Polish Graduation Badges

[CtahhR]

Here is the 1977-89 Officer Excelling Centre (Centrum Doskonalenia Oficerów) Graduation Badge.

[rakkasan]

A recent acquisition,

OFICERSKA SZKOŁA PIECHOTY NR 2 - Infantry Officer School Nr. 2 located in Lublin (1945 - 1947)

This is the 1946 model awarded to graduates and cadre, it was made by Gontarczyk of Warsaw and measures 44mm x 37mm.

[rakkasan]

Here is the 1972 NCO Professional School (PODOFICERSKIEJ SZKOŁY ZAWODOWEJ) badge. I'm not sure if this was leadership oriented as is the US Army NCO Academy (BNCOC / ANCOC) or if it was more like an occupational specialty school.

[rakkasan]

In the above posts we've seen the obverse of the 1947 model graduation badge, I've taken a photo of the reverse and the screwplate.

It is a Grabski of Łodz nut with the writing ZAKŁADY PRZEMYSŁOWE POD ZARZADEM PANSTW.(OWYM) which is roughly "State-controlled Industrial Plant", although i'll wait for confirmation of the translation from Al-muell.

[Al-muell]

I proposed "perfecting", although I am not sure if such word exists. CDO evolved from the Infantry Training Centre (CWP) and as far as I know it offered a lot of courses, not only the standard officer education. "Training" is not bad, but I am not sure if it fully equals the idea represented by "doskonalenie".

Originally Posted by rakkasan

In the above posts we've seen the obverse of the 1947 model graduation badge, I've taken a photo of the reverse and the screwplate.

It is a Grabski of Łodz nut with the writing ZAKŁADY PRZEMYSŁOWE POD ZARZADEM PANSTW.(OWYM) which is roughly "State-controlled Industrial Plant", although i'll wait for confirmation of the translation from Al-muell.

The translation is correct. Be careful with this badges - they are often faked (I don't mean that this one is a fake - I couldn't tell - it's just a warning)


As for the NCO professional school - It was a school (actually a number of schools) for professional NCOs - not a school teaching profession. The confusion may come from the fact that unlike in the USA, but like in the Soviet Army, most of the NCOs were serving a 2-year conscript service, during which they had only a 3-month NCO training. So if any NCO wanted to stay with the army after the 2-year period, he had to take extended service NCO course and if they wanted to become professional soldier - additional professional NCO school.
I even have a set of diplomas to one NCO who had all three levels - conscript NCO course, extended service NCO course and professional NCO course. I will share them as soon as I find them.

[rakkasan]

Originally Posted by Al-muell

Be careful with this badges - they are often faked (I don't mean that this one is a fake - I couldn't tell - it's just a warning)

Uh-oh....don't like the sound of that, I just picked up 7 :eek:, I usually go through a dealer in Krakow who is pretty reliable but now I'm not so sure. If I post them would someone be able to determine the authenticity? I ask because if so I'll have to retake all the photos I have because they are all well over the 50k limit (high resolution - low compression) and if I reduce them they are too small to be of any value.

[Al-muell]

Originally Posted by Al-muell

I even have a set of diplomas to one NCO who had all three levels - conscript NCO course, extended service NCO course and professional NCO course. I will share them as soon as I find them.

Found them surprisingly fast! here they are.
All to Jerzy Petke (alias Pettke):
1.NCO artillery school from 1958 - clearly a coscript NCO training.
2.Extended service NCO course from 1961
3.Professional NCO course from 1963 - this time forthe quatermaster service NCOs

To clarify - it was possible to volunteer to the professional service and start it with the professional NCO school, however, there wern't too many professional NCOs in the Polish Army - the majority were conscripts and extended service personnel.

[rakkasan]

Nice!!

Was there a specific badge for the last school?

[Al-muell]

I believe the badge of the professional NCO school (like the one You posted) should go with the third one.

[rakkasan]

Ok...I thought that badge was instituted in 1972, the document is dated 1963.