major

The title of this article is ambiguous. Further meanings are listed under Major (disambiguation) .

The major is a rank for soldiers of the Federal Armed Forces , the Federal Armed Forces , the Swiss Army and other modern and earlier armed forces. In Austria, Major is also a usage name in the guard body .

etymology

The word major comes from the Latin maior or maius ( German : bigger, stronger or more significant). In Spanish it became mayor (German: bigger, higher). In German, this resulted in " Meier " as a name for an estate manager .

In the military, the regiment manager was responsible for the daily administrative tasks and the inspection of the field guards in one regiment . He therefore led the rank of sergeant major . Since the field sergeant was directly subordinate to the head of the regiment in the rank of colonel , the rank of colonel sergeant developed from this . In the 18th century, the rank designation "Major", which was appropriate in terms of the origin of the word, replaced the rank "Obristwachtmeister" created for the regimental officer.

In the Prussian army , merited captains with the character of a major ("character major") were adopted; they received a captain's pension , but were allowed to call themselves major. The often long waiting time until promotion to major was jokingly referred to as the “major's corner”.

See also : place major  and drum major

armed forces

major
Rank badge
Rank group	Staff officers
NATO rank code	OF-3
Rank Army / Air Force	major
Marine rank	Corvette Captain
Abbreviation (in lists)	Maj (M)
Grade	A 13 according to BBesO

The rank of major is determined by the Federal President with the order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldiers on the basis of the Soldiers Act .

Authority to command and positions

In the Bundeswehr, the major is an officer rank which , according to the Central Service Regulations (ZDv) A-1420/24 "Ranks and Rank Groups", belongs to the rank group of staff officers . Because they belong to the rank group of staff officers, soldiers in the rank of major can, on the basis of § 4 ("Superiors relationship on the basis of rank") of the Superiors Ordinance , give orders within the limits set there to soldiers of the rank groups of crews , non-commissioned officers with and without porters , lieutenants and captains .

Like the other staff officers, majors mostly serve on staff posts or as military leaders . Typical uses are company commander in the army , head of inspection or lecture hall supervisor at a teaching facility (in the army, for example at a troop school ), or use in administrative posts in command authorities , offices or in the departments of the ministry . There, they often support experienced staff officers or department heads, for example with personnel and material planning , strategy development or deployment planning . Particularly qualified majors serve as officers in the general staff service . Military music officers in the rank of major often serve as (deputy) company commander in one of the Bundeswehr music corps . On the basis of this and similar positions, soldiers with the rank of major can issue orders to all officially or professionally subordinate soldiers in the cases listed in the Supervisor Ordinance. Company commanders, inspection chiefs and battalion commanders, as unit commanders, are the disciplinary superior of the soldiers subordinate to them in accordance with the military disciplinary code .

Appointment, salary and age limit

The decisive legal basis for the appointment as major is made by the Soldiers' Career Ordinance (SLV) and, in addition, the Central Service Regulations (ZDv) 20/7. To rank Major to soldier on time , professional soldiers and ordered reservists are appointed. The prerequisite is membership of the officers' career group . Officers (except military music officers) can be appointed major eight and a half years after their appointment as lieutenant at the earliest; Notwithstanding this, the promotion of military music officers to the rank of captain is permitted after three years. For most officers, the prerequisite for the promotion of captains to major is successful participation in the staff officer course at the command and control academy of the Bundeswehr . Military music officers and masters graduates do not have to complete a staff officer course in a career as an officer of the geographic information service of the Bundeswehr. A setting with the rank is major with the use possible also corresponding qualification.

A Major, after Bundesbesoldungsgesetz order (BBesO) with A 13 remunerated .

A special age limit for soldiers with the rank of major was the completion of the 59th year of life .

Rank badge

Sliding loops for field suit

army

air force

Uniform wearer area

→ Main article : Rank badge of the Bundeswehr

The rank badge for majors shows oak leaves and a star as a shoulder badge .

Equivalent, subordinate and superior ranks

Only army and air force uniforms bear the rank of major . Navy uniform bearers (except medical officers ) of the same rank hold the rank of corvette captain . The medical officer ranks of the same rank are the ranks senior doctor , senior pharmacist and senior veterinarian , which differ according to the licensing direction . In the armed forces of NATO , the major is equivalent to all ranks with the NATO rank code OF-3.

In the sense of ZDv 14/5 and the arrangement of the President of the Major is above the lower rank Stabshauptmann or stabskapitänleutnant and under the higher-ranking Colonel or Fregattenkapitän arranged (first grade designation for each of Army and Air Force Uniform; second grade designation for Marine Uniform). The rank equal to Colonel medical officer ranks are to Approbations differently denominated Ranks direction Oberfeldarzt , Obernfeld pharmacist and upper field of veterinary or flotilla surgeon and Flottillenapotheker (first three grade designations for military and air Uniform carrier; past two grade designations for Marine Uniform). In accordance with the order of promotion described in the Soldiers' Career Ordinance, the captain or lieutenant commander is regularly the previous rank (first rank for army and air force uniforms; second rank for naval uniforms). For medical officers are struggling equal to captain after approval direction differently denominated Ranks medical officer , staff pharmacists and staff veterinarian .

Officer rank
Lower rank		Higher rank
Staff Captain Staff Captain Lieutenant	Major Corvette Captain Chief Medical Officer Chief Pharmacist Chief Veterinary Officer	Lieutenant Colonel, Frigate Captain, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Pharmacist, Chief Veterinary Officer, Flotilla Doctor, Flotilla Pharmacist
Rank group : Teams-NCOs-NCO-NCOs-Lieutenant-Captains-Staff officers-Generals See also : Ranks  and Rank Badges of the Bundeswehr

Federal army and guards

Austrian Armed Forces - Major -
Suit 75/03 | Skirt collar | Plate cap
Rank group	Officers
NATO rank code	OF-3
Rank Army / Air Force	major
Marine rank	none
Abbreviation (in lists)	Mjr
Grade	E2a

The major is a member of the officers' career group. His badge consists of a two-thirds of gold braid; the pentagonal collar tab with a six-pointed gold star.

The usage designation "Major" is used for senior officials (E1) of the executive branch in Austria, including the Federal Police and Justice Guard . Since the guards mentioned are civil bodies that are only organized according to the military model, they are not police officers, but only use officer ranks as a designation. Incidentally, a direct comparison with the ranks of the armed forces is not possible, since tasks in the federal police that are assigned to a low-ranking officer in the military are to be performed by high-ranking officers in charge of duty (E 2a), i.e. members of the middle career level.

Lower rank captain	Rank major	Higher rank lieutenant colonel
Classification: recruits - batches - NCOs - officers All ranks at a glance: Army ranks

Swiss Army

Swiss Army - Major -
Degree badge armpit loop
Rank group	Staff officer
NATO rank code	OF-3
Rank Army / Air Force	major
Marine rank	none
Abbreviation (in lists)	Maj
Grade	18 .--

The major is the lowest grade in the group of staff officers. In addition to the degree major, there is the equivalent degree “Major in the General Staff”.

Anyone who has been an officer for at least eight years, has been actively serving as a captain for at least four years, has received a corresponding proposal from the brigade and has successfully completed the necessary training can be promoted to major. The majors are usually deployed as representatives of battalion, department or squadron commanders. Further as chiefs of staff , S1, S2, S3, S4 or S6 (chiefs of the basic leadership areas personnel, communications, operations, logistics and transmission / IT) in a battalion staff - often trained as a double degree Hptm / Maj, i.e. H. After four years in the position, the promotion can be carried out as a seniority award. Finally, majors are also deployed in the basic command areas of the headquarters of brigades, territorial regions and the armed forces. From the major level it is possible to belong to the corps of general staff officers (Maj i Gst). The rank badge shows a wide stripe in the Swiss Army.

Lower degree captain	Officer grade major	Senior lieutenant colonel
Classification: crews - NCOs - higher NCOs - subaltern officers - captains - staff officers - higher staff officers - commander in chief of the army All degrees at a glance: degrees of the Swiss Army

Swiss guard

In the Swiss Guard , the major is also ranked due to his close ties to the Swiss Army.

Brazilian Armed Forces

Major Army	Major Air Force	Capitão de Corveta Marine

In Brazil , the rank of "major" corresponds to the rank of major in the army and air force.

This rank is above the Capitão ( German : Hauptmann ) and below the Tenente Coronel (German: Lieutenant Colonel ).

In the Navy is the equivalent of the Capitão de Corveta (German: Korvettenkapitän ).

This rank is above the Capitão-Tenente (German: Kapitänleutnant ) and below the Capitão de Fragata (German: Frigate Captain ).

United States Armed Forces

• 

  Major ( US Army )

In the United States Army , US Air Force, and US Marine Corps , the major is a rank above the captain and below the lieutenant colonel in the hierarchy . The US pay level is O-4, the NATO rank code OF-3. A major is comparable in rank to a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy and the US Coast Guard .

French armed forces

• 

  Chief of Battalion

In the French armed forces , the commandant is a rank that corresponds to the major. Commandant, however, applies to officers who are not in command of troops. As long as he is in command of a battalion, he is referred to as chief d'escadron (in artillery , transport and supply ), chief d'escadrons (in cavalry and armored forces ) and chief d'escadrille in army aviation . With the infantry , the pioneers and the telecommunications , he is called the chief de bataillon , also with the medical services, with the fuel supply troops et cetera. (The salutation was always "mon commandant") He stands above the Capitaine ( German  captain ) and below the Lieutenant-colonel ( German  lieutenant colonel ). He therefore corresponds to the German rank of major. The French rank designation major , however, denotes the staff sergeant in the Bundeswehr.

In the army of the Ancien Régime he was originally the highest rank of sergeant, until he was made chief of staff as an officer. The same was true for a permanent place , where he ranked behind the governor and the "Lieutenant du roi" (as the king's representative in the provinces, but no rank).

Under Napoleon Bonaparte, the rank of lieutenant colonel was replaced by a major, but this did not survive the Napoleonic period. The designation "Médecin-major", with the gradations "Major de première classe", "Major de seconde classe", "Aide-major" and "Sous-aide-major" were used until 1928 for the military doctors.

Spanish and Latin American armed forces

• 

  Comandante (Guardia Civil)

In Spain the rank of comandante is comparable to the German major . The rank is used in the Army, Air Force and Guardia Civil .

In practically all Hispanic American armed forces, however, the rank of Mayor is common and comparable to the German major. The name Comandante denotes (as in German the commandant ) only one position.

The Spanish expression Comandante for Latin America gained fame because it was used by leaders of various paramilitary groups or guerrilla movements .

National Peoples Army

• 

  Major ( National People's Army , RD )

The major was in the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic from 1956 to 1990, the lowest officer rank in the rank group of staff officers . Its maritime counterpart was also the corvette captain of the People's Navy . As a rule, this rank was only awarded to career officers. Its use corresponded roughly to that in the Bundeswehr. The rank badge consisted of braided cords on which a gold-colored officer star was attached. For officers of the NVA the standard standing time for promotion from major to lieutenant colonel was five years.

Rank
lower: captain	major	higher: Lieutenant Colonel

See also : Ranks of the National People's Army, Officer Corps

Reichsheer, Reichswehr, Wehrmacht, Sturmabteilung (SA), Schutzstaffel (SS)

In the Reichsheer , Reichswehr and Wehrmacht ( Army and Air Force ), the major was the lowest officer rank in the rank group of staff officers. In the Kriegsmarine (Wehrmacht) the equivalent was the Korvettenkapitän .

In the NS rank structure , this rank corresponded to the SA-Sturmbannführer or SS-Sturmbannführer ( General SS or Waffen-SS ).

• 

  Major army, armored force

• 

  Army collar tab

• 

  Army camouflage suit

• 

  Luftwaffe Major / Major (Ing)

• 

  Luftwaffe collar tab

• 

  Luftwaffe aviator blouse

Rank
lower: captain	major	higher: Lieutenant Colonel

See also : Ranks of the Wehrmacht  and Ranks of the Air Force (1935–1945)

Web links

Commons : Majors  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wiktionary: Major  - Explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• Literature on the rank of major in the catalog of the German National Library

Remarks

1. ↑ Similarly, the person responsible for the guards of a company was a sergeant .
2. ↑ Left: Rank badge on the shoulder flap of the jacket of the service suit for army uniform wearers of the military police . Right: Rank badge on the shoulder flap of the jacket of the service suit for Air Force uniform wearers.
3. ↑ You then use the rank addition “i. G."
4. ↑ The eight and a half year period applies to flying personnel , officers in the special forces command who are used for special missions and combat swimmers . For all other officers (except military music officers), the ZDv 20/7 provides a period of nine years. In the case of recruitment with the rank of first lieutenant or captain, the deadline is shortened according to ZDv 20/7.
5. ↑ The military music officers are explicitly mentioned here because, in contrast to all other officers, their minimum service time is not related to the time of appointment as officer, but always to the time since appointment as captain.
6. ↑ The suitability for a position as a major is proven by a civilian training and / or professional activity. The following applies in detail:
   • Is a precondition for the raceways of the officers of the military service a) provide supporting for the intended use degree ( Master or equivalent) and relevant 30-month occupation or b) the ability to judge or c) the ability for a raceway of the higher service of the Federal or d) the degree of PhD engineer or doctor of science .
   • The requirements for a career in the geographic information service of the Bundeswehr correspond to the requirements for officers in the troop service. A degree in a geoscientific subject must have been completed (if necessary additionally) .
   • Recruitment with the rank of major is not possible in the careers of military music officers and officers of the military technical service .
7. ↑ ZDv 20/7 on the basis of Section 44 of the Soldiers ' Career Ordinance ( Ordinance on the Careers of Soldiers (Soldiers' Career Ordinance - SLV) . March 19, 2002, Section 44 ( online [accessed on March 25, 2014] Newly drafted by Bek. V. 19 August 2011 I 1813. Last amended by Art. 2 Paragraph 5 G of April 8, 2013 I 730). )
8. ↑ The age limits were redefined with the Service Law Reform Act 2009, cf. especially changes regarding § 45 SG and transitional provisions according to Section 96 SG. See Act on the Reorganization and Modernization of Federal Service Law (Service Law Reform Act - DNeuG) . In: Bundesanzeiger Verlag (Hrsg.): BGBl . Part 1, G 5702. Volume 2009 , no. 7 . Bonn February 11, 2009, p. 160–275 ( Federal Law Gazette 2009 I No. 7 [accessed on November 14, 2014]).
9. ↑ For reasons of space, shortened captions. What is meant are army uniform wearers and air force uniform wearers . The hunter-green flat braid shown next to the slip-on loop for army uniforms indicates a soldier in the armored infantry troops , infantry or special forces . In addition to the slip-on loops for the field blouse in the five-color camouflage pattern shown here on the shoulder flaps, there are a number of other types of rank insignia, which are described in more detail in the article → "Rank insignia of the Bundeswehr" .
10. ↑ Only officers of the military service are promoted to the rank of staff captain. For officers in the military technical service, the staff captain is usually the top rank; they are almost always denied promotion to major. In rare cases, however, staff captains can change to another career in the officers ' career group and then be appointed major in accordance with the Soldiers' Career Ordinance .
11. ↑ also with individuals, always in the plural

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{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 ( digitized version ( memento from September 19, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) [PDF; 3.5 MB ] Reprint October 2008 replaces first edition from July 1996).
2. ↑ ^{a b} The Federal Minister of Defense (ed.): ZDv 14/5. Soldiers Act . DSK AV110100174, change status July 17, 2008. Bonn August 21, 1978, rank designations in the Bundeswehr, p. B 185 (not to be confused with the Law on the Legal Status of Soldiers (Soldiers Law) ).
3. ↑ ^{a b} Agreed English texts. STANAG 2116 . NATO standardization agreement (STANAG) . NATO codes for grades of military personnel. 5th edition. 1992 (English, NATO Rank Codes - 1992 [accessed March 25, 2014]).
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h} The Federal President (ed.): Order of the Federal President on the rank designations and the uniform of the soldiers . BPresUnifAnO. July 14, 1978 ( gesetze-im-internet.de [PDF] Order of the Federal President on the rank designations and uniforms of soldiers from July 14, 1978 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 1067 ), last amended by Article 1 of the order of 31. May 1996 ( BGBl. I p. 746 ) has been changed).
5. ^ Federal Minister of Defense ; Command Staff of the Armed Forces IV 1 (Ed.): Abbreviations for use in the Bundeswehr - German Abbreviations - ZDv 64/10 . Bonn January 19, 1979 ( ucoz.de [PDF] as of September 17, 1999).
6. ↑ ^{a b} Appendix I (to § 20, paragraph 2, sentence 1) Bundesbesoldungsgesetz orders of A and B . ( Online [accessed on March 25, 2014] Federal Salary Regulations (BBesO) only apply to professional and temporary soldiers and are an annex to the Federal Salary Act (BBesG)).
7. ↑ The Federal Minister of Defense (ed.): Law on the legal status of soldiers (Soldiers Act - SG) . Bonn March 19, 1956, § 4 para. 3 (2) - ( gesetze-im-internet.de [PDF; accessed on March 25, 2014] Newly drafted by notice of May 30, 2005 I 1482. Last amended by Art . 1 G of April 8, 2013 I 730).
8. ↑ ^{a b} The Federal Minister of Defense (ed.): ZDv 14/5. Soldiers Act . DSK AV110100174, amendment status July 17, 2008. Bonn August 21, 1978, The Superiors Ordinance, p. A 12 1 (not to be confused with the Ordinance on the Regulation of Military Superiors (Superiors Ordinance - VorgV) ).
9. ↑ Federal Minister of Defense (Ed.): Ordinance on the regulation of the military superior relationship (Superior Ordinance - VorgV) . June 4, 1956, § 4 ( online [accessed on March 25, 2014] Last amended by Art. 1 No. 2 V of October 7, 1981 I 1129).
10. ↑ Federal Minister of Defense (Ed.): Ordinance on the regulation of the military superior relationship (Superior Ordinance - VorgV) . June 4, 1956 ( online [accessed on March 25, 2014] last amended by Art. 1 No. 2 V of October 7, 1981 I 1129).
11. ^ Military disciplinary code (WDO). In: Laws on the Internet . Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection , August 16, 2001, accessed on November 5, 2014 (from August 16, 2001 ( Federal Law Gazette I p. 2093 ), last amended by Article 7 of the Act of August 28, 2013 ( Federal Law Gazette I p . 3386 ) has been changed). 
12. ↑ ^{a b} Ordinance on the Careers of Soldiers (Soldiers' Careers Ordinance - SLV) . March 19, 2002 ( online [accessed on March 25, 2014] revised by notice of August 19, 2011 I 1813. Last amended by Art. 2 Par. 5 G of April 8, 2013 I 730).
13. ↑ Note also: Annex (to § 3). Allocation of the career paths of the soldiers to the career groups of the men and women, the NCOs and the officers
14. ↑ ^{a b c} The Federal Minister of Defense ; Personnel, Social and Central Affairs Department (Ed.): ZDv 20/7. Provisions for the transport and for the recruitment, acceptance and admission of soldiers . Bonn March 27, 2002, Art. 635 ( PDF ( memento of October 26, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) [accessed on March 26, 2014] DSK AP210100187, reprint January 2008).
15. ↑ Federal Ministry of Justice and for Consumer Protection , juris GmbH (Ed.): Law on the legal status of soldiers (Soldiers Act - SG) . Bonn March 19, 1956, § 45 Paragraph 2 (3) - ( gesetze-im-internet.de [PDF; accessed on November 10, 2014] Newly drafted by notice of May 30, 2005 I 1482. Last amended by Art . 1 G of April 8, 2013 I 730).
16. ↑ ^{a b} The equivalent, higher and lower ranks are given in accordance with ZDv 14/5 B 185, cf. The Federal Minister of Defense (ed.): ZDv 14/5. Soldiers Act . DSK AV110100174, change status July 17, 2008. Bonn August 21, 1978, rank designations in the Bundeswehr, p. B 185 (Not to be confused with the Law on the Legal Status of Soldiers (Soldiers Act) . The order of the ranks shown in the info box does not necessarily correspond to one of the regular rank sequences provided for in the Soldiers' Career Ordinance , nor does it necessarily correspond to the rank hierarchy described in the Superiors Ordinance a managerial relationship ).
17. ↑ Swiss Armed Forces pay table ( memento from September 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ): accessed on March 13, 2016