Praporshchik

Praporshchik (Russian: пра́порщик, IPA: [ˈprapərɕːɪk]) is a rank in the Russian military, also used in other uniformed services of the Russian government such as the police. It was a junior officer rank in Imperial Russia. However, in the 1970s Praporshchik was restored as a separate career group between non-commissioned officers and officers (comparable to OR-9).

Praporshchik пра́порщик
Army and Air force version
Country	Russia
Service branch	Russian Ground Forces Russian Aerospace Forces Russian Police
NATO rank	OR-9
Formation	1649 (Historic) 1972
Abolished	1917
Next higher rank	Starshy praporshchik
Next lower rank	Starshina
Equivalent ranks	Michman

Imperial Russia

Praporshchik пра́порщик
Russian praporshchik about 1852
Country	Imperial Russia
Service branch	Imperial Russian Army
Formation	1649
Abolished	1917
Next higher rank	Podporuchik
Next lower rank	Zauryad-praporshchik
Equivalent ranks	Michman

Praporshchik was originally an Oberoffizer rank, in line to the Table of Ranks class XII/XIII in the Imperial Russian Army equivalent to Michman of the Imperial Russian Navy and classified as junior officer rank.

The rank was abolished in 1917 by the Bolsheviks but remained in use until 1921 in the White Army.

It was first introduced in Streltsy New Regiments. The name originates from Slavonic prapor (прапор), meaning flag; the praporshchik was a flag-bearer in Kievan Rus troops. In the New Regiments of the Streltsy and the "new army" of Peter the Great, praporshchik was ranked as a commissioned officer of the lowest grade; this was legalised by the Table of Ranks of 1722. By the 19th century, the rank was given to senior non-commissioned officers of the Russian army upon their retirement and also reserve or volunteer officers with no previous service. From then on commissioned officers started service as Podporuchik.

In spite of this, podpraporshchik ("sub-ensign") was one of the non-commissioned officer (NCO) grades, originally below sergeant and feldwebel. From 1826 to 1884 it became the highest non-commissioned rank of the infantry, cavalry and the Leib Guard. From 1884 podpraporshchik ranked below the newly introduced NCO grade zauryad praporshchik ("deputy ensign").

Sequence of ranks

junior rank: Zauryad-praporshchik	Praporshchik	senior rank: Podporuchik

Soviet Army and Militia

In the Soviet Army, the reintroduction of the praporshchik rank in 1972, along with the michman rank in the Soviet Navy, marked the attempt to recreate a corps of contract non-commissioned officers similar to master sergeants and chief petty officers, the role that was previously reserved for senior drafted personnel. Contrary to Western practice of assigning the senior sergeant ranks to veteran soldiers, the Soviet ranks of starshina and sergeant were routinely assigned to 20-year-old soldiers at the end of their 2-year draft. The praporshchiks were aged volunteers and were expected to have more authority over draftsmen than similarly aged sergeants; they are placed in a separate category of "master non-commissioned officers" (praporshchik and michman).

See further commentary on the rank at Carey Schofield, Inside the Soviet Army, Headline Book Publishing, 1991, where long-service praporshchiks' scrounging and repair skills were celebrated.

Shoulder boards USSR and Russian Federation (1971−1994)

	Mechanized infantry, shoulder board army (general) land forces (general)		Technical troops, engineers, armour, artillery, missile troops (including: MT grund forces SMT, Air defence MT), Vehicle transport troops, construction troops		Air Force Naval aviation Airborne forces		FSIN MES Russia Militia (until 2011) Police (from 2011)
	Everyday uniform	Everyday uniform
from 1971 from 1991
	Praporshchik (1971–1994)	Starshy praporshchik (1981–1994)	Praporshchik (1971–1994)	Starshy praporshchik (1981–1994)	Praporshchik (1971–1994)	Starshy praporshchik (1981–1994)	Praporshchik	Starshy praporshchik

Sleeve insignia

	Badge to indicate the seniority Praporshchik (from 1971)/ Starshy praporshchik (from 1981) (on left-hand sleeve to the full dress uniform, everyday tunic and overcoat)
sleeve badge
	10 and more years	5th to 9th year	4th year (equivalent with 5-9 year, however wihout star)	3rd year	2nd year	1st year

Carey Schofield's Inside the Soviet Army c. 1990 provides a good description of the place of the praporshchik within the Soviet military system.

Praporshchik rank of the Russian Federation

Vladimir Putin presenting the Order of Courage to Police Praporshchik (Ensign) Yury Zimin, during a ceremony devoted to Police Day.

"Starshy praporshchik" of the Russian Federation's Armed Forces in service uniform (female)

The praporshchik rank continues to be used in the armies of ex-Soviet states.

By assumption, since December 2010, in January–March for military service is no longer accepted in person or rank of lieutenant senior warrant officer, and those who have not yet their contract expired or age limit reached, continue to serve, preserving rank and insignia. Abolition did not affect Interior Ministry troops, border guards, FSB, FSO, troops MES and other military formations, different from the Russian Defense Ministry, in addition, there is a special civil departments rank Ensign.

February 27, 2013 on the expanded board of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Russian Defense Minister S. Shoigu was announced the return of the Institute of warrant officers in the Armed Forces of Russia.[1]

Ministry of Defense on July 1, introduced a new staffing for the first time in five years there were special positions for warrant officers. According to the head of the Main Personnel (GAM) Ministry of Defence Colonel-General Viktor Goremykin for warrant officers allocated about 100 positions, of which only military – "no warehouses, no bases" were the main requirement Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. This position generally divided into commander (platoon commander Service, commander of combat group fighting vehicle, battle stations) and technical (tech company, the chief of a radio, an electrician, a paramedic, the head of the repair shop, head of the technical unit, etc.). On December 1, 2008, these positions were considered sergeant. The State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Nikolai Pankov said that the positions warrant require special education, but "not up" to the officers.[2]

Shoulder boards Russian Federation (1994–present)

1994–2010	Ground Forces (Army)		Air Force		Airborne Troops		Field uniform
	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik
from 2010	Ground forces (Army)		Air Force		Airborne troops		Field uniform
	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik	Starshy praporshchik	Praporshchik

Rank designation in other countries

In the countries below spelling and position in the rank order are equivalent or almost similar.

• ⇒ Belarusian: Прапаршчык
• ⇒ Czech: Praporčík
• ⇒ Georgian: პრაპორშჩიკი
• ⇒ Kazakh: Прапорщик
• ⇒ Slovak: Práporčík
• ⇒ Slovene: Praporščak
• ⇒ Ukrainian: прапорщик, romanized: praporshchyk.In 2016, after the reform of the armed forces, this class was excluded from the existing list [3].

Countries with different rank designation

Some member countries of the former Warsaw Pact followed the equivalent concept, used however different rank designations.

• ⇒ Azerbaijani: Gizir
• ⇒ German: Fähnrich
• ⇒ Polish: Chorąży
• ⇒ Serbian: Заставник/ Zastavnik
• ⇒ Hungarian: Zászlós

See also

• History of Russian military ranks
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Imperial Russian Army until 1917
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation's armed forces 1994–2010
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army 1955–1991

References

1. http://www.5-tv.ru/news/72342/ in Russian.
2. http://izvestia.ru/news/552986 in Russian.
3. The President approved new unilateral items and insignia of the Armed Forces of Ukraine /Президент затвердив нові предмети однострою та знаки розрізнення Збройних Сил України