Devoting one's life to the naval army craft is the choice of men of strong spirit. This can be done in two ways: after the main service, remain on contract or undergo training in a special institution. A trained sailor is obliged to study all the insignia. The most fundamental, perhaps, can be considered the Navy shoulder straps, which determine the personal ranks of servicemen in the water and submarine forces. They can be used to understand what hierarchical level a person occupies.
Classification of naval ranks
Ranks can be divided into categories, including conscripts, senior and junior officers, and senior ranks. Each of them performs their strictly defined duties. The most important task is to follow the regulations and execute orders from superiors. Ranks can also be awarded to representatives of the naval units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Petty officers, sailors, and warrant officers wear blue shoulder straps with the letter “F” on a daily basis, which may be supplemented with a yellow stripe. The insignia are equivalent to those on the jacket. A white shirt is used as an element of the ceremonial military uniform. Sailors wear checkered shoulder straps sewn on over their coats.
Officers are provided with gold-colored removable insignia. A white shirt is also acceptable for the dress uniform. The coat or tunic of the everyday version has black shoulder straps decorated with edging (made of yellow material). All sailors have simple shoulder straps, no different from each other. Senior sailors have one horizontal stripe on their shoulder straps. Petty officers have cloth galloons and stripes.
Until the mid-18th century, shoulder straps had only one meaning – they indicated belonging to a military structure. Since 1762, they began to be used to understand the difference between troops. In 1802, they were first introduced for the navy.
Warrant officers have insignia similar to those granted to officers. But there is one significant difference - the absence of vertical stripes. Depending on the rank, stars are added to the shoulder straps. For a private warrant officer, two are required, and for a senior warrant officer, one more.
Shoulder straps of conscripts
The shoulder straps of the civil fleet directly depend on the rank of the serviceman, the title of the official. They are distinguished by sleeve, shoulder insignia, stripes on the chest. Shoulder - this is a removable part made of fabric. They depict horizontal stripes of yellow color.
Since 2017, conscripts of the Russian Navy do not serve on ships or submarines. They are sent to coast guard units. This also includes the Marine Corps.
All soldiers are accepted into the navy service, which is now similar in length to the ground forces, with the rank of "sailor". The conscript automatically receives blue shoulder straps with the letter "F". If the sailor shows his best side during his service, he can be promoted to senior. This is equivalent to the rank of corporal.
Navy personnel and conscripts can become helmsmen. There is also the possibility of becoming a radio technician or a motor mechanic. Having received the rank of senior sailor, the serviceman gets a stripe. He is allowed to command a separate group. His duties also include replacing the squad leader.
Then come the higher ranks. These include the petty officer of the first class, as well as the chief petty officer. They differ in that the first can coordinate the actions of the squad, and the second has the right to take responsibility for commanding a platoon. The chief petty officer on the ship is obliged to share responsibility.
The Russian Navy includes not only the marines and coastal troops, but also the aviation. It provides cover for military vessels and is also responsible for reconnaissance and search operations.
Junior and senior officers
Officers' shoulder straps are distinguished by the presence of a noticeable yellow stripe sewn vertically (it is called a gap). And also by the presence of such an element as metal stars measuring 1.3 cm. Each rank corresponds to certain naval shoulder straps with a specific number of stars on them:
- Junior Lieutenant – 2.
- Lieutenant – 3.
- Senior Lieutenant – 3.
- Captain-Lieutenant – 4.
The higher ranks of the Navy officers are distinguished by two gold stripes. The stars on the shoulder straps are 2 cm in size, larger than those of the junior officers. Their number and location vary depending on the rank:
- Captain 1st rank - two on the line, one between them.
- The second one has two, each on its own clearance.
- The third one has one star.
On the ship captain's shoulder straps, it is easy to notice two gaps. The rank is determined by the number and position of the stars. They are the same size for each category of officers.
The ranks of the Russian Navy are emphasized by shoulder straps, as well as stripes and stars on the jacket. Thus, a junior lieutenant has one medium-sized yellow line. A lieutenant has one medium-sized gap and two narrow ones. A senior lieutenant has two medium-sized gaps. A captain-lieutenant has one more narrow stripe.
Distinctions of the highest military ranks of the Navy
The highest ranks of the Russian Navy officers are distinguished by special shoulder straps without gaps. There are no yellow vertical stripes. It is assumed that there are stars measuring 2.2 cm. The number of stars on the shoulder straps will tell you about the rank of a serviceman:
- Admiral of the Fleet - 2 (4 cm in size).
- Vice Admiral - 2.
- Admiral – 3.
- Rear Admiral – 1.
The sleeves have separate insignia, stars and gaps. The width and number of the latter directly depend on the rank:
- The Admiral of the Fleet has 1 wide stripe, 4 medium ones.
- The admiral also has 2 wide ones, but 3 medium ones.
- The Vice Admiral has one less middle yellow stripe.
- The rear admiral has 1 lumen of each type.
Knowing the military ranks of the Navy of your home country is necessary not only for military personnel, but also for ordinary people. Shoulder straps have a rich history and now act as an identifier for servicemen. The number of stars and gaps can be used to determine not only the rank, but also the rank of a military man.
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