Captain (land)

Common anglophone military ranks
Navies Armies Air forces
Officers
Admiral of
the Fleet		 Marshal /
Field Marshal		 Marshal of
the Air Force
Admiral General Air Marshal
Commodore Brigadier Air Commodore
Captain Colonel Group Captain
Commander Lt. Colonel Wing Commander
Lieutenant
Commander		 Major /
Commandant		 Squadron
Leader
Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer
Ensign 2nd Lieutenant Pilot Officer
Midshipman Officer Cadet Officer Cadet
Seamen, soldiers and airmen
Warrant Officer Sergeant Major Warrant Officer
Petty Officer Sergeant Sergeant
Leading Seaman Corporal Corporal
Seaman Private Aircraftman

The army rank of Captain (e.g. Captain Mainwaring) is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or cavalry troop. In the Chinese People's Liberation Army, a captain may also command a platoon, or be the second-in-command of a battalion.

Captain is one rank above an lieutenant (or first lieutenant) and one below a major (or commandant). The rank of captain is generally considered to be the highest rank a soldier can achieve while remaining in the field.

The rank of captain should not be confused with the naval rank of captain or with the Commonwealth air force rank of Group Captain, both of which are equivalent to the Army rank of Colonel.

Contents

History

Prior to the professionalization of the armed services of European nations subsequent to the French Revolution, a captain was a nobleman who purchased the right to head a company from the previous holder of that right. He would in turn receive money from another nobleman to serve as his lieutenant. The funding to provide for the troops came from the monarch or his government; the captain had to be responsible for it. If he was not, or was otherwise court-martialed, he would be dismissed ("cashiered"), and the monarch would receive money from another nobleman to command the company. Otherwise, the only pension for the captain was selling the right to another nobleman when he was ready to retire.

Air forces

In most countries the air force is the junior service and so air force ranks have been adopted or modified from one of the other services. Many, such as the United States Air Force, use a rank structure and insignia similar to those of the army.

However, the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries use a rank structure in which Flight Lieutenant is OF-2. A Group Captain is OF-5 and was derived from the naval rank of captain.

In the unified system of the Canadian Forces the air force rank titles are identical to that of the Army as are army and air rank insignia with both wearing two gold stripes on the sleeve or epaulette While the rank is equivalent to a naval lieutenant naval lieutenant rank insignia is embellished with the [[executive curl]. The modern equivalent of the British group captain bears the rank and insignia of colonel, i.e. four gold stripes on sleeve or epaulette (same as a naval captain).

Equivalent Captain ranks

Insignia

A variety of images illustrative of different forces' insignia for captain (or captain-equivalents) are shown below:

Australian Army

Belgium

British Army

Canada

Colombia

Hauptmann insignia of German Army

Lochagos insignia of the Hellenic Army

Captain (Captaen) insignia of the Irish Army

Kapitein insignia of the Royal Netherlands Army

Kapitan rank insignia of the Polish Army

Căpitan insignia of the Romanian Armed Forces

Captain insignia of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Sri Lanka

Kapten insignia of the Swedish Air Force

Kapten insignia of the Swedish Army

Roi Ek (ร้อยเอก) insignia of the Royal Thai Army

Captain insignia of US Army, US Air Force and US Marine Corps.[1]

Captain rank insignia of the Confederate Army as used during the American Civil War

References and notes

  1. ↑ The US Marine Corps insignia for Captain is slightly different from the USA / USAF insignia depicted above in that it lacks beveled edges and the cross-bars are further towards the ends. See collar insignia for US Navy Lieutenant.

See also