Military ranks of Estonia

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 in most cases established during the Estonian War of Independence and in 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 code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Estonia (Edit)	No equivalent																														No equivalent
			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		Lieutenant			Second Lieutenant			Ensign

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Estonia (Edit)
	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	Sergeant Major of the Land Forces						Sergeant Major		First Sergeant		Master Sergeant						Sergeant First Class						Staff Sergeant				Sergeant	Junior Sergeant	Corporal						Private

Officer candidates

Pagunid
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

Pagunid
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 code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Estonia (Edit)	No equivalent																														No equivalent
			Admiral		Viitseadmiral		Kontradmiral		Kommodoor		Mereväe kapten		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 Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Estonia (Edit)																											No equivalent
	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

	Conscript junior non-commissioned officers			Conscript sailors[1][2]
NATO Code	OR-5	OR-4B	OR-4A	OR-2	OR-1
Estonian: Auastmed	Vanemmaat	Maat	Nooremmaat	Vanemmadrus	Madrus
Estonian: Lühend	v-maat	maat	n-maat	v-mdr	mdr
English: Ranks	Petty Officer 1st class	Petty Officer 2nd class	Petty Officer 3rd class	Leading Seaman	Seaman

Estonian Air Force ranks and insignia

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Estonia (Edit)	No equivalent																														No equivalent
			Kindral		Kindralleitnant		Kindralmajor		Brigaadikindral		Kolonel		Kolonelleitnant		Major		Kapten		Leitnant			Nooremleitnant			Lipnik
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Junior Lieutenant			Ensign
Estonian: Lühend			kin		kin-ltn		kin-mjr		brig-kin		kol		kol-ltn		mjr		kpt		ltn			n-ltn			lpn

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Estonia (Edit)																											No equivalent
	Ülemveebel			Staabiveebel			Vanemveebel		Veebel		Nooremveebel						Vanemseersant						Seersant		Nooremseersant				Kapral						Reamees
English: Ranks	Chief Master Sergeant of Air Force			Chief Master Sergeant			Senior Master Sergeant		Master Sergeant		Technical Sergeant						Staff Sergeant						Sergeant		Junior Sergeant				Senior Airman						Airman
Estonian: Lühend	ü-vbl			st-vbl			v-vbl		vbl		n-vbl						v-srs						srs		n-srs				kpr						rms

Kaitseliit staff positions and insignia

	Higher and staff positions			Senior field positions				Junior field positions
NATO Code	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1C	OF-1B	OF-1A	OR-8	OR-6	OR-4	OR-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

• Estonian Defence Forces

References

External links

• Estonian Defence Forces
• Estonian Ministry of Defence