Israel Defense Forces ranks and insignia
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| Israel Defense Forces | |
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| Military manpower | |
| Military age | 18 years of age |
| Availability | males age 18-49: 1,499,186 (2000 est.)
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| Fit for military service | males age 18-49: 1,226,903 (2000 est.)
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| 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 |
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Supreme Officers or General Officers |
(רב-אלוף (רא"ל Rav alúf (Rá'al) (Chief of the General Staff, Command of the Army or Army Group) |
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| אלוף Alúf (Commanding General, Command of the Branch of Arms, Corps) |
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| (תת-אלוף (תא"ל Tat alúf (Tá'al) (Commanding General, Command of the Service of Arms, Corps, Division, Brigade) |
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Senior Officers or Field Grade Officers |
(אלוף משנה (אל"מ Alúf mishné (Alám) (Regiment, Brigade Commander) |
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| (סגן-אלוף (סא"ל Sgan alúf (Sá'al) (Battalion Commander) |
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| (רב סרן (רס"ן Rav séren (Rasán) (Executive Officer, Battalion, Battery, Company) |
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Junior Officers or Company Grade Officers |
סרן Séren (Company Commander) |
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| סגן Ségen - since 1951 ((סגן ראשון (סג"ר |
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| (סגן-משנה (סג"מ Ségen mishné (Sagám) - since 1951 (סגן |
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| (ממלא מקום קצין (ממ"ק Memalé makóm katsín (Mamák) (Lowest officer posts) |
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| קצינים אקדמאים Academic Officers |
(קצין אקדמאי בכיר (קא"ב Katsín akademái bakhír (Ká'ab) (The professional officer of the first class in the reserve - officer of medical service, officer of dental medical service, officer of veterinary service, officer of justice, officer of religion) |
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| (קצין מקצועי אקדמאי (קמ"א Katsín miktsoí akademái (Káma) (The professional officer of the second class in the reserve - officer of medical service, officer of dental medical service, officer of veterinary service, officer of justice, officer of religion) |
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Non-Commissioned Officers |
(רב-נגד (רנ"ג Rav nagád (Ranág) |
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| (רב-סמ"ל בכיר (רס"ב Rav samál bakhír (Rasáb) |
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| (רב-סמ"ל מתקדם (רס"מ Rav samál mitkadém (Rasám) |
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| (רב-סמ"ל ראשון (רס"ר Rav samál rishón (Rasár) |
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| (רב-סמ"ל (רס"ל Rav samál (Rasál) |
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Enlisted |
(סגן מחוץ למניין בכיר - סמ"ל בכיר (סמ"ב Ségen mihúts la'min'yán bakhír - Samál bakhír (Samáb) (Sergeant First Class - existed until 1952 and |
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| (סגן מחוץ למניין ראשון - סמ"ל ראשון (סמ"ר Ségen mihúts la'min'yán rishón - Samál rishón (Samár) |
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| (סגן מחוץ למניין (סמ"ל Ségen mihúts la'minyán (Samál) (Sergeant) |
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| (רב טוראי ראשון (רט"ר Rav turái rishón (Ratár) (First Corporal - existed from 1972 to 1982 and no longer in use. See comments in notes in the bottom) |
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| (רב טוראי (רב"ט Rav turái (Rabát) (Corporal) |
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| (טוראי ראשון (טר"ש Turái rishón (Tarásh) (Private First Class - until 1999 and no longer in use. See comments in notes in the bottom) |
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| טוראי Turái |
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| טירון Tirón (Private E2-Recruit - Formally not a rank. See comments in notes in the bottom) |
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Contents |
[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 military, 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 green in the army, blue in the air force, and golden in the navy.
- The rank Acting officer (ממלא מקום קצין) was the cadet in the Israeli army who has finished base preparation on an officer rate (קורס קצינים בסיסי), but for any reasons abandoned a professional part of an officer rate (השלמה חיילית); occupied the lowest officer posts, which are not concerning with command; the rank was considered below a rank 2nd Lieutenant (Sagam); since 1994 is not appropriated.
- The rank Master Corporal was entered for a short time, from 1972 to 1982, for the purpose to convince soldiers to sign an army contract, because of a shortage of staff during this period, and their increase in a rank as an encouragement for the consent to do it.
- The rank of Private First Class was until 1999 and 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 are promoted to 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').
- Academic Officers: These are special ranks, given to soldiers who are of academic education, but for some reason have not completed officers' training (Since the draft age is 18, only few soldiers complete academic education before being drafted - most commonly by postponing draft for this reason). "Kama" is equivalent to 1st Lieutenant, and "Ka'ab" is equivalent to Captain. Officers of these ranks are considered professional manpower (Mostly engineering), and rarely take posts of command. Upon completing officers' training, an academic officer is awarded the corresponding "real" rank.
- Upon enlistment to military service in Israel, all soldiers begin a basic training course, undergo several days or weeks of 'integration', where drill instructors "convert" them from citizens to soldiers. This course is called recruit training or Tironut and the soldier being trained on this course is called a recruit (Private E-1 or Tiron), which is often erroneously interpreted as a rank, similar to the American Private E-1. There is no such rank and Tironim (recruits) are ranked Turai (Private).
- In the IDF, Enlisted ranks are earned by means of time in service (pazam), rather than by a particular post or assignment. Higher NCO and officer ranks require assignment to an awarding post. It usually takes 2.5-3 years to achieve the rank of Staff Sergeant. Ranks of 1st lieutenant and captain also takes only time, but much longer (a full year as 2nd lieutenant, and 3 years as first, respectively).
[edit] See also
[edit] Links
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