Sotilasmestari


Sotilasmestari is a Finnish military rank above Ylivääpeli and below Vänrikki.

History and related ranks

The rank derives from the erikoismestari rank that was originally available only in some branches of service. Early in the history of independent Finland's armed forces, graduates of the professional NCO school were promoted to vääpeli upon graduation, but could not be promoted further, which led to frustration among outstandingly competent NCOs. Because of this, the erikoismestari rank was made available to all branches, and renamed sotilasmestari. Furthermore, the rank of ylivääpeli was also introduced. A Finnish speciality was that sotilasmestari was ranked higher in Finnish army than vänrikki in peace time. That was because sotilasmestari was a professional soldier with decades of experience, but vänrikki was a young reservist or a fresh graduate of the Cadet School. In wartime, the tables turned and vänrikki rank was higher than sotilasmestari.
In a 1993 reform, the professional NCO school was "upgraded" such that graduates received the rank of vänrikki upon graduation, and the intermediate ranks were no longer actively awarded. The old NCOs with these ranks in active service were automatically promoted to officers overnight in August 1994. The rank of sotilasmestari remained active until the last NCOs with the rank retired, or were promoted to luutnantti.
The professional NCO corps was founded again in 2007, and these ranks were reactivated. Only the old Finnish speciality that sotilasmestari was senior to vänrikki in peacetime was abolished.