Rank badge of the Bundeswehr

Epaulette and loops for a corporal in the pioneer troop

Examples of different attachment loops

The rank badges of the Bundeswehr are used to represent the ranks of the Bundeswehr . Furthermore, they enable the soldier to be assigned to an area of uniform wear ( army , air force or navy ). Additional elements indicate the soldier's affiliation to a career, line of use, type of service or the like. These additional elements are partly necessary to distinguish different ranks of the different careers, but the same rank . Only soldiers in the lowest rank do not wear rank badges (but possibly additional elements). Rank badges are part of the uniforms of the Bundeswehr .

Legal bases

This article needs to be revised: ZDv 37/10 was transferred to central regulation A2-2630 / 0-9804. Individual references and content must be adapted in this and, if applicable, the following chapters.
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In accordance with Section 4 of the Soldiers Act (SG), the Federal President basically sets the rank designations for soldiers and issues regulations on soldiers' uniforms. To this end, he issued the Federal President's order on the rank designations and uniforms of soldiers . The "Central regulation A2-2630 / 0-0-9804 - Suit regulations for soldiers of the Bundeswehr" reflects these regulations and defines details. The central regulation is the successor to the former central service regulation (ZDv) 37/10 “Suit regulations for soldiers in the Bundeswehr”. Further details standardize the technical delivery conditions of the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr (or its predecessor, the Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement ).

Types

Rank badge of Admiral Manfred Nielson in the form of braids

A basic distinction can be made between the following types:

• Epaulets : Rank badges are usually made of metal and are placed on the shoulder boards of the uniform (the metal badges can be replaced with hand-embroidered badges if you buy your own). The braids made of metal web are sewn onto the epaulets. This form of rank badge is particularly representative and is therefore most often found on service and formal suits.
• Sleeve badges can only be found on the uniform of the naval uniform wearers. The rank badges are sewn in the form of wefts on the jacket or shirt of the service suits of the naval uniform wearers. Historically, sleeve badges were also found in the Luftwaffe and Army until the 1970s.
• Sliding loops are pushed onto the shoulder flaps of the uniform. The emblems are always woven into. A variation are the rank badges that can be attached or sewn on, but are otherwise completely analogous. Slip-on loops are the simplest form of rank badges and are primarily to be found on field suits or other combat clothing.

Basic forms of the epaulettes and sleeve badges of the service suit

The rank badges of all ranks are shown below for an overview based on the rank badges for the shoulder flaps of the service suit. For navy uniform wearers, sleeve badges are also shown for the jacket. For army uniform wearers, the epaulets of the jacket are shown first. Variants of the rank badges presented first are then treated as examples.

Usage badges or documents or piping are inconsistent examples of different series of uses or types of service. Career badges for team and NCO ranks are only taken into account for senior middlemen (at sea) in the troop service (not medical officer candidates). Rank badges for naval uniform wearers of the rank group of officers are displayed with the career badge for officers in the troop service (not medical career, not military musical service, not geomilitary service). Further additional elements are not taken into account. For a more detailed overview of the additional elements, see the following chapters.

Teams

Rank	army	air force	marine		Remarks
lowest rank					• Soldiers in the lowest rank do not wear rank badges. • Metal uniform buttons fix epaulets. The button for naval uniform wearers shows the "unclear anchor ". • Colored piping for army and air force uniforms in the color of the collar tabs • All (including the following) emblems (not braids ) on metal epaulets to clip on . • Sleeve badge for teams on the upper sleeve.
Private					• All (also the following) gold-colored braids are sewn on and made of woven metal ( copper core with gold-plated nickel silver jacket made of 65% copper, 12% nickel, 23% zinc) • Metal emblems are old silver-colored for army and air force uniforms; gold-colored for navy uniform wearers • Representation of all (also following) shoulder flaps and sleeve badges for left shoulder and left arm. The diagonal bars of the rank badges on the right are mirrored vertically. • Diagonal bars are also jokingly referred to as " fries ".
Corporal
Corporal
Corporal					• The inner (upper) sloping beam for corporal corpses is separated from the three outer (lower) sloping beams.
Corporal Corporal
corporal					The rank is to be introduced on October 1, 2021; the rank badge has not yet been determined.
Staff corporal					The rank is to be introduced on October 1, 2021; the rank badge has not yet been determined.

NCOs

Rank	army	air force	marine		Remarks
Sergeant Maat					• All (including the following) emblems (not wefts) on metal epaulets to clip on. • All (also following) wefts with metal weave and sewn on. • Metal emblems are old silver colors for army and air force uniforms; gold-colored for navy uniform wearers • All (also the following) light-old gold-colored braids for army and air force uniforms with metal mesh copper core with nickel silver jacket (65% copper, 12% nickel, 23% zinc); for navy uniform wearers gold-colored braids with a copper core and gold-plated nickel silver jacket (65% copper, 12% nickel, 23% zinc) • Colored piping for all non-commissioned officers except for senior middleman and underlay for senior middleman for army and air force uniform wearers in the color of the collar tabs . • Sleeve badges (also following up to chief mate) on the upper sleeve. • The metal frame is reminiscent of the portepee . • The border is also jokingly referred to as " (dachshund) racetrack ".
Staff Sergeant Obermaat
Sergeant Boatswain					• All (also following) sleeve badges on the lower sleeve.
Oberfeldwebel Oberbootsmann
Sergeant Major Boatswain					• The emblem ("head angle with the point up") is also jokingly referred to as "fish". Despite the similarity, no connection to the rune Othala is made in the service regulations .
Oberfähnrich Oberfähnrich at sea					Note: rank insignia for top cadets are presented here because they are mostly the usual scheme of the rank insignia of officer candidates of the rank group of officers beyond - see below for a synopsis of the rank insignia for cadets • rank insignia for Upper midshipmen (naval) in battledress already resemble the basic form for officers. The background to this is that senior middlemen (at sea) are already wearing the officers' uniform. • Silver decorative cord (metal spun with aluminum content ) as piping and shoulder flap underlay in the color of the collar tabs for army and air force uniforms and for officers' rank badges (see below). Piping is reminiscent of the portepee . • The weave of the navy uniform on the epaulets is as wide as the weave of the sleeve badges. • The variants shown here for naval uniforms are designed differently for medical officer candidates (see below).
Sergeant-in- Chief Officer in command
Oberstabsfeldwebel Oberstabsbootmann					In view of the limited space on the shoulder boards of the chief staff officer, which makes it necessary to move the rank badges closer together, and in order to keep the distances between the three angles the same, two individual badges are usually used to represent the two outer angles (instead of the army and Air Force uniform wearers a double angle).

Officers

Rank	army	air force	marine		Remarks
Lieutenant at sea					• All (the following) Emblems (not braid ) on shoulder straps of metal for fastening. • All (also following) wefts sewn on. • Metal emblems are silver-colored for army and air force uniforms up to colonel; gold-colored for navy uniform wearers and generals • All (also following) gold-colored braids with copper core and gold-plated nickel silver jacket (65% copper, 12% nickel, 23% zinc) • All (also following) sleeve badges on the lower sleeve. • Wefts of the navy uniform wearers up to the sea captain on the epaulets are as wide as wefts of the sleeve badges. • Colored underlay for all (including the following) epaulettes for army and air force uniforms in the color of the collar tabs . • Silver decorative cord (metal web with aluminum content ) as the piping of all (including the following epaulettes) for army and air force uniforms up to the rank of Colonel reminds of the portepee . • Navy uniform wearers of the medical career and the careers of military geographic and military musical service wear different career badges (these and all following) sleeve badges and epaulets (see below) instead of the star.
Oberleutnant Oberleutnant zur See
Captain Lieutenant
Staff Captain Staff Captain Lieutenant					• The rank badge for the staff captain lieutenant once corresponded to the rank badge of the captain lieutenant with the special feature that the star was supplemented by an oak leaf branch.
Major Corvette Captain					• Oak leaves are a traditional German symbol
Lieutenant Colonel frigate captain
Colonel sea ​​captain
Brigadier General Flotilla Admiral					• Golden decorative cord (metal mesh made of silver wire with gold plating, fire- gold plated ) as piping of all (including the following epaulets) for all generals reminds of the portepee . • The outermost braid of the flag officers' epaulets on the epaulets is only half as wide as the lowest braid of the sleeve badges
Major General Rear Admiral
Lieutenant General Vice Admiral
General Admiral					• The shoulder flap of an admiral is neither illustrated in the central regulation nor described in more detail in a technical delivery condition. If the outer dimensions of the shoulder flap remain unchanged, the star must partially cover the innermost braid as shown.

variants

In addition to the rank badges on light gray epaulettes as shown above, there is a variant for army uniform wearers (see picture a) on dark gray cloth, which is mainly attached to service shirts and coats. Apart from the different colored fabric, the rank badges are otherwise completely identical.

For naval uniform wearers of the rank group crews, wearing the dark blue jacket with the corresponding sleeve badges as shown above is relatively rare, since teams before the age of 30 instead of the jacket i. d. Usually wear the white or dark blue shirt . The sleeve badges sewn on there are simpler than the rank badges on the jacket, but completely identical in shape and dimensions. Instead of braids with metal web parts, the inclined beams consist of golden yellow or steel blue braids without metal web parts (see picture b and c).

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  a Dark gray shoulder flap for army uniform wearers (here: staff sergeant tank troop)

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  b Sleeve badge for the dark blue shirt (here: Oberstabsgefreiter 10er application series)

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  c Sleeve badge for the white shirt (here: Obergefreiter 20er application series)

particularities

Deviating from the above illustration, naval uniform bearers of the rank group of the teams in the guard battalion at the Federal Ministry of Defense (WachBtl BMVg) do not wear sleeve badges. Contrary to the central guideline, in representative units (including the WachBtl BMVg and staff music corps of the German Armed Forces ), the collar tabs for service uniforms are underlaid in the color of the collar tabs for teams and NCOs . In contrast to the illustration above for the jacket of the service suit, there is no colored piping or underlay in the color of the collar tabs on the ski blouse . Army and Air Force uniforms of the Officers' rank group are allowed to wear hand-embroidered rank badges they have procured themselves instead of the metal badges - but this type is very rare in practice.

Evening suit epaulettes and sleeve badges

On the evening dress to distinguish between needs Heeres-, naval and air force uniform makers and sexes.

Men

In male army uniforms, the fabric of the silk-covered shoulder flap is black to match the jacket (see picture), while the shoulder flaps in air force uniforms are dark blue. Epaulets for NCOs (except for senior middlemen) are narrower than those for officers. Male navy uniform wearers wear the sleeve badges known from the jacket, which are therefore not further described here.

Hand-embroidered badges are the rule for the epaulets of officers (metal badges are also allowed, but these are very rare in practice). The rank insignia on the epaulettes are hand-embroidered with portepee for NCOs. Career badges for the epaulets of the medical officer candidates of the rank group NCOs without portepee are either self-procured and hand-embroidered or made of metal as for "normal" epaulettes of the service suit; Career badges of the other rank groups are carried out in the execution of the rank badges.

The shoulder flaps are piped with a decorative cord made of metal web: Generals wear a gold-colored decorative cord, for other officers and senior middlemen it is silver-colored (see picture), for other non-commissioned officers it is light-old gold. The circumferential light old gold braid of the non-commissioned officers is made of woven metal and is only 0.4 cm wide for the formal suit instead of 0.8 cm wide as for the service suit (in practice, however, this border is rarely found). In formal suits, there are no colored piping or documents in the color of the collar tabs .

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  Shoulder flap for dress uniform wearing army uniform (here captain)

Women

Female soldiers wear dark blue epaulets. The shoulder boards correspond in shape and dimensions to those of men. Only the execution of some rank badges is slightly different. A special feature for female naval uniform wearers in the medical career is that the weave width of the ranks Oberfähnrich zur See (SanOA) to the fleet doctor / pharmacist is only 10 and 5 mm. The weft width of the female naval uniform wearers in all other careers is instead the usual 14 and 7 mm. Career and employment badges of the rank group NCOs without portepee as well as the horizontal double bars for mate and chief mate (BA) are either hand-embroidered or made of metal as for "normal" epaulettes of the service suit; Career badges of the other rank groups are held in the execution of the rank badges.

Basic shapes of the slip-on loops

Slip-on loops are usually designed analogously to the shoulder flaps shown above. It is therefore sufficient to present the various versions in the following instead of a renewed listing of all ranks. Officially delivered loops are woven. The most common type of loop for the field suit has black or gold emblems on a stone gray-olive base fabric:

Wearing uniforms of the      

Rank group	army	air force	marine	comment
Teams				• For army uniform wearers, loops made of 0.4 cm wide bobbin lace flat braid (referred to as braid for short) in the colors of the collar tabs are attached to the sleeve insert seam . • Slip-on loops of this type for air force uniform wearers have double wings woven in to distinguish between air force and army uniform wearers . The slip-on loop with double swing arm is longer than all other slip-on loop types. With air force uniform wearers only stone gray-olive slip-on loop types have the double swing arm. • Soldiers in the lowest rank wear i. d. Usually no slip-on loops. Exceptions are non-commissioned officers / mate candidates, bosun candidates (see below) and air force uniform wearers who wear the double swing arm on stone gray-olive sling loops without further rank insignia.
NCOs
Staff officers				• These slip-on loops are also worn on the field suit , 3-color camouflage print . • The stars known from epaulettes and sleeve badges on service suits (see above) are only worn by some candidate officers when they are attached to sling loops (see below).
General flag officers

variants

Slip-on loops designed almost entirely in the same way for uniform parts of different colors exist for army, air force and naval uniforms.

Army uniform wearers, for example, wear black slip-on loops with light gray (gold-yellow for generals) emblems on the epaulets of the gray sweater and blouson.

Dark blue slip-on loops with golden-yellow emblems are widespread for marine uniform wearers and are attached to the on- board parka , for example . For the on-board and combat suit in the tropical version, slip-on loops on a beige base fabric are provided for navy uniform wearers.

For Air Force uniform wearers, there is a variant of “light gray (golden yellow for generals) emblems on a dark blue base fabric” (without double wing) for the aviator combination . Since the latter color combination is not permitted for wearers of army uniforms, the double swing arm can be omitted as a distinguishing feature (but is attached elsewhere on the uniform in the case of the aviator suit, for example).

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  Black base fabric with light gray emblems for army uniform wearers (here: Colonel NBC defense force, gray sweater)

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  Dark blue basic fabric with light gray emblems for air force uniform wearers (here: captain, gray-blue aviator combination)

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  Dark blue base fabric with golden yellow emblems for navy uniform wearers (here: captain lieutenant, board parka)

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  Beige base fabric with golden emblems for on-board and combat suits, tropics (here: boatswain)

Not shown are rank badges that can be sewn on or attached to special clothing, such as armored suits or flight service suits . They are designed completely analogously to the four types of slip-on loops presented above. However, they are mostly rectangular and not slightly trapezoidal like the slide-on loops. With this type of slip-on loop, army uniform wearers do not wear flat braids in the same color as the collar tabs .

Expiring variants

The order to change the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldier of February 7, 1996 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 218 ) stipulated that "black-colored rank badges should be worn on the combat suit, camouflage print instead of the silver rank badge". The ZDv 37/10 was initially supplemented with the following note: "Until the delivery of olive-colored sling loops with black badges for men, non-commissioned officers and officers up to Colonel of the Army and the Air Force, the slipping loops with the corresponding gray-woven badges must be applied." was later omitted in ZDv 37/10. ZDv 37/10 provided for black emblems for stone-gray-olive loops procured by the customer; otherwise the ZDv 37/10 made no explicit statement in the text about the color of the emblems of the stone-gray-olive loops. The ZDv 37/10 even continued to display light gray rank badges on a stone gray-olive base fabric for both olive-plain-colored outerwear and for the field suit, camouflage print. The slip-on loops with light gray emblems on a stone gray-olive base fabric are no longer made officially. Remaining stocks are still issued in individual cases and put on the shoulder flaps of the camouflage clothing, although this contradicts the text of ZDv 37/10 and the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldier . Overall, this type of slip-on loop can therefore be described as "expiring" but as "still" tolerated for this clothing. For olive-plain-colored outerwear, wearing the white emblems on stone-gray-olives and (at that time still) officially delivered loops is still in accordance with the regulations - in practice, however, plain-violet uniforms are rarely found. Larger exceptions in the army are, for example, the plain-colored olive flight service suits of the army aviators and similar overalls of the maintenance teams of the army aviators, to which one could continue to wear silver-colored emblems according to the regulations.

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  a Slip-on loops with light gray emblems on a stone gray-olive base fabric for army uniform wearers (here: Sergeant Major Army Reconnaissance Force)

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  b Sliding loops with light gray emblems on a stone gray-olive base fabric for air force uniform wearers (here: Lieutenant Colonel)

Tolerated variants

In practice, the following slip-on loops are worn on appropriate epaulettes in 5 or 3-color camouflage print . They were not described in the ZDv 37/10 and were therefore not ZDV 37/10 compliant, are therefore not delivered for official purposes and contradict the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldiers who wear the black (for naval uniforms : golden) emblems on stone gray-olive ground fabric intended for field suit. Versions as shown below (light gray, black or golden yellow - for naval uniform wearers and generals - emblems on 5-color camouflage print as well as black or golden yellow emblems on 3-color camouflage print) are tolerated and carried up to the highest grade groups. The self-procured slip-on loops are usually delivered with embroidered rank badges, although the ZDv 37/10 otherwise always provided for emblems (woven in) for slip-on loops. In everyday work, the poor visibility of the black emblems on 5-color camouflage makes it difficult for ranks such as sergeant, lieutenant or major to correctly address and greet soldiers (not personally known).

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  Sliding loops with black emblems on 5-color flecktarn for army uniform wearers (here: Leutnant Panzertruppe)

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  Attachment loops with light gray emblems on 5-color flecktarn for army uniform wearers (here: Colonel Heereslogistiktruppe)

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  Sliding loops with black emblems on 3-color flecktarn for army uniform wearers (here: Oberstabsfeldwebel Heeresfliegertruppe)

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  Sliding loops with black emblems on 5-color flecktarn for air force uniform wearers (here: Staff Captain)

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  Attachment loops with light gray emblems on 5-color flecktarn for air force uniform wearers (here: Sergeant Major)

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  Attachment loops with black emblems on 3-color flecktarn for air force uniform wearers (here: Lieutenant Colonel)

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  Attachment loops with golden-yellow emblems on 5-color flecktarn for navy uniform wearers (here: corporal)

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  Slip-on loops with golden-yellow emblems on 3-color flecktarn for navy uniform wearers (here: captainleutnant)

Additional elements

Various additional elements complement the rank badges presented above in all variants. They are often used to identify the rank or career group of the carrier or the affiliation to another group within the Bundeswehr. Since the ranks are already completely mapped by the rank badges shown above, the additional elements are not part of the actual rank badges. For licensed medical officers as well as for some officer candidates in the rank group of NCOs who have special rank names that differ from the usual rank names, the additional elements are important in order to clearly signal the name of the rank.

Double swing arm

The double wing (also known as the aviator wing) in the color of the other emblems (mostly black or gold for generals) is woven into the olive-stone-gray slip-on loops of the air force uniform. The double swing arm, which can also be found on many other uniform parts of the Air Force uniform wearers, serves to distinguish it from the stone gray-olive loops of the army uniform wearers. Attachment loops with the double swing arm are longer and wider than all other attachment loops. Even air force uniform wearers in the lowest rank wear slip-on loops with the double swing arm on otherwise empty slip-on loops in order to ensure the demarcation from army uniform wearers with otherwise identical field suits.

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  Aviator (air force uniform)

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  Major (Air Force Uniform)

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  Major General (Air Force Uniform)

Gun color

→ Main article : Gun paint (Bundeswehr)

Colored underlays or piping for shoulder flaps (not for the jacket of the formal suit and partly not for the ski blouse) for army and air force uniforms as well as 4 mm wide flat braids below (i.e. close to the sleeve insert seam) the slip-on loops (not for sewable or Velcro-fastened rank badges ) in the case of army uniform wearers denote the affiliation to a type of military, to the group of air force uniform wearers, to the group of generals or to the group of officers in the general staff service (i. G.) . This color is usually referred to as the weapon color and corresponds to the color of the collar tabs . Waffenfarbe of the generals is crimson, crimson with officers in the General Staff, golden yellow in other Luftwaffe uniform carriers, other Army Uniform in the branch of service characteristic color.

Usage badge

→ Main article : Use series

Navy uniform wearers of the rank groups of men and non-commissioned officers wear application badges on the epaulets and on the sleeves (but not on slip-on loops or sewn or Velcro fastened if the rank badges are woven), if they do not wear the career badges for officers or for officer candidates (see below). Usage badges have a similar function to those wearing navy uniforms as the color of weapons used by army and air force uniforms, because they show that they belong to a series of uses . For epaulettes, the badges of use, like the badges of rank, are gold-colored, metal-stamped pins. The sleeves are identical in shape and color, only in an embroidered version, with the exception of metal thread embroidery.

The sleeves usage badges are usually machine embroidered . Only the steel blue usage badges for the white shirt for teams are woven. Sailors wear the insignia on otherwise empty epaulettes or upper sleeves. Usage badges are positioned on the sleeve directly in the middle below (teams), in the middle above (NCOs with portepee) the rank badges or within the square formed by the braids (for mate and chief mate). The badge of use is worn on epaulettes between the button and the rank badge. (Also asymmetrical) usage badges for the left and right side are mostly identical, only for the usage row 81 there are left and right usage badges in such a way that the snake always looks forward. The usage badges are modifications of the clear or unclear anchor and exist for the following series of uses:

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  Seafaring Service (10)

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  Naval Command Service (20s)

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  Naval weapons service (30s)

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  Marine technology service (40s)

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  Naval Aviation Service (50s)

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  Logistics and staff service (1960s)

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  Transportation and Marine Security Service (1970s)

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  Use series medical service (81) (version for left sleeve)

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  Usage series military music service (85)

Identification marks for officers

Markings for officers in army and air force uniform

For army and air force uniforms , the epaulets of the generals' service and formal suits are piped with a gold decorative cord made of woven metal , as shown above , for all other officers with a silver decorative cord made of woven metal. In the case of generals, this decorative cord contains spun metal made of silver wire with gold plating ( fire-gilded ), in other officers it contains spun metal with aluminum . Similar piping can also be found as piping on other uniform parts, u. a. as a collar extension of the jacket of the uniform of officers and senior middlemen or as a piping on some headgear ( peaked cap , mountain cap ).

Career badge for officers in naval uniform

Different career badges mark the various career paths of officers. Officers in naval uniforms do not wear badges of use. The career badge in the military geographic service is a stylized globe with the words GEO . Military musical officers wear a three-stringed lyre . A five-pointed blunt star ( starfish ) with an upward point marks the officers in the troop service and in the military service . (For the medical officer career badge, see below).

The career badges are placed above the gold-colored horizontal braids . Officers do not wear any usage or career badges on woven slip-on loops (including those that are not attached or sewn on). The career badges are hand-embroidered for all officers' sleeve badges and made of gold-colored metal mesh. Career badges for shoulder boards are usually metal-embossed gold-colored badges in the style of rank badges for NCOs and men. Hand-embroidered starfish made of gold-colored metal web are also permitted for dark blue epaulets, but are practically not used. The asymmetrical career badge for the military geographic service is identical for the left and right side.

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  Shoulder board frigate captain in military or military service

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  Shoulder board lieutenant in the military geographic service

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  Shoulder board lieutenant commander in military music service

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  Sleeve badge captain at sea in troop service

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  Sleeve badge lieutenant at sea in the military geographic service

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  Sleeve badge lieutenant at sea in military music service

Career badges for medical officers

Medical officers wear special career badges on all epaulettes and sleeve badges in addition to the rank badges on the epaulets and loops, depending on the field of study. Only the career badges enable the correct addressing of medical officers with traditionally different rank designations (fleet pharmacist, senior veterinarian, general doctor, etc.).

For navy uniform wearers, this element takes on the role of a career badge (see above) and is worn in place of the career badges described above (starfish, lyre or globe). In addition, when wearing naval uniforms, medical officers, unlike other officers, wear the career badge on woven loops. Depending on the field of study, the career badge shows the Aesculapian staff or modifications of it.

• Human medicine : Aesculapian staff , double twisted snake
• Dentistry : Aesculapian staff, snake in a single coil
• Pharmacy : snake twisted twice over a bowl
• Veterinary medicine : snake in a double turn (medical careers specializing in veterinary medicine only exist for army uniform wearers)

The color, which always corresponds to the color of the rank badges, and the rest of the design of the career badges are the same as the career badges for all epaulettes and sleeve badges (see above). For slip-on loops, the career badges are embroidered on narrow, dark-blue, black or stone-gray-olive slip-on loops, depending on the color of the slip-on loops. As a result, navy uniform wearers do not actually have to use the metal-embossed career badge for the stone gray-olive slip-on loops, as with the starfish. In practice, however, naval uniform wearers often wear metal-embossed Aesculapian baton on all attachment loops, even if embroidered medical career badges are expressly specified for all attachment loops. Due to the conversion of the slip-on loops for air force and army uniform wearers from light gray to black emblems (see above), in practice, army and air force uniform wearers (still) quite often see slip-on loops with black rank badges but light gray career badges, although this is not permitted. The head of the snake points forward on both sides. Therefore, the asymmetrical career badges are supplied in pairs for left and right.

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  Shoulder flap general doctor (service suit, military uniform wearer, dentist)

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  Aufschiebeschlaufe Oberfeldarzt (pullovers Army Uniform Heeresfliegertruppe doctor)

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  Aufschiebeschlaufe Oberstabsarzt pharmacist (field suit Air Force Uniform pharmacist)

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  Aufschiebeschlaufe Surgeon General (battle dress Air Force Uniform doctor)

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  Sleeve badge fleet doctor (naval uniform doctor)

Markings for officer candidates

Markings for officer candidates in army and air force uniform

Almost all officer candidates in army and air force uniforms, in anticipation of the silver piping familiar from the officers' uniforms, usually wear a correspondingly designed metal spun cord in the form of a pull-over loop. In most cases, the marking described here allows the correct addressing of certain officer candidates with different rank designations of the same rank ( Fahnenjunker , Ensign , Oberfähnrich instead of Unteroffizier, Feldwebel, Hauptfeldwebel).

The cord is pulled onto all epaulettes and next to all sliding loops. However, if the officer cadets wear attachable or sewn-on rank badges, the metal spun cord is not required. Officer candidates in the lowest rank wear the pull-over loop on otherwise empty epaulettes, apart from the flat braid for army uniform wearers and the sliding loops with the double swing arm for air force uniform wearers. Another exception is the service and formal suit of the senior middlemen: senior middlemen wear service and formal suits for the officers and thus silver-piped epaulettes with the old silver-colored rank badge of the sergeant major (but without their border stripes ). Therefore, there is no pull-over loop for senior middlemen in formal and service suits. In other types of suits, however, senior middlemen wear the same slip-on loops as sergeant-major and therefore use the same silver pull-over loops as the other candidate officers to distinguish them.

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  Shoulder flap Schütze OA (service suit, army uniform wearer, military music service)

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  Shoulder flap Fahnenjunker (service suit army uniform carrier Feldjägertruppe)

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  Shoulder flap Oberfähnrich (service suit air force uniform wearer) (basic shape of the shoulder flap like officers)

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  Jäger OA (field suit, army uniform carrier, mountain troop)

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  Aufschiebeschlaufe Gefreiter OA (field suit army uniform carrier Panzergrenadierruppe)

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  Sliding loop Oberfähnrich (field suit air force uniform wearer) (basic form as main sergeant)

Career badge for officer candidates in naval uniform

Different career badges distinguish the officer candidates from other soldiers in the rank groups of men and non-commissioned officers. The starfish as described above identifies all rank badges of the officer candidates (except medical officer candidates, see below). In contrast to military music officers, officer candidates in military music service are not specially marked, but also wear the starfish. As with Army and Air Force Uniform carriers until the marking described here allows the correct address certain officer candidates with otherwise rank designations of the same rank ( midshipman , Midshipman , Midshipman held mate, boatswain, hauptbootsmann).

Officer candidates always wear career badges on all epaulettes and sleeve badges instead of the badges of use. In contrast to the officers, officer cadets also wear their career badges on woven slip-on loops (including corresponding rank badges attached or sewn on) in the same position as on epaulettes. For officer candidates, the design essentially corresponds to the design of the rank badges of the service uniform for men. Accordingly, sleeve badges for the shirt are machine-embroidered from steel-blue (for the white shirt) or golden-yellow (for the dark-blue shirt) textile without metal web parts. For all other sleeve badges, the career badges are hand-embroidered from gold-colored woven metal. For dark blue epaulettes, as with officers, metal-embossed badges and hand-embroidered career badges made of woven metal are permitted. As with officers, however, the epaulets are almost exclusively metal-stamped career badges. The central regulation does not make any statements about the design of the starfish on woven slip-on loops (or similarly attachable or sewn on). For dark blue slip-on loops, the use of the machine-embroidered career badges, which would then be sewn onto the slip-on loops, would suggest by analogy. In practice, however, the metal-embossed starfish is almost always attached to dark blue slip-on loops. The design for stone gray-olive loops remains unclear. Since the embroidered starfish are only delivered on a dark blue base cloth and therefore do not “match” the olive-stone gray base fabric, the metal-embossed starfish are usually also used in practice. In the case of self-procured slip-on loops (not explicitly inadmissible for navy uniform wearers), rank badges and starfish are often made from textile threads without metal spun and embroidered directly into the base fabric. Officer candidates wear the starfish in the form described above, even in the lowest rank (sailors). However, since empty slip-on loops with woven or embroidered starfish or empty slip-on loops (or similarly attachable or sewn on) on which the metal-embossed badge would have to be attached, are not delivered for business purposes (but they are self-procured), and they are also attached directly to the empty shoulder flaps of, for example, on-board parka or field suit is unusual, officer candidates in the rank of seaman often do not wear a starfish or only wear them on the (otherwise empty) sleeves or epaulets of the service suit.

It is noticeable that, like officers, senior middlemen at sea always wear a braid and never (like army and air force uniforms) a modified form of the rank insignia of the captain (or sergeant). So here it becomes even more clear than with army and air force uniforms that senior middlemen are already wearing the officers' uniform. Career badges for senior middlemen at sea are arranged in the same way as for officers above the gold-colored horizontal braid, but, as with all candidate officers, they are also worn on woven loops (also with corresponding rank badges attached or sewn on).

• 

  Shoulder flap private OA (not medical career)

• 

  Shoulder board ensign to the sea (not medical career)

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  Epaulette Oberfähnrich zur See (not medical career) (corresponds to the shape of the epaulets for officers)

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  Sleeve badge sailor OA (not medical career)

• 

  Sleeve badge Gefreiter OA (not medical career)

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  Sleeve badge sea cadet (not medical career)

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  Sleeve badge Oberfähnrich zur See (not medical career) (corresponds to the sleeve badge for officers)

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  Slip-on loop Sailor OA (not medical career) (embroidered star)

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  Slip-on loop Hauptgefreiter OA (not medical career) (embroidered star)

• 

  Sliding loop Oberfähnrich zur See (not medical care track) (embroidered star)

Career badges for medical officer candidates

Candidates for medical officers wear special career badges on all epaulettes and sleeve badges in addition to the rank badges on the epaulets and loops, depending on their field of study. For medical officer candidates in naval uniform, this element takes the role of a career badge (see above) and is worn in its place. In the Army and Air Force uniform, the career badges supplement the other markings for officers and officer candidates. The design and wearing of the career badges correspond to those for medical officers. As the medical officers allowed only marking described here the correct address certain medical officer candidates with otherwise rank designations of the same rank ( midshipman , Midshipman , Midshipman held mate, boatswain, hauptbootsmann).

If career badges supplied for the job are used on narrow slip-on loops, the border around the slip-on loops is inevitably broken for medical officers of the rank groups of NCOs with and without portepee. With self-procured, embroidered rank badges, this visually irritating effect is avoided. Officer candidates in army and naval uniforms in the lowest rank in practice, in particular, often wear either no career badge or the narrow slip-on loops (possibly next to the silver decorative cord and colored flat braid), analogous to the practice with the Starfish (and for the same reasons as described above) ) on otherwise empty epaulettes.

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  Shoulder flap, medical soldier SanOA (field suit, military uniform wearer, medical force, majoring in veterinary medicine) (right shoulder)

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  Slip-on loop Oberfeldwebel SanOA (field suit, army uniform wearer, veterinary medical force) (note the openwork border)

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  Shoulder flap private SanOA (service suit air force uniform wearer major in human medicine)

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  Shoulder flap lieutenant to the sea SanOA (service suit marine uniform wearer major in human medicine)

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  Fähnrich zur See SanOA (field suit, marine uniform wearer, major in pharmacy) (self-procured, therefore border not broken)

Sergeant Candidate

Since April 2002, sergeants in army or air force uniforms have worn an old gold-colored cord made of woven metal as a pull-over loop on all epaulets. The color and material are similar to the tress used to frame the air force and army uniform shoulder flaps for NCOs. The cord is reminiscent of the system used to identify the officer candidates (see above). Similarly, the shoulder flaps of the formal suit of those wearing army and air force uniforms are piped with a corresponding light old gold metal spun cord.

Since April 2002, bosun candidates have been wearing two horizontal bars on all epaulettes, sliding loops and sleeve badges in the same color and shape as the rank badges to mark their careers. Sailors only wear (apart from the badge for the use of naval uniforms) appropriate crossbeams on otherwise empty epaulettes, sliding loops or upper sleeves. The marking of the boatswain candidates is thus similar to the marking for mate candidates. Noteworthy is the reduced width of the emblems on the woven loops for boatswain candidates in the rank group of the crews.

• 

  Epaulette Panzergrenadier FA (Army uniform carrier Panzergrenadierruppe)

• 

  Slip-on loop for Oberstabsgefreiter FA (Army Uniform Bearer Mountain Infantry Troop)

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  Shoulder flap for private FA (air force uniform)

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  Slip-on loop for non-commissioned officer FA (air force uniform)

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  Shoulder flap for private BA (naval uniform carrier 30 series of uses)

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  Sleeve badge for private BA (naval uniform wearer 10 series of uses)

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  Slip-on loop for corporal BA (naval uniform wearer) (note the narrow bars)

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  Slip-on loop for Obermaat BA (naval uniform wearer)

Candidate Sergeant

Candidates for non-commissioned officers (or candidates for mate ) wear a horizontal bar on all epaulets, slider loops and on all sleeve badges in the same color and shape as the rank badges to mark their career. Soldiers in the lowest rank only wear appropriate crossbars on otherwise empty epaulettes, sliding loops or upper sleeves (apart from the badge for naval uniform wearers or the double swing arm).

• 

  Shoulder flap for Flieger UA (Army Uniform Bearer Army Aviation Troop)

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  Slip-on loop for Hauptgefreiter UA (Army uniform carrier paratrooper troops)

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  Epaulette for Corporal UA (Air Force Uniform)

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  Slip-on loop for UA pilots (air force uniform)

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  Epaulette for private MA (naval uniform carrier 50 series of uses)

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  Sleeve badge for private MA (naval uniform carrier 85 series of uses)

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  Slip-on loop for Oberstabsgefreiter MA (naval uniform carrier)

Candidates for sergeants who have passed the course

Candidates for non-commissioned officers who have passed the course (UA mbL) wear loops made of 8 mm wide, light old gold metal braid on all epaulettes and slip-on loops for air force and army uniform wearers. The loop corresponds in color and shape to the braid that surrounds the epaulets of the NCOs. The braid is usually pushed up at the level of the (imaginary) lower crossbar of this border for staff sergeants. In the case of slip-on loops with the double swing arm, the braid is therefore positioned between the double swing arm and the highest rank badge.

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  Epaulette for Corporal UA mbL (Luftwaffe uniform)

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  Slip-on loop for Stabsgefreiter UA mbL (Army uniform carrier hunter troop)

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  Slip-on loop for Obergefreiter UA mbL (Luftwaffe uniform)

Sliding loops for chaplains

Military chaplains are not part of the German armed forces. As a result, chaplains do not have military ranks and do not wear rank insignia or uniforms. In the field, however, they wear Bundeswehr clothing as protective clothing and - in order to clearly differentiate them from the soldiers - special loops. The four types shown below are delivered officially and standardized according to TL 8455-0167, which differ according to denomination (Protestant or Catholic) and pastoral care (in the area of ​​army / air force uniform wearers or in the field of naval uniform wearers). The Latin saying Domini Sumus (German: We belong to the Lord) is the motto of the Protestant military pastoral care in Germany .

From an official point of view, there are no further differentiations, such as the slip-on loops for soldiers. It is noteworthy, for example, that according to TL 8455-0167, a dark blue slip-on loop with gold emblems is also worn with field suits in the area of ​​naval uniforms (instead of an olive-stone-gray slip-on loop with gold emblems). However, since the ZDv 37/10 as well as the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldiers cannot make any regulations about the postponement loops of persons outside the armed forces, the TL 8455-0167 is only to be interpreted as a guideline for a uniform appearance. Therefore, self-procured slip-on loops are not contrary to the regulations and can therefore be found in practice in the entire variety of colors and shapes of rank badges for combatants, including, for example, embroidered emblems on 5 or 3-color camouflage print or light gray emblems on stone gray-olive background fabric. It is particularly common to find simple olive-gray slip-on loops whose emblem is a simple light gray or black cross †, but which are not described in any technical delivery conditions or central service regulations.

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  Evangelical pastor in the field of army / air force uniform wearers

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  Catholic pastor in the field of army / air force uniform wearers

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  Evangelical pastor in the area of ​​naval uniform wearers

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  Catholic pastor in the field of naval uniforms

Differentiation of the armed forces

The rank badges (possibly in connection with the shoulder flap) are always suitable to distinguish between army, air force and naval uniforms even without considering the other uniform.

1. Gold-colored emblems for non-commissioned officers and men, gold-colored braids for non-commissioned officers and officers, or sleeve badges always identify those wearing naval uniforms.
2. The other rank badges of the Army and Air Force uniform bearers are similar, but can usually be clearly distinguished without any additional elements. Epaulets on service suits are always dark blue for air force uniforms, while they are light or dark gray for army uniforms. Attachment loops made of black basic cloth are reserved for army uniform wearers. Slip-on loops on a dark blue basic cloth are reserved for Air Force uniform wearers. In all other slip-on loops (mostly slip-on loops made of stone gray-olive base fabric) the double swing arm characterizes Luftwaffe uniform wearers; Flat braids in the same color as the collar tabs, on the other hand, are characteristic of those wearing army uniforms.

history

Rank badge 1955

The rank badges were defined for the first time in the order of the Federal President on the rank designations, the appointment and dismissal as well as the uniform of the volunteer soldiers of July 23, 1955. Basically, today's design goes back to the system created at that time.

Air force and army crews wore old gold stripes on their upper arms instead of the oblique stripes known today on shoulder boards. Instead of today's shoulder badges, an old gold-colored angle was sewn onto the sleeve (upper arm) with the point upwards for (staff) NCOs (two). Maate wore one, upper mate wore two parallel, gold-colored angles. Only the army and air force uniforms of the non-commissioned officers with portepee and officers had epaulettes. The epaulets for sergeant, sergeant major, sergeant major and sergeant major (the sergeant major was not yet a rank) were not yet surrounded by a braid and, depending on the rank, had one to four old gold angles arranged one above the other. The one to four gold-colored angles of the boatmen sewn onto the sleeves (forearms) were arranged accordingly. It was noteworthy that the rank badges of the mate differed only by their position on the upper arm from the rank badges of the boatmen and upper boatmen.

The sleeve badges of the military and air force uniforms were made in an old gold color, as required by the Federal President. Initially, these braids were made of an old gold fabric with a pattern, and later made of pale gold web with a pattern. From 1956, the Federal President no longer explicitly specified the color of the rank badges (except for generals), but the old gold hue of the sleeve stripes of the service and evening suits was retained. In contrast, the braids on the work and field suits of the Army and Air Force were mostly made of light gray, almost white, patterned fabric.

The rank badges on the officers' epaulets essentially corresponded to those worn to this day. However, the rank badges of all officers in the Army and Air Force (except generals) were old gold colored (instead of silver like today) and slightly larger (diameter 20 mm). Another fundamental difference was that only those of the generals had a semicircular oak leaf of today's shape, whereas those of the staff officers had straight oak leaves that were placed across. The rank badges of the naval officers corresponded to those of the US Navy . The Oberleutnant zur See wore a medium-wide, over it a narrow sleeve braid (today two medium-wide). The lieutenant captain wore two braids of medium width (like the lieutenant at sea today). In the case of the corvette captain, the braids were arranged as they are today for the lieutenant commander (medium-wide, narrow, medium-wide) and those of the frigate captain as today for the corvette master (three medium-width braids).

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  Sleeve badge Gefreiter Heer for uniform jacket, double row (1950s)

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  Sleeve badge Sergeant Army for winter coat

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  Sleeve badge Hauptgefreiter UA Heer for raincoat

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  Sleeve badge NCO Army for combat uniform until 1959

Changes in 1956

With the second copy of the Federal President's order on the rank designations, the appointment and dismissal as well as the uniform of the volunteer soldiers, some new ranks were created on February 1, 1956. The bearers of the new ranks for medical officers initially wore rank badges that corresponded exactly to the rank badges for the other officers of the respective rank (special career badges did not yet exist). The newly created ranks of the ensign and ensign wore rank badges that were similar to those of sergeants and sergeants. In addition, they carried a 1 cm wide (i.e. wider than today's braid), matt-silver-colored bar in the form of a clip-on braid on the epaulets (otherwise empty in the case of Fahnenjunkern). The likewise new ranks of sea cadet and ensign in the sea received sleeve badges that are only vaguely reminiscent of today's rank badges. A gold - colored five-pointed shape with an oval border was sewn onto the (otherwise empty) upper arms of the midshipman. The ensign at sea received a narrow golden stripe, which (on otherwise empty under sleeves) ran diagonally from top outside to bottom inside over half the sleeve width. From then on, the oak leaves of the staff officers and generals only differed in color. From now on, the color of the rank badges was only set for generals and admirals (gold). At the same time, the Federal Ministry of Defense was given more freedom in color design. The colors of the rank badges remained essentially unchanged. Only stars and oak leaves for officers other than generals were subsequently issued in silver - as is still the case today.

• 

  Title page of the regulation, still without a numerical scheme

• 

  Army hats / Luftwaffe
  Army badge

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  Rank badge Army / Air Force

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  Rank badge Marine Mannsch./Uffz.

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  Rank badge naval officers

Due to the order of May 7, 1956, the rank badges remained essentially unchanged. The new ranks General and Admiral received rank badges that corresponded to the form known today. Naval officers were allowed to wear shoulder badges designed according to the sleeve badges, if the type of suit provided for epaulettes.

Changes in 1957

With the introduction of the ranks Sergeant Major and Chief Boatswain , changes in the rank badges for NCOs with portepee were necessary in 1957 . For army and air force uniforms, the now known border in the form of a braid was (not yet) introduced, but from then on the rank badges were essentially the same as those that are known today: an old gold-colored head angle for sergeant major, that of the higher NCOs with portepee through one or two angles were accompanied. The sleeve badges for naval uniforms were designed completely analogously.

Below are the old golden angles (width of 28 mm) for non-commissioned officers with portepee for the hunted combat suit of the army of that time.

• Slip-on loop for combat suit (from around 1965)
• 

  sergeant

• 

  Sergeant Major

• 

  Sergeant Major

• 

  Staff Sergeant

• 

  Sergeant Major

Changes in 1959

In 1959 the rank badges for NCOs were changed again. For naval uniforms of NCOs with portepee , shoulder badges designed analogously to sleeve badges were declared permissible for naval officers, if the type of suit allowed them. The shoulder badges of all NCOs in the Army and Air Force, as well as those of the boatmen, were given a surrounding border similar to the surrounding braid known today. The NCOs, now newly equipped with shoulder badges, without portepee of the Army and Air Force continued to wear their previous sleeve badges in addition to the border on the shoulder badges.

Changes in 1962

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  Fahnenjunker Army with sleeve badges like NCOs and silver clip-on braid (1965)

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  Sleeve badge private UA for work suit, herringbone pattern Army (approx. 1960 to 1966)

In 1962 the rank badges were changed again. NCOs received a border open at the bottom as a shoulder badge, staff NCOs received a closed border as a shoulder badge (the sleeve badges were omitted). Maate and Obermaate now also received sleeve badges, as they are still used today: two opposite angles on the upper arm (Obermaate also has a second upper angle). The Oberleutnant zur See, the Kapitänleutnant, the Korvettenkapitän and the frigate captain received the braid sequence, which still exists today. The special regulations on the rank badges for ensigns, ensigns, midshipmen, and ensigns at sea were dropped without replacement.

In practice, the change of rank badges for NCOs and staff NCOs dragged on. On the work / combat jacket, the sleeve badges for non-commissioned officers without portepee ceased to exist until the mid-1960s.

Changes in 1966

In 1966, numerous ranks were newly introduced. The newly introduced ranks Oberfähnrich and Oberfähnrich zur See received rank badges, which are unchanged to this day (head corner without braid as shoulder badge or a narrow sleeve braid). If the type of suit allowed for this, senior middlemen at sea wore their narrow braid (without braid) as shoulder badges, as they do today. Special badges for the numerous newly introduced medical officer ranks were not provided by the Federal President.

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  Sleeve badge Obergefreiter for field suit, hunted 1966–1974

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  Sleeve badge Obergefreiter UA for work suit, Moleskin approx. 1970–1974

Changes in 1974

Sleeve badge Hauptgefreiter for military service uniform 1962 to 1974

In 1974 the last sleeve badges disappeared from the Army and the Air Force. The teams of these branches of the armed forces now received the shoulder badges of the present day. In addition to the sleeve badges, Maate and Obermaate also received shoulder badges in the form of a closed or open braid, if the uniform provided epaulets.

Changes in 1978

In 1978, the additional sleeve badges were omitted for mate and chief mate if the shoulder badge introduced in 1974 was worn.

Changes in 1989

The rank of Stabsgefreiter , newly introduced in 1989 , received the rank badges that have not changed to this day.

Changes in 1993

In 1993, the newly introduced rank of staff captain received rank badges that have not changed to this day. The newly created rank of staff captainleutnant received rank badges, which in principle were similar to those for captainleutnante (two medium widths, in between a narrow braid). To distinguish between these two ranks, the lieutenant commander received two bound, golden oak leaves above the three braids and possibly below the starfish.

Changes in 1996

The rank of Oberstabsgefreiter , newly introduced in 1996 , received the rank badges that have not changed to this day. The staff captain lieutenant received the rank badges known today (two medium-wide braids, two narrow ones between them); the oak leaves fell away. The silver rank badges for camouflaged combat suits were declared inadmissible in 1996 and have been replaced by the black ones of today's type.

Markings for officer candidates

Initially, a silver-colored slide-on loop running across the lower end of the shoulder flap (similar to the UA badge of the Wehrmacht) identified the officer candidates in the army and air force. From 1963 this was replaced by a circular patch with a woven officer candidate star. The star was identical to the stars for officers' rank badges. The star was to be worn on both lower sleeves of the jacket and field blouse , etc. The star was jokingly named as a snowflake or OPi star (going back to a designation for the chief pioneer of the Wehrmacht ). The star was not very popular and did not catch on in practice. On the detachable shoulder flaps of the shirt, the loops were still worn. Since around 1980/81 the silver-colored cord described above has distinguished the officer candidates of the Army and Air Force from the other NCOs. The design is reminiscent of a corresponding marking in the Wehrmacht Luftwaffe from 1940. The cord is also jokingly called " disco cord" because of its sheen .

• 

  Ensign (Fm) until 1965, shoulder flap / shirt

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  Ensign until 1965, work or combat suit to slide on

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  OA / ROA star from 1965, forearm,
  work or combat suit

• 

  OA / ROA star from 1965, forearm,
  service suit

Elimination of the career group badge for the sports suit (2004)

No rank badges in the narrower sense were worn on the sports suit , but career group badges. One (for all NCOs) or two parallel (for all officers) white textile braids, each 10 mm wide, on the upper sleeve of the training jacket, on the chest of the sports shirt and on short sports trousers (on the right leg, in the front) marked these two rank groups. The implementation of this labeling described in accordance with ZDv 37/10 has not always been implemented consistently in practice. The identification of the career groups on the sports suit has been omitted in ZDv 37/10 since the end of 2004.

Elimination of the reservist badge (2019)

Until August 2019, the reservist badge was used as an additional element to identify the rank badges of former soldiers in the Bundeswehr outside of their military service.

Army and air force uniforms wore a slip-on loop made of black, red and gold cord attached to the sleeve insert seam. Even if ZDv 37/10 did not explicitly consider this case, it was to be assumed, analogously to the case of officer and sergeant candidate, that the flat braid worn in practice is attached to the sleeve insert seam and the black, red and gold next to it in the field suit of the army uniform. The order for reserve sergeant and reserve officer candidates was also not standardized in ZDv 37/10. Analogous to the inevitable order of service suits for officers (from the outside to the inside decorative cord, colored underlay, black-red-gold cord), it was usual that the flat braid is pushed on on the outside and the light old gold / silver cord follows further inside only then the black-red-gold-cord.

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  Corporal of the Reserve (Army Uniform Bearer Pioneer Troop)

• 

  Staff Sergeant of the Reserve (Army uniform carrier Feldjägertruppe)

• 

  Sergeant Major Reserve Officer Candidate (Army Uniform Carrier Panzergrenadier Troop)

• 

  Brigadier General out of service (Air Force Uniform)

• 

  Staff Sergeant Reserve Sergeant Candidate (Air Force Uniform)

Outside of military service, naval uniform wearers also marked their rank badges with a metal-embossed gold-colored "R" (R for reserve ). The "R" is always attached to the sleeve badge as a metal-embossed emblem. On the service suit (sleeve badge and shoulder flap) the R was attached directly above the rank badge, if necessary between the top (innermost) rank badge and career / employment badge. According to the wording, the "R" should also be worn directly above the rank badge (i.e. between the horizontal bar and the angle or inclined bar) for candidate sergeants and non-commissioned officers. For practical reasons, it was probably carried above the horizontal beams of the sergeant-major or non-commissioned officer. According to ZDv 37/10, it was unclear whether the "R" was also to be attached to woven slip-on loops, although there were mostly (apart from the career badges of some officer candidates) other metal-embossed badges explicitly not permitted, but would be obvious according to the meaning of the provision on the reservist badge.

In earlier versions of the ZDv 37/10, the way in which the reservist badge was worn for the Navy was described more precisely. Accordingly, the "R" was to be worn on the sleeve as described above, but for the epaulets, the "R" was to be worn in the middle of the braids for officers (partly covering them), for all other soldiers between the rank badge and the sleeve insert seam; the metal badges for the rank and use and career badges "slid" away from the sleeve insert seam inwards to make room for the "R". It is unknown whether the described old version of the ZDv is still an indication of how to wear it if the current ZDv 37/10 has gaps.

• 

  Corporal of the reserve (epaulette naval uniform carrier)

• 

  Lieutenant Captain of the Reserve (epaulette naval uniform wearer)

• 

  Corporal dR BA (85). What is striking is the “wild” material-color combination and the gold reservist badge made of metal, not directly above the rank badge, instead above the “BA bar”.

See also

• Official designations and official / service designation badges of the Bundeswehr fire brigade

Web links

Commons : Rank badge of the Bundeswehr  - collection of images

• Ranks in the Bundeswehr. Federal Ministry of Defense , head of the press and information staff , accessed on January 8, 2014 . 
• Stars, stripes, collar tabs. Federal Ministry of Defense , Federal Office for Personnel Management of the Bundeswehr , accessed on January 8, 2014 . 
• Rank badges of all branches of the Bundeswehr. Federal Ministry of Defense , head of the press and information staff , accessed on January 8, 2014 . 

Remarks

1. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} For reasons of space, shortened column title. What is meant are the different areas of uniform wearers, specifically the army, air force and naval uniform wearers.
2. ↑ ^{a b} Above rank designation for army and air force uniform wearers; below designation for naval uniform wearers.
3. ↑ Rank badge is to be understood as an example. Staff captains lieutenants are not part of the military geographic service career.
4. ↑ Rank badge is to be understood as an example. Staff captains lieutenants are not part of military music service careers.
5. ↑ ^{a b c} For the duration of their membership in the rank group of the teams, medical officer candidates from the fields of study dentistry and pharmacy wear the steel-blue career badge of the human medicine on the white shirt for navy uniform wearers.
6. ↑ There are no officer candidates in the military geographic service.
7. ↑ Where officers and cadet officers in army and air force uniform are marked with a silver piping or pull-over loop, this marking is also retained for cadet medical officers.
8. ↑ The double-breasted jacket was issued in the 1950s.
9. ↑ The combat suit (field suit, splitter camouflage) was declared inadmissible in the Third Order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers of June 8, 1959 and replaced by a monochrome model.
10. ↑ ^{a b c d e} The braids shown here in weapon color were only introduced in the mid-1960s. Therefore, the illustration shows a common way of wearing from around the mid-1960s. Actually, due to the changes in 1959 (see corresponding chapter), a circumferential braid of today's type was already provided for the shoulder flaps of the Portepee NCOs, so that the slide loops shown were, strictly speaking, already ZDv 37/10 in the mid-1960s. However, the changeover to the new type introduced in 1959 took a long time in practice. These slip-on loops shown were occasionally even worn on the “work and field suit stone gray, moleskin” until the beginning of the 90s, which still did not comply with the regulations, but was tacitly tolerated.
11. ↑ The herringbone work suit was introduced around 1960. The sleeve is shown here in the version before 1966. Due to the sixth order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldiers of May 5, 1966, the federal flag was sewn on above the rank badges.
12. ↑ The design of the rank badges for ensigns, ensigns, naval cadets and ensigns at sea was no longer ordered by the Federal President. Presumably from 1962 the rank badges for NCOs, Sergeants, Maate and boatmen were worn. The career path may still be specially marked (as it is today), but was then probably regulated in ZDv 37/10. The special career badges for medical officers as well as for the later introduced senior ensigns, as well as all other naval uniform wearers, were never the subject of the order of the Federal President.
13. ↑ ^{a b} The federal flag as a sleeve badge was introduced by the sixth order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from May 5, 1966. In 1974 (see below), the sleeve badges for teams were dropped due to a further change in this arrangement.
14. ↑ Between the introduction of the association badge (here 2nd Panzer Grenadier Division ) and the conversion to epaulets for men.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Text of the BPrasUnifAnO
2. ↑ Central regulation A1-2630 / 0-9804 - Suit regulations for soldiers of the Bundeswehr (Version 2.1). (PDF) In: Bundeswehr. Inner Guidance Center , October 1, 2019 . 
3. ↑ ^{a b c} Hartmut Bagger, Command Staff of the Armed Forces I 3, Federal Ministry of Defense (Ed.): ZDv 37/10. Suit regulations for soldiers in the Bundeswehr . July 1996. Reprint from October 2008. Bonn July 16, 2008, 4 labels, p. 539 ( digital version (PDF; 3.5 MB) - reprint October 2008 replaces first edition from July 1996). Digitized version ( memento of the original from September 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
4. ↑ Technical delivery conditions rank badge, metal (TL 8455-0007), edition 8. (PDF) In: Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement . October 2000, accessed April 13, 2020 . 
5. ↑ Technical delivery conditions rank badges (slip-on loops, woven) for combat uniforms and work clothing (TL 8455-0009), edition 9. (PDF) In: Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr . April 17, 2019, accessed April 13, 2020 . 
6. ↑ Technical delivery conditions rank badges, naval men / NCOs (TL 8455-0022), issue 12. (PDF) In: Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr . June 20, 2017, accessed April 13, 2020 . 
7. ^ ^{A b} Walter Kunstwadl, Jan-Phillip Weisswange: From the monkey jacket to the tropical camouflage suit : The history of the Bundeswehr as reflected in its uniforms and badges . 1st edition. Report-Verlag, 2006, ISBN 3-932385-24-1 , p. 121 .
8. ↑ See the illustration of the shoulder flap by Admiral Rainer Feist . Feist wore the starfish in such a way that the outermost braid was partially covered, see Admiral Rainer Feist, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (Deputy SACEUR). In: Press Conference at SHAPE following the Allied Command Europe Commanders Conference . North Atlantic Treaty Organization, June 18, 2013, accessed May 30, 2015 .  An example of another solution are the noticeably long (presumably specially made) rank badges of Admiral Manfred Nielson , which protrude over the shoulder area and leave more space for the starfish. Nielson has attached his starfish in such a way that the rank badges are not covered, but the button covers parts of the starfish, cf. Image Admiral Manfred Nielson.jpg .
9. ↑ ^{a b} cf. Sew-on shoulder boards for the army and air force (piped or underlaid). (PDF) (No longer available online.) Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement, September 26, 2006, archived from the original on December 14, 2013 ; Retrieved December 12, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
10. ↑ For the epaulets of the navy uniform wearers, hand-embroidered career and employment rank badges can be delivered for official purposes.
11. ^ Sending ZDv 37/10 with attachments. In: FragDenStaat.de . Open Knowledge Foundation Germany , April 13, 2014, accessed on August 4, 2014 (request in accordance with IFG / UIG / VIG . The BMVg's response includes ZDv 37/10 as of January 27, 2014 and additions 01 / - and 02 / 2014).  In detail:
    1. Hartmut Bagger, Headquarters of the Armed Forces I 3, Federal Ministry of Defense , SKA DvZentraleBw (Ed.): ZDv 37/10. Suit regulations for soldiers in the Bundeswehr . July 1996. Reprint from October 2008. DSK F110100003. Bonn , Euskirchen January 27, 2014, p. 293 ( digitized version (PDF; 3.1 MB) [accessed on August 4, 2014] reprint October 2008 replaces first edition from July 1996; last changed on January 27, 2014 (change no. 7) by SKA DvZentraleBw).
    2. Inner Guidance Center . Department of Law and Military Order (Ed.): Supplement / amendment 01/2014 to ZDv 37/10 . Koblenz January 28, 2014, p. 16 ( digital version (PDF; 3.1 MB) [accessed on August 4, 2014]).
    3. Inner Guidance Center . Department of Law and Military Order (Ed.): Addition / amendment 02/2014 to ZDv 37/10 . Koblenz April 28, 2014, p. 30 ( digital version (PDF; 3.1 MB) [accessed on August 4, 2014]).
12. ↑ Technical delivery conditions rank badge (slip-on loops, woven) (TL 8455-0065). (PDF) (No longer available online.) Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr , May 3, 2013, archived from the original on December 24, 2013 ; Retrieved June 10, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
13. ↑ cf. Cover sheet Hartmut Bagger , Headquarters of the Armed Forces I 3, Federal Ministry of Defense (Ed.): ZDv 37/10. Suit regulations for soldiers in the Bundeswehr . July 1996. Bonn July 16, 1996, 4 markings, p. 539 ( digital version (PDF) - with incorporated changes until July 17, 2003).
14. ↑ cf. Image 201/1 or 201/3 ZDv 37/12
15. ↑ Contrary to ZDv 37/10, according to TL 8455-0087, the ski blouse for men and NCOs (according to ZDv 37/10 only for officers as seen here ) did not have the color of the collar tabs, cf. Sew-on shoulder boards for the army and air force (piped or underlaid). (PDF) (No longer available online.) Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement, September 26, 2006, archived from the original on December 14, 2013 ; Retrieved December 12, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In practice, however, often, as in ZDv 37/10, with green flap piping, as is the case with mountain hunters, for example, organize the first veterans' meeting. (No longer available online.) In: www.suedost-news.de. Reichenhaller Tagblatt / Freilassinger Anzeiger, June 3, 2014, archived from the original on October 16, 2014 ; Retrieved June 25, 2014 (with green piping). Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In contrast, here as in accordance with TL 8455-0087 without piping: Digigraf: Digigraf's Home Page. Retrieved June 25, 2014 (excluding green piping).      
16. ↑ cf. Technical delivery conditions Sliding loops (woven) for military chaplains, Protestant and Catholic (TL 8455-0167). (PDF) (No longer available online.) Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr , February 15, 2013, formerly the original ; Retrieved June 9, 2014 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.    
17. ↑ ^{a b c} Federal President Theodor Heuss et al .: Order of the Federal President on the rank designations, the appointment and dismissal as well as the uniform of the volunteer soldiers from 23 July 1955 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1955 , 23 of July 25, 1955. Bonn, July 23, 1956, p. 452 ff . ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
18. ^ ^{A b} Federal President Theodor Heuss et al .: Second order of the Federal President on the rank designations, the appointment and dismissal as well as the uniform of the volunteer soldiers from February 1, 1956 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1956 , 4 of February 2, 1956. Bonn July 23, 1956, p. 63 ff . ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
19. ↑ ^{a b} Federal President Theodor Heuss et al .: Third order by the Federal President on the rank designations and uniforms of soldiers from June 8, 1959 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1959 , 20 of June 19, 1959. Bonn June 8, 1959, p. 281 ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
20. ^ Federal President Theodor Heuss et al .: Order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from May 5, 1956 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1956 , 22 of May 14, 1956. Bonn, May 7, 1956, p. 422 ff . ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
21. ↑ Federal President Theodor Heuss et al .: Second order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from July 26, 1957 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1957 , 39 of August 7, 1957. Bonn July 26, 1957, p. 1056 ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
22. ↑ ^{a b c d} Federal President Heinrich Lübke et al .: Sixth order by the Federal President on the rank designations and uniforms of soldiers from May 5, 1966 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1966 , 20 of May 13, 1966. Bonn May 5, 1966, p. 325 ff . ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
23. ^ Federal President Heinrich Lübke et al .: Second order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from November 12, 1962 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1962 , 47 of November 24, 1962. Bonn November 12, 1962, p. 675 f . ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
24. ↑ Federal President Heinemann et al .: Seventh order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from March 25, 1974 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1974 , 32 of March 29, 1974. Bonn March 25, 1974, p. 796 ff . ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
25. ^ Federal President Scheel et al .: Order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldiers from July 14, 1978 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1978 , 40 of July 14, 1978. Bonn July 14, 1978, p. 1067 ff . ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
26. ↑ Federal President Weizsäcker et al .: Order to change the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from December 12, 1989 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1989 , 58 of December 19, 1989. Bonn December 12, 1989, p. 2188 ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
27. ↑ Federal President Weizsäcker et al .: Order to change the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from March 23, 1993 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1993 , 10 of March 27, 1993. Bonn March 23, 1993, p. 363 ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
28. ↑ Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement (Ed.): Technical delivery conditions rank badge, metal (TL 8455-0007) . October 2000 ( tl.baainbw.de [PDF; accessed on May 16, 2015]).
29. ↑ ^{a b} Federal President Herzog et al .: Order to change the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of soldiers from 7 February 1996 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1996 , 10 of February 22, 1996. Bonn , February 7, 1996, p. 218 ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
30. ↑ Federal President Herzog et al .: Order to change the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and uniforms of soldiers from May 31, 1996 . In: Federal Law Gazette Part 1 . tape 1996 , 27 of June 7, 1996. Bonn May 31, 1996, p. 746 ( HTML [PDF; accessed May 12, 2015]).
31. ↑ Hartmut Bagger, Command Staff of the Armed Forces I 3, Federal Ministry of Defense (ed.): ZDv 37/10. Suit regulations for soldiers in the Bundeswehr . July 1996. Bonn July 16, 1996, 5 badges. VI badges on sportswear, p. 539 ( digital version (PDF) - with incorporated changes until July 17, 2003).
32. ↑ cf. Ribbon for career group badges on sports equipment (TL 8315-0016). (PDF) (No longer available online.) Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement , July 1996, archived from the original on February 22, 2014 ; Retrieved January 17, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
33. ↑ Telex "Instruction of the Service Regulations Group" No. 29/04 of November 16, 2004, cf. Images in Kai alias Stiwa: Fundstellen ZDv 37/10 from July 1996 (Post No. 10 In: Der Sportzeug-Thread, multi-board.com May 11, 2014)
34. ↑ Hartmut Bagger, Federal Ministry of Defense, Command Staff of the Armed Forces I3 (ed.): ZDv 37/10 Suit regulations for soldiers in the Bundeswehr . DSK FF110100003. Bonn June 16, 1996, p. 427/3 ( digitized version [accessed on August 12, 2014] with the changes incorporated until July 17, 2003).