Oberfähnrich

This article is about the German Heer "Oberfähnriche" OR7. For the equivalent US army ranks, see Officer candidate. For UK army rank, see Officer cadet.

Oberfähnrich (OFähnr or OFR) designates in the Heer of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces with the last or highest Officer Aspirant (OA – de: Offizieranwärter) rank. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Portepeeunteroffizier ranks Hauptfeldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe, and Hauptbootsmann of Marine.

It is also grouped as OR-7 in NATO, equivalent to Sergeant 1st Class, Master Sergeant, or Chief Petty Officer in the US Armed forces, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.

In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Oberfähnrich also informally / short Oberfähnrich.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:

• OR-9: Oberstabsfeldwebel / Oberstabsbootsmann
• OR-8: Stabsfeldwebel / Stabsbootsmann
• OR-7: Oberfähnrich and Hauptfeldwebel / Oberfähnrich zur See and Hauptbootsmann
• OR-6a: Oberfeldwebel / Oberbootsmann
• OR-6b: Fähnrich and Feldwebel / Fähnrich zur See and Bootsmann

Remark

The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!

junior Rank Oberfeldwebel	Oberfähnrich	senior Rank Stabsfeldwebel
	Hauptfeldwebel

Particularity

The top-down sequence of German Heer/ Luftwaffe, and Navy Officer Aspirant (OA) ranks is as follows:

• Oberfähnrisch, Oberfähnrich zur See
• Fähnrich, Fähnrich zur See
• Fahnenjunker, and Seekadett (en: Naval cadet)

Already below the lowest officer designated rank "Fahnenjunker" any military person, assigned to an officer career, has to wear additionally to the particular rank the two capital letters “OA”, indicating to the “Officer Aspirant” career. The "nautical star" symbolises the "OA" career.

Officer Aspirant (OA) ranks, medical career excapted

Schütze OA (OR-1)
(Heer, service uniform, military musician service)

Equivalent in other countries

• → Fændrik
• → Oberfähnrich
• → Aspirant/ Élève-officier
• → Allievo Ufficiale I
• → Eleve-Officier/ Officer cadet
• → Vaandrig/Kornet
• → Fähnrich
• → Kursant not to be confused with Praporshik
• → Teniente segundo
• → Officer cadet
• → Officer candidate