Definition of Military Rank

The titles and insignias of commissioned officer ranks are the same in the United States Army, Marine Corps and Air Force. The Navy and Coast Guard have different titles for the same ranks.

Officers

The ranks for the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force officers are as follows (in ascending order): Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and General.

Navy

The equivalent ranks for officers in the Navy and Coast Guard are as follows: Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, Captain, Rear Admiral Lower Half, Rear Admiral Upper Half, Vice Admiral, and Admiral.

Warrant

There are five ranks of warrant officers the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines but none in the Air Force. Warrant officers specialize in a certain technology or tactical field.

Enlisted

There are nine ranks for enlisted personnel in all five branches of the military. There are some ranks that have different titles, which depend on the type of service performed.

Promotion

The promotion for enlisted personal and officers depends on their job performance, duration of service and written exams. The first few promotions are easy, but subsequent promotions become relatively hard.

References

• United States Military Officers Ranks
• Job Opportunities in the Armed Forces
• Enlisted Ranks