Graduate Badge of General Blagoi Ivanov Military Construction and Engineering School of Higher Education

"General Blagoi Ivanov" Military Construction and Engineering School of Sofia Graduate Badge (there is a badge of its predecessor VUZ -MUTO ) Today, the school bears the name of the Bulgarian revolutionary leader Lyuben Karavelov. Lyuben Karavelov (1834-79), a famous Bulgarian writer, who lived most of his life abroad, both in Moscow and Buchurest, but dedicated his life and poetry to the struggle for liberation of Bulgaria. Karavelov was the only one of the revolutionary leaders who lived to see an independent Bulgaria.

Military school graduate badges were made after the Soviet model badges of this type: with a "rhomb" form and screw back reverse. What should be noted is that here in Bulgaria these badges played an important role in the Communist military awarding system; they were valued to all military men. Even if someone was later awarded with orders and titles of a higher rank, he kept on wearing the Graduate badge.
There are about 10 military schools (academies), each having 1, 2 or 3 emission badges.
The initial emission of the badges, also called "silver", is characterized by a solid silver base, white enamel and a silver plate bearing the name of the school. These badges are a bit heavier than the emissions to come.
The second emission has a base and plate made of different metals, the enamel is white too.
The third emission is much different than the previous two by its cream colored enamel.
Some of the emissions differ also by the acronym-name of the school or by the coat of arms, in the latter case depending on whether the emission was issued before or after 1971.