Silver gilt, enamels; 46.3 x 26.6 mm, weighs 16.5 g without screw plate. Four-piece construction, Type 1 badge featuring the wire attachment of the star. Unlike the other academy badges, the Voroshilov General Staff badge features gold- plated plaque and borders.

In excellent condition. The enamel is perfect, free of even microscopic scratches or flaking. The details of the state emblem are perfect and crisp. The fire gilt finish is partly obscured by silver patina, but still clearly visible on all parts of the badge, including the state emblem, plaque with the name of the school, edge of the obverse, and the reverse. The screw post is full length, over 9.5 mm long, and includes original Type 1 screw plate in silver with mint logo.

The Voroshilov General Staff Academy was the graduate school for the top level commanders, a cut above all other military academies. In most cases, a higher military academy education was a pre-requisite for applying to the General Staff school. In at least the post-war years, students admitted to it had the rank of lt. colonel through major general. The list of graduates is a veritable "Who is Who" of the Soviet military: among them were most of the famous Soviet marshals and senior generals, and all of the defense ministers of Warsaw Pact countries.

/"Avers 8", p. 492, fig. 2348; see also Y. Dumanskiy "Badges of the Higher Education Establishments of the Armed Forces of the USSR", pp. 18, 19/.