Military ranks of Switzerland

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The ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces have changed little over the centuries, except for the introduction, in 2004, of a new set of warrant officers.[ citation needed ] The ranks are worn on shoulder boards with the appropriate background colour. Designations are given in the four national languages (German, French, Italian and Romansh), with an English translation which is used during overseas missions.

Contents

Enlisted ranks

Enlisted troops

Rank insignia [1] Name [1] Description
EpauletteCamouflageGermanFrenchItalianRomansh
[ citation needed ]		English designation
No rank insignia Rekrut
(Rekr)		Recrue
(recr)		ReclutaRecruit Recruit This rank is a position during the 4 months of Recruit School. A recruit gets promoted to E-1 after the Recruit School.
CH OR-1 tenue A.svg CH OR-1 camo.svg Soldat
(Sdt)		Soldat
(Sdt)		SoldatoSchuldàPrivate E-1
CH OR-2 tenue A.svg CH OR-2 camo.svg Gefreiter
(Gfr)		Appointé
(App)		AppuntatoAppuntàPrivate E-2E-1 Privates can be promoted to E-2 after a minimum of 20 days' service in a refresher course, subject to good performance. [2] E-2 Privates also receive 7 CHF daily pay (as opposed to 6 CHF prior to promotion) [3]
CH OR-3 tenue A.svg CH OR-3 camo.svg Obergefreiter
(Obgfr)		Appointé-chef
(App chef)		Appuntato capoPrimappuntàPrivate first classThe rank "Obergefreiter" was removed as of 1 January 2019 with the WEA of the Swiss Army. [4] [ full citation needed ] However those soldiers previously awarded this rank are able to keep it.

Non-commissioned officers (NCO)

Rank insignia [1] Name [1] Description
EpauletteCamouflageGermanFrenchItalianRomansh
[ citation needed ]		English designation
CH OR-4 tenue A.svg CH OR-4 camo.svg Korporal
(Kpl)		Caporal
(Cpl)		Caporale
(Cpl)		Caporal
(Cpl)		 Corporal Soldiers in this rank serve as specialist NCOs (e.g. arms specialization, CBRN specialization, postal soldiers). Since 2019, no new promotions into this rank are being issued anymore due to the Development of the Swiss Army project.
CH OR-5a tenue A.svg CH OR-5a camo.svg Wachtmeister
(Wm)		Sergent
(Sgt)		Sergente
(Sgt)		Sergent
(Sgt)		 Sergeant Currently, the standard junior NCO rank
CH OR-5b tenue A.svg CH OR-5b camo.svg Oberwachtmeister
(Obwm)		Sergent chef
(Sgt chef)		Sergente capo
(Sgt capo)		Caposergent
(Csgt)		 Sergeant first class This rank is awarded to Sergeants who receive very good performance assessments. Holders of this rank are appointed to be the platoon leader's replacement and serve an additional 10 days compared to the standard Sergeant rank. [2]

Higher NCOs

Rank insignia [5] Name [5] Description
EpauletteCamouflageGermanFrenchItalianRomansh
[ citation needed ]		English designation
CH OR-6 tenue A.svg CH OR-6 camo.svg Feldweibel
(Fw)		Sergent-major
(Sgtm)		Sergente maggiore
(Sgtm)		Primsergent
(Psgt)		 Sergeant major Lowest rank of "Higher non-commissioned officers" (NCO); it used to be a higher rank than Feldweibel and to oversee unit-level military service and operations. Since the 2003 reform a specialist rank only. Nowadays, Feldweibel are mainly seen in military police, NBC and other specialist units.
CH OR-7a tenue A.svg CH OR-7a camo.svg Fourier
(Four)		Fourrier
(Four)		Furiere
(Fur)		Furier
(Fur)		 Quartermaster sergeant The higher NCO who administers a company's finances, subsistence and lodging.
CH OR-7b tenue A.svg CH OR-7b camo.svg Hauptfeldweibel
(Hptfw)		Sergent-major chef
(Sgtm chef)		Sergente maggiore capo
(sgtm capo)		Capoprimsergent
(cpsgt)		 Chief sergeant major The Hauptfeldweibel oversees unit-level military service and operations.
CH WO-1 tenue A.svg CH WO-1 camo.svg Adjutant Unteroffizier
(Adj Uof)		Adjudant sous-officier
(Adj Sof)		Aiutante sottufficiale
(aiut suff)		Adjutant sutuffizier
(Adj suff)		 Warrant officer
CH WO-2 tenue A.svg CH WO-2 camo.svg Stabsadjutant
(Stabsadj)		Adjudant d'état-major
(Adj EM)		Aiutante di stato maggiore
(aiut SM)		Adjutant da stab
(Adj S)		 Staff warrant officer
CH WO-3 tenue A.svg CH WO-3 camo.svg Hauptadjutant
(Hptadj)		Adjudant-major
(Adjm)		Aiutante maggiore
(Aiut magg)		Adjutant principal
(Adj prin)		 Master warrant officer
CH WO-4 tenue A.svg CH WO-4 camo.svg Chefadjutant
(Chefadj)		Adjudant-chef
(Adj chef)		Aiutante capo
(Aiut capo)		Chefadjutant
(Schefadj)		 Chief warrant officer

Officers

Subaltern officers and captains

Rank insignia [6] Name [6] Description
EpauletteCamouflageGermanFrenchItalianRomansh
[ citation needed ]		English designation
CH OF-1a tenue A.svg CH OF-1a camo.svg Leutnant
(Lt)		Lieutenant
(Lt)		Tenente
(Ten)		Litenet
(Lt)		 Second lieutenant Platoon's leader. Promotion to First Lieutenant occurs after a minimum of 3 refresher courses (subject to good performance) or after 6 years' service. [2]
CH OF-1b tenue A.svg CH OF-1b camo.svg Oberleutnant
(Oblt)		Premier-lieutenant
(Plt)		Primo tenente
(I ten)		Primlitenant
(Plt)		 First lieutenant Platoon's leader, future company commander or new officers in battalion's staff (S1, 2, 4 & 6).
CH OF-2 tenue A.svg CH OF-2 camo.svg Hauptmann
(Hptm)		Capitaine
(Cap)		Capitano
(Cap)		Chapitani
(Chap)		 Captain Company commander or officer in battalion's staff (S1, 2, 4 & 6).

Staff officers, specialist

Rank insignia [7] Name [7] Description
EpauletteCamouflageGermanFrenchItalianRomansh
[ citation needed ]		English designation
CH OF-3 tenue A.svg CH OF-3 camo.svg Major
(Maj)		Major
(Maj)		Maggiore
(Magg)		Maior
(Mai)		 Major Several assignments in a battalion's staff (Chief of Staff or S3), under special circumstances appointment to battalion commander, teacher or staff officer on a military academy, commander of a HQ company, staff officer in large units (BDE).
CH OF-4 tenue A.svg CH OF-4 camo.svg Oberstleutnant
(Oberstlt)		Lieutenant-colonel
(Lt col)		Tenente colonnello
(Ten col)		Litinent colonel
(Lt col)		 Lieutenant colonel Battalion commander, staff officer in large units (BDE).
CH OF-5 tenue A.svg CH OF-5 camo.svg Oberst
(Oberst)		Colonel
(Col)		Colonnello
(Col)		Colonel
(Col)		 Colonel Under special circumstances appointment to battalion commander, deputy commander of a brigade, staff officer in larger units (BDE).
CH OF-Spec tenue A.svg CH OF-Spec camo.svg Fachoffizier
(FachOf)		Officier spécialiste
(Of spéc)		Ufficiale specialista
(Uff spec)		Uffizier spezialist
(Uff spez)		Specialist officer"Specialist Officer", Duties authority and pay grade vary from OF-1 to OF-5.

Higher staff officers

Higher staff officers wear black lampasses on the outside seam of dress uniform trousers.

Rank insignia [8] Name [8] Description
EpauletteCamouflageKepi
[ citation needed ]		GermanFrenchItalianRomansh
[ citation needed ]		English designation
CH OF-6 tenue A.svg CH OF-6 camo.svg Uniform Kepi of a Brigadier General of the Swiss Army.jpg Brigadier
(Br)		Brigadier
(Br)		BrigadiereBrigadier Brigadier general One-star rank, commander of a brigade, also military attaché
CH OF-7 tenue A.svg CH OF-7 camo.svg Divisionar.jpg Divisionär
(Div)		Divisionnaire
(div)		DivisionarioDivisionär Major general Two-star rank, commander of territorial division, also in an Army HQ or staff.
CH OF-8 tenue A.svg CH OF-8 camo.svg Korpskommandant.jpg Korpskommandant
(KKdt)		Commandant de corps
(cdt C)		Comandante di corpoKorpskommandant Lieutenant general Three-star rank, also the rank of the Chief of the Armed Forces, highest rank in peacetime.

Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces

Rank insignia [8] Name [8] Description
EpauletteCamouflageKepi
[ citation needed ]		GermanFrenchItalianRomansh
[ citation needed ]		English designation
CH OF-9 tenue A.svg CH OF-9 camo.svg Kepi General.jpg General
(Gen)		GénéralGeneraleGenerale General The rank is assigned only during times of war, when the Federal Assembly chooses one general to command the entire Swiss military. Otherwise the word "general" is not used. [9]

Shoulder board colour

ColourBranch [10]
BlackStaff officers, engineers, intelligence, chaplaincy, sport, NBC defense
Dark greenInfantry, military bands
YellowArmored Corps
RedArtillery
Dark blueAir Force
Light greySignal and command support corps
Royal BlueMedical corps, Red Cross service
BurgundyRescue corps
PlumLogistic corps
TerracotaTerritorial service
Dark greyMilitary police
KhakiSpecial Forces
PurpleArmed Forces Legal Service
BluePeace Support Operation

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 AFLO 2008, p. 32.
  2. 1 2 3 "Swiss Army Regulations, Regellaufbahnen (Arbeitshilfe 40.100 d)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "Sold und Erwerbsersatz (EO)" [Wages and income compensation]. vtg.admin.ch (in German). Swiss Armed Forces. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  4. ↑ Militärgesetz Art. 102.
  5. 1 2 AFLO 2008, pp. 32–33.
  6. 1 2 AFLO 2008, p. 34.
  7. 1 2 AFLO 2008, pp. 34–35.
  8. 1 2 3 4 AFLO 2008, p. 35.
  9. ↑ McPhee, John (31 October 1983). "La Place de la Concorde Suisse-I". The New Yorker . p. 50. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  10. ↑ AFLO 2008, pp. 36–38.
Sources

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Military rank insignia of Switzerland at Wikimedia Commons

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