This is a list of military ranks used by the Serbian Armed Forces. Although a landlocked country, Serbia maintains a river flotilla (small river navy) of about 31 vessels on the Danube river.
Current ranks
Commissioned officers
The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the army, River Flotilla and air force respectively.
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Enlisted
The rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the army, River Flotilla and air force respectively.
| Equivalent NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Serbian Army | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer 1st class (Заставник I класе) | Warrant officer (Заставник) | Senior sergeant 1st class (Старији Водник I класе) | Senior Sergeant (Старији Водник) | Sergeant (Водник) | Corporal (Млађи водник) | Lance Corporal (Десетар) | Private first class (Разводник) | Private (Војник)
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 Serbian River Flotilla | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ensign, 1st class (Заставник I класе) | Ensign (Заставник) | Senior chief petty officer (Старији Водник I класе) | Chief petty officer (Старији Водник) | Petty officer (Водник) | Master seaman (Млађи водник) | Leading seaman (Десетар) | Able seaman (Разводник) | Seaman recruit (Војник)
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 Serbian Air Force and Air Defence | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer 1st class (Заставник I класе) | Warrant officer (Заставник) | Senior sergeant 1st class (Старији Водник I класе) | Senior Sergeant (Старији Водник) | Sergeant (Водник) | Corporal (Млађи водник) | Senior airman (Десетар) | Airman first class (Разводник) | Airman basic (Војник) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equivalent NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Historical ranks
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Generals
There were only three ranks in pre-World War I Serbia: General (from 1872), Army General (from 1900 to 1901) and Vojvoda (from 1901). Four ranks were introduced in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in 1923, and lasted until 1945. There were only two types of shoulder cords: with double-headed eagle and coat of arms of Kingdom of SHS or Kingdom of Yugoslavia for Vojvoda and without for all other General ranks. The different general grades were indicated by 6-pointed stars on the cuffs. Also the backing cloth for the shoulder cords was light blue for army general (was honorary rank in the period from 1900–1901) and divisional generals and in a colour of service for brigadier general. During the Middle Ages, the Vojvoda was a military commander rank and a noble titule. In the Balkan Wars and World War I this title was used to designate the highest military rank in Serbian Army and later Royal Yugoslav Army (above the General - as equalent of Field Marshal in other armies). This rank was introduced by the law on the Organization of the Army Kingdom of Serbia in 1901. It has been awarded only during the war for: special merits of top generals. The first Vojvoda was promoted by the Great military decree of the Kingdom of Serbia on 20 October 1912. Only four people ever officially held that military rank: Radomir Putnik (got it in 1912), Stepa Stepanović (1914), Živojin Mišić (1914) and Petar Bojović (1918). Honorary title but not military rank held only French General Louis Franchet d'Espérey (1921). After unification of the Kingdom of Serbia into Kingdom SHS (later Kingdom Yugoslavia), no further officers were promoted to rank of Vojvoda. King of Yugoslavia held the rank of Supreme Commander and wear special Vojvoda uniform.
Ranks for SHS and Yugoslavia
Flag officer ranks
| Ranks | Vojvoda | Army general | Divisional General | Brigadier General |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epaulette | ) | ) | ) | ) |
| Rank flag | ){kind=icon} | ) | ) | ) |
| Ranks in Serbian | Војвода Vojvoda | Армијски ђенерал Armijski đeneral | Дивизијски ђенерал Divizijski đeneral | Бригадни ђенерал Brigadni đeneral |
Officers
| Ranks | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain, 1st class | Captain, 2nd class | Lieutenant | Sub-Lieutenant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epaulette | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) |
| Ranks in Serbian | Пуковник Pukovnik | Потпуковник Potpukovnik | Мајор Major | Капетан I класе Kapetan I klase | Капетан II класе Kapetan II klase | Поручник Poručnik | Потпоручник Potporučnik |
Soldiers and NCOs
| Ranks | Sergeant-Major, 1st class | Sergeant-Major, 2nd class | Sergeant-Major, 3rd class | Sergeant | Junior Sergeant | Corporal | Private |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epaulette | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) | ) |
| Ranks in Serbian | Наредник-Водник I класе Narednik-Vodnik I klase | Наредник-Водник II класе Narednik-Vodnik II klase | Наредник-Водник III класе Narednik-Vodnik III klase | Наредник Narednik | Поднаредник Podnarednik | Каплар Kaplar | Редов Redov |