i'm doing some research on something and i came across this armband worn in the bundeswehr. "OvS" or "Offizier vom Startplatz" which translates to english as "officer from the starting place" literally and maybe more accurately "officer from the launch site". what does this mean? can anyone enlighten me? it would really help a lot since i can't find much information on it and i don't speak german. thanks.

>>58044329 (OP)

«Ov…»

Means commanding officer of…

This is the commanding officer of the launch site, very often used during military exercises where you’d have a lunch site, like a parachute drill.



Basically its worn so you know who’s in charge and responsible.

>>58044329 (OP)

Sorry, Vatsister.

That's no officer - it's an Oberstabsfeldwebel.

Or shortspelled G-O-D.



Further informations are restricted.

thank you very much for responding.



so i take it that this type of armband would be worn on the left sleeve by an officer in command of a fallschirmjager parachute jump during a peacetime exercise? the phrase "from the starting place" referring to the fact that they remain behind at the "launch site" for the aircraft?



i'll look into it more myself. your input is much appreciated.

Interesting use of a brassard. 



Really quite useful in those ancient days before drones and long-distance sniping.

Feldwebeldienstgräde take positions like OvWa and OvS on the regular, neverserved.

>That's no officer

Unteroffizier mit Portopee.

Its in the name.

Offizier vom Starplatz, as other anons pointed out, he‘s the person in charge or coordination and supervision of the launch site of airmobile and airborne operations.

It‘s usually a senior NCO or normal officer‘s job, between 2nd. LT to captain (Hauptmann).

He‘ll chew you out verbally if you end up taking too long of a shit when you should have been in your chalk 5 seconds ago so we can finally dorn the pos T-10 and get it over with getting obliterated after hitting eachother due to the retarded vortecies that a A400m causes and the T-10s inherent inability to not obliterate the trooper underneath it upon landing.



>t. 31er

it would only be used in an exercise.

Nobody would wear this in an actual war.

If your launch site is within reach of enemy assets like that, your aircraft are probably in more danger lol.

But yes, this is only worn during peacetime jumps anyways, so the other coordinators and officers can spot the guy easily in the crowded hangar/airfield whatever.

Also this Bracard gives the OVS the visible authority, like a Gate guards or MPs badges.

thank you for these additional details. this really helps me with what i'm working on.



i'm not german, don't speak german and i'm not current or former military so getting input on something this obscure is very valuable to me. the alternative would be to just use chatgpt or something similar, but i like to hear it elaborated on by a human with firsthand experience and not a robot paraphrasing documents.



i hope that more people post with a breadth greater than that of the original topic so i can collate as much information as possible.
