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

Enlisted troops

Rank insignia^[1]		Name^[1]					Description
Epaulette	Camouflage	German	French	Italian	Romansh ^{[citation needed]}	English designation	Description
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 7 CHF daily pay (as opposed to 6 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)

Rank insignia^[1]		Name^[1]					Description
Epaulette	Camouflage	German	French	Italian	Romansh ^{[citation needed]}	English designation	Description
		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

Rank insignia^[5]		Name^[5]					Description
Epaulette	Camouflage	German	French	Italian	Romansh ^{[citation needed]}	English designation	Description
		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

Subaltern officers and captains

Rank insignia^[6]		Name^[6]					Description
Epaulette	Camouflage	German	French	Italian	Romansh ^{[citation needed]}	English designation	Description
		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

Rank insignia^[7]		Name^[7]					Description
Epaulette	Camouflage	German	French	Italian	Romansh ^{[citation needed]}	English designation	Description
		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

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	Description
			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

Rank insignia^[8]			Name^[8]					Description
Epaulette	Camouflage	Kepi ^{[citation needed]}	German	French	Italian	Romansh ^{[citation needed]}	English designation	Description
			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

Colour		Branch^[10]
	Black	Staff officers, engineers, intelligence, chaplaincy, sport, NBC defense
	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
	Blue	Peace Support Operation

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d AFLO 2008, p. 32.
^ ^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.
^ "Sold und Erwerbsersatz (EO)" [Wages and income compensation]. vtg.admin.ch (in German). Swiss Armed Forces. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
^ Militärgesetz Art. 102.
^ ^a ^b AFLO 2008, pp. 32–33.
^ ^a ^b AFLO 2008, p. 34.
^ ^a ^b AFLO 2008, pp. 34–35.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d AFLO 2008, p. 35.
^ McPhee, John (31 October 1983). "La Place de la Concorde Suisse-I". The New Yorker. p. 50. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
^ 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

Swiss Armed Forces rank insignia as of 1 Jan 2006

Media related to Military rank insignia of Switzerland at Wikimedia Commons

[FOOTNOTEAFLO200832-1] AFLO 2008, p. 32.

[:0-2] "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.

[FOOTNOTEAFLO200832–33-5] AFLO 2008, pp. 32–33.

[FOOTNOTEAFLO200834-6] AFLO 2008, p. 34.

[FOOTNOTEAFLO200834–35-7] AFLO 2008, pp. 34–35.

[FOOTNOTEAFLO200835-8] AFLO 2008, p. 35.

[mcphee19831031-9] McPhee, John (31 October 1983). "La Place de la Concorde Suisse-I". The New Yorker. p. 50. Retrieved 22 July 2013.

[FOOTNOTEAFLO200836–38-10] AFLO 2008, pp. 36–38.

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