Suspensions, Ribbons, Ribbon Bars And Order Of Precedence.

[PaulR]

Hello,

I bought this awesome uniform(piped trousers and visor included) from a fellow collector. It is for a Medical Officer in the Soviet Army. As you can see, he is very highly decorated, with many orders.

There is one that I cannot ID... It looks like the Victory Over Germany, but it is placed at the bottom of the stack, further down than I would think it should be. To make things more confusing, is that there are two of them. I am fairly certain that the odds of one of them being an OG is pretty much out of the questions.

What do you think that lower orange and black ribbon is?

BTW, I feel that the ribbon bar is original to the tunic as it is embroidered onto a patch of matching brown cloth, which is sewn to the jacket.

[medals73]

25th Anniversary of Victory badge. A fairly common practice.

[PaulR]

Thank you. I do not remember hearing of that badge before. Interesting that it was worn as a ribbon on the service jacket.

Also, I find it very interesting that this man has so many orders, but not a single campaign medal. I know that a couple of the orders(Like maybe the ORB and the OL)must have been for long service, but the rest...

[CtahhR]

Long service... Not "glorious" but there never the less...

What you would expect to see from a Medial Service person. Long good service making sure others could also perform long good service.

[EricFG]

Yep, the 25th anniversary badge as noted previously. If you look at ribbon bars long enough you'll often see that particular ribbon on the bottom of the bar, or that same ribbon in the same place but at 45º, or even smaller versions of that (St. George/OG/VoG) ribbon. All denoting the same badge.
I would guess, on that jacket, that the CSM and one of the Red Stars are for long service. And possibly either or both of the ORB and Lenin could have been for long service as well.
He might have been newly inducted in 45, just long enough to get the VoG, but didn't make it to the front. But he did spend 40 years in the SAF/reserves and was highly decorated. Not super sexy as far as wartime experience but he has a Lenin; that by itself speaks volumes.
I also like to see the AF vet's medal ribbon. It's not rare but I don't see it a lot and when it's there without the Labor vet's ribbon it probably means they guy was a career military man.
Most of this is semi-informed supposition on my part. I'm sure real experts will blow holes in my theory.

I wonder...were there Guards medical units?

[PaulR]

Thanks for the comments thus far and for the explanation on the 25 year anniversary badge.

As far as the Guards badge is concerned, were doctors not assigned to combatant Guards units, thus allowing for the wear of the badge?

[desantnik]

Originally Posted by PaulR

As far as the Guards badge is concerned, were doctors not assigned to combatant Guards units, thus allowing for the wear of the badge?

Yes. Additionally, I'm unaware of any solely medical Guards units.

[Auke]

Originally Posted by EricFG

I wonder...were there Guards medical units?

Specialized medical units only existed up to battalion level, but there were quite a few guards medical battalions and cavalry squadrons, and I have found at least one independent guards medical company.

[EricFG]

Originally Posted by PaulR

As far as the Guards badge is concerned, were doctors not assigned to combatant Guards units, thus allowing for the wear of the badge?

Originally Posted by desantnik

Yes. Additionally, I'm unaware of any solely medical Guards units.

Originally Posted by Auke

Specialized medical units only existed up to battalion level, but there were quite a few guards medical battalions and cavalry squadrons, and I have found at least one independent guards medical company.

I learn something new every day! :thumbsup

[desantnik]

Me too :thumbsup