Polish Armed Forces rank insignia
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This article presents the ranks of the entire Polish Armed Forces as well as the rank insignia used today. The system of rank insignia is a direct descendant of various systems used throughout history by the Polish Army. Some of the grades trace their name back to the Middle Ages, for instance the rank of chorąży literally means a flag bearer or an Ensign.
Names of Polish ranks are often of foreign origin, like the ones introduced by the 17th-century mercenaries serving for the Polish Crown. These include the rank of kapral, which is a derivative of the Italian caporale - much like the English equivalent of corporal.
As the structure of Polish rank names substantially differs from the English one, it seems more appropriate to give the U.S. or U.K. equivalent ranks, based on the common NATO codes, rather than to provide a literal translation which can lead to numerous misinterpretations.
Origins
Most rank titles are cognates to the ones in English, with some exceptions. Notably colonel's literal meaning is regimental-leader, likewise plutonowy means platoon-leader. Also, the title equivalent to petty officer is identical to the word for boatswain, so a Bosman may or may not be a bosman.
Until World War II, each of the branches of the Land Forces used a set of different names for the same grades. For instance a sergeant was called sierżant in the infantry, ogniomistrz (literally master of fire) in the artillery and wachmistrz (from German Wachtmeister, or Master of the Guards) in the cavalry. This is similar to the German army calling a cavalry officer which is equivalent to Hauptmann a Rittmeister
Modern polish military practices were heavily influenced by Prussian/German and Russian traditions, as most founding officers after 1918 independence were veterans of those respective armies.
Customs
The Polish language requires the use of a prior honorific before stating the addressee's rank e.g. 'Panie Kapitanie...' (Sir Captain...). This is directly equivalent to French practice where the possessive Mon is pre-pended to the addressee's rank. During the communist period use of the formal 'Pan' (Sir) was frowned upon and 'Obywatel' (Citizen) (as in: Obywatelu Kapitanie!) was used. This has reverted to prior style in the post-communist era.
It is customary to include other titles when referring to an officer in writing. This can lead to some interesting abbreviations. For example, a Lt. Col. in the airforce by the name Nowak who is a pilot and has a MSc in engineering would be written ppłk pil. mgr inż. Nowak. (LtCol plt MEng Nowak)
Uniquely, Polish forces use a two-fingered version of the salute, and the saluting custom does not allow saluting with the fingers to the head without having a headgear on (cap/beret or helmet).
Marshal of Poland
| NATO Code | OF-10 | |
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 Polish Armed Forces |
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| Polish name | Marszałek Polski | |
| Abbreviation | marsz. | |
| English name | Marshal of Poland | |
| U.K. equivalent | Field Marshal | |
| U.S. equivalent | General of the Army | |
Marshal of Poland (Marszałek Polski) is the highest rank in the Polish Armed Forces. Note that unlike the remaining ranks, it does not belong to any particular service but to the armed forces as a whole. So far only six individuals have been promoted to this rank. With the death of the last surviving holder, Michał Rola-Żymierski in 1989 the rank of Marshal of Poland has been vacant.
Army (Land Forces) and Special Forces
Commissioned Ranks
| NATO Code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army |
Special Forces |
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| Polish name | generał1 | generał broni |
generał dywizji |
generał brygady |
pułkownik | podpułkownik | major | kapitan | porucznik | podporucznik | |
| Abbreviation | gen. | gen.broni | gen.dyw. | gen.bryg. | płk | ppłk | mjr | kpt. | por. | ppor. | |
| U.S./U.K. equivalent | General | Lieutenant General |
Major General |
Brigadier General, Brigadier |
Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel |
Major | Captain | First Lieutenant, Lieutenant |
Second Lieutenant | |
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1 Until 2004 Generał armii | |||||||||||
Non-Commissioned Ranks and Privates
| NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||
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| Army |
Special Forces |
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| Polish name | starszy chorąży sztabowy |
starszy chorąży |
chorąży | młodszy chorąży |
starszy sierżant |
sierżant | plutonowy | starszy kapral |
kapral | starszy szeregowy |
szeregowy | |
| Abbreviation | st.chor.szt. | st.chor. | chor. | mł.chor. | st.sierż. | sierż. | plut. | st.kpr. | kpr. | st.szer. | szer. | |
| U.S./Commonwealth equivalent | Command Sergeant Major |
Sergeant Major |
Master Sergeant |
Sergeant 1st Class |
Staff Sergeant |
Sergeant | Corporal | Specialist Lance Corporal |
Private 1st Class |
Private E-1 | Private E-2 | |
Air Force
Commissioned Ranks
| NATO Code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force |
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| Polish name | generał | generał broni |
generał dywizji |
generał brygady |
pułkownik | podpułkownik | major | kapitan | porucznik | podporucznik |
| Abbreviation | gen. | gen.broni | gen.dyw. | gen.bryg. | płk | ppłk | mjr | kpt. | por. | ppor. |
| U.S. equivalent | General | Lieutenant General |
Major General |
Brigadier General, Brigadier |
Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel |
Major | Captain | First Lieutenant, Lieutenant |
Second Lieutenant |
Non-Commissioned Ranks and Airmen
| NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force |
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| Polish name | starszy chorąży sztabowy |
starszy chorąży |
chorąży | młodszy chorąży |
starszy sierżant |
sierżant | plutonowy | starszy kapral |
kapral | starszy szeregowy |
szeregowy |
| Abbreviation | st.chor.szt. | st.chor. | chor. | mł.chor. | st.sierż. | sierż. | plut. | st.kpr. | kpr. | st.szer. | szer. |
| U.S./U.K. equivalent | Command Chief Master Sergeant |
Chief Master Sergeant |
Senior Master Sergeant |
Master Sergeant |
Technical Sergeant |
Staff Sergeant, Flight Sergeant |
Senior Airman (from 1952 until 1990 Sergeant) |
Senior Airman |
Airman 1st Class |
Airman | Airman Basic |
Navy
Commissioned Ranks
| NATO Code | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | |
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| Navy |
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| Polish name | admirał | admirał floty1 | wiceadmirał | kontradmirał | komandor | komandor porucznik |
komandor podporucznik |
kapitan marynarki |
porucznik marynarki |
podporucznik marynarki |
| Abbreviation | adm. | adm.fl. | wadm. | kadm. | kmdr | kmdr por. | kmdr ppor. | kpt.mar. | por.mar. | ppor.mar. |
| U.S./U.K. equivalent | Admiral | Vice Admiral |
Rear Admiral |
Rear Admiral (lower half)/ Commodore |
Captain | Commander | Lieutenant Commander |
Lieutenant | Lieutenant (junior grade)/ Sub-lieutenant |
Ensign |
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1 introduced in 2002 | ||||||||||
Petty Officers and Seamen
| NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | ||
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| Navy |
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| Polish name | starszy chorąży sztabowy marynarki |
starszy chorąży marynarki |
chorąży marynarki |
młodszy chorąży marynarki |
starszy bosman |
bosman | bosmanmat | starszy mat |
mat | starszy marynarz |
marynarz |
| Abbreviation | st.chor.szt.mar. | st.chor.mar. | chor.mar. | mł.chor.mar. | st.bsm. | bsm. | bsmt | st.mat | mat | st.mar. | mar. |
| U.S./U.K. equivalent | Command Master Chief Petty Officer |
Master Chief Petty Officer |
Senior Chief Petty Officer |
Chief Petty Officer |
Petty Officer First Class |
Petty Officer Second Class |
Petty Officer Third Class |
Petty Officer Third Class, Leading Seaman |
Seaman | Seaman Apprentice |
Seaman Recruit |
Obsolete Ranks
Ranks Discontinued on July 1, 2004
| NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-7 | OR-4 | ||
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| Army |
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| Polish name | chorąży sztabowy |
młodszy chorąży sztabowy |
starszy sierżant sztabowy |
sierżant sztabowy |
starszy plutonowy |
| Abbreviation | chor.szt. | mł.chor.szt. | st.sierż.szt. | sierż.szt. | st.plut. |
| U.S./Commonwealth equivalent | Command Sergeant Major |
Staff Sergeant Major |
Sergeant 1st Class |
Sergeant 1st Class |
Corporal, Corporal First Class |
| Air Force |
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| Polish name | chorąży sztabowy |
młodszy chorąży sztabowy |
starszy sierżant sztabowy |
sierżant sztabowy |
starszy plutonowy |
| Abbreviation | chor.szt. | mł.chor.szt. | st.sierż.szt. | sierż.szt. | st.plut. |
| U.S./Commonwealth equivalent | Command Chief Master Sergeant |
Chief Master Sergeant |
Senior Master Sergeant |
Master Sergeant |
Senior Airman (Sergeant till 1990) |
| Navy |
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| Polish name | chorąży sztabowy marynarki |
młodszy chorąży sztabowy marynarki |
starszy bosman sztabowy |
bosman sztabowy |
starszy bosmanmat |
| Abbreviation | chor.szt.mar. | mł.chor.szt.mar. | st.bosm.szt. | bosm.szt. | st.bosmat |
| U.S./Commonwealth equivalent | Command Master Chief Petty Officer Fleet Chief Petty Officer |
Master Chief Petty Officer |
Command Senior Chief Petty Officer |
Chief Petty Officer |
Petty Officer Third Class Master Seaman |
Other changes after July 1, 2004
Until 2004 the ranks of chorąży (OR-9 and OR-8) constituted a separate group, roughly corresponding to U.S. Warrant Officers. On July 1, 2004 the number of these ranks was reduced and they were included in the group of non-commissioned ranks.
Pay Grade changes on July 1, 2004
- starszy chorąży/starszy chorąży marynarki: OR-8 to OR-9
- młodszy chorąży/młodszy chorąży marynarki: OR-8 to OR-7
- starszy Kapral/starszy mat: OR-3 to OR-4
On January 1, 2014 all reserve NCOs, holders of the rank of chorąży sztabowy / chorąży sztabowy marynarki and młodszy chorąży sztabowy / młodszy chorąży sztabowy marynarki were promoted to the rank of starszy chorąży sztabowy / starszy chorąży sztabowy marynarki; holders of the rank of starszy sierżant sztabowy / starszy bosman sztabowy and sierżant sztabowy / bosman sztabowy were promoted to the rank of młodszy chorąży / młodszy chorąży marynarki; and holders of the rank of starszy plutonowy / starszy bosmanmat were promoted to the rank of sierżant / bosman.
Thus the ranks discontinued on July 1, 2004 were officially abolished in the Polish Armed Forces.
Historical Ranks in the Polish Armed Forces
- Hetman
- Rotmistrz
- Regimentarz
- Strażnik Wielki
- Strażnik Polny
- Pisarz Polny
- Oboźny Wielki
- Oboźny Polny
- Towarzysz
- Bosman floty
See also
- Wojsko Polskie (Polish Armed Forces)
- Ranks and insignia of NATO Armies
- Comparative military ranks
- Military Rank
- Polish Scouts rank insignia