page_title: Finnish military ranks
section_title: General officers
hierarchical_section_title: Finnish military ranks / Exceptions / General officers
context_page_description: Finnish military ranks form a system that incorporates features from Swedish, German, and Russian armed forces. In addition, the system has some typically Finnish characteristics that are mostly due to the personnel structure of the Finnish Defence Forces. The ranks have official names in Finnish and Swedish languages and official English translations. The Swedish forms are used in all Swedish-languages communications in Finland, e.g. in Swedish-speaking units of Finnish Defence Force. The system of ranks in the Swedish Armed Forces is slightly different.
  Finland practices universal conscription of men, and maintains only a cadre of paid personnel for training and maintaining military readiness. Most of lower ranks are conscripts, and leave service as sotamies or korpraali. Junior leaders, about 20% of age cohort, serve 12 months and leave service as alikersantti or kersantti. 10% of conscripts are trained as reserve officers, serving 12 months, and leave service usually as vänrikki or in the Navy as aliluutnantti. In principle, there should be no distinction between reserve and active ranks, and NCOs and reserve officers can be promoted in reserve, up to everstiluutnantti.
context_section_description: The ranks of field marshal (sotamarsalkka) and Marshal of Finland (Suomen marsalkka) were bestowed on Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim in 1933 and 1942, respectively. These are officially not military ranks but honorific titles, but were used like military ranks senior to the rank of general. The insignia used was a general's insignia added with crossed marshal's baton.
  All generals from brigadier general to general are addressed as "Mr./Mrs. General"("herra/rouva kenraali"), and similarly for admirals.
caption: Field marshal insignia consisting of the three heraldic lions of a full general and crossed marshal's batons.