Hauptfeldwebel (rank)

Hauptfeldwebel  (HptFw or HF) is the third highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Heer and Luftwaffe.

It is grouped as OR7 in NATO, equivalent to a US Army Sergeant 1st Class, US Marine Gunnery Sergeant, or US Air Force Master Sergeant, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.

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

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows: The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!
 * OR-9: Oberstabsfeldwebel / Oberstabsbootsmann
 * OR-8: Stabsfeldwebel / Stabsbootsmann
 * OR-7: Hauptfeldwebel / Hauptbootsmann
 * OR-6a: Oberfeldwebel / Oberbootsmann
 * OR-6b: Feldwebel / Bootsmann
 * Remark:

History
The Hauptfeldwebel was introduced by the German Wehrmacht in 1938 not as a military rank but as the assignment to “company sergeant (de: Kompaniefeldwebel or Spiess). Most experienced Protégée-NCO with the rank Stabsfeldwebel or Oberfeldwebel (more seldom Feldwebel) have been assigned to that distinguished position.

The assignment Spiess/Hauptfeldwebel, equivalent to the company sergeant major in Anglo-phonic armed forces, has been used before in the GDR National People's Army from 1956 until 1990 as well.

The equivalent assignment to the company sergeant major in the Waffen-SS was the SS-Stabsscharführer from 1938 until 1945.

Equivalent in other NATO countries Army/Air Force

 * Flag of Albania.svg – Rreshter/no equivalent
 * Flag of Belgium.svg – 1er sergeant-major; 1ste sergeant-majoor
 * Flag of Bulgaria.svg – Старши сержант (en: Strshi sershant)
 * Flag of Canada.svg – Warrant Officer; Adjudant
 * Flag of Croatia.svg – Nadnarednik
 * Flag of the Czech Republic.svg – praporčík/
 * Flag of Denmark.svg – Oversergent
 * Flag of Estonia.svg – Vanemveebel/
 * Flag of France.svg – no equivalent
 * Flag of Greece.svg – Επιλοχίας; Epilochias/N.N.
 * Flag of Hungary.svg – Főtörzsőrmester/N.N.
 * Flag of Iceland.svg – no equivalent
 * Flag of Italy.svg – Sergente maggiore capo
 * Flag of Latvia.svg – Štāba virsseržants/N.N.
 * Flag of Lithuania.svg – Štabo seržantas/N.N.
 * Flag of Luxembourg.svg – N.N.
 * Flag of the Netherlands.svg – Sergeant-majoor; Opperwachtmeester/Sergeant-majoor
 * Flag of Norway.svg – no equivalent
 * Flag of Poland.svg – Młodszy chorąży
 * Flag of Portugal.svg – Sargento-ajudante
 * Flag of Romania.svg – Maistru Militar clasa III
 * Flag of Slovakia.svg – rotmajster
 * Flag of Slovenia.svg – štabni vodnik
 * Flag of Spain.svg – Sargento primero
 * Flag of Turkey.svg – Astsubay Kıdemli Üstçavuş and Astsubay Üstçavuş/
 * Flag of Ukraine.svg – Старшина (en: Starshina)
 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg – Staff Sergeant and Colour Sergeant/Flight sergeant, Flight sergeant aircrew and Chief sergeant
 * Flag of the United States.svg – Master Sergeant/Sergeant First Class