Oberwachtmeister

Oberwachtmeister (OWm) (ge: for senior master-sentinel; senior watch-master) is in Austria and Switzerland a military rank of non-commissioned officers (NCO). Besides Austria and Switzerland today, the rank was also used for example in Germany and Russia.

Austria
Oberwachtmeister in Austria
Rank insigniaAustrian Bundesheer
Introduction1965
Rank groupNCOs (de: Unteroffiziere)
Army / Air ForceOberwachtmeister
Navyno equivalent
Lower:
Higher:		Wachtmeister
Stabswachtmeister
NATO
equivalent		OR-6[1]

Oberwachtmeister is in the Austrian Bundesheer the second lowest NCO-rank (assignment group M BUO 2 / professional NCO; respectively M ZUO 2 / longer-serving volunteer). The Oberwachtmeister will be normally deployed as leader (Austrian: Kommandant) of a squad (8 to 13 soldiers).

During United Nations missions and in NATO Partnership for Peace the rank Oberwachtmeister will be designated in English with Staff Sergeant (SSG) and is equivalent to NATO-Rang code OR-6.

See also
  • Ranks of the Austrian Bundesheer

Switzerland
Oberwachtmeister in Switzerland
Rank insigniaSwiss army
Introduction
Rank groupNCOs (de: Unteroffiziere)
Army / Air ForceOberwachtmeister
Navyno equivalent
Lower:
Higher:		Wachtmeister
Feldweibel
NATO
equivalent		OR-6

In the Military of Switzerland the Oberwachtmeister (Obwm, Sergent-chef, Sergente capo) is a NCO-rank (NATO-Code: OR-6). The rank is higher than the rank Wachtmeister, and lower than Feldweibel.

Until the so-called Army reform XXI (with effect from January 1, 2004) the rank was regular assigned to the Zugführer-Stellvertreter (en: deputy platoon leader).

However, the promotion to Oberwachtmeister might be possible after successfully having finished an additional trainings course. The level of that course succeeds the squad leader level. The Oberwachtmeister grade is in principle a transition rank to the lieutenant promotion.

In United Nations missions and in NATO Partnership for Peace the rank Oberwachtmeister will be designated in English with Sergeant First Class (SFC), and is equivalent to NATO-Rang code OR-6.

See also

⇒ Military ranks of the Swiss Armed Forces

Other countries

Germany

In the German army ground forces the designation of the OR6-Oberfeldwebel rank of Cavalry and Artillery was the «Oberwachtmeister» until 1945.

Junior Rank
Wachtmeister
(Feldwebel)
World War II German Army rank
Oberwachtmeister
(Oberfeldwebel)		 Senior Rank
Stabswachtmeister
(Stabsfeldwebel)
See also
  • World War II German Army ranks and insignia

Nationale People’s Army

In the GDR National People's Army (NPA) the OR6-rank «Oberwachtmeister» was replaced by the universal rank designation Oberfeldwebel. The equivalent rank of the Volksmarine (en: GDR Navy) was the Obermeister of the Volksmarine.

Junior Rank
Wachtmeister
(Feldwebel)
National People's Army rank
Oberwachtmeister
(Oberfeldwebel)		 Senior Rank
Stabswachtmeister
(Stabsfeldwebel)
See also

«Oberwachtmeister» was also a German police rank.

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References
  1. The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"
  • Die Streitkräfte der Republik Österreich, 1918-1968, Heeresgeschichtliches Museum, Militärwissenschaftliches Institut, 1968.
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