Uniform Insignia Forum

In the Greek language, while addressing people with military ranks, one has to add the word Kyrie (when addressing males, equivalent to Mister) or Kyria (when addressing females, equivalent to Mrs.), before the rank (Kyrie Lochage if the person is a male Captain, Kyria Ypolochage if the person is a female 1st Lt). Yet, this is a rule applied only when the person holds the rank of 1st Sgt. & above. Does the same rule apply in your country too?

In Germany it generally is as follows:
A superior is adressed Herr (male) or Frau (female) + rank.
For example a male lieutenant would be addressed as "Herr Leutnant", a female staff sergeant as "Frau Feldwebel".
Subordinates are adressed as rank (often abbreviated) + name, only rank or only name.
A private first class could be adressed as "Obergefreiter Müller" or "OG Müller", "Obergefreiter" or "OG" (only useful if no other OGs are present) and "Müller".
Enlisted men (and women) generally address each other by name, regardless of rank.

There are, of course, many variations:
Within the various rank groups (enlisted, NCO, officers) it's not uncommon to address each other with only rank or name.
Same can happen across rank groups when the individuals know each other well or work together (a captain would not require the two enlisted men working in his office to call him "Herr Hauptmann" every time).
On my tank we didn't address the commander as "Herr Stabsunteroffizier" but simply "Stuffz" (but only if no officer was present).
Generally, enlisted and NCOs address each other a little bit more informal than both groups address officers.

But it is not uncommon for superiors (especially officers) to address a subordinate with Herr/Frau + rank (mostly when saluting).
It is considered polite and sign of respect.

Mostly the same in switzerland.

If no officer is present, the enlisted people and lower NCO have very creative ways to name officers by the rank... they call a Leutnant "Löfti" oder "Lolli". A Leutnant has no problem with "Löfti", when people from his own platoon (Zug) will call him so. But "Lolli" is not so nice and they use it mostly for the young unexperienced and fresh promotet Leutnants because they have no "grown natural authority" and doing still all by the book.

A Kompanie Kommandant is normaly called from his men in a short form: "Kadi". This term is used from all and everyone. Lower or Higher. The same goes for "Feldi" (Feldweibel) or "Korpi" (Korporal). No problem to call them so.

A difference to the US/GB rank system: We never call a Oberstleutnant only "Oberst" like they call a Lieutenant Colonel only "Colonel". He is everytime Oberstleutnant.

Greetings, lip

So, you wouldn't call a Colonel "Obi"? :)

Erskine

Gerrit_C. wrote:In Germany it generally is as follows:
A superior is adressed Herr (male) or Frau (female) + rank.
For example a male lieutenant would be addressed as "Herr Leutnant", a female staff sergeant as "Frau Feldwebel".
Subordinates are adressed as rank (often abbreviated) + name, only rank or only name.
A private first class could be adressed as "Obergefreiter Müller" or "OG Müller", "Obergefreiter" or "OG" (only useful if no other OGs are present) and "Müller".
Enlisted men (and women) generally address each other by name, regardless of rank.

There are, of course, many variations:
Within the various rank groups (enlisted, NCO, officers) it's not uncommon to address each other with only rank or name.
Same can happen across rank groups when the individuals know each other well or work together (a captain would not require the two enlisted men working in his office to call him "Herr Hauptmann" every time).
On my tank we didn't address the commander as "Herr Stabsunteroffizier" but simply "Stuffz" (but only if no officer was present).
Generally, enlisted and NCOs address each other a little bit more informal than both groups address officers.

But it is not uncommon for superiors (especially officers) to address a subordinate with Herr/Frau + rank (mostly when saluting).
It is considered polite and sign of respect.

...the same down here...when I was a Marine lance-corporal (back in '91), we were calling our Sergeant simply locha instead of lochia (equivalent to "serge" instead of sergeant), or our conscript candidate officer (who was our platoon leader), dokime (candidate) instead of kyrie dokime (mister candidate), but only when there was no other officer present. Officers address conscript privates simply stratiote (soldier) or hoplite (private) & conscript NCOs simply by their ranks, ypodekanea (lance-corporal) or lochia (sergeant). Yet, it was common, the Captain of my company addressing me kyrie ypodekanea (mister lance-corporal). But that depends on the person's individual respect towards subordinates, it's not a rule.

In Romania and Hungary the same rules apply. (RO) Domnule capitan - Mr. captain - and Doamna colonel (Madame Colonel). (HU) Ezredes Ur - Mr. Colonel - and Szazados Asszony (Madame Captain), Domnule, doamna, ur and asszony beeing Mr and Madame in the two languages. addressing the inferiors is another story, they would either be called by thei rank (and name, sometime) or simply by the name, even their Christian name. Of course, when a male officer speaks to a female NCO, he would most of the times calle her Madame Sergeant, out of chivalry. un less, of course, he's dressing her down in which case he would adress her only by her rank.

In general, the rule goes like this:
NCOs: The ranks from Lance-Corporal to Sergeant are addressed simply by their rank-names. The ranks of 1st Sergeant, Master Sergeant & WO, are addressed by using "mister" before their rank-names.
Officers: The ranks from Conscript Candidate Officer to Brigadier, are addsressed by using "mister" before their rank-names. The ranks from Major General to General are addressed simply by their rank-names, with a small difference: We often address Major General "division-general"-Merarchos or "Army-corps general"-Somatarches or "Director"-Diephthyntees in case he's a director of a certain directorate, by using "mister" before (e.g "Mister division-general"-kyrie merarche, or simply "Major-general"-ypostratege)...a bit complicated.

In the Swedish Defence Forces (this is the official name of the Swedish armed forces, in Swedish Försvarsmakten), only rank names are used for addressing each other in official situations.

Ilek wrote:In the Swedish Defence Forces (this is the official name of the Swedish armed forces, in Swedish Försvarsmakten), only rank names are used for addressing each other in official situations.

Like a private would call a captain simply "captain"? No Mr. or something?

One peculiarity about addressing military in Polish is using core names only, without any prefixes or suffixes, which can be upgrading or downgrading, depending on the rank. Thus addressing a 2nd lieutenant or a lieutenant colonel you will always say Panie Poruczniku or Panie Pulkowniku (never Panie Podporuczniku or Panie Podpulkowniku!). On the other hand, you will always say Panie Sierzancie, even addressing the rank of Starszy Sierzant Sztabowy. While addressing generals/admirals, you will always hear a simple Panie Generale/Admirale, irrespective of the exact rank.

The same applies for the South African defence force - only the Rank name is used when a junior addresses a senior directly (regardless of sex) - i.e. Captain, General.

Because of the multi lingual nature of the force, the term 'Sir' is not regularly used as there is no suitable equivalent in Afrikaans.

When a senior addresses a junior, they have the option to use either the rank only or the last name.

Miklós Lovász wrote:

Ilek wrote:In the Swedish Defence Forces (this is the official name of the Swedish armed forces, in Swedish Försvarsmakten), only rank names are used for addressing each other in official situations.

Like a private would call a captain simply "captain"? No Mr. or something?

Correct. The rank name itself is sufficient.

As far as I know, in Israel a common way of addressing ones commanding officers is ha'mefaket (literally the commander; another, not literally, translation could perhaps be my commander). I don't know if this only applies to enlisted men addressing their commissioned officers. Nati - help! :)

Erskine Calderon wrote:So, you wouldn't call a Colonel "Obi"? :)

Oberst Klaus Wanner = Obi-Wan ? :D :D


Using the short terms stops after "Kadi" for "Kompaniekommandant". All higher ranks (Major and above) must be called exactly. Except a Bataillion Kommandant. He will be called "Bat Kadi", but not when someone directly speaks with him.

My own Rank/Function Fachoffizier (Warrant Officer) is mostly called "Fachof" (the official short term) by higher officers. Lower ranks are using normally the full rank name.

Not PC: The female chief of all woman in the Swiss Army holds the rank of Brigadier (Brigadier General). Unofficially called "Brigadeuse" (french spoken)... but don't use this name when she or any other female officer is around...:roll: :lol:

Greetings, lip

"Fachof"?

I'm not touching that with a ten-foot pole... ;)

In Finland when adressing higher ranks males are called "Herra" (Mr) and females "Rouva" (Mrs). The marital status doesn't affect how one is called. Example Herra Kapteeni... when adressing a male Captain and Rouva Luutnantti when adressing a female Leutenant.
When talkin to lower ranks only ones rank and family name are used regalrless of ones gender age or marital status. Example... Alikersantti Virtanen (Corporal Virtanen), Kapteeni Honkanen (Captain Honkanen) and so on. Ask me for more details in you should need.

In the united states, officers are addressed by their juniors as "sir" or "ma'am" (but always "sir" in the navy) or by their title. Titles like "Mr." and "Ms." are usually only applied to enlistedmen and cadets, but are sometimes used informally amongst equals or person near in rank. NCOs are addressed as "sergeant" or, if they hold they appropriate post, "first sergeant" or "sergeant major". Addressing an NCO as "sir" or "ma'am" is a significant breach of etiquette and some NCOs will even be offended, though this is probably not unique to the US at all.

[font=Arial] [/font] In the US Navy, the terms "Mr." or "Miss" are used by seniors to address Midshipmen or, occasionally, to address junior enlisted. Officers are addressed by rank, such as "Ensign Jones" or "sir" or "ma'am," but junior officers (Ensigns, Lieutenants (junior grade) and even junior Lieutenants) may be referred to as "Mr." or "Miss" by senior officers, but never by juniors.

In the US Coast Guard, officers below the rank of Lieutenant Commander are quite commonly referred to as "Mr." or "Miss" by seniors, juniors and peers. Referring to officers in the Coast Guard as "Lieutenant Smith" is considered fairly formal.

In the other services, officers are referred to indirectly as "Captain Jones," and in person as "sir" or sometimes even by their rank: "Good morning, Captain."

Calling a Lieutenant "L-T" is reserved for those who are personally associated with that officer, and should not be used unless on good and familiar terms with that Lieutenant.

Jacob is dead-on saying that calling an NCO "sir" or "ma'am" is considered a breach of etiquette and will usually be met with some sort of sarcastic reply. Army and Air Force sergeants will usually accept being referred to as "Sergeant," regardless of rank (Sergeant Major, Sergeant First Class, etc.). Senior NCOs should be addressed by their full rank, however, unless they tell you otherwise.

Air Force first sergeants are nicknamed "First Shirts," and referred to as such or "Fisrt" informally, but only if the person using the title knows that first sergeant personally. Additonally, Chief Master Sergeants are called "Chief" informally.

In the Navy and Coast Guard, NCOs are universally refered to as "Chief," but Senior Chief Petty Officers are often referred to as "Senior" and Master Chiefs should always be referred to as such out of respect, although they will probably not oppose being called "Chief" in a pinch.

The Marines are very particular about rank and NCOs must never be addressed by another rank. A Lance Corporal will take offence at being called "Corporal" and if you call a Gunnery Sergeant simply "Sergeant," prepare for a bad day! Gunnery Sergeants are nicknamed "Gunny" and First Sergeants, "Top" after the old rank "Top Sergeant." These nicknames, however, should be used if the person is of personal acquantaince.

In Ukraine (and, IIRC, in Russia and Byelorussia too) equals and subordinates address other as "Tovarishch" (Comrade) + rank.
Seniors can call others by rank + name. Ditto when junior names himself to senior.
Unofficially equals and seniors may address others by rank only.

In the British Army, Sergeants are addressed as 'Sergeant', Staff and Colour Sergeants as 'Staff' or 'Colour', and Warrant Officers by their appointment title e.g. 'Sergeant Major' 'RSM' or 'Mr'. 2nd Lieutenants and Lieutenants are addressed as 'Mr', Captains and Majors by their rank title, and Lieutenant Colonels as 'Colonel'

Junior ranks address Officers and Warrant Officers (i.e. Sergeant Majors) as 'Sir'

Warrant Officers in the Royal Navy and RAF are addressed as 'Mr' by Officers and 'Sir' by those junior to them. Chief Petty Officers are addressed as 'Chief', and Flight Sergeants in the RAF as 'Flight'

In Sweden just the title is used: Korpral, Löjtnant etc.