Military ranks of Switzerland

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.

## Enlisted ranks

[edit]

### Enlisted troops

[edit]

Rank insignia[1] | Name[1] | Description

|
|

Epaulette  | Camouflage  | German  | French  | Italian  | Romansh
[citation needed] | English designation
No rank insignia  | Rekrut
(Rekr) | Recrue
(recr) | Recluta | Recruit | Recruit | This rank is a position during the 4 months of Recruit School. A recruit gets promoted to E-1 after the Recruit School.
|  | Soldat
(Sdt) | Soldat
(Sdt) | Soldato | Schuldà | Private E-1  |
|  | Gefreiter
(Gfr) | Appointé
(App) | Appuntato | Appuntà | Private E-2  | E-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 6 CHF daily pay (as opposed to 5 CHF prior to promotion)[3]
|  | Obergefreiter
(Obgfr) | Appointé-chef
(App chef) | Appuntato capo | Primappuntà | Private first class  | The 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)

[edit]

Rank insignia[1] | Name[1] | Description

|
|

Epaulette  | Camouflage  | German  | French  | Italian  | Romansh
[citation needed] | English designation
|  | 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.
|  | Wachtmeister
(Wm) | Sergent
(Sgt) | Sergente
(Sgt) | Sergent
(Sgt) | Sergeant | Currently, the standard junior NCO rank
|  | 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

[edit]

Rank insignia[5] | Name[5] | Description

|
|

Epaulette  | Camouflage  | German  | French  | Italian  | Romansh
[citation needed] | English designation
|  | 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.
|  | Fourier
(Four) | Fourrier
(Four) | Furiere
(Fur) | Furier
(Fur) | Quartermaster sergeant | The higher NCO who administers a company's finances, subsistence and lodging.
|  | 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.
|  | Adjutant Unteroffizier
(Adj Uof) | Adjudant sous-officier
(Adj Sof) | Aiutante sottufficiale
(aiut suff) | Adjutant sutuffizier
(Adj suff) | Warrant officer |
|  | Stabsadjutant
(Stabsadj) | Adjudant d'état-major
(Adj EM) | Aiutante di stato maggiore
(aiut SM) | Adjutant da stab
(Adj S) | Staff warrant officer |
|  | Hauptadjutant
(Hptadj) | Adjudant-major
(Adjm) | Aiutante maggiore
(Aiut magg) | Adjutant principal
(Adj prin) | Master warrant officer |
|  | Chefadjutant
(Chefadj) | Adjudant-chef
(Adj chef) | Aiutante capo
(Aiut capo) | Chefadjutant
(Schefadj) | Chief warrant officer |

## Officers

[edit]

### Subaltern officers and captains

[edit]

Rank insignia[6] | Name[6] | Description

|
|

Epaulette  | Camouflage  | German  | French  | Italian  | Romansh
[citation needed] | English designation
|  | 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]
|  | 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).
|  | Hauptmann
(Hptm) | Capitaine
(Cap) | Capitano
(Cap) | Chapitani
(Chap) | Captain | Company commander or officer in battalion's staff (S1, 2, 4 & 6).

### Staff officers, specialist

[edit]

Rank insignia[7] | Name[7] | Description

|
|

Epaulette  | Camouflage  | German  | French  | Italian  | Romansh
[citation needed] | English designation
|  | 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).
|  | Oberstleutnant
(Oberstlt) | Lieutenant-colonel
(Lt col) | Tenente colonnello
(Ten col) | Litinent colonel
(Lt col) | Lieutenant colonel | Battalion commander, staff officer in large units (BDE).
|  | 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).
|  | 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

[edit]

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

Rank insignia[8] | Name[8] | Description

|
|

Epaulette  | Camouflage  | Kepi
[citation needed] | German  | French  | Italian  | Romansh
[citation needed] | English designation
|  |  | Brigadier
(Br) | Brigadier
(Br) | Brigadiere | Brigadier | Brigadier general | One-star rank, commander of a brigade, also military attaché
|  |  | Divisionär
(Div) | Divisionnaire
(div) | Divisionario | Divisionär | Major general | Two-star rank, commander of territorial division, also in an Army HQ or staff.
|  |  | Korpskommandant
(KKdt) | Commandant de corps
(cdt C) | Comandante di corpo | Korpskommandant | 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

[edit]

Rank insignia[8] | Name[8] | Description

|
|

Epaulette  | Camouflage  | Kepi
[citation needed] | German  | French  | Italian  | Romansh
[citation needed] | English designation
|  |  | General
(Gen) | Général | Generale | Generale | 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

[edit]

See also: Waffenfarbe

Colour  | Branch[10]

|

| Black  | Staff officers, engineers, intelligence, chaplaincy, sport,
| Dark green  | Infantry, military bands
| Yellow  | Armored Corps
| Red  | Artillery
| Dark blue  | Air Force
| Light grey  | Signal and command support corps
| Royal Blue  | Medical corps, Red Cross service
| Burgundy  | Rescue corps
| Plum  | Logistic corps
| Terracota  | Territorial service
| Dark grey  | Military police
| Khaki  | Special Forces
| Purple  | Armed Forces Legal Service
| Khaki yellow  | NBC defense
| Blue  | Peace Support Operation

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d AFLO 2008, p. 32.
2. ^ a b c "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. ^ a b AFLO 2008, pp. 32–33.
6. ^ a b AFLO 2008, p. 34.
7. ^ a b AFLO 2008, pp. 34–35.
8. ^ a b c d 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

* Armed Forces Logistics Organisation (2008). Insignia of the Swiss Armed Forces (PDF). Swiss Armed Forces. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 December 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Swiss Armed Forces rank insignia as of 1 Jan 2006

Media related to Military rank insignia of Switzerland at Wikimedia Commons

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Comparative|

* Army
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* Enlisted
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* Officers
* Enlisted
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* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

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* Enlisted:
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Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
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* Army
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* Army
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Comparative|

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

Asia|

* Afghanistan
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States with
limited recognition|

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Former|

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Comparative|

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

Europe|

* Albania
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States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
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Former|

* Albania
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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

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
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* 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

* Highest ranks
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* Officers of World War I
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* Women's Services in World War II
* Marine forces
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* UK and US

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