Aspirant

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aspirant is a rank in the French military and the Romanian Navy.

[edit] French Army

An Officer Designate rank, it is used in the Armée de Terre (Army), the Armée de l'Air (Air Force), the Marine Nationale (Navy) and the Gendarmerie Nationale. Technically it is not a commissionned rank but it is treated in all respects as one. Aspirants are either officers in training in military academies or voluntaries, serving as temporary officers. The aspirant must have been previously élève officier (Officer Cadet). He can afterwards be commissionned as a sous-lieutenant or enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe. His insignia is a single curl of gold lace, disrupted by "flashes" of wool. It was widely used during both World Wars for providing young educated people with an officer's authority.

[edit] Romanian Navy

In the Romanian Navy, Aspirant is the lowest commissioned rank, equivalent to the rank of Ensign.

[edit] Other uses

An aspirant is also an alternate title for a kandidat for doctoral education candidates in the post Soviet-states.