Questions about Norwegian NCO's

[NJSMITTY]

I believe sometime after world war II Norway expanded the number of NCO grades from the wartime four to five. Could someone tell me, or better yet show me, what they looked like? Where they fit in the chain of command,and there titles?
Not a lot surely,thanks

[Luke]

Oversersjant


Stabssersjant

[NJSMITTY]

May the Force be with you

[Polarbear]

The pictures posted by Luke show the insignia as worn by the Air Force, i.e light grey/white on dark blue background. The Army wore similar insignia, but on olive green. Note that the bottom of the Staff Sergeant's crown curves upwards. As far as I know, this particular shape was only used for the small insignia worn on shoulder slides for field- and fatigue uniforms, as well as overcoats, for a very short time ca. 1973-75. At all other times the bottom of the crown was straight.

Chevrons as insignia of rank for NCOs were introduced when the Norwegian government in exile started to rebuild our armed forces in Great Britain during WW II. The soldiers were issued British uniforms, for Army officers with Norwegian rank insignia worn on the collar. The NCOs, however, wore British style chevrons, the crown for Staff Sergeant and cannon for Gunnery Sergeant also being of British pattern. These ingignia were introduced January 1943, the badge for Gunnery Sergeant in September same year. The ranks were as follows:

Stabssersjant - Three chevrons with a crown above
Artillerisersjant - Three chevrons with cannon above
Sersjant - Three chevrons
Korporal - Two chevrons
Visekorporal - One chevron

After the war Norway continued to use British style chevrons, but the badge for Gunnery Sergeant was abolished. However, from 1945 to1954/55 the chevrons were worn point up, with the crown for Staff Sergeant placed below. Norway introduced new service uniforms in 1954/55, still of the battle dress type for rank and file, but with slightly altered cut and in a more olive green color compared to the previous one

Rank chevrons of a new style were introduced in 1955, worn point down on both upper sleeves of the service uniform. These chevrons were 75 millimetres wide, i.e. considerably smaller than the old British ones. Oversersjant was introduced as a new rank between Stabssersjant and Sersjant, wearing three chevrons topped by a straight bar. The insignia for Stabssersjant was changed at the same time to three chevrons topped by a straight bar with a royal crown above. The chevrons were white for Infantry, Cavalry, Engineers and Signals, yellow for all other branches in the Army. The Royal crown worn above the chevrons by Staff Sergeants was always yellow with a red cap inside, regardless of the color of the chevrons. The Air Force wore white or silvery chevrons.

Small versions of these chevrons could be worn on shoulder slides or breast/pocket patches on garments where sleeve chevrons were not suitable. The ranks of Stabssersjant and Oversersjant were usually given to Sergeants with a record of several years of service, usually with a technical or specialist background. Both ranks were abolished 1 July 1975, and those holding these ranks were promoted to 1st or 2nd Lieutenants respectively.

From 1983 chevrons were no longer to be worn on the sleeves. They were replaced by small metal chevrons placed point down on the collar of the service uniform. All rank insignia, including chevrons, were of gilt metal for all branches except for H.M. Royal Guards, the War Academy and the senior level of the Non-Comissioned Officers School who retained silver as metal color. Finally, the rank of Visekorporal was abolished from 1 January 1993.[/i]

[NJSMITTY]

Thankyou Polarbear I really appreciate this kind of information. The grades and organizational responsibilities of the commissioned officer grades seem to me to be pretty much the same all around the world. The NCO grades on the other hand have more variation. It is truely interesting to discover, from knowledgeable people such as yourself,the history and place within the chain of command these insignia represent.

[Herrwiggly]

Hi everybody, correct me if I,m wrong, II thought I read somewhere that the Norwegian Army was going to re-establish its NCO Corps?. Can anyone shed any light on this?

I too am glad the forum is back.
Cheers

[Luke]

Since 2004 there exists a category of ''Avdelningsbefal'', which ar officers not trained at the military academy. They do not, however, form a separate corps, have the ranks of sergeant-2lt-1lt and messes with the career officers.

When Norway sends people to joint NATO hq's, temporary appointments as OR-6 to OR-9 can also take place, and the Norwegian uniform regulations have established rank insignia for those appointments.

[Luke]

OR-9 TO OR-6

On the net, these rank insigna have attached rank titles, but I do believe that this has no factual ground in the Norwegian uniform regulations.

[Herrwiggly]

Thanks Luke for tour reply, but I,m unclear as to the existance of the nco ranks.
Do they intend to re-establish them on a permanent basis?
Without a permanent nco structure I cant see a career path for enlisted personnel.
cheers

[Luke]

(1) Official Norwegian policy is that they are not going to be re-established on a permanet basis.

(2) Enlisted personnel - vervede - can normally only reach OR-4.

(3) Avdelingsbefal in OR-5 and OF-1 are NCO equivalents.

/Luke

[Luke2]

A Norwegian government committee has proposed the creation of a NCO-corps in the Norwegian Defence Forces. The proposal is now the subject of hearings, and the government expect to introduce a bill in the Storting before summer.

There will be a class of Offiserer (OF1-9), Befal (OR5-9), and Grenaderer/Matroser (professional Soldiers in OR1-4).

Norway is not abolishing the draft however. It has recently extended the national service to women, and is discussing its extension to 18 months

[Luke2]

Norwegian Army OR-9

Sersjantmajor.png (8.41 KiB) Viewed 6121 times

New army OR rank insignia in Norwegian Wikipedia:
https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milit%C3% ... er_i_Norge




Proposed new rank insignia for Norwegian navy OR:

http://www.google.se/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=& ... 3015,d.bGQ

page 82-83 in the PDF

[Luke2]

Pilot Project Navy OR

According to Norwegian wikipedia (no source), the above rank insignia was rejected after trials. Supposedly a system with chevrons will be introduced instead.

https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milit%C3% ... 8OR.29_1-9

[Luke2]

OR-9 Royal Norwegian Navy

Official Norwegian site with new rank NCO insignia:

https://forsvaret.no/aktuelt/ny-militaerordning#2

Some of the insignia are substantially different than the previews we have seen on Wikipedia.

[Luke2]

Official Norwegian rank chart: http://forsvaret.no/fakta_/ForsvaretDoc ... svaret.pdf

See also Norwegian wikipedia: https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milit%C3% ... er_i_Norge