Norwegian military ranks

Norwegian military ranks

Norwegian Army	Royal Norwegian Air Force	Royal Norwegian Navy	NATO
Menig (Dragon in the Cavalry, Gardist in His Majesty the Kings Guard and Grensejeger in the GSV border service) "Private"	Flysoldat "Private"	Utskrevet menig "Seaman Recruit"	OR1
Korporal "Corporal"	Korporal "Corporal"	Utskrevet ledende menig "Petty Officer Third Class"	OR4
Grenader "(Enlisted)"	Grenader "(Enlisted)"	Matros "(Enlisted)"	OR1
UB-Korporal "(In training)"	UB-Korporal "(In training)"	Kvartermester-aspirant "(In training)"	-
Sersjant "Sergeant"	Sersjant "Sergeant"	Kvartermester "Petty Officer Second Class"	OR5
Fenrik "Second Lieutenant"	Fenrik "Second Lieutenant"	Fenrik "Ensign"	OF1
Løytnant "First Lieutenant"	Løytnant "First Lieutenant"	Løytnant "Lieutenant, Junior Grade"	OF1
Kaptein (Rittmester in the Cavalry) "Captain"	Kaptein "Captain"	Kapteinløytnant "Lieutenant (Navy)"	OF2
Major "Major"	Major "Major"	Orlogskaptein "Lieutenant Commander"	OF3
Oberstløytnant "Lieutenant Colonel"	Oberstløytnant "Lieutenant Colonel"	Kommandørkaptein "Commander"	OF4
Oberst "Colonel"	Oberst "Colonel"	Kommandør "Captain (Navy)"	OF5
Brigader "Brigadier"	Brigader "Brigadier"	Flaggkommandør "Rear Admiral(Lower half)"	OF6
Generalmajor "Major General"	Generalmajor "Major General"	Kontreadmiral "Rear Admiral(Upper half)"	OF7
Generalløytnant "Lieutenant General"	Generalløytnant "Lieutenant General"	Viseadmiral "Vice Admiral"	OF8
General "General"	General "General"	Admiral "Admiral"	OF9

The green part represents soldiers and the equivalent of non-commissioned officers. The blue part represents officers. Norway does not have a NCO-system and thus Sersjant and Kvartermester are grouped with the officers under the common designation "befal". The officers are divided into three groups: The befal (company officers, ranks Fenrik to Kaptein inclusive), the staff officers (stabsoffiser, ranks Major to Brigader inclusive), and the generals (Generalmajor to General inclusive).

Fenrik (rank below lieutenant) was previously referred to as Second Lieutenant (Norwegian: Secondløitnant), while the rank of lieutenant went by Premier Lieutenant. The rank of Brigader is not an old tradition in the Norwegian armed forces and was instated as a replacement for Oberst I (First/Premier Colonel); what is now Oberst was previously Oberst II (Second Colonel).

As shown, the Cavalry have two ranks which differ from the regular Army: Dragon (Dragoon) instead of Menig (Private), and Rittmester (Master of the Horse) instead of Kaptein (Captain).

The ranks of Grenader and Matros are bestowed upon soldiers who have finished the 12 months compulsory service and have signed one or more three-year contracts to continue serving. The ranks of Korporal/Utskrevet ledende menig (Corporal/Leading Rate) are usually ascribed to soldiers with long and/or outstanding service. A UB-Korporal/Kvartermesteraspirant (Rate Corporal/Petty Officer-in-training) is a soldier who has finished the UB course (Utskrevet Befalskurs), a course intended to prepare conscripted soldiers for non-commissioned officer duties, but is still under training in "the field". After one year course and service these soldiers are qualified for the rank of Sersjant or Kvartermester.

Graphical view of insignia

* [http://odin.dep.no/fd/norsk/dok/andre_dok/veiledninger/010051-120246/dok-bn.html Norwegian armed forces ranks]

Army