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 codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer
 Albanian Land Force
No equivalent
No equivalent
Gjeneral Lejtant Gjeneral Major Gjeneral Brigade Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
 Albanian Naval Force
No equivalent
No equivalent
Admiral Nënadmiral Kundëradmiral Kapiten Rangut I Kapiten Rangut II Kapiten Rangut III Kapiten Leitnant Leitnant Nënleitnant
 Albanian Air Force
No equivalent
Gjenerallejtnant Gjeneralmajor Gjeneralbrigad Kolonel Nënkolonel Major Kapiten Toger Nëntoger
NATO codeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF(D)Student officer

Enlisted

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

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

References

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