Post WWII Medals
For Distinguished Service in Maintaining Public Order
Established November
1, 1950. It was awarded to civilians for outstanding service
in maintaining public order, for fighting crime, and for displays
of valour in keeping public peace. The medal consists of
a 33mm copper-nickel alloy medallion. The obverse has a
star at the top of the medallion and the inscription "For
Distinguished Service in the Preservation of Public Order"
in Cyrillic letters. The reverse of the medal has the USSR
coat of arms with the inscription "CCCP" below it. The
medal is suspended from a pentagonal ribbon. The ribbon
is red with a 3mm blue center stripe and two 5mm blue stripes
on each side of the center stripe separated by thin red stripes.
Over 30,000 medals have been issued.
For Distinguished Service in Guarding the USSR State Border
Established July 13,
1950. It is awarded to frontier guards, servicemen of the
armed forces, and civilians for outstanding performance and services
rendered in defense of the USSR's State boarder. The award
consists of a 33mm medallion made of German silver. The
obverse of the medal shows a frontier boarder guard standing with
his rifle at the ready with a watch tower behind him. The
reverse of the medal contains the inscription "For Distinguished
Service in the Protection of National Frontiers - USSR" in
Cyrillic letters. Above the inscription is a star and below
is a wreath of oak leaves bound in the center by a ribbon and
the hammer and sickle. The medal is suspended by a pentagonal
green ribbon with a 5mm red stripe on each edge. Over 50,000
awards have been issued.
Medal for Strengthening Combat Cooperation
Established May 25,
1979. It was awarded to servicemen, personnel of State security
and the Ministry of the Interior, to citizens of the Warsaw Treaty
countries, and to other socialist and friendly states for strengthening
combat cooperation. The award consists of a 32mm tombac
medal. The obverse of the medal contains a red enameled star. In
the center of the star is a shield with the inscription "For
Strengthening Combat Cooperation USSR" in Cyrillic letters.
Around the tips of the star are laurel branches and two
crosses swords at the bottom of the medal. The award is
suspended by a pentagonal red ribbon with a small black center
stripe between two 2mm orange stripes. On the edges of the
ribbon is a 2mm white stripe with a 3mm green stripe on the inside
of the pentagon and a 2mm white stripe with a 3mm blue stripe
on the outer edges of the pentagon. This medal has been
issued 5,000 times.
Medal for Distinguished Military Service 1st and 2nd Class
Established October
28, 1974. It is awarded to servicemen of the army, navy,
border guards, and internal troops for outstanding achievements
in combat and political training and education and for displays
of valour and gallantry during active service. The medal is the
same for both classes consisting of a star with shields representing
all of the armed forces between the arms of the star. In
the center of the star is a medallion with the faces of three
service men from different branches of service. Surrounding
the medallion is a Cyrillic inscription and laurel branches. The
difference in the medals is that the 1st Class medal is made of
brass and the 2nd Class medal is made of a nickel-silver alloy.
Instead of the usual pentagonal ribbon, both classes are
suspended by a rectangular red ribbon with a 3mm green and 3mm
red stripe on each edge. In the center of the ribbon for
the 1st Class award, there is a gilded star and on the 2nd Class
a silvered star. The medals have been issued a over 50,000
times.
Medal for the Veteran of the Armed Forces
Established May 20,
1974. It was awarded to servicemen of the army, navy,border
guards, and internal troops for outstanding service in the Armed
Forces of the USSR over a period of 25 years or more. It
is composed of a 32mm tombac medal with a red enameled star superimposed
over the hammer and sickle with the inscription "USSR"
below it. Around the bottom of the medal is a banner with
the inscription "Veteran of the Armed Forces" with a
laurel branch above it. The medal is suspended by a pentagonal
grey ribbon with three stripes on the left edge, 3mm red stripe-2mm
grey stripe-and a small red stripe from the edge going inward.
The right edge of the ribbon contains a series of black and orange
stripes that represents the ribbon found on the Order of Glory
which is the same ribbon that is on the Czarist Order of St. George.
The Veteran's Medal has been issued more than 500,000 times.
Medals for 10, 15, and 20 Years of Irreproachable Service
Established September
14, 1957. These medals were awarded to all servicemen for
long service and 
good conduct for 10, 15, and 20 years.
The medals for the three awards are identical in design. A
star in the center of the medal with a hammer and sickle in the
center of the star. Between the points of the star are radiating
beams of light and the entire star is surrounded by laurel branches.
The medals differ in the material used to make them and
the presence of enamel. The 10 year award is gilded bronze, the
15 year award is silver with a gilt star, and the 20 year award
is silver with a red enameled star. The medals are suspended by
a pentagonal red ribbon with 3mm green stripes on each edge. The
ribbon on the 10 year award contains three 3mm yellow stripes
in the center, the ribbon on the 15 year award contains two 3mm
yellow stripes in the center, and the ribbon on the 20 year award
has one central 3mm yellow stripe.
