Interesting photo...

[BowlofRice]

Hey all,

I found this picture while surfing the web...It shows some NVA personnel in Paradeuniform. They appear to be wearing officer uniforms as evidenced by the collar tabs and cuff bars...but with shoulderboards for Unteroffizier!

Can anyone explain?

Here is the photo. It is titled "Reservisten in der Artur-Becker-Kaserne in Goldberg"

[BowlofRice]

Furthermore, they are also wearing the brown belt instead of the brocade belt!

[iannima]

And even worse... the display a most varied array of facial hair

[Kartofelpreußer]

I suspect that the one word that ties together all these anomalies is "Reservisten," but I still don't understand just how or why.

[AR-11]

I suspect that the one word that ties together all these anomalies is "Reservisten," but I still don't understand just how or why.

Qualification and training. The Reservisten of the NVA, and they at the photo look to me like former Offiziere auf Zeit or other "longer servers", were called from time to time (I do not know the exact timeframes) to trainings for freshen up their military knowledges and to learn new things. After those trainings normally they was upgraded in the rank. That may the reason why they wear a "partly" Parade- and mostly "Dienst"-uniform (just the white shirt makes it to a "partly" Paradeuniform). They may be on the training for the upgrading appeal or generally on a marching-training.
It was not unusual in the NVA (at least at my time) getting trainings for parades, appeals or so in a "free created" uniform. So I got the most trainings for my nomination appeal when I became a Lieutennant, in such uniform-mix. Just to spare the the Parade-equipment like Feldbinde, Achselschuere e.t.c....

I hope it is understandable...

AR-11

[Ralph P]

Dirk - Thank you very much for your latest post...I very much appreciated it.