Hi, I've been looking into military service post-HS and am trying to understand more about the ranking system. Could anyone explain how the ranks hierarchy compares among the different branches of the military? Thanks a bunch!
Sure! Let's break down the military ranks within the six branches of the U.S. military: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Space Force.
Starting from the lowest ranks, the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps rank structure generally begins at Private, Airman, and Private respectively. The Navy and Coast Guard start with Seaman Recruit, and the Space Force begins with Specialist 1.
The middle enlisted ranks consist of Sergeants in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, Petty Officers in the Navy and Coast Guard, and Specialists in the Space Force.
The higher enlisted ranks are typically various forms of Sergeant Major in the Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, Master Chief Petty Officer in the Navy and Coast Guard, and Senior Master Sergeant and Chief Master Sergeant in the Space Force.
Officer ranks start at Second Lieutenant in the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. In the Navy and Coast Guard, it starts at Ensign. All branches share common progression at higher officer ranks, going from Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel. However, in the Navy and Coast Guard, these ranks are Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, Commander, and Captain.
The General ranks for the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force are Brigadier General, Major General, Lieutenant General, and General. The Navy and Coast Guard use Rear Admiral Lower Half, Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, and Admiral.
There's a fifth star level rank used only in times of war which can be awarded, known as a General of the Army in the Army, General of the Air Force in the Air Force, and Fleet Admiral in the Navy. The Marine Corps and the Coast Guard do not have a 5-star rank.
Hope this helps! Remember, each rank carries with it different duties and responsibilities, so while these names provide a hierarchy, each rank's role can vary drastically depending on the branch and the specific position.
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