TacHel

Issued in 2007 to denote the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Militia (police force), without a doubt, the most colourful medal to come out of the Interior Ministry to date (maybe tired of being outshone by civilian/veteran associations?).

Below is a current variant of the same badge.

Notice the smaller EMERCOM emblem and lighter manufacture.

This is the same award but with enamels. It's an earlier version. Many previously enameled awards are now being produced "sans colour"...

I can find no maker's mark on any of the 3 displayed in my previous post.

The Merit Cross 1st class and Merit Medal both came as is without a case.

The Merit Cross 2nd on the other hand is cased. The inscription on the back of the case: C.E. JUNCKER, BERLIN SO 36

I also just noticed the marked differences in the ribbon of your and my Cross 2nd class. Is my cross on the wrong ribbon?

Your English is impeccable my friend.

Below are mine, hence my question as to the red tone.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-12579598015.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-125795980931.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-125795981834.jpg

Does the darker on yours usually denote an older or later award?

Is it the lighting or is the red of the crosses quite darker than usual?

The first award of the Canadian "Sacrifice Medal" will be made in November 2009 following an extensive review and amendment of the award prerequisites. Governor General of Canada Michaëlle Jean will present the first ones this month.

A heated debate had developed over the award criteria, only personnel wounded or killed while facing an hostile force were eligible. This has now been expanded as follows:

Criteria for award of the "Sacrifice Medal":

- Death or injuries sustained as a result of hostile action; and

- Death while in military service (since Oct. 7 2001), training, rescue etc.

Absolutely outstanding thread!! Please keep the pics coming! Fascinating stuff!

WOW! Five wound stars? 6 stars on the CVM! With the fourragères, jump wings, certificates, épaulettes...

Awesome set!! Congrats!!:cheers:

Be careful when purchasing these, especially on eBay, they are quite often misidentified as their counterpart and even mounted on the other's ribbon.

Left: Medal for Service in Space Forces

Right: Commemorative Medal for the 50th Anniversary of the Space Age

Both were instituted by ministerial order #360 of 11 September 2007.

Left: Medal for Service in the Naval Infantry

Right: Medal for the 300th Anniversary of Naval Infantry

Both were instituted on ministerial order #455 of 3 November 2005.

Left: Medal for Service in the Submarine Forces

Right: Commemorative Medal for the 100th Anniversary of the Russian Submarine Forces

Both instituted by ministerial order #105 of 10 March 2006.

The Russian Defense Ministry has released some medals in pairs instituted on the very same ministerial order. These were first issued on an anniversary of the service represented. One medal recognizes current military service while the second, a commemorative, recognizes past service (veterans) or support to the force by other governmental entities or representatives of the military-industrial complex.

Their ribbons are differentiated by an additional single black stripe through the yellow field on the commemorative medals' ribbons. These commemorative medals, originally intended to be worn on the smaller 4 corner mount as a breast badge on the right side, are being remounted and bestowed on the military 5 corner mount and worn on the left breast. Although I was unable to find any such written directive, it seems that as in other ministries and departments, the 4 corner mount is going the way of the Dodo.

Below are the commemoratives the way they were initially bestowed as breast badges.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-125726502111.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-125726502219.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-12572650232.jpg

Left: 300 Years of Naval Infantry

Center: 50 Years of the Space Age

Right: 100 Years of the Submarine Force of Russia

Further down are pictures of the way they are being worn as regular military medals beside the "service" medal for active duty personnel.

Breast badge for "Participant in Combat Operations" for troops of the Interior Ministry (BB MVD).

First awarded for combat service in Chechnya 1994-96.

2009 marks the 360th anniversary of the Russian Fire Service. A series of commemorative medals and breast badges were produced to mark the event. I have found breast badges (ribbonless as below), the same badges mounted on the small 4 corner mount, intricate medals of the highest quality (see below), large intricate orders with neck ribbons, others for wear on the breast. All are of the highest quality with intricate enamels and the orders even have semi precious stones set into them.

The one thing I cannot find out is who issued these awards?? There is no mention of any ministry or department in the award document suggesting yet another non governmental issue but the cover of the document bares the coat of arms of Russia usually reserved for federal awards (doc below). I have searched all known Russian web sites hoping to find who issued these but haven't found anything. EMERCOM usually keeps their web site up to date, nothing... The official Russian awards' web site doesn't mention it either...

Does anybody know who issued these beauties?

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-125709812622.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-125709814329.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_11_2009/post-3030-125709816249.jpg

As is stated above, you either love him or you detest him.

Look again...:whistle:

De Gaulle is a fascinating subject... You either hate him, or you detest him...

Mind you, prior to his swing into politics (mid war), the man was quite the soldier and tactician. Even Guderian praised him for his inter war book on armoured warfare. And he was the only successful field commander in 1940, but received no support from his superiors who he had just proven wrong.

Sometimes I wonder what could've happened had he been allowed to form France's formidable tank force into dedicated armoured units. Imagine entire brigades of S-35s and Char Bis facing panzer IIs and IIIs... The panzers would've been decimated.

Anyway, to get back to the main subject... Read my first sentence.

Just as a warning to new collectors...

Many Russian medal makers are now producing excellent (museum quality) copies of pre 1917 Russian military (breast) badges. I found dozens on their web sites and they are now showing up on eBay. Some sellers are correctly identifying them as modern copies but many others are not either through lack of knowledge or lack of scruples.

You can be certain that it is only a matter of time before aging techniques are used on these badges to make them look like authentic period pieces. So we're back to the old adage "Caveat Emptor".

Just FYI.

As I know, commanders see on this problem throw the fingers...

Errrr... Huh? :unsure:

...but soldiers wears these decorations between governmental awards...

That's what freaks me out the most. Aren't there regulations against wearing non governmental awards?

Unofficial.

Distributed by the Committee of Internationalist Soldiers.

Thank you for the link.

I spent hours going through it. The only awards I found there that I didn't already know about were unofficial medals or unit badges.

9- For Faithfulness to Duty

10- "For Distinction" non-departmental security of the MVD

11- "For Distinguished Service" 1st class - Interior troops

12- "For Distinguished Service" 1st class - State Automotive Inspection department

13- "For Distinguished Service" 2nd class - State Automotive Inspection department

14- "For Distinguished Service" 2nd class - Interior troops

1- Model Member of the Criminal Police

2- Model District Police Officer

3- Model Investigator

4- Model Member of a Special Police Unit

5- Model Employee in Fire Prevention

6- Model Inspector Juvenile Division

7- Excellent Fireman

8- Excellent Police Officer