As a state organization the RAD was able to access military supply channels from both the German Army (Heer) and the Air Force (Luftwaffe).  Helmets worn by RAD members were typically the more modern M1935, M1940, and M1942 helmets.  Helmets acquired from Army sources were painted standard field-gray.  Those received from the Luftwaffe were the typical blue-gray color found on all Air Force helmets.  Because helmets were received by military supply centers, RAD members simply wore whatever helmets they were issued.  It was not uncommon to see individuals within a given unit wearing single decal Army and Luftwaffe helmets as well as helmets with no insignia.  A small fraction of the total number of helmets used by the RAD were modified by the addition of a special RAD decal.  This decal was often used in combination with the black, white, and red tricolored decal.  If the RAD decal was applied to a helmet with an Army decal already in place, it was applied on the right side of the helmet.  In many cases helmets with insignia were given either one or two RAD decals.  A single decal RAD helmet may have the insignia placed on either the right or left side of the helmet.  Surprisingly, few if any single decal Luftwaffe helmets appear to have been modified by the addition of an RAD decal.  The reason for this anomaly remains unexplained despite the fact that a large number of Luftwaffe helmets saw service with RAD units.

Overview

Each section of German-Helmets.com is divided into separate Information Tracks that outline important details, facts, and historical notes pertaining to steel helmets used by the German Armed Forces during World War II.  

Information Tracks are organized by subject matter and their content is directly related to the service arm or organization to which each topic is related.  Topic areas that bridge one subject matter to another are cross linked within each Information Track.

This Information Track provides historical facts pertaining to steel helmets worn by the National Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst) from 1935-1945.  Individual links related to this subject are outlined below.

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