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 APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110009-4

identified, such as artillery, armor, signal, engineer, or chemical.

The Main Directorate for Rear Services, the primary authority over logistic matters within the armed forces, is directly responsible for the procurement, storage, and distribution of all common-use items of supply and equipment. Although counterpart logistic agencies in arms and services are responsible for handling matters unique to their particular organizations, their activities are closely coordinated by the Main Directorate for Rear Services. Rear Services officers are assigned to every level of command down through regiment. They employ a special channel of communication for supply matters, separate from normal command channels.

The technical administration of the general staff also has the basic responsibility for research and development of new equipment within the armed forces, in coordination with nonmilitary government agencies. This function is under a deputy for technology on the general staff. Czechoslovakia is the only Eastern European Warsaw Pact country that conducts a significant amount of independent research and development for military equipment.

The Czechoslovak Government and Communist Party are the final authorities on types and quantities of materiel issued to the armed forces. The military procurement program, based on requirements of the armed services, is considered part of the national program at the ministry level. The placing of orders is the duty of the chiefs of the branch commands at the Ministry of National Defense. Each arm and service operates its own supply system.

Each agency in the high command that has a responsibility for procurement also maintains its own systems of storage and distribution. The system of depots, which extends from military district level to the small tactical units, is controlled at every echelon by the rear services apparatus at that particular level of command.

Wartime supply requirements and movements are to be coordinated at lower levels by the Chief for Rear Services in accordance with the plans of the area commander. The Chief for Rear Services is charged with the movement of all supplies except those carried by air. The rear services system provides a direct channel for supply matters from the lower tactical units directly to the high command.

Rail and road networks, especially those in western Czechoslovakia, and large quantities of motor transport provide excellent bases for supporting the movement of military supplies.

8. Uniforms and insignia (U/OU)

a. Uniforms

The Czechoslovak armed forces include ground and air elements only; there are no naval forces as such. Uniforms on the ground and air forces are identical in color and style. Officers and warrant officers have three basic uniforms: dress, service, and field; enlisted men have two: service-dress and field. All uniforms are designed for year-round wear. Dress and service-dress uniforms are illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

The dress uniform for officers and warrant officers consists of an olive-drab, single-breasted, four-button coat with two lower pockets, matching trousers, khaki shit and tie, or white shirt and black tie, and service cap.

The service uniform for officers and warrant officers consists of an olive-drab, single-breasted, four-button coat with four pockets, matching trousers, and khaki shirt and tie. The buttons are gold for officers and silver for warrant officers. Headgear worn with the uniform include garrison or service caps and a pile cap for wear in winter. Either brown shoes or black combat boots may be worn with the uniform.

The service-dress uniform for enlisted personnel is similar in style and color to the officers' and warrant officers' service uniform, except that the buttons are brass, and the tailoring and material from which it is made are of lesser quality. It is worn with a khaki shirt and tie or a white shirt and black tie. For summer wear, all personnel, including officers and warrant officers, are authorized an optional service uniform which includes a gray open-collar jacket with waistband, and olive-drab trousers.

The field uniform worn by all personnel consists of a light-green coat and trousers that are patterned with short, narrow, dark-brown vertical stripes. It also serves as a camouflage uniform and is chemically treated to be anti-infrared. Rank insignia are displayed on a loop of cloth above the upper right-hand pocket of the coat. Headgear worn with the

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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110009-4