Taz

Gents,

I've been going through military vehicle magazines lately and it has sparked my interest in motorcycles used by the NVA. I assume that the Russian URAL bike was used but would like confirmation of this. Any and all information is welcome on what types of bikes were used, by what organizations used them etc. That goes for the GST as well.

Regards,

Gordon

Gordon,

This site may be of interest to you.

http://www.nva-fahrzeuge.de/motorraeder.htm

Regards,

Eddie.

Serbian Medal for Zeal

Yes that's right Mike,

struck in silvered bronze and awarded to non-combat unit Officers for exemplary service the Gilded bronze version is for Combat unit Officers. Apparently manufactured in France WW 1 period.

Should be on a dark blue triangular ribbon.

Price would be about ?40-45

Regards Eddie.

Yes that seems an extremly high jump count for what is in effect the 3rd class.

Primera ?

Segunda ? - ?

Tercera 500 - (600+)

Unclassed 1-500

I would think that after 500 reached, the jump count for the next class of badge would go down, it has to be at least over 100 more jumps though if the count has anything at all to do with the class awarded.

I don't really doubt that the Primera Badge is the highest known class at the moment, the 600 jumps would put the 1st class at about 1500 jumps!

Some of the critara David wrote seem to be an important factor in which class the para has, maybe the Cuban para just hasn't taken extra exams or tests. Below are the award critaria for the Soviet Paras as a comparision.

Paratroop Badge - After the first jump

Best or Excellent Paratrooper - After 18 jumps and additional tests

Paratroop Instructor - After 50 jumps and additional Instructor exams/tests.

Regards Eddie.

600 Jump Cuban Para badge "Tercera" Class. Seems to be of a lesser quality than the normal ones made in the USSR. maybe the number of jumps does not have a part to play in which class is awarded after all.

AWARD CRITARIA FOR THE ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE I GRADO

a) NATIONAL VANGUARD ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WITH EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS AFTER THE LAST DECORATION AND RECEIVED THREE OF THE OTHER AWARDS FIRST.

b) WORKERS WITH THE THREE PREVIOUS AWARDS, WITH EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE SERVICES, CULTURE, SCIENCE, TEACHING AND SPORT.

c) LABOUR GROUPS THAT HAVE THE ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A OF III AND II DEGREE (EVALUATE THE LATER RESULTS).

AWARD CRITARIA FOR THE ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE II GRADO

a) NATIONAL VANGUARD WITH EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS AND THAT HAS THE THREE PREVIOUS AWARDS AND IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES THAT HAVE THE FIRSTTWO.

b) UNION LEADERS WHO HAVE THE ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A OF THIRD DEGREE.

c) WORKERS WITH THE THREE PREVIOUS AWARDS, WITH EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE SERVICES, CULTURE, SCIENCE, TEACHING AND SPORT.

d) LABOUR GROUPS THAT HAVE THE ORDER L?ZARO PE?A OF THIRD DEGREE (EVALUATE THE LATER RESULTS).

AWARD CRITARIA FOR THE ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE III GRADO

a) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS NATIONAL VANGUARD AND FOR EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS. (TO HAVE HAZA?A LABORAL AND JES?S MEN?NDEZ MEDALS)

b) WORKERS WITH THE TWO PREVIOUS MEDALS, WITH EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE SERVICES, CULTURE, SCIENCE, TEACHING OR SPORT.

c) TRADE UNION LEADERS WITH EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS AND THAT HAVE THE MEDAL JES?S MEN?NDEZ.

d) LABOUR GROUPS THAT HAVE THE MEDAL JES?S MENENDEZ (THE LATER RESULTS ARE EVALUATED).

Award Critaria

a) VARIAS OCASIONES VANGUARDIA NACIONAL Y RESULTADOS A PARTIR DE LA HAZA?A LABORAL.

b) DE FORMA EXCEPCIONAL A TRABAJADORES CON GRANDES M?RITOS EN LABOR SOCIAL O POL?TICA.

c) DIRIGENTES SINDICALES POR 20 A?OS

d) COLECTIVOS LABORALES.

e) PERSONALIDADES.

a) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS NATIONAL VANGUARD AND RESULTS FROM A LABOUR FEAT.

b) OF EXCEPTIONAL FORM TO WORKERS WITH GREAT MERITS IN SOCIAL OR POLITICAL WORK.

c) UNION LEADERS AFTER 20 YEARS SERVICE

d) LABOUR GROUPS.

e) PERSONALITIES.

Requisitos a tener en cuenta para cada propuesta

Requirements to consider for each proposal

A) Dirigentes sindicales y personalidades de nuestro pa?s que hayan realizado una sostenida y destacada labor al servicio de la clase obrera y el internacionalismo proletario,

A) Union leaders and personalities of our country who have made maintained and outstanding work to the service of the working class and the proletarian internationalism,

B) a trabajadores que mantengan durante un gran per?odo de tiempo

una abnegada y disciplinada actitud ante el trabajo y una firme conciencia pol?tica y revolucionaria,

B) to workers who maintain during a great period of time

sacrifice and a disciplined attitude at work and show political and revolutionary conscience ,

C) trabajadores, dirigentes sindicales y personalidades de nuestro pa?s que durante un gran n?mero de a?os hayan dedicado su trabajo a la direcci?n asesoramiento, colaboraci?n, orientaci?n del movimiento sindical cubano, as? como de otros pa?ses o internacional,

C) union workers, leaders and personalities of our country that during a great number of years have dedicated to their work to the direction advising, collaboration, direction of the Cuban union movement, as well as of other countries or international,

D) dirigentes sindicales y personalidades extranjeras que se destaquen por sus luchas indoblegables al lado de la causa de los trabajadores del mundo y mantengan estrecho v?nculo de amistad y solidaridad destacada hacia la clase obrera cubana y su revoluci?n,

D) union leaders and foreign personalities that stand out by their indoblegables fights alongside the cause of the workers of the world and they maintain outstanding friendship bonds and solidarity towards the Cuban working class and its revolution,

E) trabajadores que obtengan relevantes ?xitos en las tareas de la emulaci?n o hayan sido seleccionados Vanguardias Nacionales de sus respectivos Sindicatos.

E) workers who achieve excellent successes in the tasks of the emulation or are selected National Vanguards of its respective Unions.

F) A empresas, establecimientos y unidades presupuestadas que hayan alcanzado la condici?n de Vanguardias Nacionales por varios a?os y acumulen extraordinarios resultados en el cumplimiento de los planes de producci?n o servicios y dem?s ?ndices de la emulaci?n.

F) To companies, establishments and budgeted units that have reached the condition of National Vanguards by several years and accumulate extraordinary results in the fulfillment of the plans of production or services and other indices of the emulation.

Awarded to Workers and Union leaders.

This is terrific. Following Soviet practicve 1st class only having received the lower 2, 2nd class only after the 3rd, and

the 3rd Class was only to be bestowed on persons who already held the Medal "Jesus Menendez" -- with "National Vanguard" (shock workers?) ALSO needing the Medal "Haza?a Laboral."

These PREREQUISITES are what we so desperately need to know to determine whether groups are complete or authentic.

?Qu? significa ser Vanguardia Nacional?

Vanguardia Nacional es una condici?n superior de la Emulaci?n Socialista que obtiene un colectivo o trabajador, propuesto desde la base, tomando como premisa la excepcionalidad de los resultados y el impacto cient?fico y social de los mismos. Esta condici?n se obtiene anualmente; no se ratifica ni se pierde.

Rough translation

What does it mean to be National Vanguard?

National vanguard is a superior condition of the Socialist Emulation that a group or worker obtains, proposed from the base, taking into concideration the exceptional nature of the results and the scientific and social impact from them. This condition is obtained annually; it is not ratified nor it is lost

Eddie

Award Critaria

ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE I GRADO

a) VANGUARDIA NACIONAL VARIAS OCASIONES, CON RESULTADOS EXTRAORDINARIOS A PARTIR DE LA ?LTIMA CONDECORACI?N Y RECIBIDO AL MENOS LAS TRES PRIMERAS.

b) TRABAJADORES CON LAS TRES ANTERIORES, CON APORTES EXTRAORDINARIOS EN LOS SERVICIOS, CULTURA, CIENCIA, DOCENCIA, DEPORTE.

c) COLECTIVOS LABORALES QUE TENGAN LA ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE III Y II GRADO ( SE EVAL?A LOS RESULTADOS POSTERIORES

ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE II GRADO

a) VANGUARDIA NACIONAL CON RESULTADOS EXTRAORDINARIOS Y QUE TENGAN LAS TRES ANTERIORES Y DE FORMA EXCEPCIONAL QUE TENGAN LAS DOS PRIMERAS.

b) DIRIGENTES SINDICALES QUE TENGAN LA DE TERCER GRADO.

c) TRABAJADORES CON LAS TRES ANTERIORES, CON APORTES EXTRAORDINARIOS EN LOS SERVICIOS, CULTURA, CIENCIA, DOCENCIA, DEPORTE.

d) COLECTIVOS LABORALES QUE TENGAN LA ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE TERCER GRADO ( SE EVAL?A LOS RESULTADOS POSTERIORES).

ORDEN L?ZARO PE?A DE III GRADO

a) VARIAS OCASIONES VANGUARDIA NACIONAL Y RESULTADOS EXTRAORDINARIOS.(TENER HAZA?A LABORAL Y JES?S MEN?NDEZ)

b) TRABAJADORES CON LAS DOS ANTERIORES, CON APORTES EXTRAORDINARIOS EN LOS SERVICIOS, CULTURA, CIENCIA, DOCENCIA, DEPORTE.

c) DIRIGENTES SINDICALES CON EXTRAORDINARIOS RESULTADOS Y QUE TENGAN LA JES?S MEN?NDEZ.

d) COLECTIVOS LABORALES QUE TENGAN LA MEDALLA JES?S MENENDEZ ( SE EVAL?A LOS RESULTADOS POSTERIORES).

Translation to follow asp.

Eddie

Awarded by the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educaci?n, Ciencia y el Deporte (National union of Workers of the Education, Science and Sport) for 25 years service.

Eddie.

Awarded by the Sindicato nacional de Trabajadores de la Gastronom?a y el Comercio (National union of Workers of the Gastronomy and Commerce) for 25 or more years service.

As with all the Distinci?n type of awards I have also seen articles where they are also awarded for 20 years of service.

Eddie.

Not a great deal on this one. The date isn't the problem it is the 50th anniversary of the attack on the Moncada barracks. The obverse would seem to imply that it is writers Union or maybe library issued anniversary medal.

In addition it would most likely be classed a Distinci?n rather than a Medal. Medals as far as I can tell all have the Cuban State emblem as a reverse.

Eddie.

This is a State Security related Medal (Juristic). Awarded in recognition to its outstanding and decisive work for the Office of the public prosecutor.

Eddie.

Awarded in recognition of active participation in the fight against the batistiana dictatorship until the definitive triumph 1st January 1959 and to have maintained a consequent attitude with the revolutionary principles.

Eddie.

The Three classes of the Medalla "Ignacio Agramonte" are awarded for good and excellent service in the preperation for combat readiness.

Only the third class of this award is ranked below the Medalla "Combatiente de la Producci?n y la Defensa" another combat/defense readiness related medal.

Eddie.

1) Awarded in recognition of exemplary attitude in the Revolutionary Armed Forces and consequent military service for more than 20 years, dedicated to the defense of our Socialist Mother country and its territorial integrity and in occasion when needed to carry out other tasks and functions that the Revolution assigns to them.

2) Awarded in recognition to the maintained exemplary attitude and the results of "good" reached in the activities for the preparation and combat readiness, in the interest of the troops and forces or elements of the territorial defense in its control within the framework of his territory, which has helped notablely in the development and fortification of the defense capabilities of our country in the last three training years.

The Medalla "Calixto Garc?a" seems to be awarded for military and Civilian valour.

Examples:

Awarded to the Director of a Docks and a Captain who contained and searched a boat with foreigners on board finding 50 boxes of Cuban cigars.

Awarded to a civilian Pilot who avoided a fatal air accident, and his recognition to the important development work to narrow the working relations and friendship between Cuba and France, always maintaining a position of deep respect towards Cuba and the Revolution

Also awarded posthumously. It was given to the Cuban soldier Yoendris Guti?rrez Hernandez for thwarting three hijackers trying to enforce a flight into the U.S. The minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, General of the Army Raul Castro Ruiz awarded the medal to his parents.

Eddie.

Distinci?n "28 de Septiembre"

CDR (Committee for the Defense of the Revolution)

The Comittee was founded on September 28, 1960 hense the name of this Medal with 122,000 chapters and eight million members, they constitute the largest mass organization in Cuba. They arose out of the need to unite the people in defense of the Revolution from hostile actions by the U.S.

Today they serve important tasks like organizing blood donations, immunization campaigns, spearheading neighborhood cleanup and beautification, collection of recyclable materials and environmental protection. All of this is done with the aim of protecting citizenry, property and community improvement.

Awarded by the Sindicatos Nacional de Trabajadores Civiles de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias (Union of Civil Workers of the Revolutionary Armed Forces) for 25 or more years of service.

There were also 200-250 or so Cubans in Afghanistan with the Soviet troops. Also, both served in Nicaragua...and her "borderlands".

Yes I read that reportedly, there were as many as 5,000 Czechoslovak and Cuban military advisers attached to the Afghan air force, as well as Soviet personnel.

And in Nicaragua the Sandinista People's Army (Ej?rcito Popular Sandinista--EPS), and a police force, the Sandinista Police (Polic?a Sandinista) were trained by personnel from Cuba, Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union. Opposition to the overwhelming FSLN influence in the security forces did not surface until 1980. Meanwhile, the EPS developed, with support from Cuba and the Soviet Union, into the largest and best equipped military force in Central America.