Fanjunkare

Förvaltare

Army
Air force

Förste Sergeant

Fanjunkare (previously "Styckjunkare" in the Artillery), is a Swedish military rank above Förste Sergeant and below Förvaltare.

The 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'.

History

1806

Established as a brevet rank for non-commissioned officers.

1833

Became the highest non-commissioned rank in the Swedish allotment army.

1837

Became the highest non-commissioned rank in the Swedish enlisted army.

1925

Fanjunkare was given relative rank above Fänrik (Second Lieutenant) and below Löjtnant (Lieutenant) but remained in the NCO Corps.

1960

The rise of the status of the professional rank: Holders of the rank served as platoon and company leaders in the war-time organization and as deputy leaders or leaders of conscript training platoons during peace time, thus having the same positions as company grade officers. However other non-professional holders of the rank kept their much lower positions as company sergeant majors, etc. This major discrepancy caused a great deal of confusion.

Change of personnel structure 1972

Prior to 1972, military personnel were divided into three categories Underbefäl (non-commissioned officers), Underofficerare (warrant officers) and Officerare (commissioned officers).

The Underbefäl category was split into two categories

  • gruppbefäl, for national servicemen:
korpral - former vicekorpral
furir - former korpral
överfurir - former furir
  • plutonsofficerare, for professional NCO's:
sergeant - former överfurir
fanjunkare - former elderly överfurir and rustmästare

The Underofficer category was renamed kompaniofficerare:

fänrik - former sergeant and fanjunkare with less than 3 years of service
löjtnant - former sergeant and fanjunkare with 3-7 years of service
kapten - former sergeant, fanjunkare with a minimum of 7 years of serviceand and förvaltare

The Officer category was renamed regementsofficerare:

löjtnant - Löjtnant with less than 3 years of service and former fänrik
kapten - kapten with less than 11 years of service and former Löjtnant with 3-11 years of service
major - former kapten and löjtnant with a minimum of 11 years of service
överstelöjtnant - överstelöjtnant and former major
higher ranks

Change of personnel structure 1983

All three corps were merged into one professional officer corps with the lowest rank set to fänrik. Furir, överfurir, sergeant and fanjunkare were removed as a professional ranks. Fanjunkare were given the rank of löjtnant, and sergeant fänrik.

New two-career-path system 2009

After the implementation of two-career-paths systems for officers 2008, this rank may again become a professional rank within the newly created “specialist officer” category. The intention of the new system is to better align Swedish military forces with that of Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Britain as well as increasing the skills of leaders of section and platoon level units. It is a partial rollback to the system that existed prior the implementation of the one career path system 1983.

See also

References