Military ranks of Albania

Albanian military ranks form the system of hierarchal ranks in Albania's armed forces.

Current ranks (since 2011)

Commissioned officers

The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the army, navy and air force respectively.

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
Albanian Land Force	No equivalent											No equivalent
Albanian Land Force	No equivalent		Gjeneral Lejtant	Gjeneral Major	Gjeneral Brigade	Kolonel	Nënkolonel	Major	Kapiten	Toger	Nëntoger	No equivalent
Albanian Naval Force	No equivalent											No equivalent
Albanian Naval Force	No equivalent		Admiral	Nënadmiral	Kundëradmiral	Kapiten Rangut I	Kapiten Rangut II	Kapiten Rangut III	Kapiten Leitnant	Leitnant	Nënleitnant	No equivalent
Albanian Air Force	*No equivalent*
Albanian Air Force	*No equivalent*		Gjenerallejtnant	Gjeneralmajor	Gjeneralbrigad	Kolonel	Nënkolonel	Major	Kapiten	Toger	Nëntoger
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

Enlisted

The rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the army, navy and air force respectively.

NATO Code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Albanian Land Force
Albanian Land Force	Kryekapter Sergeant major	Kapter First sergeant	Rreshter Sergeant first class	Tetar Staff sergeant	Nëntetar Sergeant	Ushtar IV Corporal	Ushtar III Private first class	Ushtar II Private	Ushtar I Private
Albanian Naval Force
Albanian Naval Force	Kryekapter Master chief petty officer	Kapter Senior chief petty officer	Rreshter Chief petty officer	Tetar Petty officer first class	Nëntetar Petty officer second class	Ushtar IV Petty officer third class	Ushtar III Seaman	Ushtar II Seaman apprentice	Ushtar I Seaman recruit
Albanian Air Force
Albanian Air Force	Kryekapter Sergeant major	Kapter First sergeant	Rreshter Sergeant first class	Tetar Staff sergeant	Nëntetar Sergeant	Ushtar IV Corporal	Ushtar III Private first class	Ushtar II Private	Ushtar I Private
NATO Code	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1

History

Albanian military insignia have undergone several periods during which their design changed radically.

The first ranks in the Albanian Armed Forces were formed in 1926 during the reign of King Zog I. His rule comprises two periods, the "Austrian" (1929-1936) and the "Prussian (generals) + Italian (other ranks)" style (1936-1939) of insignia.

During the time of Italian and German occupations of Albania their respective ranks were worn on Albanian militia uniforms.

After the Second World War, when the communist regime took power, military ranks were radically changed in looks and in naming. In the first years officers and generals wore sleeve insignia whose order was loosely based on that time's Yugoslav patterns. In 1947 a new model was introduced (both in Albania and Yugoslavia), where insignia and ranks came from the Soviet Union. This followed the traditions of Stalin's last years where insignia of all the Communist Bloc countries tended to uniformity. While most socialist countries abandoned this model soon after Stalin's death, Albania preserved it until May 1966, when military ranks were abolished altogether following Chinese example and based on doctrines of guerilla warfare.

With the fall of the communist regime the military ranks were re-established in 1991 following a Western model. However, there were several crucial changes in their design (1991, 2004 and 2011) and a few minor ones.

Royal Albanian Army (1929–1939)

Republic of Albania (1991–present)

1991-2004

2004-2011

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Albania	No equivalent																								No equivalent
Albania	No equivalent		Gjeneral		Gjeneral Lejtant		Gjeneral Major		Gjeneral Brigade		Kolonel		Nënkolonel		Major		Kapiten		Toger			Nëntoger			No equivalent

References

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