Oberfähnrich zur See

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Oberfähnrich zur See
Country	Germany
Service branch	German Navy
Abbreviation	OFähnr zS
Rank group	Non-commissioned officers
NATO rank code	OR-7
Formation	1966
Next higher rank	Stabsbootsmann
Next lower rank	Oberbootsmann
Equivalent ranks	Oberfähnrich

Oberfähnrich zur See (OFähnr zS or OFRZS) designates in the German Navy of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces with the last or highest Officer Aspirant (OA – German: Offizieranwärter) rank. According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Portepeeunteroffizier ranks Hauptbootsmann (Marine) and Hauptfeldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe.

It is also grouped as OR-7 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 Oberfähnrich zur See also informally / short Oberfähnrich.

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

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

junior Rank Oberbootsmann	Oberfähnrich zur See	senior Rank Stabsbootsmann
	Hauptbootsmann

The top-down sequence of German Marine midshipman ranks is as follows:^[1]

• Oberfähnrich zur See
• Fähnrich zur See
• Seekadett

Already below the lowest officer designated rank "Seekadett" any military person, assigned to an officer career, has to wear additionally to the particular rank the two capital letters “OA”, indicating to the “Officer Aspirant” career. The "nautical star" symbolises the "OA" career.

• Officer Aspirant (OA) ranks, medical career excepted
• 
  Matrose OA (OR-1)
  (nautical star, waved performance)

• Ranks of the German Bundeswehr
• Rank insignia of the German Bundeswehr

• Mallmann Showell, Jak P. (2002) [1999]. German Navy Handbook 1939–1945. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-3205-8.