Military ranks of Estonia

Present Estonian system of rank insignia is a direct descendant of various systems used in the past in the Estonia Defence Forces. Some of the grades trace their name back to period of World Wars, for instance the rank of aspirant literally means an officers in training in military academies or voluntaries, serving as temporary officers.

Most of the Estonian Army ranks were in most cases established during the Estonian War of Independence and in 1920s. These include the rank of kapral, which is a derivate of Italian caporale - much like the English equivalent of corporal. After World War II and the end of the Soviet occupation in 1991, a new rank was established, creating for the first time a brigadier general rank in the armed forces of Estonia. In Estonia rank insignia is worn on chest. Estonian Junior NCOs are considered as a rank of a coscript NCO or NCO in reserve. In full-time service Junior Sergeants and Petty Officers 3rd Class are filling in various Soldier positions and naval ratings and are not taken as NCOs.

Estonian Air Force ranks and insignia

GeneralsSenior officersJunior officers
Estonian:
Auastmed
Kindral Kindralleitnant Kindralmajor Brigaadikindral Kolonel Kolonelleitnant Major Kapten LeitnantNooremleitnant Lipnik
English:
Ranks
GeneralLieutenant GeneralMajor GeneralBrigadier GeneralColonelLieutenant ColonelMajorCaptainFirst LieutenantSecond LieutenantEnsign
Senior NCOs Junior NCOsSoldiers[1][2]
Estonian:
Auastmed
ÜlemveebelStaabiveebelVanemveebelVeebelNooremveebelVanemseersant SeersantNooremseersantKapralReamees
English:
Ranks
Chief Master Sergeant of Air ForceChief Master SergeantSenior Master SergeantMaster SergeantTechnical SergeantStaff SergeantSergeantJunior SergeantSenior AirmanAirman

Estonian Ground Force ranks and insignia

GeneralsSenior officersJunior officers
Estonian:
Auastmed
Kindral Kindralleitnant Kindralmajor Brigaadikindral Kolonel Kolonelleitnant Major Kapten Leitnant Nooremleitnant Lipnik
English:
Ranks
GeneralLieutenant GeneralMajor GeneralBrigadier GeneralColonelLieutenant ColonelMajorCaptainLieutenantSecond LieutenantEnsign
Senior NCOs Junior NCOsSoldiers[3][4]
Estonian:
Auastmed
ÜlemveebelStaabiveebelVanemveebelVeebelNooremveebelVanemseersant SeersantNooremseersantKapralReamees
English:
Ranks
Sergeant Major of the Land ForcesSergeant MajorFirst SergeantMaster SergeantSergeant First ClassStaff SergeantSergeantJunior SergeantCorporalPrivate

Officer candidates

Pagunid
Auaste 3. õppeaasta kadett-veebel 2. õppeaasta kadett-veebel 3. õppeaasta kadett-seersant 2. õppeaasta kadett-seersant 1. õppeaasta kadett-seersant 3. õppeaasta kadett 2. õppeaasta kadett 1. õppeaasta kadett 1. semestri noorkadett
Rank 3rd year Cadet Sergeant 2nd year Cadet Sergeant 3rd year Cadet Junior Sergeant 2nd year Cadet Junior Sergeant 1st year Cadet Junior Sergeant 3rd year Cadet 2nd year Cadet 1st year Cadet 1st semester Junior Cadet
NATO No Equivalent No Equivalent No Equivalent No Equivalent No Equivalent No Equivalent No Equivalent No Equivalent No Equivalent

Aspirants

Pagunid
Auaste Ajateenijate reservrühmaülema kursuse lõpetanu Ajateenijate reservrühmaülema kursusel õppija
Rank Reserve platoon leader course Graduate Reserve platoon leader course Student
NATO No Equivalent No Equivalent

Estonian Naval Force ranks and insignia

AdmiralsSenior officersJunior officers
Estonian:
Auastmed
AdmiralViitseadmiral KontradmiralKommodoorMereväekapten KaptenleitnantKaptenmajorVanemleitnant LeitnantNooremleitnantLipnik
English:
Ranks
AdmiralVice AdmiralRear AdmiralCommodoreCaptain (Navy)CommanderLieutenant CommanderLieutenant Senior GradeLieutenant (Navy)Lieutenant Junior GradeEnsign
Senior NCOs Junior NCOsSailors
Estonian:
Auastmed
ÜlemveebelStaabiveebelVanemveebel VeebelNooremveebelVanemmaat MaatNooremmaatVanemmadrus

Madrus

English:
Ranks
Master Chief Petty Officer of the NavyMaster Chief Petty OfficerSenior Chief Petty OfficerChief Petty Officer 1st ClassChief Petty Officer 2nd ClassPetty Officer 1st classPetty Officer 2nd classPetty Officer 3rd classLeading SeamanSeaman
Conscript junior non-commissioned officersConscript sailors[5][6]
Estonian:
Auastmed
VanemmaatMaatNooremmaat VanemmadrusMadrus
English:
Ranks
Petty Officer 1st classPetty Officer 2nd classPetty Officer 3rd classLeading SeamanSeaman

See also

References

  1. "Õhuväe auastmed" (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  2. "Air Force Insignia". Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  3. "Maaväe auastmed" (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  4. "Land Forces Insignia". Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  5. "Mereväe auastmed" (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  6. "Navy Insignia". Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/10/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.