Oberstabsfeldwebel

Oberstabsfeldwebel
Heer and Luftwaffe shoulder insignia
Country Germany
Service branch German Army
 German Air Force
AbbreviationOStFw
RankGerman NCO rank
NATO rank codeOR-9
Non-NATO rankE-9
Formation1955
Next higher rankLeutnant
Next lower rankStabsfeldwebel
Equivalent ranksOberstabsbootsmann

Oberstabsfeldwebel (OStFw or OSF, lit.'Senior staff field usher') is the highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force. It is grouped as OR-9 in NATO, equivalent to a sergeant major in the United States Army and a Warrant Officer Class 1 in the British Army. Attainment of this rank requires at least sixteen years since promotion to feldwebel and at least six years since promotion to hauptfeldwebel[1]

In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Oberstabsfeldwebel also informally / short Oberstaber.

The rank was introduced in the German Heer equivalent to the Marine grade Oberstabsbootsmann in 1955, and belongs to the grad group Unteroffiziere mit Portepee.

  1. ^ "SLV - Einzelnorm". www.gesetze-im-internet.de. Archived from the original on 2016-04-06.