Major (Germany)

Lowest staff officer rank in the German Army Major Army and Air Force insigniaCountry GermanyService branch German Army German Air ForceAbbreviationMajNATO rank codeOF-3Pay gradeA13Formation1956 (current)Next higher rankOberstleutnantNext lower rankHauptmannEquivalent ranksKorvettenkapitän Major (German pronunciation: [maˈjoːɐ]) is the lowest staff officer rank in the German Army, German Air Force. The rank is rated OF-3 in NATO. The rank insignia is a silver oakleaf cluster with a silver pip (star). The equivalent of the German Navy is the Korvettenkapitän. History The rank in German-speaking armed forces dates back to the Middle Ages. World War II Major Helmut Viedebantt (1943) During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer. Current rules To be appointed to the rank of major, the officer has to pass a staff officer basic course (Stabsoffizierlehrgang) which is held at the German Armed Forces Command and Staff College (Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr), and serve in a post coded A13 or A13/A14. In the German Army and the Joint Support Service (Streitkräftebasis), the waiting period between meeting the requirements for promotion and actual promotion to the rank o