Michman

Michman (Russian: мичман, IPA: [ˈmʲit͡ɕmən], lit. 'midshipman') is a rank used by the Russian Navy and a number of former communist states. The rank is a non-commissioned officer's and is equivalent to praporshchik in armies and air forces. Within NATO forces, the rank is rated as OR-8 and is equivalent to Warrant officer class 2 or Senior chief petty officer in English speaking navies.^[1]

Russia

Michman мичман
Michman since 2010
Country	Russia
Service branch	Russian Navy
Formation	1716 (Historic) 1940
Abolished	1917
Next higher rank	Starshy michman
Next lower rank	Glavny starshina of the ship
Equivalent ranks	Praporshchik

While the rank michman is etymologically borrowed from the English rank midshipman, michman is a very senior and experienced enlisted rank, equivalent to a master chief petty officer or warrant officer, while midshipman is a cadet in training or a very junior officer rank, which, being an officer, is technically higher in rank than any enlisted rank, despite a midshipman's very junior status.

Imperial Russia

Michman was originally an Ober-ofizer rank, in line to the Table of Ranks class XII/XIII in the Imperial Russian Navy equivalent to Praporshik of the Imperial Russian Army and classified as junior officer rank.

The rank was abolished in 1917 by the Bolsheviks.

Soviet Union and the Russian Federation

The rank was reintroduced in 1940.

The ranks of Starshy michman (and in the army and air force, Starshy praporshchik) were added in 1981. The Russian Federation retained the rank structure of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Michman rank insignia

Michman
Shoulder board (until 1909)	Shoulder board (1909−1917)	Sleeve insignia (1940−1943)	Shoulder board (1943–1955)	Shoulder board (1955−1957)	Shoulder board (1957−1971)	Shoulder board (1971-1994)

Insignia

•  
  Miçman
  (Azerbaijani Navy)^[2]
•  
  Мичман
  Mičman
  (Bulgarian Navy)^[3]
•  
  Мичман
  Michman
  (Russian Navy)^[4]

See also

• Comparative officer ranks of World War I
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Army 1943–1955, and Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1955–1991,
• Ranks and rank insignia of the Russian Federation's armed forces 1994–2010
• Naval ranks and insignia of the Russian Federation

References

1. NATO (2021). STANAG 2116 NATO (7th ed.). Brussels, Belgium: NATO Standardization Agency. p. E-1.
2. "Azərbaycan Respublikası Silahlı Qüvvələri hərbi qulluqçularının hərbi geyim forması və fərqləndirmə nişanları haqqında Əsasnamə" (PDF). mod.gov.az (in Azerbaijani). Ministry of Defense. 25 June 2001. pp. 64–70. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
3. "ЗАКОН ЗА ОТБРАНАТА И ВЪОРЪЖЕНИТЕ СИЛИ НА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ". lex.bg (in Bulgarian). Глава седма. ВОЕННА СЛУЖБА. 12 May 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
4. Приказ Министра обороны Российской Федерации от 09.10.2020 № 525 (Зарегистрирован 16.11.2020 № 60927) (in Russian). publication.pravo.gov.ru/. 17 November 2020. pp. 320–323. Retrieved 15 September 2021.