Present Estonian system of rank insignia is a direct descendant of various systems used in the past in the Estonian Defence Forces. Some of the grades trace their name back to the period of World Wars, for instance, the rank of aspirant literally means an officer in training in military academies or voluntaries, serving as temporary officers.

Most of the Estonian Army ranks were established during the Estonian War of Independence and in the 1920s. These include the rank of kapral, which is a derivate of Italian caporale – much like the English equivalent of corporal. After the Soviet occupation ended in 1991, a new rank was established, creating for the first time a brigadier general rank in the armed forces of Estonia. In Estonia, rank insignia is worn on the chest. Estonian Junior NCOs are considered as a rank of a conscript NCO or NCO in reserve. In full-time service, junior sergeants and petty officers 3rd class are filling in various soldier positions, and naval ratings and are not taken as NCOs.

Estonian Land Forces ranks and insignia

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Estonian Land Forces[1]
			Kindral		Kindralleitnant		Kindralmajor		Brigaadikindral		Kolonel		Kolonelleitnant		Major		Kapten		Leitnant		Nooremleitnant		Lipnik
Estonian: Lühend			kin		kin-ltn		kin-mjr		brig-kin		kol		kol-ltn		mjr		kpt		ltn		n-ltn		lpn
English: Ranks			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		First Lieutenant		Second Lieutenant		Ensign

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Estonian Land Forces[1]
	Ülemveebel			Staabiveebel			Vanemveebel		Veebel		Nooremveebel						Vanemseersant						Seersant		Nooremseersant				Kapral						Reamees
Estonian: Lühend	ü-vbl			st-vbl			v-vbl		vbl		n-vbl						v-srs						srs		n-srs				kpr						rms
English: Ranks	Command Sergeant Major[2]			Sergeant Major			Master Sergeant		Sergeant First Class		Staff Sergeant						Sergeant (Senior)						Sergeant		Sergeant (Junior)				Corporal						Private

Officer candidates

Õlakud
Auaste	3. õppeaasta kadett-veebel	2. õppeaasta kadett-veebel	3. õppeaasta kadett-seersant	2. õppeaasta kadett-seersant	1. õppeaasta kadett-seersant	3. õppeaasta kadett	2. õppeaasta kadett	1. õppeaasta kadett	1. semestri noorkadett
Rank	3rd year Cadet Sergeant	2nd year Cadet Sergeant	3rd year Cadet Junior Sergeant	2nd year Cadet Junior Sergeant	1st year Cadet Junior Sergeant	3rd year Cadet	2nd year Cadet	1st year Cadet	1st semester Junior Cadet
NATO	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent	No equivalent

Aspirants

Õlakud
Auaste	Ajateenijate reservrühmaülema kursuse lõpetanu	Ajateenijate reservrühmaülema kursusel õppija
Rank	Reserve platoon leader course Graduate	Reserve platoon leader course Student
NATO	No equivalent	No equivalent

Estonian Navy ranks and insignia

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Estonian Navy[3]
			Admiral		Viitseadmiral		Kontradmiral		Kommodoor		Mereväekapten		Kaptenleitnant		Kaptenmajor		Vanemleitnant		Leitnant		Nooremleitnant		Lipnik
Estonian: Lühend			adm		v-adm		k-adm		komd		m-kpt		kpt-ltn		kpt-mjr		v-ltn		ltn		n-ltn		lpn
English: Ranks			Admiral		Vice Admiral		Rear Admiral		Commodore		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant Commander		Lieutenant Senior Grade		Lieutenant		Lieutenant Junior Grade		Ensign

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Estonian Navy[3]
	Ülemveebel			Staabiveebel			Vanemveebel		Veebel		Nooremveebel						Vanemmaat						Maat		Nooremmaat				Vanemmadrus						Madrus
Estonian: Lühend	ü-vbl			st-vbl			v-vbl		vbl		n-vbl						v-maat						maat		n-maat				v-mdr						mdr
English: Ranks	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy			Master Chief Petty Officer			Senior Chief Petty Officer		Chief Petty Officer 1st class		Chief Petty Officer 2nd class						Petty Officer 1st class						Petty Officer 2nd class		Petty Officer 3rd class				Leading Seaman						Seaman

Estonian Air Force ranks and insignia

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Estonian Air Force[4]
			Kindral		Kindralleitnant		Kindralmajor		Brigaadikindral		Kolonel		Kolonelleitnant		Major		Kapten		Leitnant		Nooremleitnant		Lipnik
Estonian: Lühend			kin		kin-ltn		kin-mjr		brig-kin		kol		kol-ltn		mjr		kpt		ltn		n-ltn		lpn
English: Ranks			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		First Lieutenant		Second Lieutenant		Ensign

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Estonian Air Force[4]
	Ülemveebel			Staabiveebel			Vanemveebel		Veebel		Nooremveebel						Vanemseersant						Seersant		Nooremseersant				Kapral						Reamees
Estonian: Lühend	ü-vbl			st-vbl			v-vbl		vbl		n-vbl						v-srs						srs		n-srs				kpr						rms
English: Ranks	Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force			Chief Master Sergeant			Senior Master Sergeant		Master Sergeant		Technical Sergeant						Staff Sergeant						Sergeant		Sergeant (Junior)				Senior Airman						Airman

Historical Estonian Defence League staff positions and insignia

The separate rank system for the Estonian Defence League was officially abolished in 2013, and it now uses ranks and insignia identical to the Land Forces.^[5]

	Higher and staff positions			Senior field positions				Junior field positions
NATO Code	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1C	OF-1B	OF-1A	OR-8	OR-6	OR-4	OR-3
Estonian: Ametikohad	Kaitseliidu ülem	Kaitseliidu Peastaabi ülem	Kaitseliidu maleva pealik	Maleva vaneminstruktor	Malevkonna pealik	Kompanii pealik	Rühma pealik	Rühmapealik eriüksustes	Rühmapealiku abi	Jaopealik	Jaopealiku abi
English: Positions	Commander	Chief of Staff	Chief of Malev	Senior instructor	Chief of Malevkond	Chief of Company	Platoon commander	Platoon commander in special forces	Assistant platoon commander	Section commander	Assistant section commander

See also

• Estonian Defence Forces

References

External links

• Estonian Defence Forces
• Estonian Ministry of Defence