| Common military ranks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Navies1 | Armies2 | Air Forces3 |
| Admiral of the Fleet |
Field Marshal | Marshal of the Air Force |
| Admiral | General | Air Chief Marshal |
| Vice Admiral | Lt. General | Air Marshal |
| Rear Admiral | Major General | Air Vice-Marshal |
| Commodore | Brigadier | Air Commodore |
| Captain | Colonel | Group Captain |
| Commander | Lt. Colonel | Wing Commander |
| Lt. Commander | Major | Squadron Leader |
| Lieutenant | Captain | Flight Lieutenant |
| Sub-Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Flying Officer |
| Warrant Officer | Sergeant Major | Warrant Officer |
| Petty Officer | Sergeant | Sergeant |
| Leading Rate | Corporal | Corporal |
| Seaman | Private | Aircraftman |
| 1 in the English-speaking world 2 also some Air Forces 3 In many Commonwealth countries |
||
Ensign (IPA: [ˈɛnsən]) is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines An Admiral of the Fleet or Fleet Admiral is a military Naval officer of the highest rank For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank Marshal of the Air Force may be used as a generic term for a rank in some Air forces which use a similar title with their air force's name inserted as their most senior rank Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Air Chief Marshal ( Air Chf Mshl or ACM) is a senior Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the This article is about the air force rank Air marshal (or Sky marshal) is also the term given to federal security agents who travel undercover aboard commercial Rear admiral is a Naval Commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Air Vice-Marshal ( AVM) is an Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in For information specifically on the Royal Navy rank of captain see Captain (Royal Navy. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Group Captain ( Gp Capt in the RAF and Indian Air Force, GPCAPT in the RNZAF and RAAF, G/C in the former Commander is a Military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies Wing Commander ( Wg Cdr in the RAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, W/C in the former RCAF) is a commissioned Lieutenant Commander ( Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy) is a Commissioned officer rank in many navies Superior Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior Sub-Lieutenant is a military rank It is normally a junior officer rank Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Flying Officer ( Fg Off in the RAF FLGOFF in the RAAF FGOFF in the RNZAF F/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF is a junior commissioned A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Sergeant Major is a rank or appointment in many militaries around the world A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. A Petty Officer is a noncommissioned officer or equivalent in many navies. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Leading Rating (or Leading Rate) is the most senior of the junior rates in the British Royal Navy. Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in Aircraftman ( AC) or Aircraftwoman ( ACW) is the lowest rank in the Royal Air Force and the Air forces of several other Commonwealth An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name. An ensign is a distinguishing Flag of a ship or a military unit or a distinguishing token emblem or badge such as a symbol of office
"Ensign" is ensigne in French, Fähnrich in German, and chorąży in Polish, each of which derives from a term for a flag. Chorąży ("Standard-bearer" is a Military rank in Poland and neighboring countries The Spanish alférez is a junior officer rank below lieutenant, and so is often translated loosely as "ensign", but unlike the rank in other languages it has no link whatsoever to carrying the flag, instead deriving from the Arabic for horseman. Alférez (from Arabic الفارس al-fāris, meaning "horseman" or "cavalier" is a junior officer rank also used in Spain Argentina and Chile
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Argentina
In Argentina, the rank of ensign is used by both the air force and the gendarmerie. The Argentine Air Force ( Fuerza Aérea Argentina or FAA) is the national aviation branch of the Armed forces of Argentina. The Argentine National Gendarmerie ( Gendarmería Nacional Argentina; GNA) is the Gendarmerie and corps of border guards of Argentina It is, however, used differently in the two services. The air force uses the rank for newly qualified officers, while the gendarmerie uses "ensign" ranks as an equivalent for the army's "lieutenant" ranks.
| Argentine Air Force Rank | Argentine Gendarmerie Rank | Equivalent Commonwealth Ranks for comparison |
|---|---|---|
| ------------- | ------------- | ------------- |
| Ensign | Sub-Ensign | Acting Pilot Officer / 2nd Lieutenant |
| Lieutenant | Ensign | Pilot Officer / 2nd Lieutenant |
| First Lieutenant | First Ensign | Flying Officer / Lieutenant |
The other armed forces of Argentina have ranks equivalent to ensign: "subteniente" (which can be translated into english as "sublieutenant") in the army and "guardiamarina" (with no direct translation into english) in the navy"[1]. An Acting rank, is a Military designation allowing an commissioned - or Non-commissioned officer to assume a rank—usually higher and usually Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. Pilot Officer ( Plt Off officially in the RAF PLTOFF in the RAAF and RNZAF P/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF is the lowest commissioned Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. Flying Officer ( Fg Off in the RAF FLGOFF in the RAAF FGOFF in the RNZAF F/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF is a junior commissioned Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services The Argentine Army ( Ejército Argentino, EA is the land armed force branch of the Argentine military and the senior military service of the country The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic ( Armada de la República Argentina — ARA is the Navy In the army, the most junior sublieutenant in a regiment (or other unit) is also the flag carrier.
France and Canada
In France of the ancien regime, like in other countries, the ensign (enseigne) was the banner of an infantry regiment[1]. Ancien Régime ( pronounced: /ɑ̃sjɛ̃ ʁeʒim/ refers primarily to the aristocratic social and political system established in Also like in other countries, the name began to be used for the officers who carried the ensign. It was renamed sub-lieutenant (sous-lieutenant) in the end of the 18th century. Sub-Lieutenant is a military rank It is normally a junior officer rank The Navy used a rank of Ship-of-the-Line Ensign (enseigne de vaisseau), which was the first officer rank. It was briefly renamed Ship-of-the-line Sub-Lieutenant (sous-lieutenant de vaisseau) in the end of the 18th century, but its original name was soon restored.
Nowadays, the rank is still used in the Marine nationale : Ship-of-the-Line Ensign (Enseigne de vaisseau) is the name of the two lowest officer ranks (which are distinguished as from one another as "first class", equal to an army lieutenant, and "second class", equal to an army sub-lieutenant. The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ( National Navy) and often called La Royale ( The Royal Navy) is the maritime arm ) The term enseigne de marine ("naval ensign") is also often used, but is not the official title. Both ranks of Ensign use the style lieutenant.
French-speaking Canadian Naval officers also uses the terms of enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe and de première classe as the French term for Acting Sub-Lieutenant and Sub-Lieutenant respectivily. An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority Sub-Lieutenant is a military rank It is normally a junior officer rank However, French-Canadian Sub-Lieutenant use the short form of enseigne instead of lieutenant.
French Ship-of-the-line Ensigns
 Ship-of-the-line Ensign, First Class, Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe |
 Ship-of the-line Ensign, Second Class, Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe |
New Zealand
The Royal New Zealand Navy, unlike the Royal Navy—whose uniforms, insignia, and traditions it copies—created the Ensign grade to equal the lowest commissioned RNZAF grade of Pilot Officer and the New Zealand Army grade of Second Lieutenant. Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of Commissioned officer in a British Cavalry Troop, after Captain and Lieutenant The Royal New Zealand Navy ( RNZN) (Maori Te Taua Moana, The Sea Army) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF) is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. Pilot Officer ( Plt Off officially in the RAF PLTOFF in the RAAF and RNZAF P/O in the former RCAF and frequently in the RAF is the lowest commissioned Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. It ranks above the grade of Midshipman. For the fish called midshipman see Midshipman fish. The rank of midshipman is one of the oldest ranks still in existence Like the grade of Pilot Officer, it uses a single thin strip of braid. The fact that the Royal Navy has no real equivalent to the lowest commissioned Royal Air Force and British Army grades was the driving factor behind the RNZN's decision to create the Ensign grade, as well as the fact that at the time New Zealand was actively involved with the United States Armed Forces, it also made sense to balance the rank system out with that used by the United States Navy. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces.
Poland
The Polish Army equivalent of "ensign" is "chorąży" (the Polish for "ensign" or "flag" being "chorągiew"). Polish Land Forces (Wojska Lądowe RP is a branch of Poland 's Armed Forces. Chorąży ("Standard-bearer" is a Military rank in Poland and neighboring countries Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. An ensign is a distinguishing Flag of a ship or a military unit or a distinguishing token emblem or badge such as a symbol of office
Russia
The present-day Russian-Army equivalent is the NCO rank of praporshchik (пра́порщик);and the Russian-Navy equivalent, Mitshman (ми́чман). The Russian Ground Forces (Сухопутные войска Российской Федерации tr A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force Praporshchik (пра́порщик ˈprapərɕɪk was originally a name of a junior officer position in the military of the Russian Empire equivalent to ensign The Russian Navy or VMF ( Russian: Военно-Морской Флот (ВМФ России- Voyenno-Morskoy Flot Rossii (VMF or literally Military Maritime For the fish called midshipman see Midshipman fish. The rank of midshipman is one of the oldest ranks still in existence
United Kingdom
Until 1871, when it was replaced by Second Lieutenant, Ensign was the lowest rank of commissioned officer in infantry regiments of the British Army (except fusilier and Rifle regiments, which always used Second Lieutenant). Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists Fusilier was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock Musket called the fusil. It was the duty of officers of this rank to carry the colours of the regiment. Regimental Colours is the name for the ceremonial flags bearing the symbol of a military Infantry Regiment. In the 16th century "ensign" was corrupted into "ancient," and was used in the two senses of a banner and the bearer of the banner. Today, the term "Ensign" is still used by the Foot Guards regiments, for instance during the ceremony of Trooping the Colour. Foot guards is a term used to describe elite Infantry Regiments British Army The Foot Guards are the Infantry Regiments of the Trooping the Colour is a military ceremony performed by Regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. The equivalent cavalry rank was Cornet, also being derived from the name of a banner. Cornet was originally the third and lowest grade of Commissioned officer in a British Cavalry Troop, after Captain and Lieutenant
United States
In the United States Navy, the rank of "Ensign" superseded in 1862 that of "Passed Midshipman". Year 1862 was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Monday For the fish called midshipman see Midshipman fish. The rank of midshipman is one of the oldest ranks still in existence Ensign is the most junior commissioned officer in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps and the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps ranking below Lieutenant Junior Grade. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps ( NOAA Corps) is the uniformed service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps ( PHSCC) is the federal uniformed service of the United States Public Health Service (PHS consisting In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric It is also equivalent to a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army, United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force. Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. A typical Ensign is at specialty training for up to two years after receipt of the commission, depending on specialty, and after that is a division officer, leading a group of petty officers and enlisted personnel in a division. A Petty Officer is a noncommissioned officer or equivalent in many navies. Even this billet, however, is for training purposes, as the division officer's duties and responsibilities are specifically designed to familiarize the "Div-O" with the appropriate naval systems, programs, and polices. U. S. Navy and Coast Guard Ensigns wear a collar insignia of a single gold bar, hence their nickname of "butterbars" (shared with Army, Air Force and Marine 2nd Lieutenants). Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces.
Until achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander, it is customary to address naval officers as "Mister. " For example, Ensign Rogers might also be addressed as "Mister Rogers".
The most senior U. S. Navy ensign on board ship or in a naval aviation squadron, receives an enlarged collar insignia, often engraved with the word "BULL", and is known as the "Bull Ensign". However, this is usually confined to within the command, as it is not recognized as regulation uniform devices. By tradition, this officer is responsible for guiding and mentoring the other ensigns of a ship or squadron's wardroom. In some wardrooms, the Bull Ensign must don a bull-horned hardhat to social functions.
The Bull Ensign is the direct social superior to the J. O. R. G. Ensign, or "George" (Junior Officer Requiring Guidance) who is the most junior officer in a naval command. (The origins of the term "George Ensign" are not clear. J. O. R. G. is a backronym. A backronym (or bacronym) is a Phrase that is constructed "after the fact" from a previously existing word or Abbreviation, the abbreviation ) The Bull is directly responsible for the actions of the JORG. The JORG normally serves as the Vice-President of the mess at formal military dinners, or "mess nights", and has key responsibilities for the success of this important military social event. The JORG is typically the collector and manager of the Wardroom Fund, a bank account funding miscellaneous incidentals to social functions as well as parting gifts or plaques for separating officers. A parting gift or farewell gift is a Parting tradition, a Gift given during Parting. Some of the various incidental duties of the JORG may also include maintaining the senior officer of the wardroom's Government-Owned Vehicle (GOV), setting up projectors and screens for General Military Training (GMT) and various other tasks. In the Seabees, the JORG is called the "Boot" and must carry a concrete- and rebar-filled Boot. The Seabees are the Construction Battalions of the United States Navy. This boot must be inspection-ready at all times. Other members of the Wardroom often seek to steal the boot and hold it ransom.
While officer rank is determined based on date of rank and line number precedence, not all ensigns typically receive the same prejudice as demonstrated by the JORG and Bull traditions. Limited Duty Officer or other prior enlisted, are often viewed as being a bit more knowledgeable and experienced as freshly commissioned officers. A Limited Duty Officer (LDO is an officer in the United States Navy or Marine Corps who was selected for commissioning based on his skill and expertise and is not As such these members often referred to as "Mustangs," who are typically given tougher assignments commensurate with those appropriate for an Ensign. They are also designated as an O-1E versus an O-1 in regard to pay and benefits. True "Mustangs" never experience a break in service. The O-1E pay grade is available to prior enlisted servicemembers with greater than four years of enlisted service. Therefore, the O-1E pay grade does not necessarily indicate one is a Mustang. Prior enlisted service members earning a commission retain separate pay benefits from regular commissioned officers until promotion to O-4.
In Fiction
United Federation of Planets
In Starfleet, "Ensign" is the most junior officer rank. The United Federation of Planets, (also known as the "The Federation" or UFP) is a fictional interplanetary state depicted in the Star Trek This article describes the Starfleet organization in the Star Trek universe for other uses see Starfleet (disambiguation In the Fictional universe It is the rank bestowed on newly commissioned officers when they graduate from Starfleet Academy. Ensigns typically begin their careers as the most junior officers in the department of their chosen specialty. Ensigns who have strongly distinguished themselves in their academy class or on duty may sometimes be given posts as main-shift bridge officers (e. g. Ensign Harry Kim). Ensign Harry Kim, played by Garrett Wang, is a character in the Television series Star Trek Voyager.
Earth Federation
In the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam anime series. The is a fictional organization in the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam Anime series Universal Century is the English name for the original timeline of the Gundam Anime Metaseries. is a Metaseries of English Anime, featuring tiny robots or " Kounans " created by Sunrise studios (anime in Japanese, The rank of Ensign is the 7th rank up below Lieutenant JG. The rank of Ensign is only extended to the EFF army branch. Notanble EFF Ensigns include Ensign Shiro Amada, Ensign Kou Uraki (Later Lieutenant JG), Ensign Amuro Ray (Later Lieutenant)and Ensign Hayato Kobayashi. is one of the main characters in the Anime OVA Mobile Suit Gundam The 08th MS Team, next to Aina Saharin. In the fictional Gundam universe is a 19 year-old Federation pilot stationed at the Torrington base in Australia assigned as a test pilot after graduating from the Federation military is a fictional character from the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam and its sequels Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and Char's Counterattack was a character who first appeared in the Anime TV series Mobile Suit Gundam.
See also
References
- Division Officer's Guide / James Stavridis and Robert Girrier - Naval Institute Press, 2004 - ISBN 1591147999
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