Rank/Position

OHL - 

Head Quarters

Appointed

Appointed

Appointed

Appointed

Appointed

Appointed

Appointed

Officers

Officer careers usually start as enlisted men. At some point during their first year of service, they are identified by senior officers as candidates. After successfully completing special training they are promoted to Fähnrich.   Another officer training program needs to be completed to be promoted.  Following at least one year of service and experience with the Jasta, they may be promoted to Leutnant. Further promotions usually occur after 18 and 24 months more or less, depending upon service record. 

Specialist officers. Instead of being promoted to the rank of major, specialist officers are usually promoted to the rank of Stabshauptmann and given the salary of a major. The badge of rank is four silver stars.  Generally officers having served  in HQ receive this rank.

Translated as "main man", this rank is generally considered to be equivalent to a captain when it is used as an officer's rank.  Generally bestowed upon only the most capable leaders of the unit.

A rank of the German military which dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after at least two years of service to the unit.

The lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. Generally earned following at least one year of service to the Jasta.

Officer Candidates

How a pilot becomes an officer:

loyalty,  leadership, service & skill.

A Fähnrich is a soldier who served in the ranks, first as a junior NCO then in subsequent grades equivalent to Unterfeldwebel, Feldwebel, and Hauptfeldwebel. The end goal is to create an officer out of the Fähnrich.

Promotion into the officer ranks above generally will only occur after 12-18 months and adequate demonstrated service to the unit.

Candidates who are not interested in the responsibilities and service that are required to become an officer are generally promoted into these ranks. 

(officer candidate) is a German and Austrian military rank in armed forces which has no direct comparison in the English speaking world (though the French Army has a similar position called an Aspirant).

Non

Commissioned

Officers

 (Unteroffiziere) play an important role in the unit  as they are entrusted the command of kettes. Especially Feldwebel and above carry similar responsibilities to those that officers have - to lead through service to the Jasta.

 In the German military, the appointment of Hauptfeldwebel was the German equivalent of a Commonwealth Company Sergeant Major or American Company First Sergeant. Duties are largely administrative. He was the senior NCO of his subunit, and had many nicknames including 'der Spiess' ("the Spear") and 'die Mutter der Kompanie' ("company mother").

gained its widest usage under the German military beginning from the early 19th century. The highest ranking NCO, the Feldwebel acted as Company Sergeant Major or Regimental Sergeant Major.

Translated literally as “Under Officer”, this is perhaps misleading as an Unteroffizier is in actuality a junior enlisted rank. The rank of Unteroffizier was first created to "bridge the gap" between career professional soldiers and enlisted conscripts. 

Earned following successful completion of advanced training.

Prussian Pilots Badge (PPB) Earned

Enlisted Personnel

Enlisted personnel is largely made up of conscripts serving their nine months of mandatory service. 

The most important distinction between NCOs and enlisted men is that the latter cannot give orders to lower-ranked soldiers unless under very specific circumstances (e.g. while on guard duty).

Gefreiter is the German equivalent for Private in the armed services. Gefreiter was the lowest rank to which an ordinary soldier could be promoted. Soldiers holding the rank of Gefreiter or Obergefreiter were equal in status only to private soldiers; they had no powers of command or authority, and the rank represented little more than a pay raise. They were not non-commissioned officers (in German, Unteroffiziere mit Portepee (Senior NCO) or Unteroffiziere ohne Portepee (Junior NCO).

Gefreiter are called upon to begin contributing to missions in campaigns, usually in the capacity of ground command and control or as reserve pilots.  Upon finishing their Advanced Flight Training, Gefreiters have priority in being assigned to fly missions during campaign offensives. 

Prussian Observers Badge (POB) Earned

Flieger (Flg.) - 

are primarily in a learning capacity, adapting to the requirements of the military profession, acquiring knowledge of Jasta 5 customs, courtesies, and standards, as well as striving to attain technical proficiency. Flieger's operate at the tactical level. 

Flieger receive their first real promotion to Gefreiter with their commander's recommendation following successful completion of Pilot School.

Flieger do not bear any uniform rank insignia, which would normally be worn on the sleeves, which accounts for the nickname of "slick sleeve".

However, Flieger do have the privilege and are expected to fly "in uniform" by using the designation J5 in front of their names while flying in servers.  e.g. J5_Voss.

 Induction, Ground & Basic Flight School Certification Completed

are hopeful pilots to be who have recently applied to fly at the Western Front with  Jasta 5.  

Recruits go through their "Induction" - getting their game installed, getting communications set up and making sure that they have all the basic tools necessary to begin their training and otherwise be an  active member of the Jagdstaffel.

Recruits are expected to fly with the designation of "Recruit" when flying  in servers.  e.g. J5_Recruit.

Recruits are given the designation of Flieger upon completion of the Jasta 5 induction process.

Staffelführer 

The Staffelführer is the head of the Jagdstaffel. He is responsible for all administrative work of the squadron.  The Rittm. typically maintains the website, gives out weekly mission assignments, plans the future of the Jasta, corresponds and coordinates with other Jasta Commands and organizes online wars with other Jastas teams.  He will organize all things you may not even notice, unless they aren't done.  Because of these "macro management" responsibilities, the Staffelführer  will basically try to avoid involvement with any day-to-day affairs.  Instead, subordinate officers are tasked with "micro management" details of day to day affairs.  Working alongside the Staffelführer  is the Jastakommandanten.

Hauptmann 

These are the more senior officers of the Jagdstaffel.  Typically members of the Jastakommandanten, they are the leaders of the Jasta and advisors to the Staffelführer . They keep most of the work away from the Staffelführer  that has to do with promotions, discipline, transfers, and so on. They are also important for the long-term future of the Jasta, as the Staffelführer  usually calls a meeting of the Jastakommandanten before any important decision.  

There are several special positions normally held by pilots at this level within the Jagdstaffel.

• "Adjutant" - Executive Officer (XO) - This officer is responsible for directly assisting the Staffelführer  in all administrative duties.  The Adjutant acts on behalf of the Staffelführer  when the Staffelführer  is absent or otherwise unavailable, and is therefore second in command.

• "Communications Adjunct" - This position is responsible for maintaining the communications server of the unit.

• "Lobprotokollführer " (LPO) - This position is responsible for pilot  records, recognition and awards.

• "Oberstabsingenieur" (OPO)  This position is responsible for implementing initiatives and coordinating the efforts of the stabsingenieurs consistent with those initiatives along the line of efficiency, effectiveness assisting unit command with the areas of operations including strategy and tactical planning during organized events. 

• "Stabsingenieur"  These positions are responsible for the maintenance of the Jasta 5 servers used for training and works closely with the Anwerbungsoffizier (RO) and Ausbilder.

• "Anwerbungsoffizier" (RO) also known as the Recruiting Officer. This person is responsible for executing the recruiting and retention initiatives of the organization. Works closely with Ausbilders.

• "Ausbilder" train new pilots for at least one month before they recommend the new pilots for active duty in the Jasta. The importance of the Ausbilder can not be stressed too far, as they ensure the future of the Jasta as an effective fighting force.

Oberleutnant 

These officers assist their superior Hauptmann as directed and may have several Leutnants to help them accomplish this work.  While serving in this position, an officer proves whether or not they are suitable for service in the Jastakommandanten, who function as advisors to the unit Commander and participate in most decision making.

Leutnant 

Pilots reaching the rank of Leutnant, have a command position with high responsibility.  In addition to assisting higher ranking officers as requested, they are more directly tasked with keeping pilots content and trained. Decisions regarding promotions, discipline and transfers are mainly made here, and sent up to the Oberstleutnant for approval. Although already a position with some organizational duties, the Leutnant should not lose contact with members of his Staffel.  Rather their job is to stay in direct contact with them, with the assistance of their Fähnrich.

Feldwebel

You can only earn your rank of Leutnant after several months of high activity and involvement while this rank.  While serving in this position you can be sure that officers are evaluating your skills and abilities to possibly take over a "Gruppe Leader" command position (Leutnant rank and higher), when one becomes available or is created.

Fähnrich

The pilot rank of "Fähnrich" is not bound to a command position. It is the highest rank you can achieve if you are not able to take the future responsibility of  an officers command position, or do not have enough time to do so... or if insufficient officer candidate positions are available.  

Flieger 

Recruits who are beginning their careers as a pilot in the German Air Service (GAS) begin here. If you have succeed in completing your induction and basic training certification you will earn your Prussian Observers Badge and be transferred to the active duty roster with the Flieger designation.

While progressing through these early ranks, you are still in training, under command of your Ausbilder and all other Officers.  You will become acquainted with protocols within Jasta 5 and the online simulation communities along with reporting procedures, not to mention mastering basic flying maneuvers and tactical awareness and skill.

As you see, ranks and command positions are earned by showing interest and activity.  Medals and decorations have more objective regulations set up. Every commendation, badge, medal and order which is earned while in Jasta 5 will be entered into your dossier and displayed on the Jasta 5 website for all other Jasta pilots and visiting guests to see.  Even if you are otherwise not very active in the Jasta, your results in flying will influence your achievement of medals and recognition.