Officer Ranks

• Second Lieutenant. Typically the entry-level rank for most commissioned officers.
• First Lieutenant. A seasoned lieutenant with 18 to 24 months of service.
• Captain.
• Major.
• Lieutenant Colonel.
• Colonel.
• Brigadier General.
• Major General.

Army Ranks – Enlisted and Officer, from Lowest to Highest

Army officer ranks are in three tiers: company grade, field grade and general.

An Army sergeant, an Air Force staff sergeant and a Marine corporal are considered NCO ranks. The Navy NCO equivalent, petty officer, is achieved at the rank of petty officer third class. At the E-8 level, the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force have two positions at the same paygrade.

Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Ranks (E-5 and E-6): Air Force enlisted members E-5 and E-6 are referred to as NCOs. The average Air Force wide TIS for promotion to the rank of Staff Sergeant is over 4 years, and 12 years for Technical Sergeant.

The Steering Committee recommended an Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve based on a total strength ceiling of 4,069 personnel, (3,869 personnel Army Reserve and 200 personnel Naval Service Reserve), subject to existing organisational structures being revised.

The existence of reserve forces allows a nation to reduce its peacetime military expenditures while maintaining a force prepared for war. It is analogous to the historical model of military recruitment before the era of standing armies.

The highest rank attainable in the Army is the five-star General of the Army. Often called a “five-star general”, the rank of General of the Army has historically been reserved for wartime use and is not currently active in the U.S. Army.

Military rank is more than just who salutes whom. Military rank is a badge of leadership. Responsibility for personnel, equipment and mission grows with each advancement. Do not confuse rank with paygrades, such as E-1, W-2 and O-5.