German Army rank insignia
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The German Heer (as the German Luftwaffe) distinguishes three career paths: officers (Offiziere), NCOs (Unteroffiziere) and enlisted men (Mannschaften).
Rank insignia are worn on both shoulders.
Officers
Officer education in the army
Career officers usually start as enlisted personnel with the lowest rank in one of the three Officer Candidate Battalions of the German Army located in Hammelburg, Idar-Oberstein and Munster. After six months of officer candidate training course in these Battalions which contains basic military drill, but also theoretical content like basic military law and history, the officer candidates proceed in their schooling with the Officer's Course 1 lasting three months at the Officer's School in Dresden, a 10-week-long English course in Idar-Oberstein and three months in a unit called Truppenkommando as a normal soldier to get an idea about how it is in the military unit. After 15 months, the officer candidates start with their studies at one of the two Universities of the German Federal Armed Forces in Munich and Hamburg which normally finishes with a Master's degree after four years of study. Having finished the academic part the now Leutnants (second lieutenants) go on with the Officer's Course 2 at the Army Officer's School and the Officer's Course 3 at the special schools of the different divisions (like Infantry School or Psychological Operations School). Furthermore they get some shorter special courses like a survival course and driving school for the different vehicles. After six to seven years of training the Oberleutnants are ready for their final deployment in the army.
Officer education in the air force
In the air force the career starts at the air force academy in Fürstenfeldbruck (Fursty) near Munich. The basic officers training consists of 11 months of basic training, military drill, theoretical education and a few weeks in a Luftwaffenausbildungsregiment (air force training regiment) as a deputy instructor with the rank of Obergefreiter OA. With the completion of the Offizierschule der Luftwaffe (OSLw) they are promoted to Fahnenjunker and either start with their studies at one of the two University in Munich and Hamburg or start with their basic flight training in the OSLw.
Field grade officers
In order to be promoted to Major (major; a rank only career officers can achieve), the officers have to complete successfully a course called Stabsoffizierlehrgang (SOL) (field grade officer basic course). It takes a minimum of 10 years of officer's service to become a major. Oberstleutnant '(lt.-col.) is the standard final rank for career officers which can be awarded after 17 years of service. The salary of this rank depends on the respective function (A 14 or A 15 in the German salary scheme). Oberst (colonel) is the highest field grade rank (promotion requires a minimum of 17 years of officer's service, i.e. 20 years of service overall).
Officers in General Staff Service
About 1.5 per cent of each crew are chosen to take part in the Generalstabslehrgang (general staff course) at the Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr (military academy) at Hamburg. This course lasts two years after the completion of which the participants put a "i.G." after their rank, meaning im Generalstabsdienst (in general staff service). Having completed this course, the minimum rank those officers achieve is usually Oberst (colonel). The Generalstabslehrgang is a necessary requirement for the promotion to a General's rank.
Non-commissioned officers
| Shoulder insignia | Abbr. | Rank | NATO equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:GE-Army-OR9.gif | OSF
OStFw |
Oberstabsfeldwebel | OR9 |
| File:GE-Army-OR8a.gif | SF
StFw |
Stabsfeldwebel | OR8 |
| File:GE-Army-OR7.gif | HF
HptFw |
Hauptfeldwebel | OR7 / OR8 |
| File:GE-Army-OR6a.gif | OF
OFw |
Oberfeldwebel | OR6 |
| File:GE-Army-OR6c.gif | F
Fw |
Feldwebel | OR6 |
| File:GE-Army-OR5a.gif | SU
StUffz |
Stabsunteroffizier | OR5 |
| File:GE-Army-OR5c.gif | U
Uffz |
Unteroffizier | OR5 |
| NCO candidates | |||
| File:GE-Army-OR2b.gif | G (UA)
Gefr (UA) |
Gefreiter (Unteroffizieranwärter) | OR2 |
| (UA) may be combined with any enlisted rank | |||
NCOs (Unteroffiziere) play an important role in the Heer as they are entrusted the command of most sub-company units. They often are referred to as the backbone of the army. Especially Feldwebels and above carry similar responsibilities officers have. This is largely due to the German military doctrine of Auftragstaktik: German orders usually do not include specific instructions, but rather a task, the available time and the available means. This gives leaders of smaller units a great deal of freedom and responsibility.
Since the ancient time of Prussian Army, the non-commissioned officers or subofficers of German armies are distinguished into a) Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee (sub-officers without sword-knot) b) Unteroffiziere mit Portepee (sub-officers with sword-knot)
Sub-officers from Feldwebel upwards were entitled to bear a sword-knot at their sabre.
Enlisted personnel
| Shoulder insignia | Abbr. | Rank | NATO equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:GE-Army-OR4a.gif | OSG
OStGefr |
Oberstabsgefreiter | OR4 |
| File:GE-Army-OR4b.gif | SG
StGefr |
Stabsgefreiter | OR4 |
| File:GE-Army-OR3a.gif | HG
HptGefr |
Hauptgefreiter | OR3 |
| File:GE-Army-OR3b.gif | OG
OGefr |
Obergefreiter | OR3 |
| File:GE-Army-OR2c.gif | G
Gefr |
Gefreiter | OR2 |
| File:GE-Army-OR1.gif | S | Soldat (Heer) Flieger (Luftwaffe) |
OR1 |
Enlisted personnel (Mannschaften) are largely made up of conscripts serving their nine months of mandatory service. Starting as Schütze or trooper a promotion to Gefreiter is mandatory after basic training (first three months of service). After an additional three months of service (usually consisting of special training required for their branch of service) any soldier is promoted to Obergefreiter unless they fail even most basic requirements. Conscripts leaving the army after nine months of service may be promoted to Hauptgefreiter der Reserve (lance-corporal in reserve) effective the day of their discharge to award outstanding performance. Longer serving enlisted soldiers will receive their Hauptgefreiter promotion after nine months to award outstanding performance or after twelve months of service.
To be promoted Stabsgefreiter a soldier requires at least three years of enlisted service. With higher qualification it is also possible to be promoted to Hauptgefreiter by the first day. Soldiers may opt to sign long-term contracts as enlisted soldiers, but most enlisted soldiers serving long terms in fact applied for NCO careers but failed their training requirements and opted to serve their term as enlisted soldiers rathern than being released from service immediately.
To be promoted to Oberstabsgefreiter a soldier requires at least four years of enlisted service.
The most important distinction between NCOs and enlisted men is that the latter cannot give any order even to lower-ranking soldiers unless specific circumstances apply (e.g. while on guard duty or to soldiers ordered to do so by their regular chain of command).
The rank Soldat is replaced by ranks specific to their Truppengattung (branch of service):
- Flieger (Flg) Aviator
- Funker (Fu) Signaller
- Grenadier (Gren) Grenadeer
- Jäger (Jg) Ranger (lit. Hunter)
- Kanonier (Kan) Gunner
- Matrose (Matr) Sailor
- Pionier (Pi) Pioneer
- Panzerfunker (PzFu) Mech. Radioman
- Panzergrenadier (PzGren) Mech. Grenadeer
- Panzerjäger (PzJg) Tank Destroyer
- Panzerkanonier (PzKan) Armour Gunner
- Panzerpionier (PzPi) Armour Pioneer
- Panzerschütze (PzSchtz) Tanker
- Panzersoldat (PzSdt) Tanker
- Sanitätssoldat (SanSdt) Medic
- Schütze (Schtz) Rifleman (catch-all rank for supply and other branches)