Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1955–1991

The ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces between 1955 and 1991 were distinguished by the reorganisation of the Soviet armed forces after the death of Stalin, resulting in changes to ranks, insignia, and uniforms.

Changes to distinction insignia

Shoulder straps to field utilization

In December 1956 the coloured border piping on officers' shoulder straps was changed. A cinnamon-brown color was used instead of the burgundy red previously worn by commanders and commanding officers. All other officers and other ranks wore corps colours as follows:

Motorised & mechanised rifles – raspberry
Artillery & armored troops – black, red
Air Force & aviation – blue
Technical troops of any kind and the navy – black

The regimental numberings of the 1943 system were removed altogether.

Enlisted men, non-commissioned officers, warrant officers, and michman

Army, Air Force

Enlisted men			Non-commissioned officers					Warrant officers
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic (ground forces)
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic (air force & aviation)
Rank designation	Private Second Class	Private First Class	Corporal	Sergeant	Staff sergeant	until 1963 Sergeant First Class	from 1964 Sergeant First Class	from 1971 Warrant Officer	from 1981 Chief Warrant Officer

	Рядовой	Ефрейтор	Мл. сержант	Сержант	Ст. сержант	Старшина		Прапорщик	Ст. прапорщик
NATO-equivalent	OR-1	OR-4	OR-5	OR-6	OR-7	OR-8		OR-9

Ratings of the Navy, coastal services and other shore commands

Enlisted ratings			Boatswain/ petty officers					Michman
Shoulder boards to service uniform basic
Rating designation (naval services)	Seaman Apprentice	Seaman	Petty Officer 3rd class	Petty Officer 2nd class	Petty Officer 1st class	until 1955 Warrant Officer	1956-1971 Warrant Officer from 1971 Chief Petty Officer	from 1971 Warrant Officer	from 1981 Chief Warrant Officer

	Матрос	Старший матрос	Старшина 2-ой статьи	Старшина 1-ой статьи	Главный старшина	до 1955 Мичман	1956-1971 Мичман с 1971 Главный корабельный старшина	с 1971 Мичман	с 1981 Старший мичман

... (coastal services and other shore commands)	Seaman	Leading Seaman	Junior Sergeant	Sergeant	Senior Sergeant	until 1957 Major Sergeant	from 1958 Major Sergeant	from 1971 Warrant Officer	from 1981 Senior Warrant Officer

	Матрос	Старший матрос	Младший сержант	Сержант	Старший сержант	до 1955 Старшина	1956-1971 Старшина	с 1971 Прапорщик	с 1981 Старший прапорщик
NATO-equivalent	OR-1	OR-4	OR-5	OR-6	OR-7	OR-8		OR-9

Letter codes from 1972 onward

The letter imprint "CA" on army shoulder boards OR1 to OR7[Note 1] stood for "Советская Аpмия (en: Sovetskaya Armiya) " and was the symbol of adherence to the Soviet Army.
The letter imprint on Soviet navy shoulder boards OR1 to OR7 symbolised the adherence to the appropriate fleet or naval major command.[1]
- Ф – Fleet (Russian: Флот, Flot), general personnel of the Navy
- БФ – Baltic Fleet (Балтийский Флот; Baltiski Flot)
- ЧМ – Black Sea Fleet (Черноморский Флот, Chernomorski Flot)
- СФ – Northern Fleet (Северный Флот, Severny Flot)
- ТФ – Pacific Fleet (Тихоокеанский Флот, Tikhookeanski flot)
Other letter symbols
- BB – (Внутренние Войска, Vnutrennie Voiska) – Internal Troops
- ВМУ – (Военно-музыкальное Училище, Voyenno-musykalnoye Utchilishche) – students of military musician schools or cadets of military bands
ВС – (Вооружённые Силы, Voorushonnye Sily) – armed forces (Soviet Army, later USSR armed forces, also Armed forces of the USSR)
ГБ – (Госуда́рственной Безопа́сности, Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti) – Committee for State Security (KGB)
К – (Курсант, Kursant) – higher military college student
H – (Нахимовец, Nakhimovez) – cadet in the Nakhimov Naval School
ПВ – (Пограничные войска, Pogranitshnye voiska) – border troops
СШ – (Cпециальная школа, Spezialnaya shkola) – special school
СВУ – (Суворовец, Suvorovez) – cadet at a Suvorov Military School

Army officers and generals (all services)

Designation	Lieutenants			Captain´s rank	Field officers			Higher commanders & commander-in-chief
Shoulder boards to parade uniform land forces (Army)
Air force
Rank designation (Ground and air forces and independent branches)	Lieutenant Junior Grade	2nd Lieutenant	1st lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant Colonel	Colonel	Major general	Lieutenant general	Colonel General	General of the army until 1974 and after 1974	Marshal of the Soviet Union

	Мл. лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан	Майор	Подполковник	Полковник	Генерал-майор	Генерал-лейтенант	Генерал-полковник	Генерал аpмии	Маршал Советского Союза

Naval officers and flag officers (all services)

Designation	Lieutenants			Captain lieutenants	Staff officers			Flag officers & higher commanders
Shoulder board to parade uniform Navy
Sleeve insignia
Rank designation (naval services)	Ensign	Lieutenant Junior Grade	2nd lieutenant	1st lieutenant	Lieutenant commander	Commander	Captain	Rear admiral	Vice admiral	Admiral	Fleet Admiral		Admiral of the Navy
											(1955-1961)	(1962-1994)	(1955-1991)


Младший лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан-лейтенант	Капитан 3-го ранга	Капитан 2-го ранга	Капитан 1-го ранга	Контр-адмирал	Вице-адмирал	Адмирал	Адмирал флота		Адмирал флота Советского Союза

Rank designation (Shore services of the Navy)	Junior lieutenant	Lieutenant	Senior lieutenant	Captain	Major	Lieutenant colonel	Colonel	Major general	Lieutenant general	Colonel general	No equivalent established

	Мл. лейтенант	Лейтенант	Ст. лейтенант	Капитан	Майор	Подполковник	Полковник	Генерал-майор	Генерал-лейтенант	Генерал-полковник
NATO-equivalent	OF-1			OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9		OF-10

Top ranks

Marshal ranks and Supreme commanders of the Soviet armed forces
Shoulder board to dress uniform
Rank designation	Marshal of the branch	Chief marshal of the branch	Marshal of the Soviet Union
NATO-equivalent	OF-9		OF-10
Supreme commander of the Soviet Navy
Shoulder board to dress uniform	—	—
Rank designation	—	—	Admiral of the Navy (1955-1991)
NATO-equivalent			OF-10

Notes

The abbreviation "OR" stands for "other ranks"

References

Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 3th edition 1982, order number: 576 973 7, licence number: 433 130/182/82, volume IV, page 128-129 "Rank insignia of the Soviet Navy"

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[NATO2-1] The abbreviation "OR" stands for "other ranks"

[2] Meyers Konversations-Lexikon, 3th edition 1982, order number: 576 973 7, licence number: 433 130/182/82, volume IV, page 128-129 "Rank insignia of the Soviet Navy"