Vääpeli


Vääpeli is a Finnish and former Swedish Non-commissioned officer military rank above Ylikersantti and below Ylivääpeli. The rank is derived from the German rank Feldwebel and was used as a rank in the Landsknecht for the one who was responsible for aligning troops during battle.
Vääpelis were trained at the Maanpuolustusopisto, a military junior college, and were usually salaried staff NCOs, as opposed to conscripts or officers.

Yksikön vääpeli

Vääpeli may also refer to a position - rather than a rank - of yksikön vääpeli, commonly komppanian vääpeli or patterin vääpeli, which is a position similar to First Sergeant in the US Armed Forces or company sergeant major of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces with the exception that in the Finnish Defence Force this position may be held by either a commissioned or a non-commissioned officer while in the US, UK and Commonwealth militaries the equivalent position is always held by an NCO.
In the chain of command of a company the yksikön vääpeli is second only to the company commander and therefore may be in command of technically higher-ranking officers. Usually the position is held by a lieutenant or an yliluutnantti, but it is not unheard of for it to be held by a sergeant.
The tern yksikköupseeri, although officially discontinued since July 2009, may regardless unofficially be used of the position. In the artillery, the equivalent was patteriupseeri which continues to be unofficially used in a similar fashion.