Charges (military)

Charge(s) (German: Charge(n); literal: rank(s)) used to be the generic term to the military ranks[1] above the rank group of enlisted personnel in German speaking armies. In the today’s Austrian Armed Forces (Österreichisches Bundesheer) it is the designation to the rank group OR2[2] to OR4, which comprises the ranks Gefreiter, Korporal and Zugsführer.

In English speaking armed forces, however, charge characterizes a particular manoeuvre, where soldiers rush towards the enemy to engage in close combat.

Charges in the Austrian Bundesheer
Designation Ranks (de: Chargen)
Suit (de: Anzug) 75 / 03
Jacket gorget (Rockkragen)
Corps colour (Waffenfarbe) Engineers Skirmishing patrol, Army sports NBC-Defence
Peaked cap (Tellerkappe)
Rank Zugsführer (Zgf)Korporal (Kpl)Gefreiter (Gfr)
NATO equivalentMaster CorporalCorporalPrivate
rankOR-4OR-3OR-2

The sequence of rank groups (top-down approach) in the Austrian Bundesheer is as follows:

  • Personen ohne Chargengrad OR-1 (= Persons without charge grade)
  • Chargen OR2-OR4 (= Charges)
  • Unteroffiziere OR5-OR6 (= NCOs)
  • Stabsunteroffiziere OR7-OR9 (= Staff NCOs)
  • Offiziere OF1-OF5 (= Officers)
  • Generale OF6-OF9 (= General officers)
See also
Main articles: Waffenfarbe (Austria) and Ranks of the Austrian Bundesheer

References
  1. BROCKHAUS, The encyclopedia in 24 volumes (1796–2001), Volume 4: 3-7653-3664-5, page 411, definition: Charge
  2. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
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