Maat ( [ˈmaːt] , lit. ' mate ') is a naval rank, of German origin, used by a number of countries. The term is derived from the low German māt (comrade). [1] Via the Dutch language, the word became a nautical term and described the assistant to a deck officer. Since the second half of the 17th century Maate were the lowest class of non-commissioned officers aboard a warship.
In 1951, it was decided to end the conscription–based military in Denmark and transition to a professional military. As such, the math rank was introduced, replacing the rank of menig given to all conscripted soldiers. With the math rank, soldiers were signed on to a contract following completion of basic training. By 1960, the math rank was replaced by the constable rank system. [2]
| NATO code | OR-5 | OR-4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estonian | Vanemmaat | Maat | Nooremmaat |
 Estonian Navy [3] |  |  |  |
| Senior mate | Mate | Junior mate | |
| Official translation | Petty officer 1st class | Petty officer 2nd class | Petty officer 3rd class |
| Maat | |
|---|---|
   Shoulder board / cuff title / mounting loop | |
| Country |  Germany |
| Service branch |  German Navy |
| Abbreviation | MT |
| NATO rank code | OR-5 |
| Formation | 1955 Modern |
| Next higher rank | Obermaat |
| Next lower rank | Oberstabsgefreiter |
| Equivalent ranks | Unteroffizier (Army & Air force) |
However, Maate is also the collective name to all junior NCO-ranks (ranks: Maat, Seekadett, and Obermaat) in the modern day's German Navy.
In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr/ Frau Maat also informally / short Maat. The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Unteroffizier ohne Portepee
In the Prussian Navy and the Kaiserliche Marine Maate were Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee . According to their specialization, Maate would be known as e.g. Steuermannsmaat (Coxswain's Mate), Feuerwerksmaat (Ordnance Mate), Bootsmannsmaat (Boatswain's Mate) or Maschinistenmaat (Machinist's Mate). [4] Maate were recruited among conscripts who volunteered to serve for a minimum of six years. After approximately four years they could expect to become Maat. Re-enlistment was common but in most specialities the career options would end with achieving the rank of Obermaat; only after 18 years in service was a promotion as supernumary Vizefeldwebel possible, and only if there was a billet open. The 1914/15 naval budget included 7857 billets for Maate and 5237 for Obermaate. [5]
| Maate ( Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee ) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title | Maat | |
| Epaulette (Shore troops only) |  | |
| Collar tab |  | |
| Sleeve insignia |  |  |
| Steuermannmaat | Bootsmannmaat | |
| German Army equivalent | Unteroffizier | |
| US Equivalent | Petty officer, third class | |
| Source: [6] | ||
| NATO code | OR-4 | OR-3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polish | Bosmanmat | Starszy mat | Mat |
 Polish Navy [7] |  |  |  |
| Boatswain mate | Senior mate | Mate | |
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who does not hold a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. In contrast, commissioned officers usually enter directly from a military academy, officer training corps (OTC) or reserve officer training corps (ROTC), or officer candidate school (OCS) or officer training school (OTS), after receiving a post-secondary degree.
Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corresponds to commanding a section or squad of soldiers.
Feldwebel 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.
Unterfeldwebel was a rank of the Wehrmacht, from 1935 until 1945. It was also used in the East German National People's Army from 1956 to 1990. The equivalent to Unterfeldwebel in the Bundeswehr of West Germany and later the Federal Republic of Germany is the rank Stabsunteroffizier (OR-5).
Unteroffizier is a junior non-commissioned officer rank used by the Bundeswehr. It is also the collective name for all non-commissioned officers in Austria and Germany. It was formerly a rank in the Imperial Russian Army.
Bootsmann is a naval rank used in some navies.
Unteroffizier(e) ohne Portepee, is the designation for German junior non-commissioned officers (NCOs) in the German Armed Forces. The category was a division of the NCO class, separating junior NCOs from Unteroffiziere mit Portepee, or senior NCOs. The name is derived from earlier traditions in which German senior NCOs (Feldwebel) would carry the officer's sidearms with the officer's swordknot.
Unteroffizier(e) mit Portepee, also Portepeeunteroffizier(e) (transl. Non-commissioned officer(s) with sword knot), is the designation for German senior non-commissioned officers in the armed forces of Germany. The title derives from the French porte-épée ("sword bearer"), as senior enlisted men would historically carry a sword into battle.
In the German Wehrmacht, Hauptfeldwebel was not a rank but a position title, assignment or appointment, equivalent to the Commonwealth company sergeant major or U.S. company-level first sergeant. There was one such non-commissioned officer (NCO) in every infantry company, artillery battery, cavalry squadron, etc. He was the senior NCO of his subunit, but his duties were largely administrative and he was not expected to accompany his unit into an assault or a firefight.
Fähnrich zur See designates in the German Navy of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces with the second highest Officer Aspirant rank. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Portepeeunteroffizier ranks Bootsmann (Marine) and Feldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe.
Seekadett is a military rank of the Bundeswehr and of former German-speaking naval forces.
The rank insignia of the federal armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany indicate rank and branch of service in the German Army, German Air Force, or the German Navy.
The Kriegsmarine was the navy of Nazi Germany prior to and during World War II. Kriegsmarine uniform design followed that of the preexisting Reichsmarine, itself based on that of the First World War Kaiserliche Marine. Kriegsmarine styles of uniform and insignia had many features in common with those of other European navies, all derived from the British Royal Navy of the 19th century, such as officers' frock coats, sleeve braid, and the "sailor suit" uniform for enlisted personnel and petty officers.
Fahnenjunker is a military rank of the Bundeswehr and of some former German armed forces. In earlier German armed forces it was also the collective name for many officer aspirant ranks. It was established by the Presidential order of the Federal president on rank insignia and uniforms of soldiers.
Oberfähnrich zur See designates in the German Navy of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces with the last or highest Officer Aspirant rank. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Portepeeunteroffizier ranks Hauptbootsmann (Marine) and Hauptfeldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe.
The ranks of the German Armed Forces,, were set up by the President with the Anordnung des Bundespräsidenten über die Dienstgradbezeichnungen und die Uniform der Soldaten on the basis of section 4, paragraph 3 of the Soldatengesetz. The Bundesbesoldungsordnung regulates the salary scales of all Federal office holders and employees including soldiers. The 'ZdV-64/10 – Abkürzungen in der Bundeswehr' gives the abbreviations and a list of the abbreviations.
Obermaat is a military rank of the Bundeswehr and earlier other German-speaking armed forces.
Stabsgefreiter is the second highest rank of enlisted men in the German Bundeswehr, which might be comparable to Corporal (OR-4) in Anglophone armed forces.
Oberbootsmann designates in the German Navy of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces. It belongs to the particular rank group Senior NCOs with port epée.
Stabsunteroffizier is a military rank of the German Bundeswehr. It was preceded by the rank Unterfeldwebel that was used between 1935 and 1945 in the armed forces of Nazi Germany, the Wehrmacht. The East German National People's Army used the rank Unterfeldwebel from 1956 to 1990. In the Austrian Armed Forces Stabsunteroffizier is the collective name to all higher Non-commissioned officers.
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