Military ranks of Austria explained

The Military ranks of Austria (or Ranks of the German: Bundesheer) are the military insignia used by the Austrian Armed Forces. Austria is a landlocked country and has no navy.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Special case military gymnasium

Pupils (German: Zöglinge) of the Military gymnasium wear black shoulder rank insignias on their dress uniform. On the duty suits black mounting loops have to be worn. However, the particular insignia has to be in line with actual school level. The appropriate school year is symbolised by a small golden strip.

Possible appointments in correlation to rank or grade

Rank group	Military rank	Possible appointments/ assignments
Military staff (without any rank or grade)	Rekrut (Wehrmann until 1998)^[1]	Generic infantryman
Charges	Gefreiter	Generic infantryman
	Korporal	Assistant squad leader
	Zugsführer
Unteroffiziere	Wachtmeister	Squad leader
	Oberwachtmeister
Stabsunteroffiziere	Stabswachtmeister	Squad leader (technical) Platoon leader
	Oberstabswachtmeister
	Offiziersstellvertreter	Platoon leader
	Vizeleutnant
Officers	Fähnrich	Military academy graduate and officer candidate (OA)
	Leutnant	Platoon leader
	Oberleutnant	Company executive officer
	Hauptmann	Company commander
	Major	Battalion commander (BN CDR) Headquarters company commander
	Oberstleutnant	Battalion commander
	Oberst	Regiment commander Brigade commander
General officers	Brigadier	Brigade commander
	Generalmajor (formerly Divisionär)	Chief of Staff in the Ministry of Defence Chief of Operational Staff in the Ministry of Defence Commanding general of the Air Force
	Generalleutnant (formerly Korpskommandant)	Commanding general of the Operational Forces
	General	Chief of the General Staff of the Austrian Bundesheer

Additions

To the rank or grade might be (among others) added addendums as follows.

Abbreviation	Long version
A	Arzt (en: physician)
aD	außer Dienst (off duty)
dG	des Generalstabsdienstes (of the general staff service)
dhmfD	des höheren militärfachlichen Dienstes (of the higher military specialised service)
dhmtD	des höheren militärtechnischen Dienstes (of the higher military technical service)
dIntD	des Intendanzdienstes (of the commissariat service)
dRes	der Reserve (of the reserve)
iR	in Ruhe (retired)

e.g.: MjrA (major physician), Lt aD (lieutenant off duty), ObstdG (colonel of the general staff service), HptmdhmtD (captain of the higher military technical service), ObstltdIntD (lieutenant colonel of the commissariat service), Olt dRes (first lieutenant of the reserve), Bgdr iR (general brigadier retired).

Historic ranks

Commissioned officer ranks

See also

• Waffenfarbe (Austria)
• Rank insignia of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces

References

• Book: Handbuch der Österreichischen Uniformen . 1937 . Patria Verlag . Vienna . 2nd . 6 July 2023 . de . .

External links

• Web site: Rank Insignias . bundesheer.at . Ministry of Defence . 19 November 2021 . .
• Web site: Dienstgrade des Österreichischen Bundesheeres . bundesheer.at . Ministry of Defence . 19 November 2021 . de.
• Web site: Laufbahn und Ausbildung - Offizier . Career and Training - Officer . bundesheer.at . Ministry of Defence . 19 November 2021 . de.
• Web site: Laufbahn und Ausbildung - Unteroffizier . Career and Training - NCOs . bundesheer.at . Ministry of Defence . 19 November 2021 . de.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 915 der Beilagen zu den Stenographischen Protokollen des Nationalrates XX. GP . Österreichisches Parlament . 10 December 1997 . 19 November 2010 . 51. PDF . Im Hinblick auf die geplante Öffnung des Bundesheeres für freiwillige militärische Dienstleistungen von Frauen soll der niederste militärische Dienstgrad statt derzeit "Wehrmann" künftig einheitlich für beide Geschlechter mit dem Begriff "Rekrut" bezeichnet werden..