military ranks lowest to highest

Military Ranks: Lowest to Highest

The 'rank' in any organization symbolizes the responsibilities and duties that the concerned person has to perform. The military is no different and there is a structure in place to ensure that the defense institution as a whole, functions smoothly, and is prepared to face any eventuality.

The armed forces of a country are one of its most important assets. The military is necessary for maintaining the sovereignty of a nation. In an uncertain world, the military acts as a deterrent against foreign aggressions. Military, like so many other organizations in the world, follows a hierarchical structure. The hierarchy is observed so that there is better distribution of tasks, and the military, as a whole, is organized. Numerous countries in the world have the President, or the reigning constitutional monarch as the head of the armed forces although their roles are largely ceremonial, and it is the General, or the Fleet Admiral, who is in active charge of the forces. Mentioned below are the military ranks in some of the militarily strongest countries in the world.
United States of America
The Armed Forces of the United States of America have played an important role in making America one of the biggest superpowers on earth. The history of the US military dates back to 1775, when American soldiers fought against the British Empire in the American Revolutionary War. Today, the US military is made up by the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The military is headed by the President of the US. The U.S. Department of Defense directs the military policies, and is headed by the Secretary of Defense. At around $700 billion (2012 est.), the US has the highest defense budget in the world. Mentioned below are the ranks of the armed forces of US.
Army
Enlisted Soldier
  • Private
  • Private 2
  • Private First Class
  • Specialist
Non-Commissioned Officer
  • Corporal
  • Sergeant
  • Staff Sergeant
  • Sergeant First Class
  • Master Sergeant
  • First Sergeant
  • Sergeant Major
  • Command Sergeant Major
  • Sergeant Major of the Army
Warrant Officer
  • Warrant Officer
  • Chief Warrant Officer 2
  • Chief Warrant Officer 3
  • Chief Warrant Officer 4
  • Chief Warrant Officer 5
Commissioned Officer
  • Second Lieutenant
  • First Lieutenant
  • Captain
Field Officer
  • Major
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • Colonel
General Officer
  • Brigadier General
  • Major General
  • Lieutenant General
  • General
  • General of the Army
Navy
Seaman
  • Seaman Recruit
  • Seaman Apprentice
  • Seaman
  • Petty Officer 3rd Class
Petty Officer
  • Petty Officer 3rd Class
  • Petty Officer 2nd Class
  • Petty Officer 1st Class
Chief Petty Officer
  • Chief Petty Officer
  • Senior Chief Petty Officer
  • Master Chief Petty Officer
  • Command Master Chief Petty Officer
  • Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Warrant Officer
  • Warrant Officer
  • Chief Warrant Officer 2
  • Chief Warrant Officer 3
  • Chief Warrant Officer 4
  • Chief Warrant Officer 5
Junior Officer
  • Ensign
  • Lieutenant Junior Grade
  • Lieutenant
  • Lieutenant Commander
Senior Officer
  • Commander
  • Captain
Flag Officer
  • Rear Admiral Lower Half
  • Rear Admiral Upper Half
  • Vice Admiral
  • Admiral
  • Fleet Admiral
Air Force
Enlisted Airman
  • Airman Basic
  • Airman
  • Airman First Class
  • Senior Airman
Non-Commissioned Officer
  • Staff Sergeant
  • Technical Sergeant
  • Master Sergeant
  • Senior Master Sergeant
  • Chief Master Sergeant
  • Command Chief Master Sergeant
  • Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Commissioned Officer
  • Second Lieutenant
  • First Lieutenant
  • Captain
Field Officer
  • Second Lieutenant
  • First Lieutenant
  • Captain
  • Major
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • Colonel
General Officer
  • Brigadier General
  • Major General
  • Lieutenant General
  • General Air Force Chief of Staff
  • General of the Air Force
Marine Corps
Enlisted Soldier
  • Private
  • Private First Class
  • Lance Corporal
Non-Commissioned Officer
  • Corporal
  • Sergeant
  • Staff Sergeant
  • Gunnery Sergeant
  • Master Sergeant
  • First Sergeant
  • Master Gunnery Sergeant
  • Sergeant Major
  • Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
Warrant Officer
  • Warrant Officer
  • Chief Warrant Officer 2
  • Chief Warrant Officer 3
  • Chief Warrant Officer 4
  • Chief Warrant Officer 5
Commissioned Officer
  • Second Lieutenant
  • First Lieutenant
  • Captain
Field Officer
  • Major
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • Colonel
General Officer
  • Brigadier General
  • Major General
  • Lieutenant General
  • General
Coast Guard
Seaman
  • Seaman Recruit
  • Seaman Apprentice
  • Seaman
Petty Officer
  • Petty Officer Third Class
  • Petty Officer Second Class
  • Petty Officer First Class
  • Chief Petty Officer
  • Senior Chief Petty Officer
  • Master Chief Petty Officer
  • Command Master Chief Petty Officer
  • Master Chief Petty Officer Of The Coast Guard
Warrant Officer
  • Warrant Officer
  • Chief Warrant Officer 2
  • Chief Warrant Officer 3
  • Chief Warrant Officer 4
Junior Officer
  • Ensign
  • Lieutenant Junior Grade
  • Lieutenant
  • Lieutenant Commander
Senior Officer
  • Commander
  • Captain
Flag Officer
  • Rear Admiral Lower Half
  • Rear Admiral
  • Vice Admiral
  • Admiral
Russia
After the fall of the Soviet Union in December 1991, the armed forces of Russia came into being as the President Boris Yeltsin established the Russian Ministry of Defence in 1992. Today, Russia is one of the top military powers of the world with an estimated defense budget of $64 billion. Mentioned below is the hierarchy in the Russian military.
Army & Air Force
Soldier, Airman
  • Ryadovóy (Private)
  • Yefréytor (Efreitor)
Sergeant & Petty Officer
  • Mládshiy Serzhánt (Junior Sergeant)
  • Serzhánt (Sergeant)
  • Stárshiy Serzhánt (Senior Sergeant)
  • Starshiná (Master Sergeant)
Master Non-Commissioned Officer
  • Práporshchik (Warrant Officer)
  • Stárshiy Práporshchik (Senior Warrant Officer)
Junior Officer
  • Mládshiy Leytenánt (Junior Lieutenant)
  • Leytenánt (Lieutenant)
  • Stárshiy Leytenánt (Senior Lieutenant)
  • Kapitán (Captain)
Senior Officer
  • Mayór (Major)
  • Podpolkóvnik (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • Polkóvnik (Colonel)
General Officer
  • Generál-Mayór (Major General)
  • Generál-Leytenánt (Lieutenant General)
  • Generál-Polkóvnik (Colonel General)
  • Generál Ármii (General)
  • Márshal Rossíyskoy Federátsii (Marshal)
Navy
Warrant Officers & Rates
  • Matros (Seaman)
  • Stárshiy matros (Senior Seaman)
  • Starshina 2 stat'i (Petty Officer Second Class)
  • Starshina 1 stat'i (Petty Officer First Class)
  • Glavniy starshina (Chief Petty Officer)
  • Glavniy Korabyel'niy Starshina (Chief Ship Petty Officer)
  • Michman (W.O.)
  • Stárshiy Michman (Chief W.O.)
Commissioned Officers
  • Mladshiy Leytenánt (Junior Lieutenant)
  • Leytenánt (Lieutenant)
  • Stárshiy Leytenánt (Senior Lieutenant)
  • Kapitan-Leytenánt (Captain Lieutenant)
  • Kapitan 3-go ranga (Captain 3rd Rank)
  • Kapitan 2-go ranga (Captain 2nd Rank)
  • Kapitan 1-go Ranga (Captain 1st Rank)
  • Kontr-Admiral (Rear Admiral)
  • Vitsye-Admiral (Vice Admiral)
  • Admiral
  • Admiral Flota (Admiral of the Fleet)
Master Non-Commissioned Officers
  • Práporshchik (Warrant Officer)
  • Stárshiy Práporshchik (Senior Warrant Officer)
Junior Officer
  • Mládshiy Leytenánt (Junior Lieutenant)
  • Leytenánt (Lieutenant)
  • Stárshiy Leytenánt (Senior Lieutenant)
  • Kapitán (Captain)
Senior Officer
  • Mayór (Major)
  • Podpolkóvnik (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • Polkóvnik (Colonel)
General Officer
  • Generál-Mayór (Major General)
  • Generál-Leytenánt (Lieutenant General)
  • Generál-Polkóvnik (Colonel General)
  • Generál Ármii (General)
  • Márshal Rossíyskoy Federátsii (Marshal)
Great Britain
The British Armed Forces are officially known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces, and they swear their allegiance to the monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. Great Britain has an annual defense budget of $57 billion. United Kingdom is also one of the five recognized nuclear powers in the world.
Army
Other Ranks
  • Private
  • Lance Corporal
  • Corporal
  • Sergeant
  • Staff/Colour Sergeant
  • Warrant Officer Class 2
  • Warrant Officer Class 1
Officer Ranks
  • Officer Cadet
  • Second Lieutenant
  • Lieutenant
  • Captain
  • Major
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • Colonel
  • Brigadier
  • Major General
  • Lieutenant General
  • General
Royal Air Force (RAF)
Non-Commissioned Rank
  • Leading Aircraftman
  • Senior Aircraftman
  • Senior Aircraftman (Technician)
  • Junior Technician
  • Corporal
  • Sergeant
  • Chief Technician
  • Flight Sergeant
  • Warrant Officer
Commissioned Rank
  • Pilot
  • Flying Officer
  • Flight Lieutenant
  • Leytenánt (Lieutenant)
  • Squadron Leader
  • Wing Commander
  • Group Captain
  • Air Commodore
  • Air Vice-Marshal
  • Air Marshal
  • Air Chief Marshal
  • Marshal of the Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
Non-Commissioned Rank
  • Rating
  • Leading Hand
  • Petty Officer
  • Chief Petty Officer
  • Warrant Officer
Commissioned Rank
  • Acting Sublieutenant
  • Sublieutenant
  • Lieutenant
  • Lieutenant-Commander
  • Commander
  • Captain
  • Commodore
  • Rear Admiral
  • Vice Admiral
  • Admiral
  • Admiral of the Fleet
China
Chine is ruled by a single-party Communist government, which maintains the world's largest army - The People's Liberation Army (PLA)- with an estimated 3 million members. China is a recognized nuclear power and has a defense budget of about $130 billion.
People's Liberation Army
Enlisted Personnel
  • Lie Bing (Private)
  • Shang Deng Bing (Senior Private)
  • Xia Shi (Corporal)
  • Zhong Shi (Sergeant)
  • Shang Shi (Sergeant Class 1)
  • Si Ji Jun Shi Zhang (Master Sergeant Class 4)
  • San Ji Jun Shi Zhang (Master Sergeant Class 3)
  • Er Ji Jun Shi Zhang (Master Sergeant Class 2)
  • Yi Ji Jun Shi Zhang (Master Sergeant Class 1)
Officer Ranks
  • Xuéyuán (Officer Cadet)
  • Shàowèi (Second Lieutenant)
  • Zhōngwèi (First Lieutenant)
  • Shàngwèi (Captain)
  • Dàwèi (Senior Captain)
  • Shàoxiào (Major)
  • Zhōngxiào (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • Shàngxiào (Colonel)
  • Dàxiào (Senior Colonel/Brigadier)
  • Shàojiàng (Major General)
  • Zhōngjiàng (Lieutenant General)
  • Shàngjiàng (General)
(The ranks of the Chinese army, navy, and air force generally correspond.)
India
India is the world's largest arms importer, and has the second largest standing army in the world after China. India was not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and hence, is not recognized as a Nuclear Weapons State (NWS). However, India tested its first nuclear weapon in 1974, and today, it is known as a nuclear-armed nation. The defense budget of India is around $48 billion.
Army
Non-Commissioned Rank
  • Sepoy
  • Lance Naik
  • Naik
Junior Commissioned Officer
  • Naib Subedar
  • Subedar
  • Subedar Major
Commissioned Officer
  • Lieutenant
  • Captain
  • Major
  • Lieutenant Colonel
  • Colonel
  • Brigadier
  • Major General
  • Lieutenant General
  • General
  • Field Marshal
Navy
Junior Commissioned Officer
  • Seaman 2
  • Seaman 1
  • Leading Seaman
  • Petty Officer
  • Chief Petty Officer
  • Master Chief Petty Officer 2
  • Master Chief Petty Officer 1
Commissioned Officer
  • Sublieutenant
  • Lieutenant
  • Lieutenant Commander
  • Commander
  • Captain
  • Commodore
  • Rear Admiral
  • Vice Admiral
  • Admiral
  • Admiral of the Fleet
Air Force
Non-Commissioned Officer
  • Airman
  • Leading Aircraftsman
  • Corporal
  • Sergeant
Junior Commissioned Officer
  • Junior Warrant Officer
  • Warrant Officer
  • Master Warrant Officer
Commissioned Officer
  • Flying Officer
  • Flight Lieutenant
  • Squadron Leader
  • Wing Commander
  • Group Captain
  • Air Commodore
  • Air Vice Marshal
  • Air Marshal
  • Air Chief Marshal
  • Marshal of the Air Force (War-time rank)

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