Poruchik

Poruchik (Croatian: poručnik, Czech: poručík, Polish: porucznik, Russian: пору́чик, Serbian: поручник, Slovak: poručík, Ukrainian: пору́чник) is an officer rank in the lieutenant's rank group in Slavophone armed forces. The correspondent naval rank is Starshy leytenant.

This article is about the OF-1a (OF-1 senior) rank Poruchik (Army and Air Force). For the equivalent rank in NATO see First lieutenant, Flying officer, or Oberleutnant zur See.

Rank insignia until 1917

Rank insignia	Imperial Russian Army
Introduction	17th century
Rank group	Ober-ofizer
Army 1855–1917	пору́чик (Poruchik)
Navy 1909–1917	старший лейтенант (Starshy leytenant)
NATO equivalent	OF-1a

Russian imperial armed forces

The Imperial Russian Army introduced this rank first in middle of the 17th century, by the Strelets so-called New Order Regiments , reflected in the Table of Ranks. A Poruchik was normally assigned to assistant commanding officer of a company, later platoon. In 1798 this particular rank designation was replaced by Lieutenant beginning with the Russian Guards, followed by other military units, and legalised by the Table of Ranks.

According to the modern day's NATO rank system Poruchik might be comparable to OF-1b[1] ranks Second lieutenant / Pilot officer, Ensign, Leutnant / Leutnant zur See.

Semantics

The rank designation Poruchik might be derived from Russian: a) поpученец; b) поручение; c) пору́чить with the meaning: a) person tasked by a special mission/ person who looks after; b) to receive an order, by order of s.b.; c) to task s.b., tasked to look after. Normally the Poruchik received military taskers/ orders in written form and was responsible to meet the particular goals and objectives anticipated.

Rank designation in some countries

In the countries mentioned below spelling of Podporuchik, Poruchik, and Nadporuchik, up to rank classification, is almost similar. A possible sequence of ranks (ascending) might be as follows:

• Podporuchik (junior Poruchik; junior lieutenant; 3rd lieutenant)
• Poruchik (lieutenant; 2nd lieutenant)
• Nadporuchik (senior poruchik; senior lieutenant; 1st lieutenant)
• Kapitan OF-2

Table of Poruchik OF1-ranks and rank insignia
Country	Language	NATO rank OF-1b (junior)		NATO rank OF-1a (senior)
		Rank	Designation	Rank	Designation
Croatia	Croatian: hr		Poručnik		Natporučnik
Macedonia	Macedonian: mk		Подпоручник (Podporucznik)		Поручник (Porucznik)
Poland	Polish: pl		Cap insignia Podporucznik (Army) Podporucznik (Air Force)		Cap insignia Porucznik (Army) Porucznik (Air Force)
(until 1917)	Russian: ru	•  •	Cap insignia Подпоручик Podporuchik, 11th East Siberian Rifle Regiment Подпоручик (запаса) (Podporuchik – reservist) Подпоручик (Podporuchik, Mikhailovsky Artillery School)	•  •	Cap insignia Поручик (Poruchik, 2nd Siberian Sapper Battalion) Гвардии поручик (Guard Poruchik, Palace Grenadier Company) Поручик (Poruchik, 3rd Uhlan Regiment )
Serbia	Serbian: sr		Потпоручник (Army) Потпоручник (Air defence) Потпоручник (River flotilla)		Поручник (Army) Поручник (Air defence) Поручник (River flotillia)
Slovakia	Slovak: sk		Poručík		Nadporučík
Slovenia	Slovene: sl		Poročník		Nadporočnik
Czech Republic	Czech: cs		Poručík (additional until 2011 Podporuchik OF1c)		Nadporučík
equivalent  Germany			Leutnant German Heer German Luftwaffe		Oberleutnant German Heer German Luftwaffe
equivalent  USA			Second lieutenant		First lieutenant

Remark

In the armed forces of Macedonia, Poland and Serbia is the Podporucznik equivalent to the OF1b-renks Leutnant/ Second lieutenant/ Flight officer, and/or Ensign.

See also

• Lieutenant
• History of Russian military ranks
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Imperial Russian Army until 1917
• Polish Armed Forces rank insignia

References

1. The abbreviation "OF" stands for de: "Offizier / en: officer / fr: officier / ru: офицер"

Preceded by Podporuchik (подпору́чик)

пору́чик (Poruchik) (First lieutenant)

Succeeded by Stabskapitän (штабс-капитан)