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12-15-2018 07:10 PM
# ADS
Circuit advertisement
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In 1970, the sleeve stripes were discontinued in favor of ribbon bars. These are "ribbon only"-awards, without an associated medal/badge.
Here is the full range of bars:
Top row, left to right:
- 5 years
- 10 years
- 15 years
- 20 years
- 25 years
Second row, left to right:
- 30 years
- 35 years
- 40 years
- 45 years
- 50 years
Third row, left to right:
- 55 years
- 60 years
- 65 years (first model, grade instituted in 2006, used until 2008)
- 65 years (second model, used since 2008)
- 70 years (first model, grade instituted in 2006, used until 2008)
Bottom row, left to right:
- 70 years (second model, used since 2008)
- 75 years (grade instituted in 2011)
- 80 years (grade instituted in 2011)
In case you are wondering about the very high range for these awards: There is no maximum age limit for volunteer service in the DRK. Basically, members can remain active as long as they are physically able and willing to do so. (Of course, members of advanced age usually reduce and adapt their activities accordingly.) Even if their age and/or health prevents them from remaining active, they may still retain membership of their respective unit in an inactive status, unless they wish to resign their membership altogether.
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It's nice to be able to display years of service. Sometimes it can help keep people motivated. Thanks for displaying your service bars.
Jay
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How many 80 years members are out there? Those people would surely be in their 90's by now. Nice thread, by the way.
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by
thecyclist64
How many 80 years members are out there? Those people would surely be in their 90's by now. Nice thread, by the way.
A recipient would have to be at least 86 years of age, as it is possible to join the youth section of the Red Cross at 6 years of age (that is going by the present-day regulations; I don't know about the age requirements that were in place 80 years ago).
Unfortunately, I have no award numbers, but the 80-year grade is obviously a very rare one.
Last edited by HPL2008; 12-23-2018 at 12:40 AM.
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I dug around a bit and found this article dated 14 May 2018 (sorry, German language only) that is of interest here:
Meldung - BRK KV Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Ms. Anni Endres, 97, was honored for 80 years of membership in the German Red Cross. The article states that she "is the only DRK member who can look back on 80 years of active service". Look closely at the photos and you can see that she is wearing the 75-year DRK ribbon bar as well the ribbon bar for the Winterschlachtmedaille (she had served as a Red Cross nurse in WW2).
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Perhaps I should add these as well for the sake of completeness:
In addition to the long service ribbon bars, which - as we have seen - are awarded in 5-year-intervals throughout someone's membership, the German Red Cross also bestows an additional award on the occasion of special, high anniversaries. This is the Goldene Ehrennadel des Deutschen Roten Kreuzes [Gold Honor Pin of the German Red Cross] which is awarded in the name of the President of the DRK. It is first awarded after 50 years and then subsequently in 10-year intervals for 60 and 70 years and then in 5-year intervals for 75 and 80 years of membership.
Same as with the long service bars, only the highest awarded grade of the pin is to be worn. There is no ribbon for this award, as the full-size version is to be worn with service dress. There is a miniature for civilian wear, though:
Top row, left to right:
- 50 years (first model, grade instituted in 1964, used until 2003)
- 50 years (second model, used since 2004)
- 60 years (grade instituted in 1994)
- 70 years (grade instituted in 1994)
Bottom row, left to right:
- 50 years (miniature)
- 60 years (miniature)
I don't own specimens (yet) for the 75-year grade (instituted in 2003) and the 80-year grade (instituted ca. 2013/2014).
Note that the 70-year grade is adorned with a small "diamond". The 75- and 80-year grades have a "ruby". (They are all made of glass, actually.)
Last edited by HPL2008; 12-23-2018 at 04:23 PM.
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Interesting to note that Anni Endres didn't initially volunteer to join the DRK. Still, all credit to her for making ot to 80 years of service.
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