Army officer ranks

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Armies have military rank systems that are often used by other military services such as air forces or marines.

Contents 1 NATO rank codes 2 General officers 3 Field and company officers 4 See also

[edit] NATO rank codes

Further information: Ranks and insignia of NATO

To assist in the comparison of ranks in the armed forces of different countries, NATO rank codes are used. These are established codes for determining the seniority of officer and other ranks in NATO countries for a particular joint task group or command structure, although specific appointments designate a higher level of seniority over other equivalent rank codes in a given situation. Officer ranks go from OF-1 (applying to all subaltern officers below captain) up to OF-10; OF(D) being a special category for trainee officers awaiting a commission. Other Ranks (those considered enlisted men in the United States forces) are classified from OR-1 to OR-9. Warrant Officers in the United States forces are a special case as single track career specialists between the enlisted and officer ranks in terms of seniority, and have no NATO rank code. The system should not be confused with the pay grades used in the US military. While countries outside the NATO command structure do not strictly fall into this classification structure and there may be incidences of overlap (particularly in OR ranks between countries), the codes still provide a useful gauge in determining what ranks are broadly equivalent.

[edit] General officers

These are the highest ranks. Promotion to OF-10 rank is now rare and usually reserved for wartime.

Note that there is doubt about rank equivalency in countries that have both colonel-generals and generals but no brigadier-generals, such as the German Empire and Russia - often it is considered that in these countries a colonel-general equates to an OF-9 rank, a general to OF-8, a lieutenant-general to OF-7, and a major-general to OF-6 (i.e. the ranks below colonel-general all move down one grade).

Country	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6
Albania		Gjeneral	Gjenerallejtnant	Gjeneralmajor	Gjeneralbrigad
Argentina		Teniente General		General de División	General de Brigada
Austria		General	Generalleutnant	Generalmajor	Brigadier
Belarus			General-polkovnik	General-leytenant	General-mayor
Belgium¹		Général Generaal	Lieutenant-général Luitenant-generaal	Général-major Generaal-majoor	Général de Brigade Brigadegeneraal
Brazil	Marechal	General-de-Exército	Tenente-General	General-de-Divisão	General de Brigada
Canada²		General général	Lieutenant-General Lieutenant-général	Major-General major-général	Brigadier-General brigadier-général
China (Modern)		Shang Jiang 上将	Zhong Jiang 中将	Shao Jiang 少将	Da Xiao 大校
China 1950s	Yuan Shuai 元帅	Da Jiang 大将	Shang Jiang 上将	Zhong Jiang 中将	Shao Jiang 少将
Croatia	Stožerni general	General zbora	General pukovnik	General bojnik	Brigadni general
Finland3	Sotamarsalkka Fältmarskalk	Kenraali General	Kenraaliluutnantti Generallöjtnant	Kenraalimajuri Generalmajor	Prikaatikenraali Brigadgeneral
France	Maréchal de France	Général d'Armée	Général de Corps d´Armée	Général de Division	General de Brigade
Germany (modern)		General	Generalleutnant	Generalmajor	Brigadegeneral
German Empire	Generalfeldmarschall	Generaloberst	General der Infanterie	Generalleutnant	Generalmajor
Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht rank)	Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches Generalfeldmarschall	Generaloberst	General der Infanterie	Generalleutnant	Generalmajor
Nazi Germany (SS rank)	Reichsführer-SS	Oberstgruppenführer	Obergruppenführer	Gruppenführer	Brigadeführer
Israel			Rav-aluf	Aluf	Tat-aluf
Italy (since 2002)		Generale	Generale di Corpo d'Armata	Generale di Divisione	Generale di Brigata
Italy (1923-1946)	Maresciallo d'Italia	Generale (design.) d'Armata	Generale di Corpo d'Armata	Generale di Divisione	Generale di Brigata
Japan (Imperial Japanese Army)	Gensui 元帥	Taishō 大将	Chūjō 中将	Shōshō 少将
Japan (Japan Self-Defense Forces)		Rikujō Bakuryōchō 陸上幕僚長	Rikushō 陸将	Rikushōho 陸将補
Jordan4	Musheer (Field Marshal)	Fariq Awwal (General)	Fariq (Lieutenant General)	Liwa'a (Major General)	A'mid (Brigadier General)
Latvia			Ģenerālleitnants	Ģenerālmajors	Brigādes ģenerālis
Malaysia	Marshal Darat	Jeneral	Leftenan Jeneral	Mejar Jeneral	Brigedier Jeneral
Netherlands	Veldmaarschalk	Generaal	Luitenant-generaal	Generaal-majoor	Brigade-generaal
New Zealand			Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier
North Korea	Daewŏnsu Konghwagukwŏnsu Inmingunwŏnsu	Chasu Daejang	Sangjang	Jungjang	Sojang
Norway		General	Generalløytnant	Generalmajor	Brigader
Pakistan	Field Marshal	General	Lieutenant-General	Major-General	Brigadier
Poland	Marszałek Polski	Generał	Generał broni	Generał dywizji	Generał brygady
Portugal	Marechal	General	Tenente-general	Major-general	Brigadeiro-general
Russian Federation	Marshal Rossiykoy Federatsii General armii	General-polkovnik	General-leytenant	General-mayor
Russian Empire	General-feldmarshal	General ot infanterii (kavalerii, artilerii)	General-leytenant	General-mayor	Brigadir (until 1798)
Serbia	General	General-pukovnik	General-potpukovnik	General-major	General-poručnik
Singapore			Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General
South Africa		General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General
South Korea	Wonsu	Daejang	Jungjang	Sojang	Junjang
Soviet Union	Marshal Sovietskogo Soyuza General Armii/Marshal and Glavny Marshal of the ... (branch)	General-polkovnik	General-leytenant	General-mayor
Spain	Capitan General	General de Ejercito	Teniente General	General de división	General de Brigada
Sweden		General	Generallöjtnant	Generalmajor	Brigadgeneral5
Taiwan	Tejishangjiang	Yiji-Shangjiang	Erji-Shangjiang	Zhongjiang	Shaojiang
Thailand	Chom Phon (Field Marshal)	Phon Ek (General)	Phon Tho (Lt Gen)	Phon Tri (Maj Gen)	Phan Ek Phiset (Senior Colonel)
Turkey	Mareşal	Genel Kurmay Başkanı Orgeneral	Korgeneral	Tümgeneral	Tuğgeneral
United Kingdom	Field Marshal	General	Lieutenant-General	Major-General
United States of America	General of the Army	General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General
Vietnam		Dai Tuong	Thuong Tuong	Trung Tuong	Thieu Tuong

[edit] Field and company officers

Country	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Albania	Kolonel	Nënkolonel	Major	Kapiten	Toger	Nëntoger
Argentina	Coronel	Teniente Coronel	Mayor	Capitán	Teniente Primero	Teniente	Subteniente
Austria	Oberst	Oberstleutnant	Major	Hauptmann	Oberleutnant	Leutnant
Belarus	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Mayor	Kapitan	Starshiy leytenant	Leytenant	Mladshiy Leytenant
Belgium¹	Colonel Kolonel	Lieutenant-colonel Luitenant-kolonel	Major Majoor Capitaine-commandant Kapitein-commandant	Capitaine Kapitein	Lieutenant Luitenant	Sous-lieutenant Onderluitenant
Brazil	Coronel	Tenente Coronel	Major	Capitão	1º Tenente	2º Tenente	Subtenente
Canada²	Colonel colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel lieutenant-colonel	Major major	Captain capitaine	Lieutenant lieutenant	Second Lieutenant sous-lieutenant
China	Shangxiao	Zhongxiao	Shaoxiao	Shangwei	Zhongwei	Shaowei
Croatia	Brigadir	Pukovnik	Bojnik	Satnik	Nadporučnik	Poručnik
Denmark	Oberst	Oberstløjtnant	Major	Kaptajn	Premierløjtnant	Sekondløjtnant
Finland3	Eversti Överste	Everstiluutnantti Överstelöjtnant	Majuri Major	Kapteeni Kapten	Yliluutnantti Premiärlöjtnant Luutnantti Löjtnant	Vänrikki Fänrik
France	Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel	Commandant	Capitaine	Lieutenant	Sous-Lieutenant
Germany (modern)	Oberst	Oberstleutnant	Major	Stabshauptmann Hauptmann	Oberleutnant	Leutnant
German Empire	Oberst	Oberstleutnant	Major	Hauptmann/Rittmeister	Oberleutnant	Leutnant
Nazi Germany (Wehrmacht rank)	Oberst	Oberstleutnant	Major	Hauptmann/Rittmeister	Oberleutnant	Leutnant
Nazi Germany (SS rank)	Oberführer Standartenführer	Obersturmbannführer	Sturmbannführer	Hauptsturmführer	Obersturmführer	Untersturmführer
Israel	Aluf mishne	Sgan aluf	Rav seren	Seren	Segen	Segen mishne
Italy	Colonello comandante di corpo Colonnello	Tenente Colonnello	Maggiore	Primo Capitano Capitano	Primo Tenente Tenente	Sottotenente
Japan (Imperial Japanese Army)	Taisa	Chūsa	Shōsa	Taii	Chūi	Shōi
Japan (Japan Self-Defense Forces)	Ittō Rikusa (Issa)	Nitō Rikusa (Nisa)	Santō Rikusa (Sansa)	Ittō Rikui (Ichii)	Nitō Rikui (Nii)	Santō Rikui (San'i)
Jordan4	A'qid (Colonel)	Muqaddam (Lieutenant Colonel)	Ra'id (Major)	Naqib (Captain)	Mulazem Awwal (1st Lieutenant)	Mulazem (Thani) (2nd Lieutenant)
Latvia	Pulkvedis	Pulkvežleitnants	Majors	Kapteinis	Virsleitnants	Leitnants
Malaysia	Kolonel	Leftenan Kolonel	Mejar	Kapten	Leftenan	Leftenan Muda
Netherlands	Kolonel	Luitenant-kolonel	Majoor	Kapitein (cavalry: Ritmeester)	Eerste luitenant	Tweede luitenant
New Zealand	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
North Korea	Daejwa Sangjwa	Jungjwa	Sojwa	Daewi Sangwi	Jungwi	Sowi
Norway	Oberst	Oberstløytnant	Major	Kaptein (cavalry: Rittmester)	Løytnant	Fenrik
Pakistan	Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
Poland	Pułkownik	Podpułkownik	Major	Kapitan	Porucznik	Podporucznik
Portugal	Coronel	Tenente-coronel	Major	Capitão	Tenente	Alferes
Russian Empire	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Mayor (until 1884) Kapitan	Shtabs-Kapitan	Poruchik	Podporuchik	Praporshchik
Russian Federation	Polkovnik	Podpolkovnik	Mayor	Kapitan	Starshiy leytenant	Leytenant	Mladshiy Leytenant
Serbia	Pukovnik	Podpukovnik	Major	Kapetan	Poručnik	Potporučnik
Singapore	Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
South Africa	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
South Korea	Daeryeong	Jungryeong	Soryeong	Daewi	Jungwi	Sowi
Spain	Coronel	Teniente coronel	Comandante	Capitán	Teniente	Alférez
Sweden	Överste 1. graden6 Överste	Överstelöjtnant	Major	Kapten	Löjtnant	Fänrik
Taiwan	Shangxiao	Zhongxiao	Shaoxiao	Shangwei	Zhongwei	Shaowei	Wei
Thailand	Phan Ek (Colonel)	Phan Tho (Lt. Col)	Phan Tri (Major)	Roi Ek (Captain)	Roi Tho (Lieutenant)	Roi Tri (Sub-Lieutenant)
Turkey	Albay	Yarbay	Binbaşı	Yüzbaşı	Üsteğmen	Teğmen	Asteğmen
United Kingdom	Brigadier Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
United States of America	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	1st Lieutenant	2nd Lieutenant
Vietnam	Dai Ta Thuong Ta	Trung Ta	Thieu Ta	Dai Uy Thuong Uy	Trung Uy	Thieu Uy

¹ Belgium has three official languages, French, Dutch and German.
² Canada has two official languages, English and French.
³ Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish.
⁴Jordan recognizes the English titles listed above as official.
⁵ Introduced on 1 July 2000, when promotions to the rank of Överste 1. graden ceased.
⁶ Promotions to the rank of Överste 1. graden ceased on 1 July 2000, when the new junior general officer rank of Brigadgeneral was introduced.

[edit] See also

• Air force officer ranks
• Naval officer ranks
• Comparative military ranks
• Ranks and insignia of NATO
• General of the Armies