Hauptbootsmann

This article is about the German Navy rank "Hauptbootsmann" OR7/OR-8. For the equivalent US and UK naval ranks, see Chief Petty Officer.

Hauptbootsmann (HptBtsm or in lists HB) designates in the German Navy of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces.^[1] It belongs to the particular rank group Senior NCOs with port épée.

Hauptbootsmann
shoulder board / cuff title / mounting loop
Rank insignia	German NCO rank
Introduction	1955
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
Navy	Hauptbootsmann
Army / Air Force	Hauptfeldwebel
NATO equivalent	OR-7 / OR-8
Army/Navy	Sergeant First Class Master Sergeant Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer
Air Force	Senior Master Sergeant

According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Officer Aspirant (OA – de: Offizieranwärter) rank Oberfähnrich zur See (Marine) and to and Hauptfeldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe. It is grouped as OR7 and OR-8^[2] in NATO, equivalent to First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, or Senior Chief Petty Officer in the US Armed forces, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.

In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr/ Frau Hauptbootsmann also informally / short Hauptbootsmann.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:
Unteroffiziere mit Portepee

• OR-9: Oberstabsbootsmann / Oberstabsfeldwebel
• OR-8: Stabsbootsmann / Stabsfeldwebel / Hauptbootsmann / Hauptfeldwebel
• OR-7: Hauptbootsmann and Oberfähnrich zur See / and Hauptfeldwebel and Oberfähnrich
• OR-6a: Oberbootsmann / Oberfeldwebel
• OR-6b: Bootsmann and Fähnrich zur See/ Feldwebel and Fähnrich

Remark

The abbreviation "OR" stands for "Other Ranks / fr: sous-officiers et militaires du rang / ru:другие ранги, кроме офицероф"!

junior Rank Oberbootsmann	Hauptbootsmann	senior Rank Stabsbootsmann
	Oberfähnrich zur See

See also

Main articles: Ranks of the German Bundeswehr and Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr

Main article: Ranks and insignia of NATO navies enlisted

Equivalent in other NATO countries

• – Premier-maître chef/ Eerste meester
• – Petty Officer 1st Class
• – Narednik
• – Oversergent
• – Premier maître
• – Επικελευστής/ Epikelefstis
• – Petty officer/specialist (after 6 years service)
• – capo di terza classe
• – Sergeant-majoor
• – no equivalent
• – Młodszy chorąży marynarki
• – Sargento-ajudante
• – Sargento primero
• – Chief Petty Officer/ Colour Sergeant
• – Chief Petty Officer/ Gunnery Sergeant