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Figure 22. Officer Ranks and Insignia, 1987

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Figure 23. Enlisted Ranks and Insignia, 1987

The Defense Forces wore three basic types of uniforms--a dress uniform, a service uniform, and a field uniform. The army dress and service uniforms were field-gray. The service uniform for army officers consisted of a field-gray jacket and trousers, a service cap, a silver-gray shirt, a field-gray four-in-hand tie, and black, low-quarter shoes. The service uniform became the dress uniform when augmented with breeches, riding boots, and a field cap. In winter, officer personnel wore field-gray overcoats and fur pile caps. Summer wear for enlisted personnel consisted of a shirt and trousers, combat boots, a scarf, and a visorless field cap. The field uniform was the service uniform supplemented by jackboots, a camouflage jacket, and trousers in summer--or white overalls in winter, along with a field cap or a steel helmet.

Air force uniforms were blue; the navy wore dark blue in winter and white in summer. Officers of the air force and the navy wore service uniforms of the same cut and style as army officers. The air force dress shirt was light blue, and the navy dress shirt was white.

Army officers wore shoulderboards designating by color the branch of service. Insignia of rank were worn on the lapels. Air force officers wore sleeve bars, and naval officers wore stripes that conformed closely to the rank insignia of the United States Navy (see fig. 22). Enlisted personnel wore chevrons against a background color designating the branch of service. Noncommissioned officer ranks were also worn on sleeveboards (see fig. 23).

Data as of December 1988

NOTE: The information regarding Finland on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Finland Uniforms and Insignia information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Finland Uniforms and Insignia should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.