Praporshchik

Praporshchik ( _ru. пра́порщик, pronounced|ˈprapərɕɪk) was originally a name of a junior officer position in the military of the Russian Empire equivalent to ensign. The rank was abolished 1917 by Bolsheviks (but still existed in 1917 - 1921 in the White Army) and restored in 1970s in the former USSR for non-commissioned officers and was equivalent to warrant officer rank (Stabsfeldwebel in German-speaking countries, aspirant in francophone countries, sub-officer or subaltern in other countries).

It was first introduced in Strelets New Regiments. The name originates from Slavonic "prapor" (прапор), meaning flag; the praporshchik was a flag-bearer in Kievan Rus troops. In the New Regiments of the Streltsy and the "new army" of Peter the Great, praporshchik was ranked as commissioned officer of the lowest grade; this was legalised by the Table of Ranks of 1722. By 1800s the rank was given to senior non-commissioned officers of the Russian army upon their retirement and also reserve/volunteer officers with no previous service; commissioned officers started service with Sub-Poruchik.

Confusingly, podpraporshchik (Sub-Praporshchik) was one of the non-commissioned ranks, originally below the Sergeant and Feldwebel but since 1826 it became the highest non-commissioned rank of the infantry, cavalry and the Leib Guard. In 1884, the podpraporshchik rank was renamed зауряд-прапорщик (Ordinary Praporshchik).

In the Soviet Army, the reintroduction of Praporshchik rank in 1972, along with Midshipman rank in the Soviet Navy, marked the attempt to recreate a corps of contract non-commissioned officers similar to Master Sergeants and Chief Petty Officers, the role that was previously reserved to senior drafted personnel. Contrary to Western practice of assigning the senior Sergeant ranks to veteran soldiers, the Soviet ranks of Starshina and Sergeant were routinely assigned to 20 year old soldiers at the end of their 2-year draft. The Praporshchiks were aged volunteers and were expected to have more authority over draftsmen than similarly aged Sergeants; they are placed in a separate category of "Master non-commissioned officers" (Praporshchiks and Midshipmen).

The Praporshchik rank continues to be used in the Russian Army and armies of ex-USSR states.

ee also

*History of Russian military ranks