Oberbootsmann

Oberbootsmann (OBtsm or in lists OB) designates in the German Navy of the Bundeswehr a military person or member of the armed forces. It belongs to the particular rank group Senior NCOs with port epée.

According to the salary class it is equivalent to the Oberfeldwebel of Heer or Luftwaffe. It is grouped as OR6 in NATO, equivalent to First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, or Senior Chief Petty Officer in the US Armed forces, and to Warrant Officer Class 2 in the British Army and Royal Navy.

In navy context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Oberbootsmann also informally / short  Oberbootsmann.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group is as follows:

Unteroffiziere mit Portepee
 * OR-9: Oberstabsbootsmann / Oberstabsfeldwebel
 * OR-8: Stabsbootsmann / Stabsfeldwebel
 * OR-7: Hauptbootsmann and Oberfähnrich zur See/ and Hauptfeldwebel and Oberfähnrich
 * OR-6a: Oberbootsmann / Oberfeldwebel
 * OR-6b: Bootsmann and Fähnrich zur See/ Feldwebel and Fähnrich

Equivalent in other NATO countries

 * Flag of Belgium.svg – Premier-maître chef/ Eerste meester
 * Flag of Canada.svg – Chief petty officer 2nd class/ Premier maître de 2e classe
 * Flag of Croatia.svg – Stožerni narednik
 * Flag of Denmark.svg – Seniorsergent
 * Flag of France.svg – Premier maître
 * Flag of Greece.svg – Επικελευστής/ Epikelefstis
 * Flag of Iceland.svg – Petty officer/specialist (after 6 years service)
 * Flag of Italy.svg – secondo capo scelto
 * Flag of Netherlands.svg – Sergeant-majoor
 * Flag of Norway.svg – no equivalent
 * Flag of Poland.svg – Młodszy chorąży marynarki
 * Flag of Portugal.svg – Sargento-ajudante
 * Flag of Spain.svg – Sargento primero
 * Flag of the United Kingdom.svg – Chief Petty Officer/ Colour Sergeant
 * Flag of the United States.svg – Chief Petty Officer/ Gunnery Sergeant

Bootsmann Oberbootsmann Hauptbootsmann Oberfähnrich zur See
 * width="30%" align="center" rowspan="2" style="background:#cfcfcf;" |junior Rank
 * width="30%" align="center" rowspan="2" style="background:#cfcfcf;" |junior Rank
 * width="40%" align="center" rowspan="2" style="background:#bfbfbf;" | Bundeswehr Logo Marine with lettering.svg
 * width="30%" align="center" rowspan="1" style="background:#afafaf;" |senior Rank