The shoulder straps are a lieutenant. The senior lieutenant is the epaulettes. A photo

Quite often it seems to us that there is no more responsible business than being a military man. Serving people often have excellent bearing, hold proud posture and are very scrupulous. It is noticed that with the rise of the rank these qualities in man become more and more obvious. Although at the same time, only the number and size of stars on epaulets changes outwardly. It is for them to judge the man himself, his military career, which for many becomes the main goal in life. And they, not sparing themselves, serve their homeland. Only having found the desired shoulder straps, the lieutenant, it would seem, can relax and no longer pursue a career, but the character of the military is incorrigible - he seeks new heights and victories. For many men, this hardening persists to the old age and is gradually transferred to family members.

On military ranks and positions: junior staff

Everyone who dreams of making a career in the ranks of military employees will need to go a long and thorny path. Take, for example, the hierarchy that operates in the ranks of the police. It should be noted that so far it has not undergone any changes and has remained the same as it was with the police of Soviet times. The initial step is to get the rank of rank-and-file. This means that a person is enrolled in the ranks of law enforcement officers, but his powers are by no means great. Within one year the rank and file creates an excellent reputation and, in the absence of serious comments, continues to climb the career ladder.

The next stage is the rank of junior sergeant. After serving another year with this title, a person goes to a more respectable - a sergeant. This stage of military service in the ranks of the police requires long service for a period of two years. Then he is awarded the senior sergeant. In this rank the representative of the police bears service for three years. After the required period, the sergeant is reincarnated as an ensign. This title is final for junior commanders and requires compulsory service for a period of five years.

Average composition

It includes employees who received the rank of junior lieutenant. Pogony in this case is already different from the previous sergeants. A police officer in this rank, under conditions of exemplary characteristics, becomes a real lieutenant in a year. The lieutenant carries his shoulder straps until the two-year period expires. The next step in the military career ladder is to obtain a similar post, but with great professional rights. In the rank of a senior lieutenant, a police officer must serve three years. During this time he recruited more experience, sufficient to become a captain. The receipt of new powers demonstrates the significant achievements of the policeman. Before moving to the next echelon of power, he is required to serve with this title for three years.

Senior staff

This category is rightfully considered to be the most privileged among the military, since not everyone succeeds in obtaining a post related to it. Changing the title of captain to a major, a police officer gets new rights and epaulettes. They use at best four years on condition of excellent service. Then the officer switches to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and after five years - the colonel.

Differences of epaulettes

For each rank characteristic are the distinctive features on shoulder straps. It can be a different number of skins, the size of the stars, the color. For example, sergeants have no stars on shoulder straps, they begin to appear only with the rank of ensign. On the average, the shoulder straps of the police lieutenant, junior and senior, have a vertical strip called a gleam. As the post increases, the number of stars changes from two to four. The captain receives one, but a large star, placed in the center. Senior police officers, major and lieutenant colonel, carry epaulettes with two gaps, on which two and three stars are located, respectively. Starting with the colonel, vertical bands no longer occur, and the stars (from one) are located along the sign.

Requirements for the placement of stars

Starting from the ensign and ending with the captain the stars have a diameter of 13 mm. From the rank of major to the colonel - 20 mm. And all top positions differ in size of a star of 22 mm. On the shoulder straps of the ensign, the distance from the end of the sign to the center of the star and the gap between the last ones is 25 mm. The junior lieutenant has one on the epaulettes, it is located 45 mm from the edge. As for senior positions, the distance of stars on shoulder straps of a lieutenant and a senior lieutenant should be 25 mm from the edges and centers of neighboring ones. Similar indicators are applicable to other ranks, except Major and Major General. At them on shoulder straps the distance from the edge to the center of the star is 45 mm.

The history of appearance of shoulder straps as distinctive signs

One of the most curious is the fact of the original appointment of people with the title of lieutenant. The word itself appeared in France and was adopted by Spain and only a few centuries later it became known as the officer of the Russian Navy. In its significance, it was preceded by the title of second lieutenant, who outlived himself on the territory of the state. Then the officer's epaulettes had a different appearance and were somewhat different from the modern ones. They were used as holders of travel bags, since horse riding did not provide for securing luggage. In those days, this adaptation was found only on one side of the clothes. In addition to convenience and practicality, they had another purpose. They were used as an original accessory to military clothing, after that they began to symbolize belonging to a certain regiment, division. And then they were used as an indicator of military service. The conditions for obtaining this rank by the military also differed from modern ones: it was awarded after the academic period in specialized institutions and military departments.

Placements of shoulder straps and special marks on the clothes of servicemen

He usually wears shoulder straps on his shoulders, fastening them on his shirt or jacket. In the cold season special milestones are also attached to the outer clothing. And also supplemented with special headdresses. The signs themselves can be removable or washable, depending on the nature of the clothes. In addition to them, there are also special petal and armbands, which differ in length, thickness and color. Most often they have a golden color and are placed on a dark background.

Types of Shoulderpads

For police officers, as well as other representatives of the military service, there are several types of marks for the title. So, there are ceremonial shoulder straps of the lieutenant, photos of which can be seen here. They are worn on the occasion of holidays and solemn meetings. In addition to these, there are simple everyday epaulets that are attached to the daily form of the serviceman. They can, if necessary, be replaced with newer ones, with real stars or embroidery with gold threads. A similar possibility can be used by almost every officer. Senior lieutenant shoulder straps (photo attached) can choose similar ones to those presented in this article.

The value of shoulder straps grows with the rank

For each person who has passed military service, the significance of various signs and marks is extremely large. For their sake they go on dangerous tasks, risk their own lives, and pride for every successful step overwhelms the soul. The lieutenant wears his shoulder straps just as dignified as the scars from military wounds. They are striving to earn more from the rank of ordinary soldier and for many they become the most desired reward for their labors.

Contrary to the complexities of incessant and prolonged service to its state in the ranks of law enforcement agencies, the fleet, air forces or any other spheres of military activity, valorous officers perform their duties with dignity. In such situations, promotion is perceived by them as gratitude and encouragement for impeccable service. Honor and courage of man, embodied in the stars on epaulets, become a kind of characteristic. Based on the achieved by the officer, his colleagues make up their own opinion about him, about his personal qualities. Perhaps this is one of the many reasons why women have a weakness for men in uniform, and men since childhood dream of becoming defenders of their country and with honor to wear epaulettes in their outfit.