C.a.p. Rank Structure

Lance Corporal is the third enlisted rank in the Marine Corps, equivalent to a Private First Class in the Army. Unlike the rank of Corporal, a Lance Corporal is not considered a non-commissioned officer.However, Marines promoted to this rank are expected to show a degree of leadership and skill in serving as role models for newly enlisted recruits. This scheme of rank insignia was established by War Department Circular No. 303 on 5 August 1920 and would see two significant changes in 1942. The usage of this style of insignia was ended by Department of the Army Circular No. 202, dated 7 July 1948, which provided for significant changes in both rank and insignia.

• C.a.p. Rank Structure Chart

CAP Rank & Abbreviations Used in All External Communications (AP Stylebook) Rate Cadet Rank Abbrev. C/E-1 Cadet Airman Basic Cadet Airman C/E-2 Cadet Airman Cadet Airman C/E-3 Cadet Airman First Class Cadet Airman 1st Class C/E-4 Cadet Senior Airman Cadet Senior Airman C/E-5 Cadet Staff Sergeant Cadet Staff Sgt.

C.a.p. Rank Structure Chart

C/E-6 Cadet Technical Sergeant Cadet Tech. C/E-7 Cadet Master Sergeant Cadet Master Sgt. C/E-8 Cadet Senior Master Sergeant Cadet Senior Master Sgt.

C/E-9 Cadet Chief Master Sergeant Cadet Chief Master Sgt. C/O-1 Cadet Second Lieutenant Cadet 2nd Lt. C/O-2 Cadet First Lieutenant Cadet 1st Lt. C/O-3 Cadet Captain Cadet Capt. C/O-4 Cadet Major Cadet Maj. C/O-5 Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Cadet Lt.

C/O-6 Cadet Col. Rate Senior Member Enlisted Rank Abbrev. CAP E-1 Airman Basic Airman CAP E-2 Airman Airman CAP E-3 Airman First Class Airman 1st Class CAP E-4 Senior Airman Senior Airman CAP E-5 Staff Sergeant Staff Sgt. CAP E-6 Technical Sergeant Tech. CAP E-7 Master Sergeant Master Sgt.

CAP E-8 Senior Master Sergeant Senior Master Sgt. CAP E-9 Chief Master Sergeant Chief Master Sgt. Rate Senior Member Officer Rank Abbrev.

CAP O-1 Second Lieutenant 2nd Lt. CAP O-2 First Lieutenant 1st Lt. CAP O-3 Captain Capt. CAP O-4 Major Maj. CAP O-5 Lieutenant Colonel Lt. CAP O-6 Colonel Col. CAP O-7 Brigadier General Brig.

CAP O-8 Major General Maj. Air Force Rank & Abbreviations Rate Enlisted Rank Abbrev. E-1 Airman Basic AB E-2 Airman Amn E-3 Airman First Class A1C E-4 Senior Airman SrA E-5 Staff Sergeant SSgt E-6 Technical Sergeant TSgt E-7 Master Sergeant MSgt First Sergeant 1stSgt E-8 Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt First Sergeant 1stSgt E-9 Chief Master Sergeant CMSgt First Sergeant 1stSgt Command Chief Master Sergeant CCMSgt Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force CMSAF Rate Commissioned Officer Rank Abbrev. O-1 Second Lieutenant 2d Lt O-2 First Lieutenant 1st Lt O-3 Captain Capt O-4 Major Maj O-5 Lieutenant Colonel LtCol O-6 Colonel Col O-7 Brigadier General BrigGen O-8 Major General MajGen O-9 Lieutenant General LtGen O-10 General Gen O-10 General of the Air Force. CAP Rank & Abbreviations (Cadet Enlisted – Cadet Basic through Cadet Chief Master Sergeant) Grade Abbrev.

CAP Rank & Abbreviations (Transition Officer – Senior Member through Senior Flight Officer) Grade Abbrev. Term of Address Insignia Senior Member SM Mister, Mizz', Sir or Ma’am Flight Officer FO Mister, Mizz', Sir or Ma’am Technical Flight Officer TFO Mister, Mizz', Sir or Ma’am Senior Flight Officer SFO Mister, Mizz', Sir or Ma’am CAP Rank & Abbreviations (Officer – Second Lieutenant through Major General) Grade Abbrev.

Term of Address Insignia Second Lieutenant 2d Lt Lieutenant, Sir or Ma’am First Lieutenant 1st Lt Lieutenant, Sir or Ma’am Captain Capt Captain, Sir or Ma’am Major Maj Major, Sir or Ma’am Lieutenant Colonel Lt Col Colonel, Sir or Ma’am Colonel Col Colonel, Sir or Ma’am Brigadier General Brig Gen General, Sir or Ma’am Major General Maj Gen General, Sir or Ma’am.

Contents History The structure of U.S. Ranks has its roots in British military traditions.

At the start of the, uniforms, let alone insignia, were barely affordable and recognition of ranks in the field was problematic. To solve this, wrote: 'As the Continental Army has unfortunately no uniforms, and consequently many inconveniences must arise from not being able to distinguish the commissioned officers from the privates, it is desired that some badge of distinction be immediately provided; for instance that the field officers may have red or pink colored cockades in their hats, the captains yellow or buff, and the subalterns green.'

From 1780, regulations prescribed two stars for major generals and one star for brigadier generals, worn on. The period of 1821 to 1832 witnessed a brief period of using to identify officer grades, a practice that is still observed at for cadet officers. Colonels received their eagle in 1832, and four years later lieutenant colonels were using oak leaves and captains and first lieutenants their respective double and single bars.

Both majors and second lieutenants had no specific insignia. A major would have been recognizable as he would have worn the more elaborate epaulette fringes of a senior field officer but without insignia. The color of insignia was gold on silver epaulettes in the infantry and vice versa in the other branches until 1851 when insignia became universally silver on gold for senior officers and gold for the bars of captains and first lieutenants. The reason for the choice of silver eagles over gold ones is thought to be one of economy; there were more cavalry and artillery colonels than infantry so it was cheaper to replace the numerically fewer gold ones. From 1872 the majors received oak leaves in gold to distinguish them from the silver of lieutenant colonels and the bars of both captains and lieutenants became silver. In a similar fashion, 1917 saw the introduction of a single gold bar for second lieutenants.

These changes created the curious situation (in terms of heraldic tradition) of silver outranking gold. One after-the-fact explanation suggested by some NCOs is that the more-malleable gold suggests that the bearer is being 'molded' for his or her responsibilities—as a field officer (second lieutenant) or staff officer (major). However, this explanation may be more clever than correct, for while the insignia for second lieutenant and major are gold colored they are actually made of brass (except that the gold bars used to 'pin on' a Second Lieutenant at the US Military Academy are, by tradition, 14 karat gold), and brass is a base metal while silver is a precious metal. The rank order thus does not actually conflict with heraldic tradition.

General of the Army / General of the Armies 1956 Conjectural Design for General of the Armies Period 1866-1872 1872-1888 1919-1939 1942–Present Insignia Title General of the Army 1 General of the Army 2 General of the Armies 3 General of the Army 4 1 Worn by Grant (1866 to 1872). 2 Worn by Sherman (1872 to 1888) and Sheridan (1888). 3 Insignia chosen by (authorized 1919 to 1948) but never actually worn. 4 Worn by Marshall (1944-1959), MacArthur (1944-1964), Eisenhower (1944-1969), Arnold (1944-1950), and Bradley (1950-1981). Main articles: and While not currently in use today, special insignia were authorized by Congress for ten officers who were promoted to the highest ranks in the United States Army:, designed as a 'five star' rank, and, considered to be the equivalent of a 'six star' rank. Eight Generals were promoted to the rank and title General of the Army (, and ), while two Generals were promoted to the higher rank and title of General of the Armies ( and ).

Congress created the rank of General of the Armies specifically for Washington, although while living he never officially accepted the honor. Pershing received the rank in 1919 and was allowed to choose his own insignia; he chose to use four gold stars, but never actually wore the rank on his uniform.

While a conjectural design for the rank of General of the Armies was proposed using six silver stars when the promotion of to the rank was considered in 1956, no design was ever officially authorized. In 1976, Congressman Mario Biaggi of New York submitted a House Resolution granting Washington the promotion. The promotion was effective on July 4, 1976, the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence.

Although Pershing accepted the rank in 1919 and technically had a date of rank that preceded Washington's, the new specified that no other officer of the United States Army should ever outrank Washington. Hence, effective date of rank non-withstanding, Washington was permanently made superior to all other officers of the United States Army, past, present, or future. While no living officer holds either of these ranks today, the General of the Army title and five star insignia designed in 1944 is still authorized for use in war time. Congress may promote Generals to this rank for successful wartime campaigns, or to give the officer parity in rank to foreign counterparts in joint coalitions, specifically with respect to.