Talk:Brevet (military)
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[edit] Origin
Origin of the term? Bastie 16:59, 11 September 2005 (UTC)
- The term's probably of French origin but I don't know if the French army applied the idea themselves. I would assume that the word has a common origin with 'brief' ('brevet', 'brevity'). CFLeon 23:10, 27 April 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Not a stub?
Certainly looks like a stub to me; what about brevet ranks in other armies? (Certainly the British Army had them, too.) If this is really all there is to say on the topic, it might as well be dicdef'd, merged into Military rank, or a combination of the two. Alai 04:15, 18 September 2005 (UTC)
- In the British Army the equivalent term is "acting rank", and it is still used when a post requires a more senior person than is available. While in post the person wears the rank and has all the other privaliges associated with it (including pay AFAIK) and when they leave the post they return to their own rank. They can only ever have one acting rank as well as their "real" rank.TomViza 10:14, 2 November 2005 (UTC)
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- There's (n)othing wrong with being a great stub. This is a great stub: interesting, informative, concise. Ben-w 08:10, 16 December 2005 (UTC)
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- There's nothing wrong with being a great stub, certainly, and the argument about other countries is a convincing one for leaving the stub tag on here. However, there is a growing habit on Wikipedia to automatically mark anything under about four paragraphs as a stub, when in many cases, all encyclopedic information has already been included. We're selling ourselves short, saying to the world, "this isn't a finished article, something's missing", when often it's not. --OpenToppedBus - Talk to the driver 14:42, 22 December 2005 (UTC)
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== Relate an outside source
What is the relationship of this article to the webpage http://www.generalsandbrevets.com/brevets.htm Seems like similarity in language, which came first? Perhaps cite this source as listing the Civil War brevet generals, which is kinda interesting. --User:Doncram 8 May 2006.
[edit] Brevet and Frocking From Mil History Archives
Got the following from the quoted sites; I do not have access to any of the original documants (I live in Africa, & neither US nor British citizen!). I hope you can do something with this, since the info is out there somewhere:
On Brevet Rank - It was never, as far as I can tell, a "temporary rank", i.e. one which expired automatically. Inherited from European continent armies. Abolished mid 1950s, see below. Frocking is presently done in the US Navy, Marines and Army.
Ref #1:http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/academic/history/marshall/military/mil_hist_inst/o/offcr2.asc
OFFICER APPOINTMENT, PROMOTIONS, DEMOTIONS
A Working Bibliography
Glover, Michael. "The Purchase of Commissions: A Reappraisal." Journal of Soc for Army Hist Research LVIII (Winter 1980): pp. 223-235. Per.
Hargreaves, Reginald. "Ladder to the Stars." Army 20 (Sep 1970): pp. 42-48. Per. Historical review of officer commissions and promotions.
Karsten, Peter. "Ritual and Rank: Religious Affiliation, Father's 'Calling,' and Successful Advancement in the U.S. Officer Corps of the Twentieth Century." Armed Forces & Society 9 (Spring 1983): pp. 427-440. Per.
Kester, John G. "Politics and Promotions." Parameters XII (Dec 1982): pp. 2-13. Per. Analysis and advice concerning top-level civilian involvement in military appointments & promotions.
Lenney, John J. Rankers: The Odyssey of the Enlisted Regular Soldier of America and Britain. NY: Greenberg, 1950. 215 p. UB413.2L4. A history of promotion from enlisted ranks to officer grade.
U.S. Forces, European Theater. General Board. "Reclassification and Demotion of Officers in the European Theater of Operations." Study No. 7, Bad Nauheim, Ger, 1945-46. 45 p. D769A5no7. Incl stats pp. 6-7, on officers below grade of general. USAMHI Officers-Promo RefBranch js 1985
OFFICER PROMOTION POLICY, WWII
A Working Bibliography
The Officer's Guide. Harrisburg, PA: Mil Service PUb, 1944. pp. 377-382. U133A603. And 1945 ed, p. 28. Nice summary
U.S. Army Field Forces. "Report of Army Ground Forces Study on Comparisons of General Officers and Colonels (Infantry)." Photostat, n.d. 67 p. UB413A3.
U.S. War Dept. Bulletin No 8, 24 Feb 1942. p. 1. Circs. Reprint of Public Law 455, 77th Cong, "An Act to Provide for Temporary Promotion in the Army of the United States...,"
_________. Commissioned Officers, Promotion in the Regular Army, Except in Medical, Dental and Veterinary Corps. Army Regulation 605-40, Mar 1942. 4 p. AR.
_________. Commissioned Officers, Temporary Promotions in the Army of the United States. AR 605-12, Feb 1944. 6 p. With Change No 1. 2 p. AR. See also 17 Aug 1944 ed (6 p.) with Changed Nos. 2 & 3 (5 p.) and AR 605-10, 10 Dec 1941.
_________. Medical Department, Standards of Miscellaneous Physical Examination. AR 40-100, Change No. 1, 5 Mar 1943. 2 p. AR.
Examples: Omar N. Bradley was promoted to full general (temporary) on 12 Mar 1945. His permanent grade at the time was major general, dating from 8 Sep 1944.
George S. Patton, Jr. was promoted to the temporary grade of full general on 14 Apr 1945, while his permanent grade was major general, as of 2 Sep 1943.
Walton H. Walker was promoted lieutenant general (temporary) on 14 Apr 1945, while his permanent grade was colonel, from 1 May 1942.
The following individuals held the permanent rank indicated when promoted to the new temporary (5-Star) grade of general of the army: Officer Promotion Policy p.2
Arnold, Henry H. - major general, since 31 May 1941.
Eisenhower, Dwight D. - major general (2 Star), since 30 Aug. 1943.
MacArthur, Douglas - general, since 21 Nov 1930.
Marshall, George C. - general (4-Star), since 1 Sep 1939
. Reference: U.S. War Dept. Adj Gen's Off. Official Army Register, 1 January 1945. Wash, DC: GPO, 1945. BiogRm. Also 1946 ed, pp. 76 & 713. USAMHI Officers - Promo RefBranch js 79; dv 89
BATTLEFIELD COMMISSIONS
A Working Bibliography
GEN/MISC
Lerwill, Leonard L. The Personnel Replacement System in the United States Army. Dept of Army Pam No 20-211, Aug 1954. 492 p. Pam.
Smith, Mark A. A Brief History of Battlefield Commissions in the Armed Forces. Natl Order of Battlefield Commissions, 1986. 2 p. BibFiles.
See also: - Newsletters & material, Natl Order of Battlefield Commissions, MiscFiles.
WORLD WAR I
U.S. Army. Amer Exped Forces. General Order No 32 (18 Feb 1918), Para 11, Bulletin No 53 (6 Aug 1918), Para II, & GO 162 (23 Sep 1918), Sec VII. UBs.
U.S. War Dept. Adj Gen's Dept. Comm on Classification of Personnel in the Army. History of the Personnel System. Vol 1. Wash, DC, 1919. UB337A46v1. Battlefield Commissions p.2
WORLD WAR II
Army-Navy Journal (1 Jul 1944): p. 1336. Per. Indicates 200 awarded in No Africa.
Palmer, Robert R., et al. The Procurement and Training of Ground Combat Troops. In USAWWII series. Wash, DC: Dept of Army, 1948. 696 p. D769A533v1pt2. See index.
U.S. Army. First Army. First United States Army Report of Operations, 1 August 1944 - 22 February 1945. Wash, DC: GPO, 1945. Annex 1, pp. 16-17, 74-84. 03-1-1944v9, UH.
_________. Forces in European Theater. General Board. Appointments and Promotions in the European Theater of Operations. Study No 6, Bad Nauheim, 1945-46. pp. 7-10. D769A5no6.
U.S. War Dept. Commissioned Officers: Officers Appointed in the Army of the United States. Army Reg 605-10, May 1944. Paras 7e & 22b. AR. And Change 1 (Nov 1944).
KOREA
USAMHI Officers-Promo RefBranch dv April 1990
NOTE: FROCKING
Frocking, an old naval custom, is a current US Army procedure for temporarily promoting officers and noncommissioned officers to higher rank without commensurate pay. See: U.S. Dept of Army. Promotion of Officers on Active Duty. Army Regulation 624-100, May 1979. Para 2-13. AR. No mention of frocking in same reg, Oct 75, with 4 changes (to Apr 77).
_________. Message: Frocking of Senior NCOs, 27 Sep 1984. 3 p. Photocopy, BibFile(Officers).
Frocking reportedly began after repeal of the legal basis of breveting (q.v.) in 1956. Many officers, esp general officers, have been frocked, notably in early 1970s.
See also: - "Army Considers Major Changes in Officer Frocking Procedure," Army Times (1 Apr 1985), p. 3. BibFile
(Officer-Promo) - AR 614-200 - "Brevets" (Officers-Promo) - Elting, Dict of Army Talk, p. 119 USAMHI Officers-Promo RefBranch dv Apr 1990
BREVET RANK
A Working Bibliography
A brevet promoted an officer to a higher rank but without commensurate pay, authority, and insignia. Brevet commissions functioned as honorary titles to reward gallant action or meritorius service. The American practice of breveting is traceable to the continental Army in 1775. A proliferation of brevets occurred during the Civil War and thereafter, accompanied by a lessening of the usefulness and significance of the honor. The Distinguished Service Cross and medal of World War I replaced, in effect, the brevet as a military award.
See:
Dictionary of American English on Historical Principles. Vol I. Chicago: UP of Chicago, 1938. p. 313. PE1625D56v1. Etymology of term.
Farrow, Edeard S. Farrow's Military Encyclopedia. 2d ed. Vol I. NY: Military-Naval Pub, 1895. p. 235. U24A5F241. More descriptive of British practice than American.
Fry, James B. The History and Legal Effect of Brevets in the Armies of Great Britain and the United States.... NY: Van Nostrand, 1877. 576 p. UB430F7. Standard authority on the subject incl detailed historical account and list of all brevets conferred, 1776-1877.
Memorial to the Congress of the United States, from Officers of the United States Army, on the Subect of Brevet and Staff Rank. Corpus Christi, TX, 12 Dec 1845. 23 p. UB433M53.
Povlovich, Charles A. "What Was Brevet Rank?" Trading Post (Jul-Sep 1987): pp. 48-50. Per/BibFile. Nice explantion & survey.
U.S. Code. Vol 1. Secs 521-528 (1952). Cites statutory basis of brevet rank. U.S. Dept of Army. Office, Chief of Military History. "The Significance of Brevet Rank." Fact Sheet, 27 Mar 1959. 3 p. UB433A4. Brevet Rank p.2
_________. Rank and Precedence. Army Regulation 600-15, Aug 1951. Para 2. AR. Indicates brevet rank still authorized, but 8 Aug 1955 ed does not.
W.W.M. A Brief Dissertation on Military Titles and Brevet Rank by an Ex-Army Officer. Boston, Aug 1886. 7 p. LLColl, UHRm. Filed under "Military Titles..."
Wiener, Frederick B. "Mex Rank Through the Ages." 2 pts. Infantry Journal LIII (Sep 1943): pp. 26-30 & (Oct 1943): pp. 57-64. Per. Historical survey of temporary rank, notably brevets. ("Mex"=Army slang term denoting such practices.)
Wood, Henry Clay. A Plea for the Recognition of the Legal Rights of the Army Officers Confirmed to Brevet Rank, March Third, 1869. NY: Rankin, 1894. 15 p. UB433W6.
Note: "Breveting" an NCO to officer rank first authorized in 1847. Such action could be taken by the President upon recommendation of the individual regimental commander when an NCO had "distinguished himself in the service." (See WD GO 9, 10 Mar 1847).
Incidentally, Tasker H. Bliss was the last officer to be breveted. He retired at the end of 1917 as Chief of Staff and was then commissioned by brevet to full general. He served thereafter as US rep to Allied Supreme War Council. Peyton March, as the new Chief of Staff, filled Bliss's former position of full general rank. See: Wiener, cited above, Oct, p. 62.
Ref #2: British Ranks: http://www.regiments.org/biography/ranks.htm
Rank. The use of titles insignia to designate relative military hierarchy of persons, with appropriate pay and other allowances.
Acting Rank. Assumes the pay and allowances appropriate to the acting rank, but a commanding officer may order the holder to revert to previous rank held.
Brevet Rank. Temporary rank without the pay and allowances appropriate to the rank. From the French "brevet", a letter authorising the holder to hold temporary rank. The British Army used brevet ranks extensively between the world wars, reinstated it in 1946, and finally abolished the practice in 1952.
Local Rank. Temporary unpaid rank, usually granted for a specific operation or mission in a specific location.
Substantive Rank. Fully paid and confirmed permanent rank.
Temporary Rank (T.) Rank granted for a short duration, usually for a specific task or mission.
War Substantive Rank (W.S.) Fully paid and confirmed temporary for the duration of war, after which holder reverts to substantive peace-time rank.
Ref #3 (also British): Fred Larimore: http://www.members.dca.net/fbl/glossary.html
Brevet: The conferring of promotion in rank on an officer, usually for services, but with no right to extra pay.
--Seejyb 21:34, 4 June 2006 (UTC)
