Spezialist (Freedom Ascendant)

The German army rank of Spezialist (commonly called "Spezis")was modeled after the same rank in the US Army, with the same pay grade as Korporal, but not serving in a leadership role. An Obergefreiter can be promoted after two years of service, although they may be waived into the rank of Spezialist after 18 months' time in service, and six months' time in grade. It is granted far more often than Korporal, which is reserved for personnel who either passed the Basic Leader Course, or have been assigned low-level supervisory duties (with two or more soldiers under direct command).

History
The current rank was modeled after the American Army rank of the same name, but without all the additional grades; this simplification was later brought back into the US system in the 1960s. New recruits in the German Army with a four-year degree from a German university, and as of 2004, those with civilian-acquired job skills, will enter as a Spezialist (E4). Typically, newly recruiter officer candidates hold the rank of Spezialist when enlisted, and during BCT (Basic Combat Training) prior to their official enrollment into |OCS (Officer Candidate School), where they will be administratively promoted to the pay grade of E-5, but hold the rank of officer candidate (OC), not sergeant (Wachtmeister, WMR).