Artillery Colonel Parade Uniform

[90cent]

I finally found a uniform that fits, and I am now ready to attach all my insignia to it. Please look at the pictures and let me know if everything is in the right place. I tried to follow the Soviet reg book as close as I could but it did not give examples for a few of the awards I had.

This uniform came with major's rank on the shoulder boards. I have ordered 4 more stars that I will add to the boards to make this a colonel's uniform, but what also came with the uniform that I have never seen before was the yellow rope worn around the wearer's right sleeve and attached the the top button. I have searched the Soviet reg book and this does not appear anywhere. The only place I have seen these on Soviet uniforms is on YouTube videos of soviet parades and even then they are always on overcoats. If you can let me know what the rope signifies, and if it belongs on my uniform (given type, rank, era etc) I would greatly appreciate it.

thanks a lot

[Esteban_cool]

It´s a nice uniform!

You may want to put the Lenin centenary medal where the Afghanistan one is, since the only time when the Lenin centenary goes at the right side of suspensions is when the HSU/HSL is in its place. The afghan medal can be put on the right lapel or right under the other medals.

The "rope" (aiguilette) is OK.

[latinmajorac]

The rope is a demobilization decoration (at least in other uniforms it is). soldiers used to modify their uniforms to make it look 'cooler' for their last day in the military. not regulation, but most commanders looked the other way. especially for a senior officer!

feel free to correct me if i am wrong!

[Commissar]

I hear the ropes are common dembel modifications to uniforms but I have seen them on guards at parades and at special ceremonies.
Looks like quite the snazzy uniform though.
Did it comes with pants or trousers?
And it would look especially cool if it had a visor cap.

Lonny.

[Esteban_cool]

The dembel aiguilette was used by enlisted personnel and it was white; curtain tassels were used rather than the "pencils(?)". At least that´s what I´ve seen.
Patrik used to have some uniforms with the same kind of aiguilette shown on these pictures.

[90cent]

OK, I made the corrections that were suggested. Please review to ensure I did it correctly.

Also, what I am gathering through all of your responses is that, while it is admittedly cool, it doesn't belong on an active duty officer's uniform. I you have a specific example of when it is acceptable (other than retirement decoration) please let me know so I can keep it on. It does look pretty awesome, but it must be accurate.

To answer a question posed above, it did come with a belt, cap and pants so I am all set. It all looks pretty sharp when I wear it.

[Esteban_cool]

Originally Posted by 90cent

OK, I made the corrections that were suggested. Please review to ensure I did it correctly.

Also, what I am gathering through all of your responses is that, while it is admittedly cool, it doesn't belong on an active duty officer's uniform. I you have a specific example of when it is acceptable (other than retirement decoration) please let me know so I can keep it on. It does look pretty awesome, but it must be accurate.

To answer a question posed above, it did come with a belt, cap and pants so I am all set. It all looks pretty sharp when I wear it.

The Afghan medal should go at the other side, under the medal racks OR attached to the right lapel.

According to the 1989 regulations, the arms specialist badge (the one with the number or the M) should go at the same height of the lenin medal. Next, the other three badges should be at the same height of the medal racks, in a single line.

Take a look at this pic (from englishrussia.com)

[Commissar]

Hehe, for a second that guy in the picture on the right reminded me of Hunter S. Thompson. I think its the shades.

But yeah, the ropes were mostly put on dembel uniforms and as mentioned they were mostly white.
As I do not have regulation books I am not sure about much information concerning wearing medals, awards and pins but I have not seen any officers or soldiers wearing the ropes outside of demobilization.
But I could have sworn I have seen a photo of modern Russian troops on parade with them wrapped around their uniforms.

In this picture we see the modern Russian Federation honour guard with ropes! :)
And in the second picture we have the VDV with ropes!

So perhaps they were common at parades?
Although I know that many regulations have changed since the Soviet days.(Such as visor cap size ;) )

I agree, it does look spiffy.

[Ser-g]

hi ,

the cord you have on your uniform is now these days still in use with the VDV for officers.
officers wear a slightly more elaborad cord in gold and enlisted wear silver in a more simple version.
it can be seen in the post above the second picture.

in the soviet days it was used widely as a simple but cool looking demobilization modefication.

but still these ropes are all so much a like that they must have come from a other use.
i think and not sure if i have seen this on pictures, is that these were in use with special guard units on guard duty.

and during the m69 uniform periode the VDV wore a cord mostly the same trough the years as discribed above.

my conclusion is that this cord although real soviet/ Russian for 60% sure does not belong on your particular uniform, since there was no guard unit with artillery caps and uniform.

hope this helps

[Esteban_cool]

I checked once again the regulations book; it says that the aiguilette is worn at parades in Moscow.