(Fw or F,) is a non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in several countries. The rank originated in Germany, and is also used in Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Estonia. The rank has also been used in Russia, Austria-Hungary, occupied Serbia and Bulgaria.
is a contraction of German: feld meaning 'field' and German: weibel, an archaic word meaning 'usher'. German: Weibel comes from the Old High German German: weibôn, meaning to go back and forth (as in 'wobble').
There are variations on, such as Oberstabsfeldwebel ('Superior Staff Field Usher'), which is the highest non-commissioned rank in the German army and air force.
The rank is used in several countries: Swedish: fältväbel, Russian: фельдфебель|fel'dfebel', Bulgarian: фелдфебел|feldfebel, Finnish: vääpeli and Estonian: veebel.
In Swiss German the spelling German: Feldweibel is used.
See also: Rank insignia of the Austro-Hungarian Army. was a typical infantry rank of the k.u.k. Austro-Hungarian Army (1867–1918). It might have been comparable to NCO-rank OR8.[1] / Company Sergeant-major ranks in the British Army.
In the k.u.k. Austro-Hungarian Army was equivalent to:
The rank insignia was a gorget patch on the stand-up collar of the so-called Waffenrock (tunic), and consisted of three white stars on 13 mm ragged yellow silk galloon. The gorget patch and the stand-up collar showed the particular Waffenfarbe (corps colour).
| Designation | Non-commissioned officers OR8/ ranks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank insignia | |||||
| Rank description | |||||
| Branch | Mountain infantry | ||||
| (English) | (Artillery Master-Sergeant) | (Cavalry Master-Sergeant) | (Rifle Master-Sergeant) | (Master-Sergeant) | (Master-Sergeant mil. guards) |
In the Bulgarian army, (pronounced) existed from the late 19th century to the late 1940s, when the German-type military organization was phased out in favor of a new doctrine, identical to the Soviet one.
The Estonian rank of is derived from the name of the German rank .
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estonian | Estonian: Ülemveebel | Estonian: Staabiveebel | Estonian: Vanemveebel | Estonian: [[Veebel]] | Estonian: Nooremveebel | |
| [2] | ||||||
| Sergeant major of the Land Forces | Sergeant major | Master sergeant | Sergeant first class | Staff sergeant | ||
| [3] | ||||||
| Master chief petty officer of the Navy | Master chief petty officer | Senior chief petty officer | Chief petty officer 1st class | Chief petty officer 2nd class | ||
| [4] | ||||||
| Chief master sergeant of the Air Force | Chief master sergeant | Senior master sergeant | Master sergeant | Technical sergeant | ||
| Estonian | Estonian: Ülemveebel | Estonian: Staabiveebel | Estonian: Vanemveebel | Estonian: [[Veebel]] | Estonian: Nooremveebel | |
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | ||
The Finnish Defence Force uses the ranks of and which are the third and second highest NCO ranks, respectively. is also the highest rank that can be awarded to a female non-conscript NCO who has not completed the volunteer female military service (equivalent to the male conscription service). The Finnish Navy's equivalent rank is .[5]
In addition, the Finnish Defence Force uses to indicate an NCO position (which might or might not be occupied by an NCO of the rank ) subordinate to the company commander. The unit's is in charge of the company's personnel management as well as supply, provisioning and maintenance, including the maintenance of the premises inhabited by the unit. They are also responsible for maintaining the general order, discipline and unit cohesion.[6] The company's is the lowest-ranking FDF position that can conduct a preliminary investigation into suspected service-related crimes. Their powers with regard to punishment are limited to conscripts, who they can punish with either a warning or up to six hours of extra duties.[7]
| Rank group | Non-commissioned officer | |
|---|---|---|
| [8] | ||
| Finnish: Ylivääpeli Swedish: Överfältväbel | Finnish: Vääpeli Swedish: [[Fältväbel]] | |
| German: Feldwebel | |
| Country: |  Germany |
| Service Branch: | |
| Abbreviation: | Fw |
| Rank: | Unteroffiziere mit Portepee grade[9] |
| Nato Rank: | OR-6 |
| Pay Grade: | A7 |
| Formation: | 1957 |
| Higher Rank: | Oberfeldwebel |
| Lower Rank: | Stabsunteroffizier |
| Equivalents: | Bootsmann |
In the modern German, is considered a senior NCO, due in part to the large number of corporal positions which exist as junior grades.
The modern NCO grades are as follows:
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (NCOs with portepee or Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows:
gained its widest usage under the German military beginning from the early 19th century. The highest-ranking non-commissioned officer until 1918, the Feldwebel acted as Company Sergeant Major. By contrast with some other countries, the position and duty of Regimental Sergeant Major never existed in Germany.
From 1877 veteran NCOs could be promoted to the rank of . This Army Reserve officer ranked with the Commissioned Officers, but was always inferior to the lowest .
From 1887 the (Deputy Officer) ranked as a kind of Warrant Officer (more NCO than officer) between and the commissioned officers.
There were three further NCO ranks: (Vice, senior NCO), (junior NCO) and (Lance Sergeant or Corporal, junior NCO). The was not an NCO as he had no powers of authority, and was a higher grade of private soldier.
After World War I, in the German and, the rank group was divided into several grades:
and above were (Senior NCOs); and were (Junior NCOs). In 1921, the rank of was renamed . s did duty as squad/section leaders.
The rank was reserved for those who had enlisted for 25 year terms of service in the pre-war German military and those who were enlisted for shorter terms were not eligible to hold this rank.
The appointment of Hauptfeldwebel (Company sergeant major/First sergeant) could be held by s or s only. NCOs of a lower rank holding this position were titled (i.e. acting).
See also: Ranks and insignia of the German Army (1935–1945) and Ranks and insignia of the Waffen-SS. In the German Wehrmacht German: [[Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee]] and German: [[Unteroffiziere mit Portepee]] were rank insignia as follows.
| Rank insignia German: [[Unteroffizier]]e | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank group | German: Unteroffiziere mit Portepee | German: Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee | ||||
| Shoulder insignia | ||||||
| Camouflage suit sleeve | ||||||
| Army | German: [[Stabsfeldwebel]] | German: [[Oberfeldwebel]] | German: '''Feldwebel''' | German: [[Unterfeldwebel]] | German: [[Unteroffizier]] | |
| Cavalry and artillery | German: [[Stabswachtmeister]] | German: [[Oberwachtmeister]] | German: [[Wachtmeister]] | German: [[Unterwachtmeister]] | German: [[Unteroffizier]] | |
| Waffen–SS | German: SS–[[Sturmscharführer]] | German: SS–[[Hauptscharführer]] | German: SS–[[Oberscharführer]] | German: SS–[[Scharführer]] | German: SS–[[Unterscharführer]] | |
In the German Democratic Republic National People's Army (junior NCO grades) were replaced by, and (senior NCO grades) were called . The shoulder board rank insignia were as follows.
In the Imperial Russian Army a Russian: Feldfebel held the highest rank from 1722 (its introduction into Peter the Great's Table of Ranks until 1826 (the introduction of the still-higher ranks OR-7 and later (;) OR-8 in 1884). s, even after the introduction of these senior ranks, were usually the most senior s in a unit and held the positions of the unit's CO senior assistant or (Russian: старшина; Sergeant Major). When they were promoted to Russian: Zauryad-praporshchik OR-8 or Russian: Podpraporshchik OR-7 ranks, but still held the Russian: Feldfebel OR-6 positions, they were authorized to still wear the Russian: Feldfebel's bands on their shoulder boards. The cavalry equivalent of this rank was the vakhtmistr or Russian: vakhmistr (Russian: вахмистр, derived from German German: [[Wachtmeister]]), also OR-6.
| + Sequence of ranks | |||
| junior rank: Starshy unterofitser | Russian: Feldvebel (Russian: Wakhtmistr) | senior rank: Russian: [[Podpraporshchik]] |
Swiss German; Alemannic; Alsatian: Feldweibel is the lowest rank of higher non-commissioned officers in the Swiss Army. Until the Reform XXI agenda, there were two branches of Swiss German; Alemannic; Alsatian: Feldweibels: technical and company level.
The Swiss German; Alemannic; Alsatian: Feldweibel oversees unit-level military service and operations. In 2004, the rank of Swiss German; Alemannic; Alsatian: Hauptfeldweibel was introduced. Since then, only technical specialists have remained in the rank of Swiss German; Alemannic; Alsatian: Feldweibel.