[1] In army/ air force context NCOs of this rank were formally addressed as Herr Stabsfeldwebel also informally / short Staber.

The ranks Stabsfeldwebel, Stabsoberjäger, Stabsfeuerwerker and Stabswachtmeister were introduced to the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1913.

The rank was introduced in 1938 by the German Army as the highest NCO rank, and was equivalent to the Kriegsmarine's Stabsoberfeldwebel grades (Stabsoberbootsmann, Stabsobersteuermann and Stabsobersteuwermann).

The rank was also used in the GDR Land Forces of the National People's Army and was equivalent to Stabsobermeister in the Volksmarine.

The sequence of ranks (top-down approach) in that particular group (Senior NCOs with portepee) is as follows: