Mustang (military officer)

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This article is about a commissioned military officer who was previously enlisted. For other meanings of the word, see Mustang.

A mustang is United States Military (especially Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) slang for a commissioned officer who began his or her career as an enlisted person. Mustangs are usually older and more experienced than their peers-in-grade who earned their commissions from one of the several service academies (ie. the United States Naval Academy), Officer Candidate School or the Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Navy mustangs can be Limited Duty Officers, Staff Officers or Unrestricted Line Officers depending on their particular situation. Warrant Officers are usually not referred to as mustangs.

All Marine Corps Officers (mustang and non-mustang) are Line Officers, except for Warrant Officers and Limited Duty Officers.

In general, a mustang is defined by a continuity in military service from enlisted to officer (i.e. no break in military service). However, being a slang term, there is no precise definition or set of criteria to determine which officers can properly be called "mustangs."