The ranks and insignia of Royal Danish Army follows the NATO system of ranks and insignia, as does the rest of the Danish Defence. The ranks are based around German and French military terms.
The current insignia for the Royal Danish Army was introduced along with the introduction of the MultiCam uniform. This sand coloured insignia replaced the older standard green slip-on and all other special slip-ons.
The officers can be split into two groups: the leadership level (OF-9âÂÂOF-4) and the management level (OF-3âÂÂOF-1).
The highest rank is General which is reserved for the Monarch and Chief of Defence (only when this seat is occupied by an army/air force officer). Lieutenant general is reserved for the Chief of the Defense Staff and the Chief of Acquisition, previously the Chief of the Royal Danish Army, which is now a Major general. Other major generals include Commander, Joint Arctic Command, Commander, Special Operations Command and Chief of Defence Estate Agency. Brigade general is usually the chief of a brigade as well as keepers of high-office positions.
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
In 1801, new uniforms were introduced for the whole army. Along with the new uniforms, epaulette ranks were introduced for officers. Following the defeat in the English Wars in 1812, Denmark was on the brink of financial bankruptcy, resulting in drastic reductions in the military. Therefore, only generals were allowed to wear epaulettes, with other ranks reverting to cuff insignia. In 1822, epaulettes were introduced to all ranks.
From 1789 up to 1812, ncos were typically told apart from rank & file by a short epaulette, worn on the right shoulder, and by gold lace on their hats. Most of them also carried a cane, and up to 1805, a polearm. Sergeants were typically told apart by wearing metallic lace edging on their shoulder straps.
During the 1801 - 1803 period, lance-corporals of most branches of the army but the line infantry adopted lighter distinctions, such as silver cords on their hats, sword knots, metallic shoulder straps, NCO belt buckles (in the cavalry) and prickers (in the light infantry).
In 1806, corporals were allowed to wear short epaulettes on both shoulders, in those corps where lance-corporals wore a single epaulette themselves.
Around 1808, the sergeant's epaulette became much wider, and they were also allowed to wear double cords on their new shakos.
As of 1806, the sergeant-major was told apart by a metallic sword knot and tassel. However, the ranks of "commandeer-sergeant" and "sergeant" were pretty much the same in most branches of the army during this time period, with the exception of the artillery. There was typically a single sergeant or commandeer-sergeant per company, both paid at the same rate. The distinction was typically in the company itself. While grenadier and centre companies had sergeants, light and rifle companies had sergeant-majors.
In 1812, with the adoption of cuff insignia, standardized distinctions were finally introduced. Lance-corporals were allowed to wear a single chevron and a yellow and red sword knot, corporals were allowed 2 and the same sword knot, sergeants were allowed 3 and had silver thread mixed into the sword knot. Additional grades were told apart by a rosette, worn in the middle of the cuff. These distinctions were sewn on the cuffs themselves, not right above them like those of field officers.
In 1962, the ranks of first and second class were introduced, in part to increase the attachement to the military.
In 1922, a new reform of the Army was adopted. Here (Sub-officers of the line) were replaced with .