Medal "Soldier-Internationalist From The Grateful Afghan People".

[Tretov]

Although not common, I've seen the Afghan people - medal mounted on 5-sided suspension a few times. It is of course hard to tell when it was re-mounted, I don't know how readily available the light blue ribbon is. Is it more sought after by collectors if mounted on the 5-sided suspension? I don't have it in my collection that way and don't really see the point in it either, just like the 100th anniversary of Lenin mounted on 5-sided.

As for the set, I would assume a major would have served at least 10 years hence earning a long service award as well unless having a very rapid career. The graduation badge is the post-1982 version for junior officers. The pin back medal bar on this one has likely been added or at least moved around on the chest: if anyone would wear the jacket at its current state, the mount would not be straight aligned but listing.

For comparison, here is another major (a skilled air force pilot, not VDV though) of the same era. He has at least 15 years of service (and the afghanistan medal mounted the correct way, btw.)

[CtahhR]

Here is a blank document.
Take note that the document opens "left handed" due to the fact that the Arabic script is written in the opposite direction to Latin.

[SergioV]

My Medal "Of Gratitude of the Afghan People" with document and a different version of the suspension.

Assigned to:
Skvorodnev
Alexander
Anatolevich

Conferred by
Military Unit 20523

[CtahhR]

Here is a pinback example.

I don't believe there was any distinction between the pin and screw examples. I've seen both types on military uniforms. Probably just a case of "you get what you get".

[CtahhR]

Here is a Document awarded to Aleksej Valer'evich Kornev of the 313th Separate Medical Squad by Decree 0788 on 25th February 1988.

[charlet]

Here's mine, with an interesting but somewhat mysterious afghan stamp:

Reading earlier messages in this topic, my doc seems being of the same brand than Paul's and Ed's docs in posts 32 and 38...