Kapitan (rank)



Kapitan is used manifold as rank, grade, or rank designation in the Army, Air Force or Navy of numerous countries and armed forces. In member countries of NATO-alliance Kapitan is a commissioned officer rank, rated OF-2 in line to the NATO officers rank system. The almost equivalent OF-2 officer, e.g. in the US Army, is the Captain rank.

Historical roots

Kapitan was used first in the middle age in France in order to designate leaders of the military districts or regions. In the second half of the 16th century it came in use to specify commanding officers of company sized units. In 19th century it became gradually a military rank, and was used in combination with other noun, e.g. Stabs-kapitan Kapitan-leytenant. The rank designation Kapitan contains a common syllable and historical roots in a number of European countries at the one hand. Slight national variations of spelling are for the sake of the historical and heraldic tradition, at the other hand.

Different countries

Russia

In Russia, the military rank Kapitan was introduced in the XVI century to foreign officers, appointed to commander of company sized units. In the XVII – XVII century this rank became open to all company commanders, serving in the regular army. In the cavalierly the equivalent to Kapitan was Rotmister, and in the Cossacks corps it was Yesaul.
In the Russian Army and in the so-called White Army braid shoulder boards with one central stripe have been worn. As the Major-rank was abolished in May 1884, the Kapitan-rank was upgraded to level VIII in the rank table. However, the Guards kapitan became equivalent to generic Podpolkovnik in the Army.
In the civil administration Kapitan of the infantry was equivalent to the Council assessor from 1884, and Titular adviser until 1884.
lower rank:
Shtabs-kapitan



Kapitan
higher rank:
Major

Some examples of rank insignia, used by RIA IRA, are shown below:

Soviet Union and Russian Federation

In the armed forces of the Soviet Union the Kapitan´s rank was introduced by disposal of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union and the Council of People's Commissars, from September 22, 1935. It was equivalent to the rank Kapitan-leytenant of the Navy.
If military personnel serves in a guards formation, or on a guards war ship, to the rank designation will be placed in front the noun guards. Civil – or military personnel with a specific defined level of expertise or knowledge in medical or judicial professions, to the military rank will be added the noun "legal or the wording "medical service". Further adding to the military rank designation might be "retired" or "on retirement".
Personnel serving in the executive of the Russian Federation might be specified by rank designation as follows.
lower rank:
Starshy leytenant



Kapitan
higher rank:
Major

Rank insignia

Some examples of rank insignia, used by Russia and the USSR, are shown below:

Variants in different countries