Military ranks of Serbia


This is a list of military ranks used by the Serbian Armed Forces. Although a landlocked country, Serbia maintains a river flotilla of about 15 vessels on the Danube river.

Current ranks

Commissioned officers

The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the army, River Flotilla and air force respectively.

Enlisted

The rank insignia for enlisted personnel for the army, River Flotilla and air force respectively.

Historical ranks

Generals

There were only three ranks in pre-World War I Serbia: General, Army General and Vojvoda. 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 doubleheaded 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 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. 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, Stepa Stepanović, Živojin Mišić and Petar Bojović. Honorary title but not military rank held only French General Louis Franchet d'Espérey. After unification of Kingdom of Serbia in to Kingdom SHS no further officers where 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

Officers

Soldiers and NCOs