RP 0101- Identify Rank Structure of Armed Forces Personnel
TERMINAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. In a military environment, identify the rank and rate structure of Armed Forces
Personnel, per the reference. (RP0101)
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Without the aid of references, identify rank equivalencies between the rank
structures of Armed Forces personnel, per the student handout. (RP0101a)
2. Without the aid of references, given a list to choose from, identify the equivalent rank
insignia of Armed Forces personnel, per the student handout. (RP0101b)
3. Without the aid of references, given a description or title, identify the seniority
between rank/pay grade of Armed Forces personnel, per the student handout.
(RP0101c)
1. Rank Structures Equivalencies
Junior Enlisted
PAYGRADE
MARINE CORPS
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
E-1
Private
NONE
Seaman Recruit
NONE
Private
NONE
Airman Basic
NONE
E-2
Private First Class
Seaman
Apprentice
Private
Airman
E-3
Lance Corporal
Seaman
Private First
Class
Airman First
Class
Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO)
PAYGRADE
MARINE CORPS
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
E-4
Corporal
Petty Officer Third
Class
Corporal
Specialist
Senior Airman
E-5
Sergeant
Petty Officer
Second Class
Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO)
PAYGRADE
MARINE CORPS
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
E-6
Staff Sergeant
Petty Officer First
Class
Staff Sergeant
Technical
Sergeant
E-7
Gunnery
Sergeant
Chief Petty Officer
Sergeant First
Class
Master Sergeant
First Sergeant
E-8
Master Sergeant
(Technical)
First Sergeant
(Administrative)
Senior Chief Petty
Officer
Master
Sergeant
(Technical)
First Sergeant
(Administrative
)
Senior Master
Sergeant
(Technical)
First Sergeant
(Administrative)
PAYGRADE
MARINE CORPS
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
E-9
Master Gunnery
Sergeant
(Technical)
Sergeant Major
(Administrative)
Master Chief
(Technical)
Command
Master Chief
(Administrative)
Sergeant Major
(Technical)
Command
Sergeant Major
(Administrative)
Command Chief
Master Sergeant
(Technical)
First Sergeant
(Administrative)
E-9
Sergeant Major of
the Marine Corps
Master Chief
Petty Officer of
the Navy
(MCPON)
Sergeant Major
of the Army
Chief Master
Sergeant of the
Air Force
OFFICER RANKS
MARINE CORPS OFFICERS WEAR GOLD OR SILVER RANK INSIGNIAS ON
THE SHOULDER LAPEL OF THEIR COATS OR OVERCOATS. THEY ALSO
WEAR SMALL REPLICAS OF THE INSIGNIA ON THEIR SHIRT COLLAR. THE
COLOR AND SHAPE OF THE INSIGNIA VARIES WITH THEIR RANK.
OFFICER RANKS WITHIN THE MARINE CORPS ARE CATEGORIZED INTO
THREE GROUPS
- Company Grade: W1 to W5 and O-1 to O-3
- Field Grade: O-4 to O-6
- General Grade: O-7 to O-10
Company Grade Officer
PAYGRADE
MARINE
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
W-1
There are no W-1
Warrant Officers in
the Navy
There are no
Warrant Officers
in the Air Force
W-2
There are no
Warrant Officers
in the Air Force
W-3
There are no
Warrant Officers
in the Air Force
W-4
There are no
Warrant Officers
in the Air Force
W-5
There are no
Warrant Officers
in the Air Force
NOTE: W-1 in the Marine Corps is known as Warrant Officer. W-2 through W-5 are
called Chief Warrant Officers.
Company Grade Officers
PAYGRADE
MARINE
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
O-1
2
nd
Lieutenant
Ensign
2
nd
Lieutenant
2
nd
Lieutenant
O-2
1
st
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
Junior Grade
1
st
Lieutenant
1
st
Lieutenant
O-3
Captain
Lieutenant
Captain
Captain
Field Grade Officers
PAYGRADE
MARINE
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
O-4
Major
Lieutenant
Commander
Major
Major
O-5
Lieutenant
Colonel
Commander
Lieutenant
Colonel
Lieutenant
Colonel
O-6
Colonel
Captain
Colonel
Colonel
General Grade Officers
PAYGRADE
MARINE
NAVY
ARMY
AIR FORCE
O-7
Brigadier General
Rear Admiral
(Lower half)
Brigadier General
Brigadier General
O-8
Major General
Rear Admiral
(Upper half)
Major General
Major General
O-9
Lieutenant
General
Vice Admiral
Lieutenant
General
Lieutenant
General
O-10
General
Admiral
General
General
Note: A memory aid to remember the seniority of general officers is: Be My Little
General for Brigadier, Major, Lieutenant, and General.
Each branch of the Armed Forces has a senior officer for their respective service:
- Marines: Commandant of the Marine Corps
- Navy: Chief of Naval Operations
- Army: Chief of Staff of the Army
- Air Force: Chief of Staff of the Air Force
REFERENCE
Blue Jackets Manual, 22
nd
Edition, Pgs 60-62
Rev: July 2008
