English: Colour plate showing rank insignia and badges of the Reich Labour Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst; RAD), a major organisation established in Nazi Germany as an agency to help mitigate the effects of unemployment on the German economy, militarise the workforce and indoctrinate it with Nazi ideology.

The official state labour service was divided into separate sections for men and women. From 1935 onward, men aged between 18 and 25 may have served six months before their military service. During World War II compulsory service also included young women and the RAD developed to an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht armed forces.

• Rank insignia etc. of the Reich Labour Service
  • Collar patches/tabs (Litzen/Kragenspiegel) denoting the class of rank; and shoulder straps (Schulterklappen) showing the rank (see "Freiwilliger Arbeitsdienst (FAD)/Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD) Regulation Collar Tabs and Shoulder Boards Identification Guide" at www.germandaggers.com)

The system of rank insignia developed from the Volunteer Labour Service's (FAD) use of simple silver om black collar patches and shoulder straps, through the introduction in 1936 of the red and white design on black collar patches to the use in 1940 of new insignia; the shoulder straps remaining the same. By 1940 and again in 1943 this rank insignia had undergone another change. The appearance of the shoulder straps was more military, the collar patches were modified, and new branch colours were made use of, notably dark bottle green for RAD Administration personnel and cornflower blue for Medical troops.

• Sport badge (Sportabzeichen)
• Rank insignia on drill tunic (Dienstgradabzeichen am Drillichrock)
  • Vormann; Obervormann; Hauptvormann; Untertruppführer; Truppführer; Obertruppführer
• Dienststellenabzeichen, arm shields with 'spade head' and letters and numbers indicating the area (Arbeitsgau) number, and unit (abteilungen). Worn on left upper arm. The universal use of the 'spade' arm badge, first introduced whe the RAD was founded, continued in use right up to the end.
• Brooches of the Young Women's RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst der weiblichen Jugend): Bronze, Silver, Gold. A circular RADwJ badge decorated with the sheaths and swastika emblem, was worn at the throat as a brooch on the blouse, indicating the RADwJ. rank. Prior to its separation from the NS Frauenschaft in 1936, a series of rank brooches had been introduced and were worn until August of 1937, when a new series of rank brooches were introduced. The second pattern (1937) rank brooches were utilized until a third and final pattern was introduced in October of 1939.
• Arm badge for young women's RAD (Ärmelzeichen des. RADwJ.)
• Cuff-title (Ärmelband). A limited number of cuff-titles were worn in the RAD, the most colorful being the 'Anhalt' commemorative cuff-title (see cuff title identification guide at www.germandaggers.com).
• RADwJ. hat insignia (Hutabzeichen für RADwJ.) and RAD cap insignia (Mützenabzeichen) (see cap insignia guide at www.germandaggers.com)
• Commemorative pins for male RAD members (Erinnerungsnadel für RAD/M.) and for female RAD members members (Erinnerungsnadel für RADwJ.)
• Badge for personnel in medical service (Gesundheitsdienst). The Lebensrune or "life rune" was based on the Algiz rune and widely used by medical corps etc. in Nazi Germany.

A paramilitary RAD uniform were implemented in 1934; beside the swastika brassard, the RAD symbol, an arm badge in the shape of an upward pointing shovel blade, was displayed on the upper left shoulder of all uniforms and great-coats worn by all personnel. The official symbol of the corps for the men’s camps and section was popularly known as die Kaffeebohne ("The coffee bean"). Both men's and women’s symbols had sheaths, but the female members had a swastika instead of a spade head and a swastika; the RADwJ emblem consisted of a swastika between two ears of barley in a chevron shape. The service uniforms for both male and female members had a earth brown colour with a chocolate brown collar. The distinctive peaked RAD cap (Tuchmütze, also called "Arsch mit Griff") was based on a traditional farmer's cap. Musicians in the RAD wore "swallows nests" (Schwalbennester).

Cropped page copied from Organisationsbuch der NSDAP by Reichsorganisationsleiter Robert Ley (1890 – 1945) published 1943 ("Herausgeber: Robert Ley"; "7 Auflage: 301-400 Tausend"). Publisher : Zentralverlag der NSDAP, Franz Eher Nachf., München. 856 pages. 596 (ie 750) p: ill, maps, ports, plates; 22 cm; German language. Letters in Fraktur style typefaces.