Training Band For Steel Helmet B.G.S.

A maneuver band (or training band) for the steel helmet of the Bundesgrenzschutz (B.G.S.) is a two-tone fabric band attached around the helmet during field exercises for friend-or-foe identification.

Characteristics of the BGS Maneuver Band

• Function: Direct visual recognition of opposing forces during tactical training and exercises.
• Colors: The bands are reversible, usually featuring the bright color combination of red and yellow. Some later post-war variants also exist in blue or white.
• Construction: Made of sturdy cotton or linen and equipped with metal hooks to clamp the band tightly under the rim of the steel helmet (such as the post-war BGS M35/53 models).
• History: This system originally dates back to the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht period (introduced around 1932), but was adopted virtually unchanged by the BGS for their steel helmets after the establishment of the West German border guard in 1951.