Present Estonian system of rank insignia is a direct descendant of various systems used in the past in the Estonian Defence Forces. Some of the grades trace their name back to the period of World Wars, for instance, the rank of aspirant literally means an officer in training in military academies or voluntaries, serving as temporary officers.

Most of the Estonian Army ranks were established during the Estonian War of Independence and in the 1920s. These include the rank of kapral, which is a derivate of Italian caporale – much like the English equivalent of corporal. After the Soviet occupation ended in 1991, a new rank was established, creating for the first time a brigadier general rank in the armed forces of Estonia. In Estonia, rank insignia is worn on the chest. Estonian Junior NCOs are considered as a rank of a conscript NCO or NCO in reserve. In full-time service, junior sergeants and petty officers 3rd class are filling in various soldier positions, and naval ratings and are not taken as NCOs.

Estonian Land Forces ranks and insignia

NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
 Estonian Land Forces[1]
Kindral Kindralleitnant Kindralmajor Brigaadikindral Kolonel Kolonelleitnant Major Kapten Leitnant Nooremleitnant Lipnik
Estonian:
Lühend
kin kin-ltn kin-mjr brig-kin kol kol-ltn mjr kpt ltn n-ltn lpn
English:
Ranks
General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Ensign
NATO codeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
 Estonian Land Forces[1]
Ülemveebel Staabiveebel Vanemveebel Veebel Nooremveebel Vanemseersant Seersant Nooremseersant Kapral Reamees
Estonian:
Lühend
ü-vbl st-vbl v-vbl vbl n-vbl v-srs srs n-srs kpr rms
English:
Ranks
Command Sergeant Major[2] Sergeant Major Master Sergeant Sergeant First Class Staff Sergeant Sergeant (Senior) Sergeant Sergeant (Junior) Corporal Private

Officer candidates

Õlakud
Auaste 3. õppeaasta kadett-veebel 2. õppeaasta kadett-veebel 3. õppeaasta kadett-seersant 2. õppeaasta kadett-seersant 1. õppeaasta kadett-seersant 3. õppeaasta kadett 2. õppeaasta kadett 1. õppeaasta kadett 1. semestri noorkadett
Rank 3rd year Cadet Sergeant 2nd year Cadet Sergeant 3rd year Cadet Junior Sergeant 2nd year Cadet Junior Sergeant 1st year Cadet Junior Sergeant 3rd year Cadet 2nd year Cadet 1st year Cadet 1st semester Junior Cadet
NATO No equivalent No equivalent No equivalent No equivalent No equivalent No equivalent No equivalent No equivalent No equivalent

Aspirants

Õlakud
Auaste Ajateenijate reservrühmaülema kursuse lõpetanu Ajateenijate reservrühmaülema kursusel õppija
Rank Reserve platoon leader course Graduate Reserve platoon leader course Student
NATO No equivalent No equivalent

Estonian Navy ranks and insignia

NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
 Estonian Navy[3]
Admiral Viitseadmiral Kontradmiral Kommodoor Mereväekapten Kaptenleitnant Kaptenmajor Vanemleitnant Leitnant Nooremleitnant Lipnik
Estonian:
Lühend
adm v-adm k-adm komd m-kpt kpt-ltn kpt-mjr v-ltn ltn n-ltn lpn
English:
Ranks
Admiral Vice Admiral Rear Admiral Commodore Captain Commander Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Senior Grade Lieutenant Lieutenant Junior Grade Ensign
NATO codeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
 Estonian Navy[3]
Ülemveebel Staabiveebel Vanemveebel Veebel Nooremveebel Vanemmaat Maat Nooremmaat Vanemmadrus Madrus
Estonian:
Lühend
ü-vbl st-vbl v-vbl vbl n-vbl v-maat maat n-maat v-mdr mdr
English:
Ranks
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer 1st class Chief Petty Officer 2nd class Petty Officer 1st class Petty Officer 2nd class Petty Officer 3rd class Leading Seaman Seaman

Estonian Air Force ranks and insignia

NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
 Estonian Air Force[4]
Kindral Kindralleitnant Kindralmajor Brigaadikindral Kolonel Kolonelleitnant Major Kapten Leitnant Nooremleitnant Lipnik
Estonian:
Lühend
kin kin-ltn kin-mjr brig-kin kol kol-ltn mjr kpt ltn n-ltn lpn
English:
Ranks
General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant Ensign
NATO codeOR-9OR-8OR-7OR-6OR-5OR-4OR-3OR-2OR-1
 Estonian Air Force[4]
Ülemveebel Staabiveebel Vanemveebel Veebel Nooremveebel Vanemseersant Seersant Nooremseersant Kapral Reamees
Estonian:
Lühend
ü-vbl st-vbl v-vbl vbl n-vbl v-srs srs n-srs kpr rms
English:
Ranks
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant Master Sergeant Technical Sergeant Staff Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant (Junior) Senior Airman Airman

Historical Estonian Defence League staff positions and insignia

The separate rank system for the Estonian Defence League was officially abolished in 2013, and it now uses ranks and insignia identical to the Land Forces.[5]

Higher and staff positionsSenior field positionsJunior field positions
NATO CodeOF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1COF-1BOF-1AOR-8OR-6OR-4OR-3
Estonian:
Ametikohad
Kaitseliidu ülem Kaitseliidu Peastaabi ülem Kaitseliidu maleva pealik Maleva vaneminstruktor Malevkonna pealik Kompanii pealik Rühma pealik Rühmapealik eriüksustes Rühmapealiku abi Jaopealik Jaopealiku abi
English:
Positions
Commander Chief of Staff Chief of Malev Senior instructor Chief of Malevkond Chief of Company Platoon commander Platoon commander
in special forces
Assistant platoon commander Section commander Assistant section commander

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Sümboolika: Maaväe Auastmed". mil.ee (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  2. "Sõnaveeb".
  3. 1 2 "Sümboolika: Mereväe Auastmed". mil.ee (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Sümboolika: Õhuväe Auastmed". mil.ee (in Estonian). Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  5. "Kaitseliidu eraldusmärgid" (in Estonian). Riigi Teataja.
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