Stabsfeldwebel

Stabsfeldwebel (StFw or SF; lit. 'Staff field usher') is the second highest Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank in German Army and German Air Force. It is grouped as OR-8 in NATO, equivalent to a First Sergeant in the United States Army, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army. Promotion to the rank requires at least twelve years total active duty, of which at least eleven years have elapsed since promotion to unteroffizier, with at least ten years since promotion to stabsunteroffizier, and nine years since promotion to feldwebel. In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Stabsfeldwebel also informally / short Staber.