15.5: Military Ranks and Abbreviations
- Page ID
- 179256
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Do you know the differences in the ranks of the Services? The DoD Manual for Written Material also provides tables that present the pay grade, rank and rank abbreviations for all pay grades in all the Services. These tables have been extracted and included in this handbook (reformatted for conformity) for your ready reference. Take the time to learn the ranks of the other Services \(\ldots\) and the proper abbreviations for them as well. Using the proper rank in your communications with others demonstrates your professional attitude and commands respect from others.
Table \(15.5.1\) Military Ranks and Abbreviations
Pay Grade | Army | Navy | Marine Corps | Air Force | ||||
O-10 | General | GEN | Admiral | ADM | General | Gen | General | Gen |
O-9 | Lieutenant General | LTG | Vice Admiral | VADM | Lieutenant General | LtGen | Lieutenant General | Lt Gen |
O-8 | Major General | MG | Rear Admiral | RADM | Major General | MajGen | Major General | Maj Gen |
O-7 | Brigadier General | BG | Rear Admiral | RDML\(^{2}\) | Brigadier General | BGen | Brigadier General | Brig Gen |
O-6 | Colonel | COL | Captain | CAPT | Colonel | Col | Colonel | Col |
O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | LTC | Commander | CDR | Lieutenant Colonel | LtCol | Lieutenant Colonel | Lt Col |
O-4 | Major | MAJ | Lieutenant Commander | CLDR | Major | Maj | Major | Maj |
O-3 | Captain | CPT | Lieutenant | LT | Captain | Capt | Captian | Capt |
O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1LT | Lieutenant Junior Grade | LTJG | First Lieutenant | 1st Lt | First Lieutenant | 1st Lt |
O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2LT | Ensign | ENS | Second Lieutenant | 2nd Lt | Second Lieutenant | 2nd Lt |
W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer | CW5\(^{1}\) | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | CWO-5 | ||||
W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CW4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CWO4 | chief Warrant Officer 4 | CWO-4 | ||
W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CW3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CWO3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CWO-3 | ||
W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CW2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CWO2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CWO-2 | ||
W-1 | Warrant Officer 1 | WO1 | Warrant Officer | WO1 | Chief Warrant Officer 1 | CWO-1 | ||
E-9 | Sergeant Major of the Army | SMA | Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy | MCPON | Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps | SgtMajMC | Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force | CMSAF |
Command Sergeant Major | CSM | Master Chief Petty Officer | MCPO | Sergeant Major | Sgt Maj | Chief Master Sergeant | CMSgt | |
Sergeant Major | SGM | Master Gunnery Sergeant | MGySgt | |||||
E-8 | First Sergeant | 1SG | Senior Chief Petty Officer | SCPO | First Sergeant | 1stSgt | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt |
Master Sergeant | MSG | Master Sergeant | MSgt | |||||
E-7 | Sergeant First Class | SFC | Chief Petty Officer | CPO | Gunnery Sergeant | GySgt | Master Sergeant | MSgt |
E-6 | Staff Sergeant | SSG | Petty Officer 1 | PO1 | Staff Sergeant | SSgt | Technical Sergeant | TSgt |
E-5 | Sergeant | SGT | Petty Officer 2 | PO2 | SErgeant | Sgt | Staff Sergeant | SSgt |
E-4 | Corporal | CPL | Petty Officer 3 | PO3 | Corporal | Cpl | Senior Airman | SrA |
Specialist | SPC | |||||||
E-3 | Private First Cass | PFC | Seaman | SN | Lance Corporal | LCpl | Airman First Class | A1C |
E-2 | Private | PV2 | Seaman Apprentice | SA | Private First Class | PFC | Airman | Amn |
E-1 | Private | PVT | Seaman Recruit | SR | Privaate | Pvt | Airman Basic | AB |
\(^{1}\) The Army used Master Warrant Officer at one time; "Master" now indicates a transitional rank; all Army Warrant Officers are Chief Warrant Officers. \(^{2}\) The Navy Rear Admiral rank contains two levels: upper half, equal to a two-star flag officer, and lower half, equal to a one-star flag officer. The rank of Commodore was commisssioned one-star rank during time of war. The commander of a fleet of ships is sometimes referred to as "Commodore" as a courtesy title. The rank no longer exists and the title is never officially used. |