piping in the national colours (blue and white), here attached to the shoulder pads that would soon be exchanged for shoulder boards. German Empire When the Imperial German Army was created One-year volunteers were established for the contingents and integrated troops from all German states. The One-year volunteer status was denoted by twisted wool piping in the respective state colours around the shoulder boards; with cavalry units alternatively having the piping around their shoulder knots, the upper part of epaulettes or the strap of shoulder scales. One-year volunteers also existed in the Imperial German Navy, their status shown by a down-turned double chevron in the national colours black, silver (instead of white) and red on the left shoulder sleeve. Austria The Austrian Bundesheer still recruits their reserve officers from one-year volunteers. It also uses this means to assess the suitability of aspirant officers to begin specialized studies in "military command and control" (C2) at the Theresian Military Academy in the Wiener Neustadt. References Military of Austria Military of Austria-Hungary Military of Bavaria Military of Prussia Military ranks of Germany