Fahnenjunker
Fahnenjunker (en: officer cadet; literal: colors junker) is a military rank of the Bundeswehr and of former German speaking armed forces (Heer/ Luftwaffe). In earlier German armed forces it was also the collective name to all Officer aspirant ranks.
Bundeswehr
 (Heer / Luftwaffe) | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Rank insignia | German NCO rank |
| Introduction | 1966 |
| Rank group | Non-commissioned officers |
| Army / Air Force | Fahnenjunker |
| Navy | Seekadett |
| NATO equivalent | OR-5 |
Fahnenjunker (short Fhj or FJ) is a military rank of the Deutsche Bundeswehr to persons in uniform of the Heer and Luftwaffe. Legal basis is the Presidential order of the Federal president (de: Bundespräsident) on rank insignia and uniforms of soldiers[1]
Rank
Fahnenjunker is the entrance rank to the Officer Aspirant (OA – de: Offizieranwärter) career. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Unteroffizier ohne Portepee ranks Unteroffizier of Heer or Luftwaffe, and Maat (rank) of Deutsche Marine. It is also grouped as OR-5 in NATO, equivalent to Sergeant, Staff Sergeant in the US Armed forces.
In army context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr/ Frau Fahnenjunker also informally / short Fahnenjunker.
The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Unteroffizier ohne Portepee
- OR-5a: Stabsunteroffizier / (Marine) Obermaat
- OR-5b: Fahnenjunker / Seekadett
- OR-5c: Unteroffizier / Maat
The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!
| Preceded by junior Rank Oberstabsgefreiter |
  Fahnenjunker |
Succeeded by senior Rank Stabsunteroffizier Unteroffizier |
Rank insignia
An officer candidate's career is indicated by the enlisted rank with a thin silver cord on the shoulder strap in Heer and Luftwaffe, and with the golden nautical star on the shoulder strap and sleeve in the Deutsche Marine.
The rank insignia of Fahnenjunker consist of shoulder straps, bordered by a golden braid that is open to the sleeve seam. Fahnenjunker of the Luftwaffe wear additional the Air Force wing on the open end of the braid. The rank insignia on field- and battle dress are in black colour.
Already below the lowest officer designated rank "Fahnenjunker" any military person, assigned to an officer career, has to wear additionally to the particular rank the two capital letters “OA”, indicating to the “Officer Aspirant” career.
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| Distinction | Oberfähnrich (Senior cadet sergeant) |
Fähnrich (Cadet sergeant) |
Fahnenjunker (Officer cadet senior grade) |
Oberfähnrich (Senior aviation cadet) |
Fähnrich (Aviation cadet) |
Fahnenjunker' (Officer cadet senior grade) |
Oberfähnrich zur See (Senior midshipman) |
Fähnrich zur See (Midshipman) |
Seekadett[2]
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| Rangcode | (OR-7) | (OR-6) | (OR-5) | (OR-7) | (OR-6) | (OR-5) | (OR-7) | (OR-6) | (OR-5) | ||
| NATO | Cadet sergeant | Midshipman | |||||||||
| USAF | Aviation cadet auch Warrant Officer | ||||||||||
| RAF | Acting pilot officer | ||||||||||
References
- ↑ The Federal president (publisher): Order of the Federal president (de: Bundespräsident) on rank insignia and uniform of soldiers (short title: BPräsUnifAnO), ishued July 14, 1978.
- ↑ Langenscheidt´s Encyclopaedic Dictionary of the English and German language: „Der Große Muret-Sander“, Part II German-English, Second Volume L–Z, 8th edition 1999, ISBN 3-468-01126-1; p. 1.381