social class families wishing to pursue the Reserve-Officer path; it was the specific intention of Wilhelm II that such Reserve-Officer career path should only be open to members of so-called "officer-material" social classes. On absolving their primary recruit training and shorter military service term, those aspiring to become Reserve-Officers would have to qualify and achieve suitability for promotion to the rank and then would continue to receive further specialized instruction until the end of their one-year term, usually attaining and leaving as surplus Corporals () (Reservists), with the opportunity to advance further as reservists. Enlistees who did not aspire to officer grade would leave at the end of their one-year term as (Ordinary soldier) enlisted rank (for example or ) and a six-year reserve duty obligation. Eligibility for this specific one-year path of military service was a privilege approved upon examining the enlistee's suitability and academic qualifications. Long-Term Volunteer Enlistee "Capitulant" (): enlisted soldiers who had already absolved their regular two or three-year military conscription term and had now volunteered to continue serving for further terms, minimum was 4 years, generally up to 12 years. Note: and were not ranks as such during this specific period of use, but voluntary military enlistee designations. They, however, wore a specific uniform distinction (twisted wool piping along their shoulder epaulette edging for , the a narrow band across their lower shoulder epaulette) in the colours of their respective nation state. This distinction was never removed throughout their military service nor during any rank grade advancements. Non-commissioned officers / Junior NCOs (NCOs without Sword Knot) / Corporal/Sub-Officer () Sergeant Senior NCOs (NCOs with Sword Knot) / Sergeant Major 2nd class (Infantry: , Cavalry and Artillery: Vizewachtmeister/Vice-Wachtmeister) – rank held by reserve officer candidates after they passed lieutenant's examination Sergeant-Major (Infantry: Feldwebel (i.e. : CSM officially listed on the regiment's payroll, i.e. ), Cavalry and Artillery: () ) Warrant Officers and Officer Cadets Cadet (, ranking between Sergeant and Vizefeldwebel) – served as cadets in the various military academies and schools. Ensign (, ranking between and ) Deputy Officer (, ranking above ) Acting Lieutenant (, ranking as youngest 2nd Lieutenant, but without officer's commission and still member of the NCO's Mess until 1917) Officer corps Critics long believed that the Army's officer corps was heavily dominated by Junker aristocrats, so that commoners were shunted into low-prestige branches, such as the heavy artillery or supply.