View source for United States Armed Forces Ranks and Insignia

The '''ranks and insignia of the United States Armed Forces''' define the hierarchy of authority, responsibility, and command within the [[United States Armed Forces]]. The system is divided into three broad categories: enlisted personnel, warrant officers, and commissioned officers. Each branch—the [[United States Army]], [[United States Navy]], [[United States Marine Corps]], [[United States Air Force]], [[United States Space Force]], and [[United States Coast Guard]]—has its own insignia and traditions, though rank structures are broadly comparable.

== Overview ==

'''Enlisted personnel''' – form the foundation of the military, carrying out tasks, operations, and technical work.

'''Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and petty officers''' – provide leadership and supervision of enlisted troops.

'''Warrant officers''' – technical specialists with authority between enlisted and commissioned officers.

'''Commissioned officers''' – exercise command authority and leadership at tactical, operational, and strategic levels.

== Enlisted Ranks == Each service uses a tiered system of junior enlisted, NCOs, and senior NCOs:

'''Army and Marine Corps''' – Private (E-1) through Sergeant Major/Sergeant Major of the Army/Marine Corps (E-9).

'''Air Force and Space Force''' – Airman Basic (E-1) through Chief Master Sergeant/Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (E-9).

'''Navy and Coast Guard''' – Seaman Recruit (E-1) through Master Chief Petty Officer/Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy/Coast Guard (E-9).

== Warrant Officers ==

Found in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard (not in the Air Force or Space Force).

Warrant Officers (WO1) through Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) provide technical expertise in fields such as aviation, intelligence, engineering, and logistics.

== Commissioned Officers ==

Commissioned officers hold presidential commissions and lead units, organizations, and commands. Ranks are generally equivalent across the services:

'''Company-grade officers''' – Second Lieutenant/Ensign (O-1) through Captain/Lieutenant (O-3).

'''Field-grade officers''' – Major/Lieutenant Commander (O-4) through Colonel/Captain (O-6).

'''General/flag officers''' – Brigadier General/Rear Admiral (lower half) (O-7) through General/Admiral (O-10).

== Special Titles ==

Army: [[General of the Army]] (five-star rank, used during World War II).

Navy: [[Fleet Admiral]] (five-star rank).

Air Force: [[General of the Air Force]] (five-star rank, held only by Henry H. Arnold).

Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not have five-star ranks.

== Insignia == 
Insignia vary by branch:

Army/Marine Corps/Air Force/Space Force – stripes, chevrons, bars, oak leaves, eagles, and stars.

Navy/Coast Guard – stripes and sleeve insignia for officers, chevrons and specialty marks for enlisted sailors.

== Rank Equivalency == 

Despite differences in titles, ranks are equivalent across services. For example:

An Army Captain (O-3) = a Navy Lieutenant (O-3) = an Air Force/Space Force Captain (O-3).

An Army Sergeant (E-5) = a Marine Sergeant (E-5) = a Navy Petty Officer Second Class (E-5).

== Pay Grades == 
Military ranks are standardized by pay grades:

Enlisted: E-1 to E-9

Warrant Officers: W-1 to W-5

Officers: O-1 to O-10

== Also See ==

*[[United States Armed Forces]]

*[[United States Army]]

*[[United States Navy]]

*[[United States Marine Corps]]

*[[United States Air Force]]

*[[United States Space Force]]

*[[United States Coast Guard]]

*[[Military pay grade]]

== External Links ==

*[https://www.defense.gov/ Department of Defense – Ranks and Insignia]

*[https://www.army.mil/ranks/ U.S. Army Ranks]

*[https://www.navy.mil/About/Mission/Ranks/ U.S. Navy Ranks]

*[https://www.marines.mil/About-Marine-Corps/Leaders/Ranks/ U.S. Marine Corps Ranks]

*[https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Air-Force-Ranks/ U.S. Air Force Ranks]

*[https://www.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Space-Force-Ranks/ U.S. Space Force Ranks]

*[https://www.uscg.mil/About/Leadership/Ranks/ U.S. Coast Guard Ranks]

[[Category:United States Armed Forces]]
[[Category:Military ranks of the United States]]