Belgian Armed Forces ranks
The status and designations of the ranks of the Belgian Armed Forces were established by a law of February 28, 2007.
Since January 2nd, 2002 the Belgian armed forces have had a unitary structure. Under this unit structure there are different branches of the armed forces: Army , Air Force , Medical Service and Navy .
Officer ranks in the Belgian armed forces
The German terms are freely translated. Attempts have been made to match them as closely as possible to the French or Dutch original.
NATO - rank | army | medical corps | air force | marine | ||||
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Generals (fr. Officier général , nl. Opperofficier ) | ||||||||
OF-10 | In Belgium there are no ranks at the OF-10 level | |||||||
OF-9 |
General fr. Général nl. General |
No OF-9 in the medical service. |
General fr. Général nl. General |
Admiral fr. Amiral nl. Admiraal |
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OF-8 |
Lieutenant General fr. Lieutenant-général nl. Luitenant-generaal |
No OF-8 in the medical service. |
Lieutenant General fr. Lieutenant-général nl. Luitenant-generaal |
Vice Admiral fr. Vice-amiral nl. Vice-admiraal |
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OF-7 |
Major General fr. Général-major nl. Generaal-majoor |
Major General fr. Général-major nl. Generaal-majoor |
Major General fr. Général-major nl. Generaal-majoor |
Division Admiral fr. Amiral de division nl. Divisieadmiraal |
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OF-6 |
Brigadier General fr. General de brigade nl. Brigade-general |
Brigadier General fr. General de brigade nl. Brigade-general |
Brigadier General fr. General de brigade nl. Brigade-general |
Flotilla admiral fr. Amiral de flottille nl. Flottieljeadmiraal |
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Staff officers (fr. Officier supérieur , nl Hoger officier ) | ||||||||
OF-5 |
Colonel fr. Colonel nl. Colonel |
Colonel fr. Colonel nl. Colonel |
Colonel fr. Colonel nl. Colonel |
Sea captain fr. Capitaine de vaisseau nl. Captain ter zee |
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OF-4 |
Lieutenant Colonel fr. Lieutenant-colonel nl. Luitenant colonel |
Lieutenant Colonel fr. Lieutenant-colonel nl. Luitenant colonel |
Lieutenant Colonel fr. Lieutenant-colonel nl. Luitenant colonel |
Frigate captain fr. Capitaine de frégate nl. Fregatkapitein |
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OF-3 |
Major fr. Major nl. Majoor |
Major fr. Major nl. Majoor |
Major fr. Major nl. Majoor |
Corvette Captain fr. Capitaine de corvette nl. Korvetkapitein |
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Subalternoffiziere (French Officier subalterne , nl. Lagere officieren ) | ||||||||
OF-3 |
Chief of Staff fr. Capitaine-commandant nl. Captain-commandant |
Chief of Staff fr. Capitaine-commandant nl. Captain-commandant |
Chief of Staff fr. Capitaine-commandant nl. Captain-commandant |
Liner lieutenant 1st class fr. Lieutenant de vaisseau de première classe nl. Luitenant-ter-zee 1st class |
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OF-2 |
Captain fr. Capitaine nl. Captain |
Captain fr. Capitaine nl. Captain |
Captain fr. Capitaine nl. Captain |
Liner lieutenant fr. Lieutenant de vaisseau nl. Luitenant-ter-zee |
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OF-1 |
Lieutenant fr. Lieutenant nl. Lieutenant |
Lieutenant fr. Lieutenant nl. Lieutenant |
Lieutenant fr. Lieutenant nl. Lieutenant |
Sea flag fr. Enseigne de vaisseau nl. Vaandrig-ter-zee |
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OF-1 |
Sub-lieutenant fr. Sous-lieutenant nl. Onderluitenant |
sub-lieutenant fr. Sous-lieutenant nl. Onderluitenant |
Sub-lieutenant fr. Sous-lieutenant nl. Onderluitenant |
Seefahnrich 2nd class fr. Enseigne de vaisseau de seconde class nl. Vaandrig-ter-zee 2nd class |
NCO ranks in the Belgian Armed Forces
The German terms are freely translated. Attempts have been made to match them as closely as possible to the French or Dutch original. Any equivalent in the Bundeswehr between brackets. The French major does not mean the rank of major, but is derived from major-d'état = staff, the French chef can be translated as Ober-.
NATO - Ranks | army | medical corps | air force | marine | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Senior NCOs (French Sous-officier supérieur , nl. Hoofdonderofficieren ) | ||||||||
OR-9 | Staff adjutant ( Oberstabsfeldwebel ) fr. Adjudant-major nl. Adjudant-majoor |
Major adjutant fr. Adjudant-major nl. Adjudant-majoor |
Major adjutant fr. Adjudant-major nl. Adjudant-majoor |
Chief Master ( Oberstabsbootsmann ) fr. Maître principal chef nl. Oppermeester boss |
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OR-9 | Senior Adjutant ( Oberstabsfeldwebel ) fr. Adjudant-chief nl. Adjudant chief |
Chief adjutant fr. Adjudant-chief nl. Adjudant chief |
Chief adjutant fr. Adjudant-chief nl. Adjudant chief |
Chief Master ( Oberstabsbootsmann ) fr. Maître principal nl. Oppermeester |
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Elite NCOs (French Sous-officier d'élite , nl. Keuronderofficieren ) | ||||||||
OR-8 |
Adjutant ( staff sergeant ) fr. Adjudant nl. Adjudant |
Adjutant fr. Adjudant nl. Adjudant |
Adjutant fr. Adjudant nl. Adjudant |
First chief master ( staff boatman ) fr. Premier maître-chef nl. 1e meester boss |
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OR-7 | First Sergeant Major ( Hauptfeldwebel ) fr. Premier sergent-major nl. 1e sergeant-majoor |
First Sergeant Major fr. Premier sergent-major nl. 1e sergeant-majoor |
First Sergeant Major fr. Premier sergent-major nl. 1e sergeant-majoor |
First master (chief boatman ) fr. Premier maître nl. 1st meester |
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Subaltern Unteroffiziere (French Sous-officier subalterne , nl. Lagere onderofficieren ) | ||||||||
OR-6 | First Sergeant Chief ( Oberfeldwebel ) fr. Premier sergent chef nl. 1st sergeant chief |
First Sergeant Chief fr. Premier sergent chef nl. 1st sergeant chief |
First Sergeant Chief fr. Premier sergent chef nl. 1st sergeant chief |
Master Chief ( Oberbootsmann ) fr. Maître-chef nl. Meester chef |
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OR-6 | First Sergeant ( Feldwebel ) fr. Premier sergent nl. 1st sergeant |
First Sergeant fr. Premier sergent nl. 1st sergeant |
First Sergeant fr. Premier sergent nl. 1st sergeant |
Master ( boatswain ) fr. Maître nl. Meester |
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OR-5 |
Sergeant ( NCO ) fr. Sergent nl. sergeant |
Sergeant fr. Sergent nl. sergeant |
Sergeant fr. Sergent nl. sergeant |
Second master ( mate ) fr. Second maître nl. Tweede meester |
Volunteers
The German terms are freely translated. Attempts have been made to match them as closely as possible to the French or Dutch original. Any equivalent in the Bundeswehr between brackets.
NATO - Ranks | army | medical corps | air force | marine | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main volunteers (fr. Volontaires supérieurs , nl. Hoofdvrijwilligers ) | ||||||||
Unknown | Corporal Major ( Oberstabsgefreiter ) fr. Caporal major nl. Corporal majoor |
Corporal Major fr. Caporal major nl. Corporal majoor |
Corporal Major fr. Caporal major nl. Corporal majoor |
Head quartermaster (Oberstabsgefreiter) fr. Quartier-maître principal nl. Opperkwartiermeester |
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Elite volunteers (fr. Volontaire d'élite , nl. Keurvrijwilligers ) | ||||||||
OR-4 | First Corporal Chief ( Oberstabsgefreiter ) fr. Premier caporal-chef nl. 1st corporal chief |
First corporal chief fr. Premier caporal-chef nl. 1st corporal chief |
First corporal chief fr. Premier caporal-chef nl. 1st corporal chief |
First Chief Quartermaster (Oberstabsgefreiter) fr. Premier Quartier-Maître-Chef nl. First kwartiermeester boss |
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OR-4 | Corporal boss ( Corporal ) Fri. Caporal-Chef nl. Corporal chief |
Corporal chief fr. Caporal-Chef nl. Corporal chief |
Corporal chief fr. Caporal-Chef nl. Corporal chief |
Quartermaster (Corporal) fr. Quartier-maître-chef nl. Kwartiermeester boss |
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Unknown | First Corporal ( Corporal ) Fri. Premier caporal nl. First corporal |
First corporal fr. Premier caporal nl. First corporal |
First corporal fr. Premier caporal nl. First corporal |
First Quartermaster (Corporal) fr. Premier quartier-maître nl. First kwartiermeester |
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Subalterne Volunteers (fr. Volontaire subalterne , nl. Lagere Vrijwilligers ) | ||||||||
OR-3 | Corporal ( private ) fr. Caporal nl. Corporal |
Corporal fr. Caporal nl. Corporal |
Corporal fr. Caporal nl. Corporal |
Quartermaster (private) fr. Quartier-maître nl. Kwartiermeester |
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OR-2 | First soldier fr. Premier soldier nl. 1st soldier |
First soldier fr. Premier soldier nl. 1st soldier |
First soldier fr. Premier soldier nl. 1st soldier |
First seaman fr. Premier matelot nl. First matroos |
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OR-1 | Soldier fr. Soldier nl. Soldier |
Soldier fr. Soldier nl. Soldier |
Soldier fr. Soldier nl. Soldier |
Sailor fr. Matelot nl. Matroos |
Individual evidence
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