Military ranks of Socialist Yugoslavia

The Military ranks of Socialist Yugoslavia are the military insignia used by the Yugoslav People's Army.

Ranks (1945–1946)

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Yugoslav Army[1]
	Maršal Jugoslavije[a]				General-pukovnik		General-lajtant		General-major		Pukovnik		Potpukovnik		Major		Kapetan		Poručnik		Potporučnik		Zastavnik
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Yugoslav Army[1]																															No insignia
													Stariji vodnik				Vodnik						Mlađi vodnik		Desetar						Borac
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

Ranks (1946–1955)

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Yugoslav Ground Forces
	Maršal Jugoslavije[a]		General armije		General-pukovnik		General-potpukovnik		General-major		Pukovnik		Potpukovnik		Major		Kapetan prve klase	Kapetan	Poručnik			Potporučnik
Yugoslav Navy
	Maršal Jugoslavije[a]		Admiral flote		Admiral		Viceadmiral		Kontraadmiral		Kapetan bojnog broda		Kapetan Fregate		Kapetan korvete		Poručnik bojnog broda	Poručnik fregate	Poručnik korvete			Potporučnik
Yugoslav Air Force
	Maršal Jugoslavije[a]				General-pukovnik		General-potpukovnik		General-major		Pukovnik		Potpukovnik		Major		Kapetan prve klase	Kapetan	Poručnik			Potporučnik
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Yugoslav Ground Forces																																			No insignia
									Stariji vodnik		Vodnik 1. klase						Vodnik						Mlađi vodnik				Desetar		Razvodnik						Vojnik
Yugoslav Navy																																			No insignia
									Stariji vodnik		Vodnik 1. klase						Vodnik						Mlađi vodnik				Desetar		Razvodnik						Mornar
Yugoslav Air Force																																			No insignia
									Stariji vodnik		Vodnik 1. klase						Vodnik						Mlađi vodnik				Desetar		Razvodnik						Vojnik
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

Ranks (1955–1982)

This table shows the rank structure in use by Yugoslav People's Army from 1955 to 1982.^[2]

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Yugoslav Ground Forces[3]
	Maršal Jugoslavije[a]	General[b]	General armije		General-pukovnik		General-potpukovnik		General-major		Pukovnik		Potpukovnik		Major		Kapetan prve klase	Kapetan	Poručnik			Potporučnik
Yugoslav Navy
	Maršal Jugoslavije[a]		Admiral flote		Admiral		Viceadmiral		Kontraadmiral		Kapetan bojnog broda		Kapetan Fregate		Kapetan korvete		Poručnik bojnog broda	Poručnik fregate	Poručnik korvete			Potporučnik
Yugoslav Air Force
	Maršal Jugoslavije[a]		General armije		General-pukovnik		General-potpukovnik		General-major		Pukovnik		Potpukovnik		Major		Kapetan prve klase	Kapetan	Poručnik			Potporučnik
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.^[4]

Rank group	NCOs						Enlisted
Yugoslav Ground Forces[3]
	Zastavnik I klase	Zastavnik	Stariji vodnik I klase	Stariji vodnik	Vodnik I klase	Vodnik	Mlađi vodnik	Desetar	Razvodnik	Vojnik
Yugoslav Navy
	Zastavnik I klase	Zastavnik	Stariji vodnik I klase	Stariji vodnik	Vodnik I klase	Vodnik	Mlađi vodnik	Desetar	Razvodnik	Mornar
Yugoslav Air Force
	Zastavnik I klase	Zastavnik	Stariji vodnik I klase	Stariji vodnik	Vodnik I klase	Vodnik	Mlađi vodnik	Desetar	Razvodnik	Vojnik
Rank group	NCOs						Enlisted

Ranks (1982–1992)

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Yugoslav Ground Forces[5][6]
			Генерал армије General armije		Генерал-пуковник General-pukovnik		Генерал-потпуковник General-potpukovnik		Генерал-мајор General-major		Пуковник Pukovnik		Потпуковник Potpukovnik		Мајор Major		Капетан прве класе Kapetan 1. klase	Капетан Kapetan	Поручник Poručnik			Потпоручник Potporučnik
Yugoslav Navy[5][6]
			Адмирал флоте Admiral flote		Адмирал Admiral		Вицеадмирал Vitseadmiral		Контраадмирал Kontraadmiral		Капетан бојног брода Kapetan bojnog broda		Капетан фрегате Kapetan fregate		Капетан корвете Kapetan korvete		Поручник бојног брода Poručnik bojnog broda	Поручник фрегате Poručnik fregate	Поручник корвете Poručnik korvete			Потпоручник Potporučnik
Yugoslav Air Force[5][6]
			Генерал армије General armije		Генерал-пуковник авијације General-pukovnik		Генерал-потпуковник авијације General-potpukovnik		Генерал-мајор авијације General-major		Пуковник Pukovnik		Потпуковник Potpukovnik		Мајор Major		Капетан прве класе Kapetan 1. klase	Капетан Kapetan	Поручник Poručnik			Потпоручник Potporučnik
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	NCOs						Enlisted
Yugoslav Ground Forces[5][6]
	Zastavnik I klase	Zastavnik	Stariji vodnik I klase	Stariji vodnik	Vodnik I klase	Vodnik	Mlađi vodnik	Desetar	Razvodnik	Vojnik
Yugoslav Navy[6]
	Zastavnik I klase	Zastavnik	Stariji vodnik I klase	Stariji vodnik	Vodnik I klase	Vodnik	Mlađi vodnik	Desetar	Razvodnik	Mornar
Yugoslav Air Force[6]
	Zastavnik I klase	Zastavnik	Stariji vodnik I klase	Stariji vodnik	Vodnik I klase	Vodnik	Mlađi vodnik	Desetar	Razvodnik	Vojnik
Rank group	NCOs						Enlisted

See also

• Military ranks of Serbia and Montenegro
• Military ranks of Serbia
• Croatian military ranks
• Military ranks and insignia of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Notes

1. Marshal of Yugoslavia was an honorary title of the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces and not a military rank. The first and the only one was given to Josip Broz Tito, who (beside the title of Maršal and Supreme Commander), also held the lifelong function of the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the leader of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia.
2. General was highest military rank for deputy supreme commander. Established 1955 and Abolished 1974. Ivan Gošnjak, while serving as a defence minister and deputy supreme commander of SFRY, was considered for promotion to this rank. No officers were promoted to this rank.

References

1. Thomas & Abbott 1983, p. 26.
2. Army Lexicon. Belgrade: Military Publishing Institute of the Yugoslav People's Army. 1981. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
3. Landser 1975, pp. 61–62.
4. "Army Ranks 1946 - 1982". Kokosar. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
5. Soper 1992, p. 264.
6. Military Publishing and Newspaper Center 1989, pp. 175–190.

• Soper, Karl Wheele (1992). "National Security". In Curtis, Glenn E. (ed.). Yugoslavia: a country study. Area Handbook (3rd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. LCCN 91040323. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
• Thomas, Nigel; Abbott, Peter (1983). Windrow, Martin (ed.). Partisan Warfare 1941-45. Men-at-Arms. Hong Kong: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0-85045-513-8.
• "Die jugoslawische Armee" [The Yugoslav Army]. Der Landser (in German). Hamburg: Erich Pabel Verlag. December 1975.
• Pravilo О Vojnim Uniformama Oruzanih Snaga SFRJ (in Serbian). Beograd: Military Publishing and Newspaper Center. 1989. pp. 175–190. Retrieved 15 July 2024.

External links

• "Yugoslavia 1943–1992 (Socialist Federal Republic)". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 19 October 2021.