What Is the Rank of a Military Captain?
The rank of captain can have several meaning in the military. Each branch of service has a captain rank, however the ranks do not equal within the military pay grade structure.
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Definition
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A title of Captain refers to a head of a unit, whether it functions on land, in the air or at sea. The title comes from the Latin word that means chieftain. In all the services, the title of Captain refers to a person that would command a unit of any size.
Function
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A Navy Captain usually holds the position as a senior ranking officer and Commanding Officer on naval bases and larger ships such as carriers. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps Captains, called company grade officers, hold positions of authority at the company level.
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Types
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A Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard holds the pay grade of O5. The Captain’s next promotion would make him an Admiral. In the Army, Air Force and Marine Corp, a Captain holds the pay grade of an O3. As a junior officer, an Army, Air Force and Marine officer’s next promotion would make him a Major.
Identification
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A Navy Captain’s identification shows up in the form an eagle with spread wings on the collar of the uniform jacket. The Captain also has four gold strips around the lower part of the uniform sleeve. A Captain in the other services has silver twin bars to identify the rank.
Address Considerations
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The official Army abbreviation for Captain is CPT, while the Air Force and Marines officially abbreviate the rank as Cpt. The official naval abbreviation for Captain is CAPT.
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