Stabsfeldwebel

Stabsfeldwebel  (StFw or SF) is the second highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Heer and Luftwaffe. It is grouped as OR8 in NATO, equivalent to an First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, or Senior Master Sergeant in the US Armed forces, 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 Stabsfeldwebel also informally / short Staber.

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:

Austria-Hungaria
The ranks Stabsfeldwebel, Stabsoberjäger, Stabsfeuerwerker and Stabswachtmeister were introduced to the Austro-Hungarian Army (k.u.k. armed forces) in 1913. &rArr; main article Rank insignias of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces
 * See also:

Germany
The rank was introduced by the German Wehrmacht equivalent to the German Kriegsmarine Stabsdoberfeldwebel grades (Stabsoberbootsmann, Stabsobersteuermann and Stabsobersteuwermann) in 1938.

Not all Heer NCO's in this grades were called Unterfeldwebel, Feldwebel, Oberfeldwebel and Stabsfeldwebel which are ranks in the infantry tradition. In some other cervice branches, for example, the equivalent ranks were as follows.
 * Cavalry and artillery: Unterwachtmeister, Wachtmeister, Oberwachtmeister and Stabswachtmeister
 * Waffen-SS: SS-Scharführer, SS-Oberscharführer, SS-Hauptscharführer and SS-Sturmscharführer

The rank has been used before in the GDR National People's Army until 1990. The equivalent in the Volksmarine OR8-gradt was Stabsobermeister.

Equivalent in other NATO countries Army/Air Force

 * Flag of Albania.svg – Kapter / no equivalent
 * Flag of Belgium.svg – Adjudant
 * Flag of Bulgaria.svg – Старшина (en: Strshina)
 * Flag of Canada.svg – Master Warrant Officer, Adjudant-maître
 * Flag of Croatia.svg – Stožerni narednik
 * Flag of the Czech Republic.svg – Nadpraporčík
 * Flag of Denmark.svg – Seniorsergent
 * Flag of Estonia.svg – Staabiveebel
 * Flag of France.svg – Adjudant
 * Flag of Greece.svg – Αρχιλοχίας, Archilochias / Αρχισμηνίας Archisminias
 * Flag of Hungary.svg – Törzszászlós and Zászlós
 * Flag of Iceland.svg – no equivalent
 * Flag of Italy.svg – Maresciallo ordinario and Maresciallo / Maresciallo di terza classe
 * Flag of Latvia.svg – Galvenais virsseržants
 * Flag of Lithuania.svg – Viršila
 * Flag of the Netherlands.svg – no equivalent
 * Flag of Norway.svg – no equivalent
 * Flag of Poland.svg – Chorąży
 * Flag of Portugal.svg – Sargento-chefe
 * Flag of Romania.svg – Plutonier-major / Maistru Militar clasa II
 * Flag of Slovakia.svg – nadrotmajster
 * Flag of Slovenia.svg – praporščak and višji štabni vodnik
 * Flag of Spain.svg – Brigada
 * Flag of Turkey.svg – Astsubay, Başçavuş
 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg – Warrant Officer Class 2, Quartermaster Sergeant / no equivalent
 * Flag of the United States.svg – First Sergeant, Master Sergeant / Senior Master Sergeant

Equivalent in other countries

 * Flag of Russia.svg – Старшина (en: Starshina)
 * Flag of Ukraine.svg – Старшина (en: Starshina)

Adjudant Maresciallo