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Medal "For Distinction in Military Service"

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Medal "For Distinction in Military Service"
Soviet For Distinction in Military Service 1st class
Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" 1st class (obverse)
Awarded by Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union
Flag of Russia Russian Federation
Type Military Decoration
Eligibility Citizens of the Soviet Union
Awarded for Excellence in combat and political training
Status No longer awarded
Statistics
Established October 28, 1974
First awarded March 24, 1975
Last awarded 1995
Total awarded 1st class ~ 20,000
2nd class ~ 120,000

The Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" (Russian: Медаль «За отличие в воинской службе») was a military decoration awarded in two classes by the Soviet Union and later by the Russian Federation (until 1995), to deserving military personnel of the Ministry of Defense, of internal troops and of border troops of both the USSR and Russian Federation. It was gradually phased out following the dissolution of the USSR being replaced by various ministerial awards.

Award history[]

The Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" was established on October 28, 1974 by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet.[1] Its statute was later amended by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet № 2523-X on July 18, 1980.[2]

The award was one of the very few Soviet decorations to be retained "as is" following the dissolution of the USSR. This was confirmed by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation № 2424-1 of March 2, 1992.[3] It was last awarded in 1995 being replaced by various ministerial decorations such as the decoration "For Distinction in Service of Interior Troops of Russia" also awarded in two classes.

Award statute[]

The Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" was awarded to soldiers of the Soviet Army, Navy, border and internal troops: for excellent performance in combat and political training; for special distinction in exercises and manoeuvres in combat service and combat duty; for bravery, selflessness, and other services, displayed during military service.[1]

The award was divided into two classes, first and second, the first class being the highest. They were awarded sequentially for continued merit. Each medal came with an attestation of award, this attestation came in the form of a small 8 cm by 11 cm cardboard booklet bearing the award's name, the recipient's particulars and an official stamp and signature on the inside.[1]

Distinguished Military Service doc

Award attestation document of the Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" 1st class (cover and inside pages

The Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" was worn on the right side of the chest following the orders of the USSR. When not worn, its ribbon's order of precedence in the ribbon bar is immediately after the ribbon of the Medal "For Distinction in Guarding the State Border of the USSR".[1] If worn with honorary titles or Orders of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.[4]

Award description[]

The Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" was a 38mm wide five pointed convex star. Five shields bearing the emblems of the main branches of the service filled the gaps between its arms. The obverse bore a central concave medallion bearing the relief images of a soldier, sailor and airman. The central medallion was framed by a ring bearing the relief inscription "For Distinction in Military Service" (Russian: «За отличие в воинской службе») on the sides and top, at the bottom of the ring, two laurel branches. The plain reverse only bore the mark of the Moscow Mint "MMD" (Russian: «ММД») at the bottom.[1]

The medal was secured to a 29,5mm wide by 27,5mm square mount by a ring through the suspension loop. The mount was covered by a red silk moiré ribbon with two 3mm green stripes located 3mm from the ribbon edges.[1]

The medal first class, the metallic parts of its ribbon mount and the star device on its ribbon were made of brass. The medal second class, the metallic parts of its ribbon mount and the star device on its ribbon were made of cupronickel.[1]

First Class Second Class Reverse
Soviet For Distinction in Military Service 1st class Soviet For Distinction in Military Service 2nd class Medal for Distinguished Military Service 2nd class REVERSE

Recipients (partial list)[]

Sergey Stepashin

Former Prime Minister of Russia Sergei Stepashin, a recipient of both classes of the Medal "For Distinction in Military Service"

The individuals below were all recipients of the Medal "For Distinction in Military Service".[5]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of October 28, 1974" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1974-10-28. http://www.libussr.ru/doc_ussr/usr_8433.htm. Retrieved 2012-02-26. 
  2. ↑ "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 18, 1980 № 2523-X" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1980-07-18. http://www.libussr.ru/doc_ussr/usr_10402.htm. Retrieved 2012-02-26. 
  3. ↑ "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1992 № 2424-1" (in Russian). Commission under the President of the Russian Federation on state awards. 1999-12-15. http://award.adm.gov.ru/doc/u2424.htm. Retrieved 2012-02-26. 
  4. ↑ "Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 16, 2011 No 1631" (in Russian). Kremlin News – Site of the President of the Russian Federation. 2011-12-16. http://graph.document.kremlin.ru/page.aspx?1593594. Retrieved 2012-02-26. 
  5. ↑ "List of recipients of the Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" compiled from en.Wikipedia". Wikipedia. 

External links[]

Honorary titles
Civil and military orders
Military medals
Second World War medals
  • Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad"
  • Medal "For the Defence of Odessa"
  • Medal "For the Defence of Sevastopol"
  • Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad"
  • Medal "For the Defence of Moscow"
  • Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus"
  • Medal "For the Defence of the Soviet Transarctic"
  • Medal "For the Defence of Kiev"
  • Medal "For the Capture of Berlin"
  • Medal "For the Capture of Budapest"
  • Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg"
  • Medal "For the Capture of Vienna"
  • Medal "For the Liberation of Prague"
  • Medal "For the Liberation of Warsaw"
  • Medal "For the Liberation of Belgrade"
  • Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
  • Medal "For the Victory over Japan"
  • Medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" 1st class
  • Medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War" 2nd class
  • Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
    • Civil medals
    Jubilee medals
  • Jubilee Medal "XX Years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army"
  • Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy"
  • Jubilee Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
  • Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
  • Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
  • Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
  • Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
  • Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
  • Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
  • Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow"
  • Medal "In Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of Leningrad"
  • Medal "In Commemoration of the 1500th Anniversary of Kiev"
  • Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Soviet Militia"
  • Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary since the Birth of Vladimir Il'ich Lenin"


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