Israel Defense Forces ranks
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Israel Defense Forces | |
|---|---|
  |
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| Military manpower | |
| Military age | 18 years of age |
| Availability | males age 15-49: 1,499,186 (2000 est.)
|
| Fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,226,903 (2000 est.)
|
| Reaching military age annually | males: 50,348 (2000 est.) females: 47,996 (2000 est.) |
| Military expenditures | |
| Dollar figure | $8.7 billion (FY99) |
| Percent of GDP | 9.4% (FY99) |
| Category | Rank name and U.S rank equivalent | Insignia |
|---|---|---|
|
or General Officers |
Rav alúf (Chief of the General Staff, Command of the Army or Army Group) |
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| Alúf (Commanding General, Command of the Service Branch, Corps) |
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|
| Tat alúf (Commanding General, Brigade, Division) |
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|
|
or Field Grade Officers |
||
| Alúf mishné (Regiment Commander) |
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|
| Sgan alúf
(Battalion Commander) |
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|
| Rav séren
(Executive Officer, Battalion, Battery) |
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|
|
or Company Grade Officers |
Séren (Company Commander) |
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| Ségen (Company Exec. Officer) |
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|
| Ségen mishné (Sagam) (Platoon Commander) |
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|
| Academic Officers | Katsín akademái bakhír (קצין אקדמאי בכיר) |
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| Katsín miktsoí akademái
(קצין מקצועי אקדמאי) |
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|
|
|
Rav nagád (רב נגד) |
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| Rav samál bakhír (רב סמל בכיר) |
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|
| Rav samál mitkadém
(רב סמל מתקדם) |
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|
| Rav samál rishón (רב סמל ראשון) |
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|
| Rav samál (רב סמל) |
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|
| Enlisted | Samál rishón (סמל ראשון) |
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| Samál (סמל) |
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|
| Rav turái (Rabat) (רב טוראי — רב"ט) |
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|
| Turái rishón (טוראי ראשון) |
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|
| Turái (טוראי) |
(none) |
[edit] Notes
- The acute accents used on the page indicate accent only and are not standard diacritics used in transliterations of the words in question from Hebrew.
- In the IDF, the same ranks are used throughout the army, including the Israeli Air Force and Israeli Navy. This contrasts with many other armed forced that have a separate rank system for different branches. [1]
- As the ranks of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are traditionally translated one-to-one to Western ranks then the rank of Aluf (אלוף) is translated as Major General, and Rav Aluf (רב אלוף) is translated as Lieutenant General. However, a more proper translation (in terms of both language and organizational role) of Aluf would be to full General (four-star, in American terms). Similarly, as the Hebrew prefix Rav is equivalent to the English prefix arch (as in archangel), a more fitting translation for the rank of Rav-Aluf would be Arch-General, or, more conventionally, Field Marshal or five-star General.
- Enlisted insignia are worn on the arm sleeves whereas officer insignia are worn on the shoulders.
- Officer insignia are silver with a dark blue background in the air force and gold with a black background in the navy. In the army, both lieutenant ranks usually have the blackish-gold ranks (shown above) with an olive-green background until promoted to the rank of captain. Enlisted ranks are identical in the army and air force, however the navy use golden ranks.
- The rank of Private First Class is no longer in use. Privates retains their rank until promoted to Corporal, after 10 months of service (formerly 8), or in some cases 4. Combat units traditionally don't wear the Corporal rank, remaining without insignia until they reach the rank of Sergeant.
- Non-commissioned officer ranks listed on this page correspond to the Hebrew Nagad ranks, a word that translates as 'non-commissioned officer'. Corporals and sergeants however who are commanders are called Mashak, an abbreviation that also translates as 'non-commissioned officer' (or, literally, 'a commander who is not an officer').
