Military ranks of Austria

The Military ranks of Austria (or Ranks of the Bundesheer) are the military insignia used by the Austrian Armed Forces. Austria is a landlocked country and has no navy.

## Commissioned officer ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Cap[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Service uniform[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Field uniform[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| General | Generalleutnant | Generalmajor | Brigadier | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann | Oberleutnant | Leutnant

* * *

Official translation[1] |  | General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | First lieutenant | Second lieutenant
Equivalent
NATO code[a] | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1

### Student officer ranks

[edit]

Rank group | Student officer

|

Cap[1] |
Service uniform[1] |
Field uniform[1] |
| Fähnrich

* * *

Official translation[1] | Officer cadet

## Other ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group  | Non-commissioned officer  | Enlisted

|
|

Cap[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Service uniform[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Field uniform[1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Vizeleutnant | Offiziersstellvertreter | Oberstabswachtmeister | Stabswachtmeister | Oberwachtmeister | Wachtmeister | Zugsführer | Korporal | Gefreiter | Rekrut

* * *

Official translation[1] | Warrant officer I  | Warrant officer II  | Warrant officer III  | Staff sergeant | Master sergeant | Sergeant | Master corporal | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private
Equivalent
NATO code[a] | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1

### Special case military gymnasium

[edit]

Pupils (German: Zöglinge) of the Military gymnasium wear black shoulder rank insignias on their dress uniform. On the duty suits black mounting loops have to be worn. However, the particular insignia has to be in line with actual school level. The appropriate school year is symbolised by a small golden strip.

## Possible appointments in correlation to rank or grade

[edit]

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|

Rank group  | Military rank  | Possible appointments/ assignments

|
|

Military staff (without any rank or grade) | Rekrut
(Wehrmann until 1998)[2] | Generic infantryman
Charges | Gefreiter | Generic infantryman
Korporal | Assistant squad leader
Zugsführer
Unteroffiziere | Wachtmeister | Squad leader
Oberwachtmeister
Stabsunteroffiziere | Stabswachtmeister |

* Squad leader (technical)
* Platoon leader

Oberstabswachtmeister
Offiziersstellvertreter | Platoon leader
Vizeleutnant
Officers | Fähnrich | Military academy graduate and officer candidate (OA)
Leutnant | Platoon leader
Oberleutnant | Company executive officer
Hauptmann | Company commander
Major |

* Battalion commander (BN CDR)
* Headquarters company commander

Oberstleutnant | Battalion commander
Oberst |

* Regiment commander
* Brigade commander

General officers  | Brigadier | Brigade commander
Generalmajor
(formerly Divisionär) |

* Chief of Staff in the Ministry of Defence
* Chief of Operational Staff in the Ministry of Defence
* Commanding general of the Air Force

Generalleutnant
(formerly Korpskommandant) |

* Commanding general of the Operational Forces

General |

* Chief of the General Staff of the Austrian Bundesheer

### Additions

[edit]

To the rank or grade might be (among others) added addendums as follows.

Abbreviation  | Long version

|

A | Arzt (en: physician)
aD | außer Dienst (off duty)
dG | des Generalstabsdienstes (of the general staff service)
dhmfD | des höheren militärfachlichen Dienstes (of the higher military specialised service)
dhmtD | des höheren militärtechnischen Dienstes (of the higher military technical service)
dIntD | des Intendanzdienstes (of the commissariat service)
dRes | der Reserve (of the reserve)
iR | in Ruhe (retired)

e.g.: MjrA (major physician), Lt aD (lieutenant off duty), ObstdG (colonel of the general staff service), HptmdhmtD (captain of the higher military technical service), ObstltdIntD (lieutenant colonel of the commissariat service), Olt dRes (first lieutenant of the reserve), Bgdr iR (general brigadier retired).

## Historic ranks

[edit]

### Commissioned officer ranks

[edit]

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

1918–1920[3] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General der Waffengattung | Feldmarschall-Leutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann/
Rittmeister | Oberleutnant | Leutnant
1920–1923[4] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General |  | Generalmajor[b] | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Stabshauptmann/
Stabsrittmeister[c] | Hauptmann/
Rittmeister | Oberleutnant | Leutnant
1923–1933[5] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General der Waffengattung[d] |  | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Stabshauptmann/
Stabsrittmeister | Hauptmann/
Rittmeister | Oberleutnant | Leutnant
1933–1938[6] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
General der Waffengattung | Feldmarschall-Leutnant | Generalmajor | Oberst | Oberstleutnant | Major | Hauptmann/
Rittmeister | Oberleutnant | Leutnant

## See also

[edit]

* Waffenfarbe (Austria)
* Rank insignia of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b While Austria is not a member of NATO, it does have an official conversion.[1]
2. ^ Oberstbrigadier until 1923.
3. ^ Introduced in 1923.
4. ^ General until 1929.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m bundesheer.
2. ^ "915 der Beilagen zu den Stenographischen Protokollen des Nationalrates XX. GP" (PDF). Österreichisches Parlament. 10 December 1997. p. 51. Retrieved 19 November 2010. "Im Hinblick auf die geplante Öffnung des Bundesheeres für freiwillige militärische Dienstleistungen von Frauen soll der niederste militärische Dienstgrad statt derzeit "Wehrmann" künftig einheitlich für beide Geschlechter mit dem Begriff "Rekrut" bezeichnet werden."
3. ^ "Austrian Armed Forces (1919-1920) People's Militia". UniformInsignia.net. UniformInsignia.net. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
4. ^ "Austrian Armed Forces (1920-1923)". UniformInsignia.net. UniformInsignia.net. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
5. ^ "Austria: Uniforms and Insignia." *Vedomstva Uniforma*. Accessed May 31, 2025. [1](http://www.vedomstva-uniforma.ru/mundir6/austria/index.html).
6. ^ Handbook 1937, Table VI–VII.

* Handbuch der Österreichischen Uniformen (in German) (2nd ed.). Vienna: Patria Verlag. 1937. Retrieved 6 July 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* "Rank Insignias". bundesheer.at. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
* "Dienstgrade des Österreichischen Bundesheeres" (PDF). bundesheer.at (in German). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
* "Laufbahn und Ausbildung - Offizier" [Career and Training - Officer]. bundesheer.at (in German). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
* "Laufbahn und Ausbildung - Unteroffizier" [Career and Training - NCOs]. bundesheer.at (in German). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 19 November 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Military ranks and insignia by country

* List of comparative military ranks

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with
limited recognition|

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Former|

* People's Republic of Angola
* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* Kingdom of Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Katanga
* People's Republic of Mozambique
* Rhodesia
* South West Africa
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Enlisted:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Other:
* Marine Corps
* Space Force
* Warrant officer
* Opposing forces
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
* Confederate States of America
* Union
* Army
* Navy
* Costa Rica
* Republic of Cuba
* Empire of Brazil
* Panama
* Republic of Texas
* Army
* Navy
* United States Army enlisted
* World War I
* World War II

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Rocket Force
* Armed Police
* India
* Army
* Air Force
* Navy
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North
* South
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Marines
* Civil Armed Forces
* Maritime Security Agency
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan (Republic of China)

Former|

* Artsakh
* China
* Empire
* Republic (1912–1949)
* Dutch East Indies
* East Turkestan (Second Republic)
* People's Republic of Kampuchea
* Imperial Iran
* Imperial Japan
* Army
* Navy
* Korea
* Empire
* Liberation Army
* Kingdom of Laos
* Manchukuo
* Mengjiang
* Mongolian People's Republic
* Vietnam
* State
* South
* South Yemen
* Tibet
* Tuva

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Europe|

* Albania
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Home Guard
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Army
* Navy
* Gendarmerie
* Air and Space Force
* Foresters
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Land Forces
* Coast Guard
* Ireland
* Italy
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Carabinieri
* Finance Guard
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* North Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Cossacks
* Between 1994 and 2010
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Other:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Vatican

States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* Transnistria

Former|

* Albania
* Kingdom
* People's Socialist Republic
* Austria–Hungary
* Army
* Navy
* Bulgaria
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* German Empire
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Germany
* Kingdom of Greece
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* France
* Napoleonic Grand Army
* Hungary
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Italy
* Kingdom
* Social Republic
* Ottoman Empire
* Polish People's Republic
* Republika Srpska
* Romania
* Kingdom
* Socialist Republic
* Russian Empire
* White Movement
* Slovakia (First Republic)
* Soviet Union
* 1918–35
* 1935–40
* 1940–43
* 1943–55
* 1955–91
* Spain
* 2nd Republic
* State
* Yugoslavia
* Kingdom
* Socialist Federal Republic
* Federal Republic

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Language|

| Anglophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

|

Arabophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Francophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Gendarmerie
* Officers
* Enlisted

Hispanophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Lusophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Military police
* Officers
* Enlisted

Post-Soviet states|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Commonwealth of Nations|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

European Union|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

NATO|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air Force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Comparative ranks of

* Star ranking
* WWI
* Officers
* WWII
* Officers
* Women's services
* Marine forces
* Space forces
* Gendarmeries
* UK and US

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