Mongolian military ranks

The Military ranks of Mongolia are the military insignia used by the Mongolian Armed Forces and other military organisations such as Border defense troops, Internal troops, National emergency management agency, General executive agency of Court decision, General intelligence agency, and the State special security department.^[1] While Mongolia is a landlocked country, it possessed a small brown-water navy, made up of 7 men, which meant it was the smallest navy in the world.^[2][3] Since 1997, the navy has been privatized, and offers tours on the lake to cover expenses.^[4]

Current ranks and insignia

Current rank system is established in 2003 by introducing Sergeant major and Master sergeant ranks.^[5] In 2006 Brigadier general, General ranks were introduced and Colonel general, General of the Army ranks were abolished.^[6] Current set of rank insignia introduced in 2017. Officers insignia ulzii replaced by five-pointed star and non-commissioned officers insignia pattern replaced by chevrons.^[7]

Enlisted personnels

Ranks	Equivalent NATO Code	Armed forces		Border defense troops		Internal troops
		Compulsory service	Voluntary service	Compulsory service	Voluntary service	Compulsory service	Voluntary service
Private Байлдагч	OR-1						Unknown
Senior private Ахлах байлдагч	OR-2						Unknown
Junior corporal Дэд түрүүч							Unknown
Corporal Түрүүч	OR-3						Unknown
Senior corporal Ахлах түрүүч	OR-4						Unknown

Non-commissioned officers

Ranks	Equivalent NATO Code	Parade uniform	Service uniform	Uniform shirt	Field uniform
Junior sergeant Дэд ахлагч	OR-5
Sergeant Aхлагч	OR-6
Senior sergeant Aхлах ахлагч	OR-7
Master sergeant Cургагч ахлагч	OR-8
Sergeant major Тэргүүн ахлагч	OR-9

Commissioned Officers ranks and insignia

Ranks	Equivalent NATO Code	Parade uniform	Service uniform	Uniform shirt	Field uniform
Second Lieutenant Дэслэгч	OF-1
Lieutenant Ахлах дэслэгч
Captain Ахмад	OF-2
Major Хошууч	OF-3
Lieutenant Colonel Дэд хурандаа	OF-4
Colonel Хурандаа	OF-5
Brigadier general Бригадын генерал	OF-6
Major general Хошууч генерал	OF-7
Lieutenant general Дэслэгч генерал	OF-8
General Генерал	OF-9

Historical

Between 1927 and 1944 the Mongolian system of rank insignia was very peculiar. The rank insignia were placed on collars and sleeves. The Mongolian system resembled the Soviet system of collar insignia but had its own geometric patterns^[8][9].

Between 1944 and 1992, the Mongolian army rank insignia copied the Soviet system. There were minor distinctions:

• shoulder insignia of non-commissioned ranks had a broad blue horizontal stripe in the middle
• stars of non-commissioned officers were ranged in a line (in the Soviet system, they made geometric patterns, just as was the case on the Mongolian shoulder insignia in 1992-2017)

Ranks from 1992 to 2017

Officers

The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the army and air force respectively.

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Mongolian Army	No equivalent																								Unknown
			General (Генерал)		Lieutenant general (дэслэгч генерал)		Major general (хошууч генерал)		Brigadier general (бригадын генерал)		Colonel (хурандаа)		Lieutenant Colonel (дэд хурандаа)		Major (хошууч)		Captain (Ахмад)		Senior Lieutenant (ахлах дэслэгч)			Lieutenant (дэслэгч)
Mongolian Air Force	No equivalent																								No equivalent
			General (Генерал)		Lieutenant general (дэслэгч генерал)		Major general (хошууч генерал)		Brigadier general (бригадын генерал)		Colonel (хурандаа)		Lieutenant Colonel (дэд хурандаа)		Major (хошууч)		Captain (Ахмад)		Senior Lieutenant (ахлах дэслэгч)		Lieutenant (дэслэгч)		Junior Lieutenant (Бага Дэслэгч)

Enlisted

The rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the army and air force respectively.

Equivalent NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Mongolian Army
	Sergeant Major Тэргүүн ахлагч						Master Sergeant Cургагч ахлагч		Sergeant First Class Aхлах ахлагч		Staff Sergeant Aхлагч						Sergeant Дэд ахлагч						Corporal Ахлах түрүүч				Private First Class Түрүүч		Private Дэд түрүүч						Recruit Байлдагч
Mongolian Air Force							No equivalent																				No equivalent
	Sergeant Major										Senior Sergeant						Sergeant						Junior Sergeant						Private First Class						Private

References

• Uniforminsignia.org (Mongolian Ground Forces)
• Uniforminsignia.org (Mongolian Air Force and Air Defense Forces)