Theranks and insignia ofRoyal Danish Army follows the NATO system of ranks and insignia, as does the rest of theDanish Defence. The ranks are based around German and French military terms.[1]
The current insignia for the Royal Danish Army was introduced along with the introduction of theMultiCam uniform. This sand coloured insignia replaced the older standard greenslip-on and all other special slip-ons.[2]
The officers can be split into two groups: the leadership level (OF-9–OF-4) and the management level (OF-3–OF-1).[3]
The highest rank is General which is reserved for theMonarch andChief of Defence (only when this seat is occupied by an army/air force officer). Lieutenant general is reserved for theChief of the Defense Staff and theChief of Acquisition, previously theChief of the Royal Danish Army, which is now a Major general. Other major generals includeCommander, Joint Arctic Command,Commander, Special Operations Command andChief of Defence Estate Agency. Brigade general is usually the chief of a brigade as well as keepers of high-office positions.
| NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group[3] | Leadership level (Chefniveau) | Management level (Lederniveau) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Combat uniform |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | -M11.svg) | |||||||||||||
 Royal Danish Army[4] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
| General | Generalløjtnant | Generalmajor | Brigadegeneral | Oberst | Oberstløjtnant | Major | Kaptajn | Premierløjtnant | Løjtnant | Sekondløjtnant | ||||||||||||||
| Medical[5] | Generallæge | Stabslæge I Stabstandlæge I Stabsdyrlæge I | Stabslæge II Stabstandlæge II Stabsdyrlæge II | Overlæge Overtandlæge Overdyrlæge Afdelingslæge Afdelingstandlæge Afdelingsdyrlæge | Reservelæge I Reservetandlæge I Reservedyrlæge I | Reservelæge II Reservetandlæge II Reservedyrlæge II | Reservelæge III Reservetandlæge III Reservedyrlæge III | |||||||||||||||||
| Danish Pay Grade[6] | M406 | M405 | M404 | M403 | M402 | M401 | M332 M331 M322 | M321 | M312 | M311 | M310 | |||||||||||||
| Rank | General | Generalløjtnant | Generalmajor | Brigadegeneral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979–present[7] | .svg){kind=icon} | .svg){kind=icon} | .svg){kind=icon} | .svg){kind=icon} |
The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group[3] | Middle management level (Mellemlederniveau) | Manual level (Manuelt niveau) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Combat uniform |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Royal Danish Army[4] | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) |  | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chefsergent | Seniorsergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Sergent (Officerselev) | Korporal | Overkonstabel af 1. grad | Overkonstabel | Konstabel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Danish Pay Grade[6] | M232 | M231 | M221 | M212 | M211 | M113 | M112 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-5 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat uniform[4] |  |  |  | -M11.svg) |  |  |  | -M11.svg) |  |
| Service uniform | .svg) | .svg) | .svg) | -M69.svg) |  |  |  | ||
| Danish | Hærchefsergenten | Regiments-, brigade- og skole chefsergent | Regiments- og brigade-, seniorsergent | Sergentelev | Overkonstabel 1. grad, meniggruppefører | Overkonstabel, meniggruppefører | Konstabel, meniggruppefører | Konstabelelev | Meniggruppefører |
| English[8] | Sergeant Major of the Army | Command sergeant major | Command sergeant major | Sergeant trainee | Lance corporal, section commander | Private first class, section commander | Private, section commander | Privaterecruit | Conscript, section commander |
| Rank (example) | TAN499[9] | MTS[9] | M/69 | Galla | Mess | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | Shirt | Sleeve | Red | Blue | Black | ||||
| Chefsergent |  | | None[a] |  | |  | | | |
| Kaptajn |  | | |  | None | | | | |
In 1801, new uniforms were introduced for the whole army. Along with the new uniforms,epaulette ranks were introduced for officers.[11][12] Following the defeat in theEnglish Wars in 1812, Denmark was on the brink of financial bankruptcy, resulting in drastic reductions in the military.[13] Therefore, only generals were allowed to wear epaulettes, with other ranks reverting to cuff insignia.[13] In 1822, epaulettes were introduced to all ranks.[14]
From 1789 up to 1812, ncos were typically told apart from rank & file by a short epaulette, worn on the right shoulder, and by gold lace on their hats. Most of them also carried a cane, and up to 1805, a polearm. Sergeants were typically told apart by wearing metallic lace edging on their shoulder straps.
During the 1801 - 1803 period, lance-corporals of most branches of the army but the line infantry adopted lighter distinctions, such as silver cords on their hats, sword knots, metallic shoulder straps, NCO belt buckles (in the cavalry) and prickers (in the light infantry).
In 1806, corporals were allowed to wear short epaulettes on both shoulders, in those corps where lance-corporals wore a single epaulette themselves.
Around 1808, the sergeant's epaulette became much wider, and they were also allowed to wear double cords on their new shakos.
As of 1806, the sergeant-major was told apart by a metallic sword knot and tassel. However, the ranks of "commandeer-sergeant" and "sergeant" were pretty much the same in most branches of the army during this time period, with the exception of the artillery. There was typically a single sergeant or commandeer-sergeant per company, both paid at the same rate. The distinction was typically in the company itself. While grenadier and centre companies had sergeants, light and rifle companies had sergeant-majors.[37]
In 1812, with the adoption of cuff insignia, standardized distinctions were finally introduced. Lance-corporals were allowed to wear a single chevron and a yellow and red sword knot, corporals were allowed 2 and the same sword knot, sergeants were allowed 3 and had silver thread mixed into the sword knot. Additional grades were told apart by a rosette, worn in the middle of the cuff. These distinctions were sewn on the cuffs themselves, not right above them like those of field officers.
| Rank group | NCO | Enlisted | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1812–1843 [38][39] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||
Commandeer-Sergeant Fyrværker(Artillery) Over-Vagtmester(Cavalry) Vagtmester(Guides) | Sergeant Commandeer-Sergeant(Light Infantry & Artillery) Vagtmester(Cavalry) Corporal(Guides) | Foureer Sergeant(Artillery) Qvarteermester(Cavalry) | Corporal Over-Jæger(Light Infantry) Bombardeer(Artillery) Guide(Guides) | Over-Constabel(Artillery) | Gefreider Jæger(Light Infantry) Constabel(Artillery) Vice-Corporal(Cavalry) | Mand Under-Jæger(Light Infantry) Under-Constabel(Artillery) | |||||
| 1843–1848 [40] | | | | | | ||||||
| Overkommandersergent | Kommandersergent | Sergeant | Korporal | Underkorporal | Menig | ||||||
| 1848–1867 [41] |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||
| Overkommandersergent | Kommandersergent | Sergeant | Korporal | Underkorporal | Menig | ||||||
| 1867–1903 [40] | |  |  |  |  | | |||||
| Stabssergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Underkorporal | Menig | ||||||
| 1903–1910 [42] | |  |  |  |  |  | |||||
| Stabssergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Underkorporal | Menig | ||||||
| 1910–1915 [43] |  |  |  |  |  |  | | ||||
| Stabssergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Kornet | Korporal | Underkorporal | Menig | |||||
| 1915–1923 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||
| Stabssergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Kornet | Korporal | Underkorporal | Menig | |||||
| 1923–1951[32] |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||
| Oversergent | Sergent | Kornet | Korporal | Underkorporal | Menig | ||||||
| 1951–1962 [44][45] |  |  |  | -M51.svg) |  | -M51.svg) | |||||
| Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Befalingsmandselev | Math | Mathelev | ||||||
| 1962–? [46] | _of_the_Danish_Army.svg){kind=icon} | _of_the_Danish_Army.svg){kind=icon} |  |  |  |  | |||||
| Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Overkonstabel | Konstable | Konstabelelev | ||||||
| 1965–1970 [47] |  |  |  |  |  | | | | |||
| Seniorsergent af 1. grad | Seniorsergent af 2. grad | Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Overkonstabel | Konstable | Konstabelelev | ||||
| 1970–1982 [48] | | | | | |  | | | | ||
| Seniorsergent af 1. grad | Seniorsergent af 2. grad | Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Overkonstabel af 1. grad | Overkonstabel af 2. grad | Konstable | Konstabelelev | |||
| 1982–2008 |  |  |  | | | | | | | ||
| Chefsergent | Seniorsergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Overkonstabel af 1. grad | Overkonstabel | Konstable | Konstabelelev | |||
| 2008–2018 | | | | | | | | | | ||
| Chefsergent | Seniorsergent | Oversergent | Sergent | Korporal | Overkonstabel af 1. grad | Overkonstabel | Konstable | Konstabelelev | |||
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(September 2024) |
In 1922, a new reform of the Army was adopted. HereUnderofficer af Linien (Sub-officers of the line) were replaced withOfficiantgruppen.[49]
| Kaptajn (Ritmester) af Reserven | — | Premierløjtnant | Løjtnant af Reserven | Sekondløjtnant | |
| — | Korpsofficiant af 1. Grad | Korpsofficiant af 2. Grad | Stabsofficiant | Overofficiant | Officiant |
| Rank group | Warrant officers | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923–1951[32] |  |  |  |  |
| Korpsofficiant | Stabsofficiant | Overofficiant | Officiant | |
| 1951–1970 [44][45] |  |  | ||
| Overfenrik | Fenrik | |||
-1911_sleeve.svg)
-M15.svg)
-M23.svg)
