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Finnish Military Ranks and Insignia 1936-1939

For non-commissioned officers the rank insignia was still worn only on the epaulets. The cadre NCO's wore a distinct collar insignia, which was later worn by enlistees (värvätty).

Some of the branch colors were already changed in 1937. All cavalry collar tabs had their backing and piping colors inverted due practical reasons. After this reform the backing color of all cavalry collar tabs was yellow.

Finnish Military Ranks and Insignia 1939-1941

In the 1939 reform, the collar tabs shapes were changed to incorporate a branch colored border. The officer collar tabs were simplified with the golden edging removed, though spruces were now incorporated in the collar tab for all non-specialist officers. The chevrons of career NCO's were now moved to the collar, though this did not affect cadets, reservists or conscripts, whom used empty collar tabs.

According to the 1939 uniform regulations, the changes were to be done by 1st January 1940. Although the changes to the insignia were ordered before the Winter War, they were often not applied in practice before the start of the hostilities. The older uniform articles m/22 and m/27 with their distinct rank insignia were also still in use with their own standing rank insignia regulations.

The generals' collar tab piping color was unified with the other branches, this meant that the generals no longer wore golden piping and golden spruces on the collar.

Finnish Military Ranks and Insignia 1941-1952

Changes incorporated

On 13th June, 1941, Field Marshal Mannerheim ordered reserve officer ranks to be discontinued and they were admitted active service ranks. The silver roses worn by reserve officers were replaced with their golden counterparts. Despite that, career officers could still be distinguished from the lion insignia worn on the epaulets, however wearing of the said insignia was discontinued in 1942. On the same date the distinction between reserve NCO's and cadre NCO's was removed, however due the low availability of NCO collar tabs, the fulfillment of older regulations with rank displayed on epaulets was still allowed.

One difference to the ranks moved to collar was the rank of korpraali. The rank was not displayed on the collar tab with a single chevron, but the older chevron on the epaulet. The previous NCO collar tab was incorporated for enlisted cadre personnel (värvätty mies), whilst single chevron in the collar tab signaled the rank of värvätty korpraali.

The wartime realities meant that the usage of collar tabs was rather uncommon, especially among enlisted personnel. This meant that the enlisted personnel wore no collar tabs and non-commissioned officers wore their insignias as simple stripes in the epaulets. Officers often also wore their roses directly on the collar due threat of enemy snipers, similarly to the m/27 Uniform's regulations.

Ground and Air Forces ranks

Branch Colors

Branch colors as worn on m/36 uniform, light jacket, hot-weather jacket and hat piping

Branch / Unit	Collar tab backing	Collar tab piping	Hat piping	Trouser piping	Trouser piping width
Generals	According to branch	According to branch	According to branch	According to branch	2
General Staff Officers	Carmine	Grey	Carmine	Carmine	3
Standard uniform	Dark green	Light grey	Dark green	Dark green	1
Infantry	Dark green	Light grey	Dark green	Dark green	1
Jaeger Units	Dark green	Yellow	Dark green	Dark green	4
Border Guard	Dark green	Orange	Orange	Dark green	4
Artillery, fortification artillery, anti-air forces	Red	Black	Red	Red	4
Cavalry	Yellow	Grey	Yellow	Yellow	4
Uusimaa Dragoon Regiment	Yellow	Dark blue	Yellow	Yellow	4
Häme Cavalry Regiment	Yellow	Dark red	Yellow	Yellow	4
Signals Squadron	Yellow	Violet	Yellow	Yellow	4
Pioneer forces	Violet	Grey	Violet	Violet	1
Signal forces	Violet	Yellow	Violet	Violet	1
Fortification forces (1944-)	Violet	Black	Violet	Violet	1
Armoured forces	Black	Orange	Orange	Black	4
Anti-tank units (1944-)	Black	Orange	Orange	Black	4
Field Bishop and Chaplains	Black	Grey	Black	Black	5
Coastal artillery	Black	Red	Red	Red	4
Aviation forces	Light blue	Black	Light blue	Light blue	1
Storages	Light blue	Light grey	Light blue	Light blue	1
Logistics forces	Light blue	Light grey	Light blue	Light blue	1
Hospitals and Pharmacies	According to branch	According to branch	According to branch	According to branch	According to branch
Cadets	Dark blue	Yellow	Dark blue	Dark blue	6
Helsinki Garrison Band	Dark blue	Light grey	Dark blue	Dark blue	1
Oulu Garrison Band	Dark red	Grey	Dark red	Dark red	1

General Officers

Designation	General Officers
Rank	Jalkaväenkenraali / Ratsuväenkenraali / Tykistönkenraali			Kenraaliluutnantti	Kenraalimajuri
Notes and translations	General of Infantry (General Staff)	General of Cavalry (Cavalry)	General of Artillery (Artillery)	Lieutenant General (General Staff)	Major General (Infantry)
Collar insignia as worn in M/36 Uniform
Shoulder strap as worn in M/36 Uniform
Sleeve insignia as worn in M/36 Overcoat

Officers

Designation	Officers
Rank	Eversti	Everstiluutnantti	Majuri	Kapteeni / Ratsumestari		Luutnantti	Vänrikki / Kornetti
Notes and translations	Colonel (Logistics)	Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry)	Major (Jaeger)	Captain (Engineers)	Cavalry Captain (Cavalry, URR)	Lieutenant (Armour)	2nd Lieutenant (Artillery)	Cornet (Cavalry) (Cavalry, HRR)
Collar insignia as worn in M/36 Uniform
Shoulder strap as worn in M/36 Uniform
Sleeve insignia as worn in M/36 Overcoat

Navy ranks

Coastal Artillery Officers

Designation	General Officers			Officers
Rank	Tykistönkenraali	Kenraaliluutnantti	Kenraalimajuri	Eversti	Everstiluutnantti	Majuri	Kapteeni	Luutnantti	Vänrikki
Notes and translations	General of Artillery (theoretical)	Lieutenant General	Major General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	2nd Lieutenant
Collar insignia as worn in M/36 Uniform
Shoulder strap as worn in M/36 Uniform
Sleeve insignia as worn in M/36 Overcoat

Navy Officers

Designation	Flag Officers			Officers
Rank	Amiraali	Vara-amiraali	Kontra-amiraali	Kommodori	Komentaja	Komentajakapteeni	Kapteeniluutnantti	Luutnantti	Aliluutnantti
Notes and translations	Admiral (theoretical)	Vice-Admiral	Rear-Admiral	Commodore	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Captain-Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Sub-Lieutenant
Shoulder strap as worn in M/30 hellepuku and overcoats
Sleeve insignia as worn in M/30 kavaiji uniform

Examples

References

• Puolustusministeriö (1936). Kenttäpuku m/36 sekä sotilasvirkamiesten ja erikoismestarien ammattimerkit: Intendenttiosaston kiertokirje n:o 40/36. Int. 2."
• Puolustusministeriö (1937). "Kenttäpuku m/36 ja sadetakki m/36."
• Puolustusministeriö (1938). "Muutoksia ja lisäyksiä valtakunnan puolustusvoimien virkapukuohjesääntöön."
• Puolustusministeriö (1939). "Kevyt takki : helletakki, kesälakki, olkainnauha, öljytakki ja lakinsuojus. Kauluslaatat asetakissa m/36, erinäiset arvomerkit."
• Päämajan intendenttiosasto (1942). "Vuonna 1936 ja sen jälkeen vahvistetut puolustuslaitoksen henkilökunnan virkapukumääräykset".
• Aarniaho, P. (1996). "Kaluunat ja rähinäremmit: Itsenäisen Suomen virkapuvut ja arvomerkit 1918-1945." Ase-lehti.
• Leino, P., & Kuusela, K. (1998). "Asepuku m/36: vuosina 1936-1945." Wiking-divisioona.
• Palokangas, M. (2000). "Itsenäisen suomen sotilasarvot ja -arvomerkit: Suomen maavoimien sotilasarvojärjestelmä ja arvoasteiden merkitsemistavat vuosina 1917-2000: with an English summary." Apali.