(Copyright: Shawn M. Caza, June 1998, updated Feburary 2000)

The Distinguished, or Excellent, Border Guard badge has gone through several transformations. The first version was created in 1949, the second in 1964, and the final version, in two classes, in 1969. These badges were awarded by commanders of Border Guard Units and Districts, in the name of the Chief of the Border Guard directorate and the head of the KGB (from 1946 to 1957 MVD), to border guard personnel for displays of endurance, courage, and bravery while guarding the state borders.

B.8.1., Type 1: The first badge was created on 29 April 1949 by order of the USSR Council of Ministers. There are four variations of this badge differing only in the symbol at the base of the badge. The badge is shield shaped, 50mm x 41mm, made from silver-plated stamped bronze with high quality red, white, and green hot-enamel. The badge is screw-back.

The reverse of the badge is a relief of the obverse and is also silver-plated. No maker's mark is visible. A very wide, 3.5mm diameter, screw-post is soldered to a raised round part in the middle of the reverse. A 20mm diameter brass screw-nut, with two raised round "dimples", is used to attach the badge.

There is a red five pointed star with hammer and sickle design at the top of the shield. The top point of the star projects above the shield. The words "Otlichnyi Pogranichnik" (Distinguished Border Guard) appear on the shield rim on either side of the star. The shield rim in filled with green enamel. There are three laurel leaves on each side of the shield rim. The centre of the shield has the image of a border guard in winter uniform, with ushanka winter hat, holding a PPSh-41 sub-machine gun and facing towards the left. A green and red "zastava" border post appears behind his right shoulder. Kremlin buildings appear in the background. A Type 1 Variation 4 badge is visible in the top image of this page.

Variation 1: was issued between 29 April 1949 and 6 March 1953 while the border guards were attached to the MGB. The oval NKVD-style sword & shield design (see badge B.1.1.) appears at the bottom of this badge. The ribbon of this design is covered in red enamel and has "MGB" on it.

Variation 2: was issued between 6 March 1953 and 28 March 1957 while the Border Guards were part of the MVD. The oval sword and shield symbol at the bottom of the badge has "MVD" on its red-enamelled ribbon.

Variation 3: was issued between 28 March 1957 and 1964, after the Border Guards were incorporated into the KGB. This variation has "KGB" on the red-enamelled ribbon of the oval MVD symbol.

Variation 4: is identical to the other variations though it has no writting on the red-enamelled ribbon of the oval sword & shield symbol at the bottom of the badge. The exact period during which this Variation was issued in not known although it falls within the 1949 to 1964 period. This is by far the most common variation.

Distinguished Border Guard Badge (B.8.1.) Type 1. (From "Law Enforcement Badges of the USSR" by Kutsenko & Rudichenko.)

B.8.1., Type 2: The second badge was created in 1964 by the Preasidium of the USSR KGB. The shield shaped badge is smaller, 40mm x 32mm and is made of stamped aluminium with high-quality cold-enamel. The badge is screw-back. The badge retains the same form, writting and colouration as the 1949 version; only the centre image was changed. The border guard is in summer uniform, with M43 "gymnastiorka" tunic and peaked cap, clutching an AK-47 assault rifle, and facing right. The "zastava" is further to the right of border guard and the Kremlin buildings in the background vary slightly. The oval MVD style sword and shield symbol at the bottom of the badge was replaced with the standard KGB style sword and shield symbol with "KGB" on its ribbon. A Type 2 badge is visible in the middle image of this page.

Distinguished Border Guard Badge (B.8.1.) Type 2. (From "Law Enforcement Badges of the USSR" by Kutsenko & Rudichenko.)

B.8.1., Type 3, 1st & 2nd class: On 8 April 1969 the 1964 (Type 2) badge was replaced with a pair of new badges for 1st and 2nd class Distinguished Border Guards. The two badges are almost identical in form though they are made of different materials. The first class badge is made of stamped brass while the second is made of stamped aluminium. The badges are two piece, with a hanger and a body. The hanger is a 23mm x 11mm rectangle. The centre of the rectangle contains a horizontal stripe pattern and is coated in enamel; red hot-enamel for the 1st class and green cold-enamel for the 2nd class. There is a 9-12mm long screw on the reverse of the hanger which is fastened with a round screw nut. Nuts on 1st class badges are usually 18mm diameter brass Leningrad mint versions with "Leningradskii Monetnyi Dvor" in raised letters; those on 2nd class are usually blank 16mm diameter brass. The hanger is attached to the body with a small metal ring.

The body is a five pointed star with sun-burst rays emanating between the arms of the star giving it a ten-point form. A "zastava" border post covers the top arm of the star with the "gerb" coat-of-arms of the USSR clearly visible. The "zastava" and the remaining four arms of the star are covered with red enamel. There is a small standard KGB design shield at the bottom of the badge with a "I" for 1st class or "II" for 2nd class over a horizontal stripe design. There is a pentagon design in the middle of the body. The rim of the pentagon appears riveted and is covered in green enamel. The words "Otlichnik Pogranvoisk" appear on the rim. While this is slightly different from the "Otlichnyi Pogranichnik" appearing on the two earlier badges the general meaning is the same. ("Otlichniy Pogranichnik" is literally Distinguished Border Guard while "Otlichnik Pogranvoisk" is Distinguished Member of the Border Guards.) In the centre of the pentagon is the bust of a border guard wearing great coat and peaked cap, facing left with a bayonet extending above his left shoulder. A Type 3, 2nd Class is visible in the bottom image of this page.

Distinguished Border Guard Badge (B.8.1.) Type 3, 2nd Class. (Courtesy of Dan Dolfi, D&D Imports.)

Distinguished Border Guard badge (B.8.1.) Type 3, 1st Class. (Courtesy of Alexei Merezhko, Russian & Soviet Militaria [Nota Bene].)

B.8.2. SENIOR BORDER GUARD BADGE

This badge was established in 1973 and was worn by the head of a Border Guard patrol, the most experienced soldier or NCO of the group. It is thus a type of "duty officer" or "duty soldier" badge. The soldier wearing the badge had the power to stop and search people in the border zone and to make arrests if necessary.

There are two Variations of this badge. Both are very similar and only differ in enamel details. The two badges are made of one piece of 2mm thick stamped aluminium and have high quality cold enamel. They are 48mm x 35mm. The reverse is flat, not contoured, with a starburst patter and a small maker's mark. The maker's mark, which also appears on the screw-nut, is roughly an upside down five pointed star. However, the bottom point is missing and there is a square indentation set into the star from the bottom (like a small doorway). This may be the mark of the Moscow based "podeba" (victory) factory. The badges are screwback. A 2mm diameter brass screwpost is attached to the reverse where it fits into a small nipple which is part of the aluminium badge body. The standard screw-nut is brass, 18mm diameter, and has the maker's mark and four raised squares on it.

The badges are in the form of the standard KGB shield with indented upper corners and a "rivited" rim. There is a small star at the top with a hammer & sickle in it. The centre of the shield has a border guard, in M69 parade tunic and furazhka peaked hat, facing (badge) left and holding an AK-47 rifle. Over his left shoulder is a "zastava" border post with "gerb" coat-of-arms visible. Behind him is a map of the USSR. On the shield rim is "starshii pogrannaryada" which means literally "senior border guard". Both Variations have red enamel on the star, upper portion of the "zastava", and map of the USSR. Both variations have green enamel on the lower portion of the "zastava".

The Variation 1 badge has green enamel on the shield rim and white enamel on the shield background. The border guard remains bare aluminium. The Variation 2 badge has no enamel on the shield rim or background though it does have the standard enamel discussed in the paragraph above. The entire obverse of the Variation 2 badge is covered in a glossy transparent grey-black varnish.

The reason for the existance of the two Variations is not known. They may be 1st and 2nd class based on the amount of training the guard has or their rank (i.e. privates, sergeants, warrant officers, ??) or they may date from different periods.

The image below shows a Senior Border Guard badge, Variation 2. (Courtesy of Dan Dolfi, D&D Collectibles.)