“Golden pheasants” was a derogatory term used for high-ranking Nazi officials, referring to the Nazi’s formal dress uniforms – brown and red with gaudy gold insignia that resembled the plumage of male pheasants.
We have much the same phenomenon here in America now. Back in World War II, Eisenhauer, Patton, Bradley and other senior generals had tiny little 4- or 5-star insignia on their lapels, in all no larger than the size of a half dollar, with no more gold metal than a thin wedding band.
Generals these days sport enormous stars on their lapels, each star the size of Eisenhauer’s entire 5-star cluster.
Staff officers wear a plumage of ribbons, a plethora of brass and gold, a kitchen sink full of ribbons and glam befitting a third-world dictator.
And they never even leave the Pentagon. These glorified egomaniacs even created a ribbon for drone pilots.