Oberstabsfeldwebel

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Oberstabsfeldwebel
Heer and Luftwaffe shoulder insignia
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Army  German Air Force
Abbreviation	OStFw
Rank	German NCO rank
NATO rank code	OR-9
Non-NATO rank	E-9
Formation	1955
Next higher rank	Leutnant
Next lower rank	Stabsfeldwebel
Equivalent ranks	Oberstabsbootsmann

Oberstabsfeldwebel (OStFw or OSF, {{literally|Senior staff field usher)^{[citation needed]} is the highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force. It is grouped as OR-9 in NATO, equivalent to a sergeant major in the United States Army and a Warrant Officer Class 1 in the British Army. Attainment of this rank requires at least sixteen years since promotion to feldwebel and at least six years since promotion to hauptfeldwebel^[1]

In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Oberstabsfeldwebel also informally / short Oberstaber.

The rank was introduced in the German Heer equivalent to the Marine grade Oberstabsbootsmann in 1955, and belongs to the grad group Unteroffiziere mit Portepee.

The rank is a comparatively new rank, and had not been used by any German military prior to in 1955. The Kriegsmarine, did however have a Stabsoberfeldwebel [de], used from 1939 to 1945.

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

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

• BROCKHAUS, Die Enzyklopädie in 24 Bänden (1796–2001), Band 5: 3-7653-3665-3, S. 487, Definition: Oberstabsfeldwebel
• BROCKHAUS, Die Enzyklopädie in 24 Bänden (1796–2001), Band 7: 3-7653-3676-9, S. 185, Oberstabsfeldwebel