Medal "For Impeccable Service"

Even before the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, by a decree of June 4, 1944, introduced the procedure for awarding orders and medals to servicemen of the Red Army for years of service. The decree provided for the medal "For Military Merit" for 10 years of impeccable service, the Order of the Red Star - for 15 years of impeccable service, the Order of the Red Banner for 20 years and the Order of Lenin for 25 years of service. For 30 years of impeccable service, it was planned to re-award the Order of the Red Banner.

Awards with military awards for long service have become widespread. So, for example, the Order of the Red Banner (one of the most honorable military orders) was awarded about 300 thousand times for a long service. Such massive awards have greatly reduced the prestige of honorary combat awards. Therefore, in 1957, it was decided to terminate the awarding of orders and the medal "For Military Merit" for years of service. In exchange for each of the three law enforcement agencies (the USSR Ministry of Defense, USSR Ministry of the Interior, and the USSR State Security Committee), by a single order of January 25, 1958, established its own departmental medal "For Impeccable Service."

According to the provision, the servicemen of the Soviet Army , Navy , troops and bodies of the USSR Ministry of the Interior , troops and bodies of the State Security Committee under the USSR Council of Ministers , who served in the relevant structures for at least 10 years and were not charged for period of service .

The medal “For Impeccable Service” is awarded by the USSR Minister of Defense, the USSR Minister of Internal Affairs or the Chairman of the USSR State Security Committee.

The medal "For Impeccable Service" consists of three degrees:

• Medal of I degree (for 20 years of impeccable service)
• Medal of the II degree (for 15 years of impeccable service)
• Medal of the III degree (for 10 years of impeccable service)

The highest degree is the I degree. Rewarding is performed sequentially: first, the third, then the second and, finally, the first degree. However, persons who have already served at the time of the establishment of a medal of 15 or 20 years can be immediately awarded with a second or a first medal respectively.

The departmental medal “For Impeccable Service” is worn on the left side of the chest and, in the presence of other USSR medals, is placed after them.

The medal has the shape of a regular circle with a diameter of 32 mm. On the front of the medal, in the center, there is a five-pointed star with rays of rays radiating from under the obtuse angles of the star. In the center of the star there is a hammer and sickle . Along the circumference, the star is surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves. The front side of the medal has the same pattern for all types and varieties of all departments that established it. The exception is the second type of medals established by the State Security Committee. In this type, in the lower part of the obverse , between the lower rays of the star, there are Roman numerals “XX”, “XV” or “X” on the I, II and III degrees of the medal, respectively.

The I degree medal is made of silver (early issues of the medal from 1958 to 1965 ) or of silver-plated brass (late issues of the medal). The surface of the five-pointed star of the first-degree medal is covered with red enamel (except for the sickle and hammer in the center). Medal of II degree is made of brass. The entire surface of the second-degree medal, except for the five-pointed star, is silver-plated. Medal of III degree is made of brass. Silver medal III degree is missing. The flip side of the medal is different for each of the three departments that established it.

The medal with the aid of the ear and the ring is connected with a pentagonal pad, covered with red silk moiré of red color 24 mm wide. Ribbon edges are bordered with narrow green stripes. On the center of the ribbon are strips of golden-yellow color:

• for the I degree - one strip;
• for the II degree - two strips;
• for the III degree - three strips.

Criticism

Special respect in the troops and bodies of the KGB and Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR did not use the medal. The servicemen themselves often called her “For Unsuccessful Service,” a humorous rhyme known:

The medal was called "sand", referring to the process of natural aging of the awarded.

• Medal "For Distinction in Military Service" (Ministry of Defense)

• Volodin A.N., Merlay N.M. Medals of the USSR. - SPb. : Printing house, 1997. - p. 250-257. - ISBN 5-7062-0111-0 .

• The procedure for placing state awards, departmental insignia and other heraldic signs on military uniforms of military personnel (taking into account paragraph 78 of Section VI of Annex 1 to Order No. 300 of June 22, 2015 of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation and Order of the Minister of Defense of February 07, 2017 No. 89)
• Medal "For impeccable service." Orders and Medals of the USSR