FAR Insignia until 1976

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

Here is the result of my research - the chart of Cuban Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias that were in use until 1976. Note the unusual structure and lack of generals. Cuba is also one of few countries that denotes commissioned ranks with chevrons. The rank of suboficial is closer to that of sergeant rather than to warrant officer. There is also a separate rank of subteniente de milicia. I omitted the English translation - any proposals?

[orke]

Hi Lukasz

Unfortunately I must again-speak you.The period cannot be until 1976.My father was 1971-1974 on the general staff academy in Moscow.There were also staff officers of the army of Cuba.From one of these officers my father got a military newspaper.This newspaper was from 1972 and showed the introduction of new badges of rank.Your Rankinsignias shown must be thus 1972 ago.Unfortunately this magazine was lost in the years.But I know that she showed the officers and generals, admirals.


with best greetings ORKE

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

Hmm, it is odd indeed. According to my information, the new, more "standard" ranks were introduced by the "Ley No. 1315 sobre el sistema de grados militares de las FAR, de la República de Cuba" of November 23, 1976. Maybe the new insignia had been in use for some time before and the law only sanctioned the existing status (??). Do you remember what those ranks in the newspaper looked like?

But I think the most essential is what the old Cuban rank insignia looked like before the new ones were established. These depicted here were certainly in use in 1960s!

Best regards,
Lukasz

[orke]

Hi Lukasz, Dzien Dobry Lukasz ( )

It can be that the badges of rank were only presented 1972.But 1976 for completion came.The date of the newspaper is however correct.

Do you remember what those ranks in the newspaper looked like?

Yes, I remember.The NCO`s was like the USA.Army yellow, navy red.
The officers I drew for you fast.These badges of rank were carried approximately until 1980.





with best greetings ORKE

[Lukasz Gaszewski]

Hi ORKE,

Guten Abend. Wie geht's?...

Thank you for the drawing. It is excellent indeed. Yes it is possible that the change in the insignia was completed in 1976 and it was gazetted only then. Could you please try to draw the insignia for the non-commissioned ranks as well? Thes insignia are almost identical to these used today and also to the ones from the pre-Castro era. I was lucky to find the pre-Castro insignia in an American military handbook from WWII. Unfortunately I did not have the access to the copying machine, so I have only hand-made drawings. I made a description here.

The insignia you have drawn had been in use until 1980, when they were replaced by new ones, practically identical to Soviet ones, which are depicted at www.uniforminsignia.org.

I remember during a visit to Leningrad in the summer of 1981, I was sitting on a tram, next to a captain, whom I thought to be a Soviet Army officer. Only upon a second look did I realize that he had a different device on his cap (more peaked than the caps used in the Soviet Army, closer to a German peaked cap). Now I know he was a Cuban captain and the device onhis cap was a Cuban one.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
Lukasz