Oberstabsfeldwebel

Oberstabsfeldwebel (OStFw or OSF) is the highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Heer and Luftwaffe. It is grouped as OR9 in NATO, equivalent to an Sergeant Major in the United States Army / Chief Master Sergeant (United States Air Force), and an Warrant Officer Class 1 in the British Army / Warrant officer (Royal Air Force).

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.

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 rank has never been used before by the Reichswehr, the Wehrmacht as well as in the GDR National People's Army. However, the rank must not be mixed up with the Stabsoberfeldwebel of the German Wehrmacht´s Kriegsmarine, used in the years from 1939 to 1945.

Equivalent in other NATO countries

 * Flag of Belgium.svg – Adjudant-chef
 * Flag of Bulgaria.svg – Офицерски кандидат
 * Flag of Canada.svg – Chief Warrant Officer/Adjudant-chef
 * Flag of Croatia.svg – Časnički namjesnik
 * Flag of the Czech Republic.svg – štábní praporčík
 * Flag of Denmark.svg – Chefsergent
 * Flag of Estonia.svg – Ülemveebel
 * Flag of France.svg – Adjudant-chef
 * Flag of Greece.svg – Ανθυπασπιστής/ Anthypaspistis
 * Flag of Hungary.svg – Főtörzszászlós
 * Flag of Italy.svg – Maresciallo capo
 * Flag of Latvia.svg – Augstākais virsseržants
 * Flag of Lithuania.svg – Seržantas majoras
 * Flag of Netherlands.svg – Army: Adjudant / Air Force: Adjudant-Onderofficier
 * Flag of Poland.svg – Starszy chorąży
 * Flag of Portugal.svg – Sargento-mor
 * Flag of Romania.svg – Army: Plutonier adjutant / Air Force: Maistru Militar clasa I
 * Flag of Spain.svg – Subteniente
 * Flag of Turkey.svg – Astsubay KıdemliBaşçavuş
 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg – Army: Warrant Officer Class 1 /RAF: Warrant officer
 * Flag of the United States.svg – US Army: Sergeant Major / USAF: Chief Master Sergeant