Greg Collins

It's screw backed with markings on both the badge and the wheel. The wheel bears the mark "RB", while the badge is marked (I believe) "Radyuga-Stile". I have no idea of this/these makers.

This next badge, I'm told, is a General's cap badge. General of what, I'm not sure as I'm more used to General's badges having a gold finish- this one has a silver finish. Maybe Internal Ministry rather than Armed forces. But, it is heavy- possibly German Silver.

Next, the cap badge for a Border Guard officer. Note the difficulty in working with thick, white, opaque enamel on the Border Guard badge. Really "glops" up the works.

PMR cap badges have proven somewhat difficult to come by- dunno why, just are. The first two are of the familiar light alloy and pronged back we've become accustomed to with Soviet cap badges. Neither of these have been issued- one still on the card, the other with protective sleeves on the prongs. The first is for police enlisted (other ranks)- it is actually silver finished (not gold as it looks in the image):

The back... only a line here... perhaps as a guide for an engraved number that didn't happen because I got to it first?

This badge is for "85 years of the Department of the Militia of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, PMR". Three piece construction; Kiev manufacture. Suvorov on horseback- decidedly PMR.

And the back...

Here's a nice, heavy four piece badge- "90 years of the Criminal Police Investigation Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs, PMR". Suvorov on horseback in the center. No maker's mark, but I've been told this badge is of Kishinev manufacture.

The back; no maker's mark.

Here's a badge from the '90's ('97 to be precise)... the Cross for "5 Years of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the PMR". Note Iron Felix on the shield. Heavy alloy, two-piece, screw-back.

And the back... the only mark I see on the back is a "B" (or is it "V"?).

Here's a PMR Cross "For Excellent Service" in the Ministry Of Justice. Heavy, two-piece, screw-back.

The numbered back of the RSR version...

Now, the RSR version front. This version is a two-piece.

Recently came by these badges- "For Merit in Medical/Sanitation Work". Both are pin-backed bronze. The RPR (pre 1965) is not numbered while the RSR (post 1965) is... this is the reverse of what I have come to expect with Romanian items. As I was shooting in low light due to our recent weather, there is some camera shake- I've tried to correct as best I can. First, the RPR version. Note the "strawberry" finish in the red areas.

Marcos was the virtual dictator of the Republic of the Philippines when I was making frequent port calls there during my Navy days (martial law, curfews all the time). To my knowledge, there are no coins or bills bearing his image. The one image that appears frequently on currency there is of Jose Rizal, a noted patriot of Philippine independence.

The Philippines has a national language, Tagalog, along with nearly as many dialects as there are islands (about 260). The two major bases there during my time were Olongapo (Navy- Subic Bay) and Clark AFB (Angeles City). While the lingo in Olongapo was Tagalog, the tongue-of-choice at Clark was Pamangan as Angeles City was in the province of Pampanga. But, no matter which dialect was written, they all used the same alphabet we do. Also, the currency is called "peso" but is written "piso".

Nice badges, Kevin. I've never seen these before.

So, taking into account all that's been said so far, and knowing "what" the badge stands for, would it be correct to assume that the wearer was part of a decision-making group within the armed forces with regard to the Goggle search materials. More or less deciding on logistics and material procurement?

As I said, I did see it on a Security Colonel's uniform- on the right pocket (either on the flap or just above).

Thanks very much, Carol! I have been chasing that for months.:jumping:

And, finally, a close-up of the RSR badge. The only other Romanian badge I have that features converging lines in the background behind a State seal is an RSR Military Academy badge. Could this badge be for some sort of advanced military training?

A close-up of the RPR badge...

Two nice looking badges, virtually identical except one is RPR and the other RSR. Both are pin backed and both have "MFA" at the bottom. Can anyone tell me what "MFA" stood for? I have seen this badge on the uniform of a Colonel of Security Troops.

Thanks for that, Kevin. It is the first time I've seen a Soviet style multiple mounting applied to Romanian medals (the Soviet Victory in Europe and the Czech War Cross not withstanding). A very nice set which I see could be expensive. At least now I know that some did wear sets of properly mounted medals.

Interesting that he chose to wear the ribbons above the medals. Also of note here: have you ever seen Romanian medals in a Soviet style multiple mount? I don't believe I ever have... they just seem to be placed along side each other in kind of a haphazard way, which got worse with the introduction (1966) of the "straight" medals and the mix of the Soviet-style mount with the straight mount. All over the place.