Vääpeli
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Vääpeli (Fältväbel in Swedish) is a Finnish and former Swedish Non-commissioned officer military rank above Ylikersantti (Översergeant) and below Ylivääpeli (Överfältväbel). The rank is derived from the German rank Feldwebel and was used as a rank in the Landsknecht (15th and 16th century) for the one who was responsible for aligning troops during battle.
Yksikön vääpeli
Vääpeli may also refer to a position of yksikön vääpeli ("vääpeli of the unit", commonly "komppanian vääpeli", "vääpeli of the company"), a position comparable to First Sergeant of US. armed forces or Company Sergeant Major of the Commonwealth countries' armed forces except when it comes to the rank of person holding the position, which in Finnish Defence Force may be either commissioned or non-commissioned officer while in USA and Commonwealth countries equal position is always held by an NCO, in company's (or battery's) chain of command yksikön vääpeli is second to company commander only and thereby above all the other commissioned and non-commissioned officers in company even if they outrank him/her. Usually the position is held by a lieutenant or a senior lieutenant, but it's not unheard of for a sergeant to hold the position of yksikön vääpeli. The term yksikköupseeri (officer of the unit), although officially discontinued ever since July 2009,[1] is still sometimes used for the same position, equivalent term for the artillery is patteriupseeri ('officer of the battery', obsolete) or patterin vääpeli, vääpeli of the battery.