Length of Service for German NCOs

[Golden Diamonds]

How many years could a German NCO serve in the Army before he had to retire?

[Glenn2438]

It is fairly difficult to pin down the exact regulations but the impression I have from reading Absolon's Wehrmacht im Dritten Reich is that NCOs in the Imperial armies re-engaged at one and two year intervals up to the 12 year point and following that could remain in service as desired for an undetermined period until retired or discharged due to health or disciplinary reasons.

Certainly one sees quite senior in years Fedwebeln, Musikmeister and other specialist non commissioned officers at this period.

An order of 31 August 1919 directed that with certain exceptions NCOs who had passed the 12 year point were discharged with effect 31 October 1919.

Glenn

[Golden Diamonds]

Thank you for the information. It would explain why the various German states like Prussia, Saxony, and Bavaria had a 15 Year Long Service Cross for the NCOs; however, I am little surprise that they did not give a 20 and/or 25 year service cross to the NCOs since you pointed out that they can stay in the service as long as they like until they decided to retired or be discharged for various reasons.

Regarding the age of the NCOs, you can say that about the British and American officers of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Even the 20th and early 21st centuries, the American armed forces have some general officers in their 50s and 60s which means that they have between 35 to 45 years of service. Bernard Rogers (45 years), William Westmoreland (36 years) and William Ward (41 years), and David Howell Petraeus (37 years)

[Golden Diamonds]

"Certainly one sees quite senior in years Fedwebeln, Musikmeister and other specialist non commissioned officers at this period."

You can also say that about American NCOs in the 18th and 19th century US Army because until 1885, there was no military pension system for enlisted and NCOs so they stay in until they died or discharge unable to do their jobs physically because of age, illness, wounds suffered in combat, loss of various parts of the human body due to combat, etc. The only way you could get any kind of pension was having to fight in one of America's 18th or 19th century wars (various Indian Wars, Civil War, War of 1812, etc.) and you were physically disabled from participating in those wars.

[Ken S.]

If you read German there are a couple of substantive tomes that deal with the Unteroffizier.