Kapten
Encyclopedia
Finnish Defence Forces
rank of Kapteeni is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers
as OF-2.
and below Kapten to command the life guard company on behalf of its formal commander - a Överste
.
Holders of the following ranks were elevated to Kapten
.
The Underbefäl category was split into two categories
The Underofficer category was renamed kompaniofficerare to include
The Officer category was renamed regementsofficerare to include
It is also possible for reservists to obtain the reserve rank of kapteeni.
Finnish Defence Forces
The Finnish Defence Forces are responsible for the defence of Finland. It is a cadre army of 15,000, of which 8,900 are professional soldiers , extended with conscripts and reservists such that the standard readiness strength is 34,700 people in uniform...
rank of Kapteeni is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers
Ranks and insignia of NATO armies officers
Rank comparison chart of all armies of NATO member states.- Officers :- Warrant officers :Warrant officers rank below officers and above enlisted servicemen....
as OF-2.
Origin
The basic military unit during the Middle Ages was the company raised by a vassal lord on behalf of his lord usually the King. The lord was commissioned by the king as Kapten to lead the unit. As the number of companies grew, one captain was granted overall (general) authority and named captain general, which was shortened to general.Kaptenlöjtnant
Until 1750, a rank above LöjtnantLöjtnant
Finnish Defence Forces rank of Luutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-1- Obtaining the rank in Finland :The Finnish army is bilingual; the rank is known in Swedish as löjtnant and Finnish as luutnantti....
and below Kapten to command the life guard company on behalf of its formal commander - a Överste
Överste
Finnish Defense Forces rank of Eversti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-5- 1600 - 1700 :Commander of a regiment that consisted of 1200 troops split into eight companies held this rank. One of the companies was called lifeguard company and was commanded by the överste himself...
.
Reform 1972
Kapten with more than eleven years of service were elevated to Major.Holders of the following ranks were elevated to Kapten
- LöjtnantLöjtnantFinnish Defence Forces rank of Luutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-1- Obtaining the rank in Finland :The Finnish army is bilingual; the rank is known in Swedish as löjtnant and Finnish as luutnantti....
- FörvaltareFörvaltare-1960:The rise of the status of the professional rank:Holders of the rank served as platoon leaders and company commanders in the war-time organization and as assistant platoon leaders or leaders of conscript training platoons during peace time, thus having the same positions as company grade...
- FanjunkareFanjunkareThe word 'Fanjunkare' is derived from German 'Fahnenjunker', and denotes a standard-bearer, hence 'Colour Sergeant'. 'Styckjunkare' comes from German 'Stückjunker', and denotes a gentleman of ordnance, hence 'Master Gunner'.-1925:...
(with a minimum of seven years' service) - SergeantSergeant (Sweden)- Obtaining the rank in Finland :In Finnish army after two months basic training some of conscripts are selected for a two-stage NCO -course with a rank of NCO -student , of which after stage 1 few are sent to Reserve Officer School and the rest continue in NCO -course stage 2 , after which they...
(with a minimum of seven years' service)
Reform 1972 - Rank inflation phase I
Prior to 1972, military personnel were divided into three categories Underbefäl (non-commissioned officers), Underofficerare (warrant officers) and Officerare (commissioned officers). The reform established a four-career-path system with four categories as described below and carried out major promotions of most personnel below the rank ÖverstelöjtnantÖverstelöjtnant
Finnish Defence Forces rank of Everstiluutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-4- 1600 - 1700 :The holder of the rank was typically the deputy head of a regiment of 1200 troops as well as the commander of a battalion during battle....
.
The Underbefäl category was split into two categories
- gruppbefäl to include
-
- korpralKorpral- Swedish insignias before 2009 :-1600 - 1700:A korpral held the position as platoon leader of 24 men during the Swedish allotment system. The korpralskap consisted of four rote of 6 men each...
- former vicekorpralVicekorpral- Insignias before 1972 :- See also :* Finnish military ranks* Military ranks of the Swedish armed forces* Swedish Armed Forces... - furirFurir-Origin 1600:The responsibility of a furir was to arrange for housing as well as the distribution of food in a Company.-1875:Holders of the rank Furir were elevated to Sergeant and the rank was removed.-1914:...
- former korpralKorpral- Swedish insignias before 2009 :-1600 - 1700:A korpral held the position as platoon leader of 24 men during the Swedish allotment system. The korpralskap consisted of four rote of 6 men each... - överfurirÖverfurir- Reform 1972 - Rank inflation phase I :Prior to 1972, military personnel were divided into three categories Underbefäl , Underofficerare and Officerare...
- former furirFurir-Origin 1600:The responsibility of a furir was to arrange for housing as well as the distribution of food in a Company.-1875:Holders of the rank Furir were elevated to Sergeant and the rank was removed.-1914:...
- plutonsofficerare to include
- sergeantSergeant (Sweden)- Obtaining the rank in Finland :In Finnish army after two months basic training some of conscripts are selected for a two-stage NCO -course with a rank of NCO -student , of which after stage 1 few are sent to Reserve Officer School and the rest continue in NCO -course stage 2 , after which they...
- former överfurirÖverfurir- Reform 1972 - Rank inflation phase I :Prior to 1972, military personnel were divided into three categories Underbefäl , Underofficerare and Officerare... - fanjunkareFanjunkareThe word 'Fanjunkare' is derived from German 'Fahnenjunker', and denotes a standard-bearer, hence 'Colour Sergeant'. 'Styckjunkare' comes from German 'Stückjunker', and denotes a gentleman of ordnance, hence 'Master Gunner'.-1925:...
- former elderly överfurirÖverfurir- Reform 1972 - Rank inflation phase I :Prior to 1972, military personnel were divided into three categories Underbefäl , Underofficerare and Officerare...
and rustmästareRustmästare- Origin 1600 :Rustmästare was originally an underofficer rank and the holder of the rank was responsible for the care of the armory, weponary and ammunition within a company.-1972:Holders of the rank were eleveated to Fanjunkare and the rank was removed....
- korpral
The Underofficer category was renamed kompaniofficerare to include
-
- fänrikFänrik-Professional officer:A minimum of 11 months of basic military training or 6 months as an aspirant followed by a three year programme at an officer school . - Conscript officer :...
- former sergeantSergeant (Sweden)- Obtaining the rank in Finland :In Finnish army after two months basic training some of conscripts are selected for a two-stage NCO -course with a rank of NCO -student , of which after stage 1 few are sent to Reserve Officer School and the rest continue in NCO -course stage 2 , after which they...
and fanjunkareFanjunkareThe word 'Fanjunkare' is derived from German 'Fahnenjunker', and denotes a standard-bearer, hence 'Colour Sergeant'. 'Styckjunkare' comes from German 'Stückjunker', and denotes a gentleman of ordnance, hence 'Master Gunner'.-1925:...
with less than 3 years of service - löjtnantLöjtnantFinnish Defence Forces rank of Luutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-1- Obtaining the rank in Finland :The Finnish army is bilingual; the rank is known in Swedish as löjtnant and Finnish as luutnantti....
- former sergeantSergeant (Sweden)- Obtaining the rank in Finland :In Finnish army after two months basic training some of conscripts are selected for a two-stage NCO -course with a rank of NCO -student , of which after stage 1 few are sent to Reserve Officer School and the rest continue in NCO -course stage 2 , after which they...
and fanjunkareFanjunkareThe word 'Fanjunkare' is derived from German 'Fahnenjunker', and denotes a standard-bearer, hence 'Colour Sergeant'. 'Styckjunkare' comes from German 'Stückjunker', and denotes a gentleman of ordnance, hence 'Master Gunner'.-1925:...
with 3-7 years of service - kapten - former sergeantSergeant (Sweden)- Obtaining the rank in Finland :In Finnish army after two months basic training some of conscripts are selected for a two-stage NCO -course with a rank of NCO -student , of which after stage 1 few are sent to Reserve Officer School and the rest continue in NCO -course stage 2 , after which they...
, fanjunkareFanjunkareThe word 'Fanjunkare' is derived from German 'Fahnenjunker', and denotes a standard-bearer, hence 'Colour Sergeant'. 'Styckjunkare' comes from German 'Stückjunker', and denotes a gentleman of ordnance, hence 'Master Gunner'.-1925:...
with a minimum of 7 years of serviceand and förvaltareFörvaltare-1960:The rise of the status of the professional rank:Holders of the rank served as platoon leaders and company commanders in the war-time organization and as assistant platoon leaders or leaders of conscript training platoons during peace time, thus having the same positions as company grade...
- fänrik
The Officer category was renamed regementsofficerare to include
-
- löjtnant - Löjtnant with less than 3 years of service and former fänrikFänrik-Professional officer:A minimum of 11 months of basic military training or 6 months as an aspirant followed by a three year programme at an officer school . - Conscript officer :...
- kapten - kapten with less than 11 years of service and former LöjtnantLöjtnantFinnish Defence Forces rank of Luutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-1- Obtaining the rank in Finland :The Finnish army is bilingual; the rank is known in Swedish as löjtnant and Finnish as luutnantti....
with 3-11 years of service - majorMajor (Sweden)Finnish Defence Forces rank of Majuri is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-3- 1600 - 1700 :The original title was Sergeant Major, which means the most senior servant to the Överste....
- former kapten and löjtnantLöjtnantFinnish Defence Forces rank of Luutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-1- Obtaining the rank in Finland :The Finnish army is bilingual; the rank is known in Swedish as löjtnant and Finnish as luutnantti....
with a minimum of 11 years of service - överstelöjtnantÖverstelöjtnantFinnish Defence Forces rank of Everstiluutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-4- 1600 - 1700 :The holder of the rank was typically the deputy head of a regiment of 1200 troops as well as the commander of a battalion during battle....
- överstelöjtnant and former majorMajor (Sweden)Finnish Defence Forces rank of Majuri is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-3- 1600 - 1700 :The original title was Sergeant Major, which means the most senior servant to the Överste.... - higher ranks
- löjtnant - Löjtnant with less than 3 years of service and former fänrik
Reform 1983 - Rank inflation phase II
All categories were merged into one professional officer category with the lowest rank set to fänrik. Furir, överfurir, sergeant and fanjunkare were removed as a professional ranks. Holders of the rank fanjunkare were promoted to löjtnant and the rest to fänrik.Finland
In peacetime training, a kapteeni is the commander of a company. (Majors can also be in this role, but usually majors work in command staff rather than in individual companies.) The rank requires additional training to obtain, in addition to the preexisting military university degree.It is also possible for reservists to obtain the reserve rank of kapteeni.
See also
- Finnish military ranksFinnish military ranksFinnish military ranks form a system that incorporates features from Swedish, German, and Russian armed forces. In addition, the system has some typically Finnish characteristics that are mostly due to the personnel structure of the Finnish Defence Forces. The ranks have official names in Finnish...
- Military ranks of the Swedish armed forces
- Swedish Armed ForcesSwedish Armed ForcesThe Swedish Armed Forces is a Swedish Government Agency responsible for the operation of the armed forces of the Realm. The primary task of the agency is to train, organize and to deploy military forces, domestically and abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to defend the Realm in the...