Military Ranks of the NVA

The design of the rank insignia followed the german tradition but with some modifications. Also the Soviet pattern was followed by the introduction of the rank group of cadets in 1974.

Arms colors in the NVA
Landstreitkräfte Luftstreitkräfte / Luftverteidigung und Strategische Kommando (including piping jacket and pants) Volksmarine: Grenztruppen der DDR:
 * General info: crimson
 * Motorized rifle (infantry) and education: white
 * Artillery and missile forces, missiles and weapons of technical services and air defense troops : brick
 * Tank: Pink
 * Military engineering, chemical, service, automotive service and military transportation: black
 * News: yellow
 * Rear services, medical services, military justice and financial institutions: green
 * Military Music: white (other than such as collar Patten Motorized Rifle)
 * Paratrooper: orange (only on the shoulder straps and collar patches, this is not the usual double wire, but with a parachute and swingarm, other piping as Motor Rifle and instead of an orange hat beret )
 * Generals: blue
 * Air Force: light blue
 * Air Defense: light gray
 * Strategic Command: light brown
 * General: dark blue
 * Naval Air : light blue
 * Coastal protection: white
 * General (even generals): green (also piping jacket and pants and a stocking cap strips of color in arms), additional green stripe sleeves
 * Boundary plane: uniform as Air Force weapons color but green instead of bright blue, green sleeves additional strips