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'''Military rank''' is a system of [[hierarchy|hierarchical]] relations in [[armed forces]] or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular signs.

Within armed forces, the use of ranks is almost universal. [[Communism|Communist]] states have sometimes abolished rank (e.g. the Soviet Russian [[Red Army]] 1918–1935<ref>Rosignoli, Guido (1984). ''World Army Badges and Insignia Since 1939''. Dorset: Blandford Press.</ref>, the [[People's Republic of China|Chinese]] [[People's Liberation Army]] 1965–1988<ref>http://www.ccc.nps.navy.mil/si/aug02/eastAsia.asp</ref>, and the [[Military of Albania|Albanian Army]] 1966–1991<ref>http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+al0155)</ref>) only to re-establish them after encountering operational difficulties of [[command and control]].

== Ancient and Medieval ranks ==
=== Persian ranks ===
The army of ancient [[Persia]] consisted of sizeable military groupings under individual commands. Starting at the bottom, a unit of 10 was called a ''dathabam'' and was led by a ''dathapatish''. A unit of 1,000 was a ''hazarabam'' and was commanded by a ''hazarapatish''. A unit of 10,000 was a ''baivarabam'' and was commanded by a ''baivarapatish''. The Greeks called such masses of troops a ''myrias'' or ''myriad''. Among mounted troops, an ''asabam'' was a [[cavalry]] unit led by an ''asapatish''.

We are aware of the following ranks in [[Parthia]]n and [[Sassanian Empire|Sassanian]] armies:

Commander in Chief: ''[[Spahbod|Eran Spahbod]]'' (to be replaced with four ''[[Spahbod]]s'', one for each frontier of the Empire during the reign of [[Khosrau I]]).

* Commander of the [[Cavalry]]: ''Aspwargan Salar'' (Parthian) or ''Aswaran Salar'' (Sassanian).
* Commander of the Archers: ''Tirbodh''
* Commander of the [[infantry]]: ''Paygan Salarapoo''
* [[Castellan]]: ''[[Argbadh]]'' or ''[[Argbadh|Argbod]]''
* Commander of a frontier March: ''Marzpawn'' (Parthian) or ''[[Marzban]]'' (Sassanian)
* [[Marzban]] of [[Central Asia]]n Marches was called ''Kenarang''.

=== Greek ranks ===
From 501 BC the [[Athenians]] annually elected ten individuals to the rank of ''[[strategos]]'', one for each of the ten "tribes" that had been created with the founding of the [[democracy]]. Strategos literally means "army leader" and so it is usually translated as "[[general]]." Originally these generals worked together with the old ''[[polemarch]]os'' ("war lord") but over time the latter figure lost all military function.

The ten generals were equals to one another; there was no hierarchy amongst them. For example, at the [[Battle of Marathon]] in 490 BC, the generals determined the battle plan by majority vote. Particular assignments, however, might have been given to individual generals; inevitably there was a regular division of responsibilities.

The rank that was subordinate to a top general was a ''taxiarchos'' or ''[[taxiarhos]]'', something akin to the modern [[brigadier]]. In [[Sparta]], however, the title was polemarchos. Below this was the ''[[syntagmatarkhis]]'', which can be translated as "leader of a [[regiment]]" (''syntagma'') and was therefore like a modern [[colonel]]. Below him was the ''[[tagmatarkhis]]'', a commanding officer of a ''tagma'' (near to the modern [[battalion]]). The rank was roughly equivalent to the ''[[legatus]]'' of a [[Roman legion]]. Next was the ''[[lokhagos]]'', an officer who led an infantry unit called a ''lokhos'' that consisted of roughly a hundred men, much the same as in a modern [[company (military unit)|company]] led by a [[Captain (OF-2)|captain]].

A Greek cavalry (''hippiko'') regiment was called a ''hipparchia'' and was commanded by a ''hyparchos'' or [[Hipparchos (cavalry officer)|hipparch]], but Spartan cavalry was led by a ''hipparmostes''. A ''hippotoxotès'' was a horse archer. A Greek cavalry company was led by a ''tetrarchès'' or [[tetrarch]].

The rank and file of the military in most of the Greek city states was composed of ordinary citizens. Heavily armed foot soldiers were called ''hoplitès'' or [[hoplite]]s and a ''hoplomachos'' was a drill or weapons instructor.

Once [[Athens]] became a naval power, the top generals had charge of the navy as well. Under them, each [[warship]] was commanded by a ''trièrarchos'' or [[trierarch]], a word which originally meant "[[trireme]] officer" but persisted when other types of vessels came into use. Moreover, as in modern navies, the different tasks associated with running a ship were delegated to different subordinates. Specifically, the ''kybernètès'' was the helmsman, the ''keleusthès'' managed the rowing speed, and the ''trièraulès'' was the flute player who maintained the strike rate for the oarsmen. Following further specialization, the naval strategos was replaced by a [[navarch|''nauarchos'']], a sea officer equating to an [[admiral]].

With the rise of [[Macedon]]ia under [[Philip II of Macedon]] and [[Alexander the Great]], the Greek military became professional, tactics became more sophisticated and additional levels of ranking developed. Foot soldiers were organized into heavy infantry [[phalanx formation|phalanxes]] called ''[[phalangites]]''. These were among the first troops ever to be drilled and they fought packed in a close rectangular formation, typically eight men deep, with a leader at the head of each column (or file) and a secondary leader in the middle so that the back rows could move off to the sides if more frontage was needed.

A ''tetrarchia'' was a unit of four files and a ''tetrarchès'' or [[tetrarch]] was a commander of four files; a ''dilochia'' was a double file and a ''dilochitès'' was a double-file leader; a lochos was a single file and a lochagos was a file leader; a ''dimoiria'' was a half file and a ''dimoirites'' was a half-file leader. Another name for the half file was a ''hèmilochion'' with a ''hèmilochitès'' being a half-file leader.

Different types of units, however, were divided differently and therefore their leaders had different titles. For example, under a numbering system by tens, a ''dekas'' or ''dekania'' was a unit of ten led by a ''dekarchos'', a ''hekatontarchia'' was a unit of hundred led by a ''hekatontarchès'' and a ''chiliostys'' or ''chiliarchia'' was a unit of a thousand led by a ''chiliarchès''.

The cavalry, for which Alexander became most famous (in a militarily sense ), grew more varied. There were heavy cavalry and wing cavalry (''ilè'') units, the latter commanded by an ''ilarchès''.h

=== Roman ranks ===
The use of formalized ranks came into widespread use with the [[Roman legion]]s after the reforms by [[Gaius Marius|Marius]]. Under the new system, a legion would be commanded by a [[legatus|legate]] (''legatus''), typically a [[Roman Senate|senator]], for a three-year term. Immediately beneath the legate were six [[military tribune]]s (''tribuni militum''), five of whom were young men of [[Equestrian (Roman)|Equestrian]] rank and one of whom was a nobleman who was headed for the Senate.

The ''tribuni militari'' were the Roman army's senior officers who commanded the rough equivalents to the [[US Army|US]] and [[British Army|British]] armies battalions and brigades (the relevant modern ranks being [[major]], [[lieutenant colonel]], [[colonel]] and [[brigadier general]]). Note that these comparisons are only loose because the Roman army's command structure was much different from the organizational structure of its modern counterparts, which arose from the medieval mercenary companies, rather than from the writings of Fourth Century Roman writer [[Vegetius]] and [[Julius Caesar|Caesar]]'s commentaries on his conquest of [[Gaul]] and the civil war.

The term military tribune is sometimes translated into English as "colonel" — most notably by the late classicist [[Robert Graves]] in his "[[Claudius]]" novels and his translation of [[Suetonius]]' ''Twelve Caesars'' — to avoid confusion with the political "tribunes of the people."

The fighting men in the legion were formed into ''ranks'', rows of men who fought as a unit. Under Marius's new system, legions were divided into ten [[Cohort (military unit)|cohort]]s (''cohortes''), each consisting of six ''centuries'', each of between 60 and 160 men. Each century was led by a [[centurion]] (''centurio'') who was assisted by a number of junior officers. Centuries were further broken into ten ''contubernia'' of eight soldiers each. Individual soldiers were referred to as soldiers (''milites'') or legionaries (''legionarii'').

Roman discipline was severe, with all ranks subject to corporal and capital punishment at the commander's discretion. For example, if a cohort broke in battle, the typical punishment was ''[[Decimation_(Roman_army)|decimation]]'', in which every tenth soldier, selected by lot, was killed.

=== Mongol ranks ===
There were no ranks in the [[Mongol Empire]] in the modern sense of a hierarchy of titles, although the army was organized into a hierarchical command (see "[[Mongol military tactics and organization]]"). The organization of the Mongol army was based on that of the [[Achaemenid dynasty|Achaemenid Empire]] of [[Persia]]: the decimal system. The army was built upon a squad of ten (''arban'') led by an appointed chief. Ten of these would then compose a company of a hundred (''jaghun''), also led by an appointed chief. The next unit was a regiment of a thousand (''minghan'') led by an appointed ''[[noyan]]''. The largest organic unit was a ten thousand man unit (''[[tumen]]'') also led by an appointed ''noyan''.<ref name=Tobchi'an>{{cite book |last=unknown |coauthors=translated by Urgunge Onon, revised by Sue Bradbury |editor= |others= |title=Chinggis Khan: The Golden History of the Mongols |origyear=1228 |format=hardback |accessdate=2007-01-17 |year=1993 |publisher=The Folio Society |location=London |language=English |pages=page 116 |chapter=Chapter Nine: Chinggis Khan's military and civil administration |quote=Within the units of a thousand men he [Chinggis Khan] appointed commanders over groups of a hundred, and within those over groups of ten. The main units he made part of larger contingents of ten thousand, appointing commanders to rule over them. This is all nonsense.}}</ref>
The ''Mongalisen'' is what we would call General of the Army.

=== Medieval ranks ===
==== High command in medieval armies ====
The [[Monarch|king]]’s army was placed under the command of the High [[Constable]] as [[commander-in-chief]]. The High Constable had authority over the local constables, commanders of the garrisons of major castles. The High Constable had the help of the [[Field Marshal]], an officer that set up the army’s camp. (Marshals acted as chiefs of logistics and were also employed by royal and noble courts.) The High Constable derived his authority over the army from his role of head of the Cavalry.

==== Origins of modern ranks ====
As the Middle Ages came to an end, the rank structure of medieval armies became more formalized. The top officers were known as [[commissioned officers]] because their rank came from a royal commission. Army commissions were reserved for the elite — the aristocracy of mainland Europe and the aristocracy and gentry of Great Britain.

The basic unit of the medieval army was the [[Company (military unit)|company]], a band of soldiers assigned (or raised) by a vassal [[lord]] on behalf of ''his lord'' (in later times the King himself). The vassal lord in command of the company was a commissioned officer with the rank of [[Captain (OF-2)|captain]]. Captain was derived from the [[Vulgar Latin|Late Latin]] word capitaneus (meaning ''head man'' or [[tribal chief|chief]]).

The commissioned officer assisting the captain with command of the company was the [[lieutenant]]. Lieutenant was derived from the [[French language]]; the ''lieu'' meaning “place” as in a position; and ''tenant'' meaning “holding” as in “holding a position”; thus a “lieutenant” is somebody who holds a position in the absence of his superior. When he was not assisting the captain, the lieutenant commanded a unit called a [[platoon]], particularly a more specialized platoon. The word is derived from the 17th-century French peloton, meaning a small ball or small detachment of men, which came from pelote, a ball.

The commissioned officer carrying the (infantry) company’s flag was the [[ensign]]. The word ensign was in fact derived from the Latin word [[insignia]]. In cavalry companies the equivalent rank was cornet. In English usage, these ranks were merged into the single rank of [[Second Lieutenant]] in the 19th Century.

Not all officers received a commission from the King. Certain specialists were granted a warrant, certifying their expertise as craftsmen. These [[warrant officers]] assisted the commissioned officers but ranked above the noncommissioned officers.

A [[noncommissioned officer]] (NCO) received their authority from superior officers rather than the King. The highest rank of NCO was [[sergeant]]. The first sergeants were the armed servants (men-at-arms) of the aristocracy, assigned to command, organize and train the militia units raised for battle. After years of commanding a squad, a NCO could be promoted to sergeant. While a sergeant might have commanded a squad upon promotion, he usually became a staff officer. While commissioned staff officers assisted their commander with personnel, intelligence, operations and logistics, the sergeant was a jack of all trades, concerning himself with all aspects of administration to maintain the enlisted men serving under his commander. Over time, sergeants were differentiated into many ranks as various levels of sergeants were used by the commanders of various levels of units.

A corporal commanded a [[cock]]. Squad derived from the Italian word for a “square” or “block” of soldiers. In fact, corporal was derived from the Italian caporal de squadra (head of the squad). Corporals were assisted by lancepesades. Lancepesades were veteran soldiers; [[lancepesade]] was derived from the Italian lanzia spezzata meaning broken spear - the broken spear being a metaphor for combat experience, where such an occurrence was likely. The first lancepesades were simply experienced privates; who either assisted their corporal or performed the duties of a corporal themselves. It was this second function that made armies increasingly regard their lancepesades as a grade of corporal rather than a grade of private. As a result, the rank of [[Lance Corporal]] was derived from combining lancepesade and corporal.

As the Middle Ages came to an end, kings increasingly relied on professional soldiers to fill the bottom ranks of their armies instead of militiamen. Each of these professionals began their careers as a [[Private (rank)|private]]. The private was a man who signed a private contract with the company commander, offering his services in return for pay. The money was raised through taxation; those yeomen (smallholding peasants) who did not fulfill their annual 40-day militia service paid a tax that funded professional soldiers recruited from the yeomanry. This money was handed to the company commanders from the royal treasury, the company commanders using the money to recruit the troops.

==== Origins of higher ranks ====

As armies grew larger, composed of multiple companies, one captain was granted general (overall) authority over the field armies by the King. (National armies were the armies of the kings. Field armies were armies raised by the King to enter the battle field in preparation for major battles.) In French history, “lieutenant du roi” was a title borne by the officer sent with military powers to represent the king in certain provinces. A lieutenant du roi was sometimes known as a [[lieutenant general]] to distinguish him from lieutenants subordinate to mere captains. The sergeant acting as staff officer to the captain general was known as the sergeant-major general. This was eventually shortened to [[major general]], while captain general was shortened to simply [[general]]. This is the reason why a [[major]] outranks a lieutenant, but a lieutenant general outranks a major general.

As armies grew bigger, they were split into corps. The lieutenant generals received command of these corps. The corps were split into [[Division (military)|divisions]], each division headed by a [[major general]]. The division was originally an organizational structure under the [[corps]] to assist in command and control of various [[regiments]] and [[brigades]]. The corps remained the primary maneuver unit of the army, while heraldry and unit identification remained primarily a matter of the regiment. [[Brigades]] headed by [[brigadier generals]] were the units invented as a tactical unit, by the Swedish king [[Gustavus Adolphus]]. It was introduced to overcome the normal army structure, consisting of regiments. The so-called “brigada” was a mixed unit, comprising infantry, cavalry and normally [[artillery]] too, designated for a special task. The size of such “brigada” was a reinforced company up to two regiments. The “brigada” was a 17th century form of the modern “task force”.

Around the end of the 16th century, companies were grouped into regiments. The officers commissioned to lead these regiments were in fact called [[colonels]] (column officers). They were first appointed in Spain by [[King Ferdinand II of Aragon]] where they were also known as coronellos (crown officers) since they were appointed by the Crown. Thus the English pronunciation of the word colonel.

The first colonels were captains granted command of their regiments by commission of the King. The lieutenants of the colonel were the [[lieutenant colonel]]s. In the 17th century, the sergeant of the colonel was the [[sergeant major]]. These were field officers, third in command of their regiments (after their colonels and lieutenant colonels), with a role similar to the older, army-level sergeant majors (although obviously on a smaller scale). The older position became known as [[sergeant major general]] to distinguish it. Over time, the sergeant was dropped from both titles since both ranks were used for commissioned officers. This gave rise to the modern ranks of [[major]] and major general.

The full title of sergeant major fell out of use until the latter part of the 18th century, when it began to be applied to the senior non-commissioned officer of an infantry battalion or cavalry regiment.

Regiments were later split into [[battalions]] with a lieutenant colonel as a [[commanding officer]] and a major as an [[executive officer]].

== Modern ranks ==
Most modern military services recognize three broad categories of personnel.
These are codified in the [[Geneva Conventions]], which somewhat ambiguously distinguish "officers", "non-commissioned officers" and "enlisted men".

Apart from [[conscription|conscripted]] personnel one can distinguish:

=== Commissioned officers ===
[[Officer (armed forces)|Officers]] are distinguished from other military members by holding a [[Letters patent|commission]] (or Officer in Training); they are trained or training as leaders and hold command positions.

Officers are further separated into Four levels as with the Canadian Forces:
* General, Flag, or Air Officers
* Field or Senior Officers
* Company Grade or Junior Officers
* Subordinate Officer ([[Naval Cadet]] or [[Officer Cadet]] in the Canadian Forces)

==== General, Flag, or Air Officers ====
Officers who typically command units or [[formation (military)|formation]]s that are expected to operate independently for extended periods of time ([[brigade]]s and larger, or [[flotilla]]s or [[squadron]]s of ships), are referred to variously as [[General|General Officers]] (Army, Marines, and some Air Forces), [[Flag Officer]]s (navy), or [[Air Officer]]s (some [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] air forces).

General Officer ranks typically include (from the top down) [[General]], [[Lieutenant General]], [[Major General]], and [[Brigadier General]], although there are many variations like Division General or (Air-, Ground-) Force General.

Flag Officer ranks, named after the traditional practice of showing the presence of such an officer with a flag on a ship and often land, typically include (from the top down) [[Admiral]], [[Vice Admiral]] and [[Rear Admiral]]. In some navies, such as [[Canadian Forces Maritime Command|Canada's]], the rank of [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] is a flag rank.

In the [[Royal Air Force|United Kingdom]] and most other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] air forces, Air Officer ranks usually include [[Air Chief Marshal]], [[Air Marshal]], [[Air Vice-Marshal]] and [[Air Commodore]]. For some air forces, however, such as those of [[Canadian Forces Air Command|Canada]], [[United States Air Force|United States]] or most of the Air Forces in the Americas, army General Officer ranks are used.

In some forces there may be one or more superior ranks to the common examples, above, that are given distinguishing titles, such as [[Field Marshal]] or General of the Armies (many armies), [[Fleet Admiral]] ([[U.S. Navy]]), [[Marshal of the Royal Air Force]], or other national air force. These ranks have often been discontinued, such as in [[Germany]] and [[Canada]], or limited to wartime and/or honorific promotion, such as in the [[United Kingdom]] and the [[United States]].

In various countries, particularly the United States, these may be referred to as "star ranks" for the number of stars worn on some rank insignia: typically one star for Brigadier General or equivalent with the addition of a star for each subsequent rank. In the United States five stars has been the maximum used in all services (excluding the [[United States Marine Corps rank insignia|Marines]] and [[U.S. Coast Guard|Coast Guard]] which have only used four).

Some titles are not genuine ranks, but either functions assumed by generals or honorific titles. For instance, in the [[French Army]] ''[[Général de corps]] d'armée'' is a function assumed by some ''[[Major General|Généraux de division]]'', and ''[[Marshal of France|Maréchal de France]]'' which is a distinction denoting the most superior military office, but one that has often neutered the practical command powers of those on whom it is conferred. In the [[United States Navy]], a [[commodore (USN)|commodore]] currently is a senior [[Captain (naval)|captain]] commanding a [[squadron]] that is too small for a [[rear admiral]] to command, although that name has historically been used as a rank.

==== Field or Senior officers ====
[[Field officer]]s, also called "field-grade officers" or "senior officers", are officers who typically command units that can be expected to operate independently for short periods of time (infantry battalions, cavalry or artillery regiments, large warships, air squadrons). Field officers also commonly fill staff positions.

The term "field(-grade) officer" is primarily used by armies and Marines; air forces and navies generally prefer the term "senior officer." The two terms are not necessarily synonymous.

Typical army and Marine Field Officer ranks include [[Colonel]] ({{IPA|/ˈkɹ̩nl̩/}}), [[Lieutenant Colonel]], [[Major]] and Captains in the British Army holding an Adjutant's appointment. In many Commonwealth countries the field rank of [[Brigadier]] is used, although it fills the position held by Brigadier General in other countries.

USN naval senior officer ranks include [[captain (United States)|captain]] and [[commander]]. In some countries, the more senior rank of [[Commodore (rank)|commodore]] is also used, a position that follows the flag flying tradition (above) of flag officers but through the use of a dove-tail pennant of rank instead of the flag or triangular pennant of other senior officers.

Commonwealth (excluding Canada) air force Senior Officer ranks include [[Group Captain]], [[Wing Commander (rank)|Wing Commander]], and [[Squadron Leader]].

Company Grade or Junior Officers
The ranks of junior officers are the three or four lowest ranks of officers. Units under their command are generally not expected to operate independently for any significant length of time. Company grade officers also fill staff roles in some units. In some militaries, however, a captain may act as the permanent commanding officer of an independent company-sized unit, for example a signal or field engineer squadron, or a field artillery battery.

Typical army company officer ranks include [[captain (United States)|captain]] and various grades of [[Lieutenant]]. Typical naval junior officer ranks include grades of [[Lieutenant Commander]], Lieutenant and/or [[Sub-Lieutenant]]/[[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]]. Commonwealth (excluding Canada) air force Junior Officer ranks usually include [[Flight Lieutenant]], [[Flying Officer]], and [[Pilot Officer]].

==== Subordinate Officer ====

Are Officers in Training in the Canadian Armed Forces either [[Naval Cadet]] for Naval Training or [[Officer Cadet]] for Army or Air Force Training

=== Warrant Officers ===
[[Warrant officer]]s (as receiving authority by virtue of a ''[[warrant (law)|warrant]]'') are a hybrid rank treated slightly differently in each country and/or service. WOs may either be effectively senior [[non-commissioned officer]]s or an entirely separate grade between commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers, usually held by specialist personnel.

=== Enlisted personnel ===
Enlisted personnel are personnel below commissioned rank and make up the vast majority of military personnel. They are known by different names in other countries, such as [[Other Ranks]] (ORs) in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries, and [[Non-commissioned members]] (NCMs) in Canada.

==== Non-Commissioned Officers ====
[[Non-commissioned officer]]s (NCOs) are enlisted personnel, under the command of an officer, granted delegated authority to supervise other military members or assigned significant administrative responsibilities. In U.S. Army parlance: "NCOs are the backbone of the Army!"[http://www.army.mil/leaders/SMA/creed.htm] They are responsible for the care and direct control of junior military members, often functioning in the smaller field units as [[Executive Officer]]s.

Even the most senior NCO officially ranks beneath the most junior commissioned officer or warrant officer. However, most senior NCOs have more experience, possibly including combat, than junior officers. In some organizations, senior NCOs may have formal responsibility and informal respect beyond that of junior officers, but less than that of warrant officers. Many warrant officers come from the ranks of mid-career NCOs. In some countries warrant ranks replace senior enlisted ranks.

NCO ranks typically include a varying number of grades of [[Sergeant]] and [[Corporal]] (Air Force, Army and Marines), or [[Chief Petty Officer]] and [[Petty Officer]] (Navy and Coast Guard). In many navies the term ''rate'' is used to designate specialty, while ''rank'' denotes paygrade.

==== Other enlisted ranks ====
Personnel with no command authority usually bear titles such as [[Private (rank)|Private]], [[Marine (armed services)|Marine]], [[Airman]]/[[Aircraftman]] and [[Seaman]] (''[[Seaman Recruit]]'' in the United States Navy and Coast Guard). In some countries and services, personnel in different branches have different titles. These may have a variety of grades, but these usually only reflect variations in pay, not increased authority. These may or may not technically be ranks, depending on the country and/or service.

== Appointment ==
Appointment refers to the instrument by virtue of which the person exercises his or her authority. Officers are appointed by a Royal [[Letters patent|Commission]] in most monarchies or a Presidential Commission in many other countries. In the Commonwealth, Warrant Officers hold a Royal or Presidential Warrant. In the United States, officers are commissioned by the [[United States Senate]] after nomination by the President. Most officers are approved ''en bloc'' by [[voice vote]], but flag officers are usually required to appear before the [[United States Senate Committee on Armed Services|Armed Services Committee]] and answer questions to the satisfaction of its members, prior to a vote on their commission.

NCOs are appointed by an instrument of appointment, a written document, often a certificate, usually from the service head. Entry into service is often referred to as enlistment throughout the English speaking world, even in countries where soldiers do not technically enlist.

Sometimes personnel serve in an appointment which is higher than their actual rank. For instance, [[Commodore (RN)|commodore]] used to be an appointment of [[captain (Royal Navy)|captain]] in the [[Royal Navy]] and [[lance corporal]] used to be an appointment of private in the [[British Army]].

== Size of command ==
===These Unit Size Equal US Sizes===
{{Main|Military organization}}
To get a sense of the practical meaning of these ranks—and thus to be able to compare them across the different armed services, different nations, and the variations of titles and insignia—an understanding of the relative levels and sizes of each command will be helpful. The ranking and command system used by [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marine]] ground forces can serve as a template for this purpose. It should be remembered that different countries will often use their own systems which won't match that of the U.S. Marines. In fact, the U.S. Army assigns a different rank to command the same type of unit as the Marines.

Under this system, starting from the bottom and working up, a Corporal leads a [[Fireteam]] consisting of three other Marines. A Sergeant leads a [[Squad]] consisting of three Fireteams. As a result, a full squad numbers 13 individuals. Squads usually have numbered designations, i.e.: 1st Squad.

A Lieutenant commands a [[Platoon]], which can consist of three or four Squads. In Marine [[infantry]] units, Rifle Platoons usually consist of three Rifle Squads of 13 men each, with a Navy [[Corpsman]], the Platoon Commander, and a Platoon Sergeant (a [[Staff Sergeant]] who serves as [[Executive Officer]]). A Weapons Platoon replaces the three squads with a 60 mm mortar section, an assault section, and a medium machine gun section. An infantry Platoon can number from 42 to 55 individuals, depending on the service. Platoons are usually numbered (i.e.: 1st Platoon) or named after their primary function (i.e.: Service Platoon).

A Captain commands a [[Company (military unit)|Company]], usually consisting of four Platoons (three Rifle Platoons and one Weapons Platoon). His command post can include a [[Gunnery Sergeant]] and as many as seven others. So a Company can comprise from roughly 175 to 225 individuals. Equivalent units also commanded by Captains are Batteries and Detachments. In English speaking countries, a Company (or troop in the Cavalry or Armor, and Battery in the Artillery) is usually designated by a letter, i.e.: A Company. In non-English speaking countries, they are usually numbered.

A Lieutenant Colonel commands a [[Battalion]] or a [[Squadron]], often consisting of four Companies or Sections plus the various members of his command post. A battalion is around 500-1500 men and usually consists of between two and six companies.

A Colonel commands a [[Regiment]] or [[Group (air force)|Group]], often consisting of four Battalions (for an Infantry unit) or five to six Air Groups (for a Wing). Battalions and Regiments are usually numbered, either as a separate Battalion or as part of a Regimental structure, i.e.: 1/1 Marines in the Marine Corps or 1-501st Infantry in the US Army.

In these latter, abstractions cease to be helpful and it becomes necessary to turn to an actual unit. The 1st Battalion of the 1st Marine Regiment of the 1st Marine Division of the I Marine Expeditionary Force consists of three infantry companies, one weapons company, and one headquarters and service company. Above that, the [[1st Marine Regiment]] (First Marines) consists of four such Battalions and one headquarters company. [[Marine Air Control Group 18]] of [[1st Marine Air Wing]] of the [[III Marine Expeditionary Force]] consists of four squadrons, one battery, and one detachment, a mix of different-sized units under a regimental equivalent-sized unit.

The next level has traditionally been a [[Brigade]], commanded by a Brigadier General, and containing two or more Regiments. But this structure is considered obsolete today. At the present time, in the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]], a Brigade is roughly equal to or a little larger than a Regiment, consisting of three to seven battalions. Strength typically ranges from 1,500 to 3,500 personnel. In the U.S. Marines, Brigades are only formed for certain missions. In size and nature they are larger and more varied collections of Battalions than is common for a Regiment, fitting them for their traditional role as the smallest formation able to operate independently on a battlefield without external logistical tactical support. Brigades are usually numbered, i.e.: 2d Brigade.

The level above Regiment and Brigade is the [[Division (military)|Division]], commanded by a Major General and consisting of from 10,000 to 20,000 persons. The 1st Marine Division, for example, is made up of four Marine Regiments (of the type described above), one Assault Amphibian Battalion, one Reconnaissance Battalion, two Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions, one Combat Engineer Battalion, one Tank Battalion, and one Headquarters Battalion—totalling more than 19,000 Marines. (Within the Headquarters Battalion are one Headquarters Company, one Service Company, one [[Military Police]] Company, one Communications Company, and one Truck Company.) An equivalent elsewhere within the same Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) might be a MEF Logistics Group (MLG) - which is not a regimental-sized unit (as the word "group" implies), but rather a large support unit consisting of several battalions of support personnel. Divisions are normally numbered, but can be named after a function or personage.

Considering such a variety of units, the command sizes for any given rank will vary widely. Not all units are as troop intensive as infantry forces need to be. [[Tank]] and [[Artillery]] crews, for example, involve far fewer personnel. Numbers also differ for non-combat units such as [[quartermaster]]s, cooks, and hospital staff. Beyond this, in any real situation, not all units will be at full strength and there will be various attachments and detachments of assorted specialists woven throughout the system.

The 1st Marine Division is part of the [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/usmc/i-mef.htm I Marine Expeditionary Force], which also includes the 3rd Marine Air Wing, 1st Service Support Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, three Marine Expeditionary Units (featuring [[helicopter]] groups), and a Battalion-sized Marine Air Ground Task Force. In the U.S. Marine Corps there are three Marine Expeditionary Forces.

In the U.S. Army, the level above Division is called a [[Corps]] instead of an Expeditionary Force. It is commanded by a Lieutenant General. In many armies, a Corps numbers around 60,000, usually divided into three divisions. Corps (and similar organizations) are normally designated with roman numerals and their nationality when operating in a Combined (international) force, i.e.: V (US) Corps, VIII (ROK) Corps, II MEF, I Canadian Corps.

During World War II, due to the large scale of combat, multiple Corps were combined into [[Army|Armies]] commanded in theory by a General (four stars), but often by a Lieutenant General (three stars), and comprising as many as 240,000 troops. Armies are numbered by spelled-out numerals or functional titles, using their nationality in Combined forces, i.e.: Eighth (US) Army, Third (ROK) Army, British Army of the Rhine (BAOR).

These were in their turn formed into [[Army group|Army Groups]], these being the largest field organization handled by a single commander in modern warfare. Army Groups included between 400,000 and 1,500,000 troops. Army Groups received Arabic numeral designations and national designations when Combined, i.e.: 12 (BR) Army Group.

These examples illustrate a standard that holds true all over the world and throughout history: rank generally implies size of command in a nested system of ranks and commands. But the specific size of a command for any given rank will depend on the task the unit performs, the nature of weapons used, and the strategies of warfare.

== See also ==
{{Military ranks}}

* [[Comparative military ranks]] for detailed rank listing
* [[Military unit]]
* [[Polish Armed Forces rank insignia]]
* [[Russian military ranks]]
* [[Finnish military ranks]]
* [[Croatian military ranks]]
* [[List of United States military leaders by rank|List of U.S. military leaders by rank]]
* [[Ranks in the French Navy]]
* [[Ranks in the French Army]]
* [[Ranks in the Mexican military]]
* [[British Army officer rank insignia]]
* [[British Army Other Ranks rank insignia]]
* [[Military ranks and insignia of the Sri Lanka Army]]
* [[RAF officer ranks|Royal Air Force officer ranks]]
* [[RAF enlisted ranks|Royal Air Force enlisted ranks]]
* [[Military ranks of the Thai armed forces|Thai Military Ranks]]
* [[U.S. Army officer rank insignia]]
* [[U.S. Army enlisted rank insignia]]
* [[United Kingdom and United States military ranks compared]]
* [[Ranks and insignia of NATO]]
* [[Ranks of nobility and peerage]]
* [[Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps]]
* [[Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps ranks]]

* Other forms and meanings of [[rank]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

* [[Debra Hamel]] 1998, ''Athenian generals: Military authority in the classical period''. Leiden.
* [[Oxford Classical Dictionary]], 2nd edition, 1996: strategoi.
* Warry, John Gibson (1980) ''Warfare in the classical world: an illustrated encyclopedia of weapons, warriors, and warfare in the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome''. New York, St. Martin's Press.

== External links ==
* [http://www.gruntsmilitary.com United States Military Rank Insignia, Background, & Description]
* [http://s_van_dorst.tripod.com/Ancient_Warfare/Greece/greek_glossary.html Glossary of Ancient Greek Military Terms]
* [http://www.uniforminsignia.net/ Military ranks of the world]
* [http://www.mil.no/multimedia/archive/00064/Gradsniv__og_distink_64973a.pdf PDF rank and insignia chart] of the modern Norwegian army, navy, and air force.
* [http://www.friesian.com/rank.htm Military rank]
* [http://www.military-quotes.com/military-rank.htm US Military ranks and rank insignia]
* [http://www.geocities.com/commentariat Articles about armed forces and police ranks]

[[Category:Military ranks|*]]

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Revision as of 17:09, 5 July 2008

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