshal Vojsk Svyazi [Signals Troops], Marshal Inzhenernykh Vojsk [Engineer Troops] were introduced on Oct.9'1943.

** - also existed special ranks for Aircraft, Tank, Artillery, Engineer, Technical, Signals combat arms.

E.g. General-Major: Aviatsii (Air Forces), Tankovykh vojsk (Tank Forces), Artillerii (Artillery), Inzhenernykh vojsk (Engineer troops), Tekhnicheskikh vojsk (Technical troops), Vojsk Svyazi (Signals troops).

*** - For coastal service existed equivalent General ranks. E.g. Kontr-Admiral=>General-Major Beregovoj Sluzhby (General-Major of Coastal Service).

*1 - and <rank> Inzhenerno-Tekhnicheskoy sluzhby <rank>=Kapitan, Major, Podpolkovnik, Polkovnik.

*2 - <kind>=combat arm: Aviatsii (Air forces), Artillerii (Artillery), Bronetankovykh vojsk (Armored troops), Vojsk Svyazi (Signals troops), Inzhenernykh vojsk (Engineer troops).

*3 - <service> = Intendantskoy Sluzhby, Administrativnoy Sluzhby, Meditsinskoy (Veterniarnoy) Sluzhby, Justitsii respectively.

Translated: <service> = Commissary Service, Administrative Service, Medical (Vetirinary) Service, Justice.

*4 - and <kind>= Inzhenerno-Aviatsionnyi (Artilleriyskoy, Tankovoy, Tekhnicheskoy ) Sluzhby.

Translated: <kind>= Engineering-Aviation (Artillery, Tank, Technical) Service.

State Security (NKVD, NKGB) Staff 1935-1943*

* - Since Oct. 7' 1935.

*1 - Intorduced on Nov. 27'1935

State Security (NKVD, NKGB) Staff 1943-1945*

*- since Feb. 9'1943 until July 6' 1945

Also special guards ranks were intorduced since May 21'1942. They are the same, as usual ones, but with additional word "Gvardii". E.g. "Gvardii ryadovoy" [Private of Guard], "Gvardii Polkovnik" [Colonel of Guard] etc.