One of the Russian officers wore a tankman's black collar patches.
The other lieutenant-colonel, a fellow Jager had not seen before, wore green collar patches.
Their leader, who wore a sergeant's three red triangles on his collar patches, held out his hand.
General officers' collar patches are most often gold on red.
Ranks were indicated by collar patches, along with Army-style shoulder boards.
No dream: butternut tunic, a colonel's three stars on each collar patch.
The distinctive white collar patch of the Midshipman first appeared about 1758.
Before 1943, Soviet colonel generals wore four stars on their collar patches (petlitsy).
Generals' and general staff service officers' collar patches (Kragenspiegel) also differ from the normal air force design, being the same the army wears.
In the Swiss army collar patches denote the rank and the arm of service.