2 , ▁were ▁narrow ▁versions ▁of ▁army ▁shoulder ▁bo ards : ▁a ▁single ▁double d ▁strip ▁of ▁al umin ium ▁bra id ▁for ▁company - grade ▁officer ▁equival ents , ▁and ▁a ▁single ▁bra ided ▁strip ▁for ▁field - o ffic er ▁equival ents ; ▁N CO ▁equival ents ▁were ▁similar ▁to ▁junior ▁officers ' ▁but ▁green . ▁Instead ▁of ▁rank ▁pi ps , ▁Son der führ er ▁wore ▁bra ided ▁gold ▁rings ▁enc ir cling ▁the ▁shoulder ▁stra ps . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁an ▁entirely ▁different ▁type ▁of ▁shoulder ▁board ▁was ▁worn : ▁this ▁was ▁like ▁the ▁army ▁equivalent ▁but ▁the ▁bra id ▁used ▁incorpor ated ▁repeating ▁black - white - red ▁che v rons , ▁giving ▁the ▁whole ▁a ▁check ered ▁look . ▁Ord inary ▁rank ▁pi ps ▁and ▁special ization ▁p ins ▁were ▁worn ▁with ▁these ▁" Second ▁Reg ulation " ▁ep au lets . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁narrow ▁first - pattern ▁ep au lett es ▁were ▁brought ▁back ▁again . ▁ ▁In ▁soldier ' s ▁sl ang ▁Son der führ ers , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁We hr macht ▁officials ▁and ▁military ▁chap la ins , ▁were ▁called ▁" n arrow - g au ge ▁officers " ▁( ), ▁in ▁a ▁w itt y ▁reference ▁both ▁to ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁their ▁rank ▁ins ign ia ▁and ▁the ▁limited ▁width ▁of ▁their ▁military ▁knowledge . ▁ ▁SS - S onder führ er / F ach