War Military History

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Military rank is a system of hierarchical relations in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Military history is a Humanities discipline within the scope of general historical recording of armed conflict in the history of humanity Prehistoric warfare is War conducted in the era before Writing, and before the establishments of large social entities like States Historical warfare sets Ancient warfare is War as conducted from the beginnings of recorded History to the end of the ancient period Medieval Warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. In Europe technological cultural and social developments had forced a dramatic transformation in the character Early Modern warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of Gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive Industrial warfare is a period in the History of warfare ranging roughly from the start of the Industrial Revolution to the beginning of the Information Age Modern warfare, although present in every Historical period of Military history, is generally used to refer to the concepts, methods and Battlespace is a unified strategy to integrate and combine Armed forces for the Military theatre of operations, including air, information Air power redirects here for electrical and mechanical energy supplied by air movement see Wind power Information warfare is the use and management of information in pursuit of a competitive advantage over an opponent Land warfare, sometimes also called ground combat is the term used to describe military operations eventuating in Combat that take place predominantly on the land surface of Naval warfare is Combat in and on Seas Oceans or any other major bodies of water such as large Lakes and wide Rivers History Space warfare is combat that takes place in Outer space, ie outside the Atmosphere. A weapon is a Tool used either in Hunting, or attack or defence in Combat for the purpose of subduing enemy personnel or to destroy enemy weapons Armoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of Armoured fighting vehicles in Modern warfare. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Biological warfare (BW — known as a germ warfare, biological weapons and bioweaponry — is the use of any Pathogen ( Bacterium The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on Chemical warfare involves using the toxic properties of Chemical substances to kill injure or incapacitate an enemy. Electronic warfare ( EW) is the use of the Electromagnetic spectrum to effectively deny the use of this medium by an adversary while optimizing its use by friendly The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The US Department of Defense defines psychological warfare ( PSYWAR) as" The planned use of Propaganda and other Psychological actions Military tactics ( Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating This article is about the military strategy For the Israeli-Egyptian conflict see War of Attrition, for the game theoretical model see War of attrition (game Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc Maneuver warfare, also spelled manoeuvre warfare, is the term used by military theorists for a concept of Warfare that advocates attempting to Total war is a conflict of unlimited scope in which a Belligerent engages in a total mobilization of all available resources at his disposal Trench warfare is a form of warfare where both combatants have fortified positions and fighting lines are static Military strategy is a National defence policy implemented by Military organisations to pursue desired strategic goals Derived from the Greek Economic warfare is the term for economic policies followed as a part of Military operations during Wartime The purpose of economic warfare is to capture Grand strategy is military Strategy at the level of movement and use of an entire Nation state or Empire 's resources A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy Military Logistics is the art and science of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces This article lists military technology items devices and methods Materiel (from the French "matériel" for equipment or hardware related to the word Material) is a term used in English to refer to the Military supply chain management is a cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products and services The broad This is an index to articles listing Battles. List of battles (alphabetical gives a global list See also Military History Antiquity Albania Agron ( 250 BC - 230 BC) The first king to unite the Illyrian This is a list of missions operations and projects Missions in support of other missions are not listed independently A Siege is a prolonged Military Assault and Blockade on a City or Fortress with the intent of conquering by force or Attrition See also List of military writers. Friedrich von Bernhardi Ivan Bloch John Boyd, inventor of the OODA Loop This is a listing of lists of Wars, sorted by country date region and type of conflict This article lists and summarizes War crimes committed since the Hague Convention of 1907. There is a bewildering array of Weapons far more than would be useful in list form This is a list of military writers, alphabetical by last name @@@ main@@@ - title Hierarchy@@@ keywords structure; sociology; information@@@ review@@@ - For the military meaning see Armed forces. For the Soviet sports society see Armed Forces (sports society Armed Forces Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular signs.

Within armed forces, the use of ranks is almost universal. Communist states have sometimes abolished rank (e. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based g. the Soviet Russian Red Army 1918–1935^[1], the Chinese People's Liberation Army 1965–1988^[2], and the Albanian Army 1966–1991^[3]) only to re-establish them after encountering operational difficulties of command and control. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The People's Liberation Army ( PLA) ( is the unified Military organization of all land sea and air forces of the People's Republic of China. Albanian Armed Forces Command and control can be defined as the exercise of Authority and Direction by a properly designated Commander over assigned and attached Forces

Contents 1 Ancient and Medieval ranks 1.1 Persian ranks 1.2 Greek ranks 1.3 Roman ranks 1.4 Mongol ranks 1.5 Medieval ranks 1.5.1 High command in medieval armies 1.5.2 Origins of modern ranks 1.5.3 Origins of higher ranks 2 Modern ranks 2.1 Commissioned officers 2.1.1 General, Flag, or Air Officers 2.1.2 Field or Senior officers 2.1.3 Company Grade or Junior Officers 2.2 Warrant Officers 2.3 Enlisted personnel 2.3.1 Non-Commissioned Officers 2.3.2 Other enlisted ranks 3 Appointment 4 Size of command 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Ancient and Medieval ranks

Persian ranks

The army of ancient Persia consisted of sizeable military groupings under individual commands. The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia 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. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on

We are aware of the following ranks in Parthian and Sassanian armies:

Commander in Chief: Eran Spahbod (to be replaced with four Spahbods, one for each frontier of the Empire during the reign of Khosrau I). Parthia ( Middle Persian: اشکانیان Ashkâniân) was an Iranian civilization situated in the northeastern part of modern Iran The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire Spahbod or Spahbed ( Persian: سپهبد in Modern Persian Sepahbod, is derived from the words Spah سپه army bod Spahbod or Spahbed ( Persian: سپهبد in Modern Persian Sepahbod, is derived from the words Spah سپه army bod Khosrau I or Khosrow I ( Chosroes I in classical sources most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan, Persian انوشيروان meaning

• Commander of the Cavalry: Aspwargan Salar (Parthian) or Aswaran Salar (Sassanian). The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on
• Commander of the Archers: Tirbodh
• Commander of the infantry: Paygan Salarapoo
• Castellan: Argbadh or Argbod
• Commander of a frontier March: Marzpawn (Parthian) or Marzban (Sassanian)
• Marzban of Central Asian Marches was called Kenarang. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists A castellan was the Governor or caretaker of a Castle or Keep. Argbadh (derived from the words Arg meaning "castle" or "fortress" and the suffix -ban بان meaning guardian were a class of military Argbadh (derived from the words Arg meaning "castle" or "fortress" and the suffix -ban بان meaning guardian were a class of military Marzban (in مرزبان derived from the words Marz مرز meaning "border" or "boundary" and the suffix -ban بان meaning guardian were Marzban (in مرزبان derived from the words Marz مرز meaning "border" or "boundary" and the suffix -ban بان meaning guardian were Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south

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. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's For the board game see Stratego. "Strategus" redirects here Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Strategos literally means "army leader" and so it is usually translated as "general. " Originally these generals worked together with the old polemarchos ("war lord") but over time the latter figure lost all military function. A polemarch (from πολέμαρχος polemarchos) was a senior military title in various ancient Greek City states ( poleis)

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. The Battle of Marathon ( Greek: Μάχη τοῡ Μαραθῶνος Machē tou Marathōnos) during the Greco-Persian Wars took place in 490 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. Taxiarhos (Ταξίαρχος (Ταξχος is used in the Greek language to mean " Brigadier " This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart. In Sparta, however, the title was polemarchos. The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη Below this was the syntagmatarkhis, which can be translated as "leader of a regiment" (syntagma) and was therefore like a modern colonel. Syntagmatarkhis (Συνταγματάρχης (Σχης is used in the Greek language to mean " Colonel " A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Below him was the tagmatarkhis, a commanding officer of a tagma (near to the modern battalion). Tagmatarkhis (Ταγματάρχης abbreviated as Τχης is used in the Greek language to mean " Major " A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel The rank was roughly equivalent to the legatus of a Roman legion. A legatus (often anglicized as legate) was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," 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 led by a captain. Lokhagos (Λοχαγός abbreviated as Λγος is used in the Greek language to mean " Captain " A company is a Military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 Soldiers Most companies are formed of three to five Platoons although the exact number may vary

A Greek cavalry (hippiko) regiment was called a hipparchia and was commanded by a hyparchos or hipparch, but Spartan cavalry was led by a hipparmostes. A Hipparchos, or in Latinized form Hipparchus was an ancient Greek cavalry officer commanding a hipparchia (unit of about 500 horsemen two such units can be commanded 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 hoplites and a hoplomachos was a drill or weapons instructor. The word hoplite ( Greek: hoplitēs; pl hoplitai) derives from hoplon ( plural hopla) meaning an item of armour or equipment thus 'hoplite'

Once Athens became a naval power, the top generals had charge of the navy as well. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's 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. A warship is a Ship that is built and primarily intended for Combat. Trierarch was the title of officers who commanded a Trireme in the classical Greek world Trireme ( τριήρης sing τριήρεις pl triremis sing 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 nauarchos, a sea officer equating to an admiral. Navarch ( ναύαρχος, pronounced návarkhos) is a Greek word meaning "leader of the ships" which in some states became the title of an office Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers

With the rise of Macedonia under Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great, the Greek military became professional, tactics became more sophisticated and additional levels of ranking developed. Macedon or Macedonia ( Greek grc Μακεδονία grc-Latn Makedonía) was the name of a kingdom centered in the northern-most Philip II of Macedon, ( Greek: Φίλιππος Β' ο Μακεδών &mdash φίλος = friend + ίππος = Horse Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Foot soldiers were organized into heavy infantry phalanxes called phalangites. Phalangite is the Greek name for an Infantryman deployed in a phalanx (massive rectangular (or square closed formation) of Classical and hellenistic antiquity 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 legions after the reforms by Marius. For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," This article is about the Roman statesman who reorganized the army and was seven times Consul Under the new system, a legion would be commanded by a legate (legatus), typically a senator, for a three-year term. A legatus (often anglicized as legate) was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer The Roman Senate was a political institution in Ancient Rome. Immediately beneath the legate were six military tribunes (tribuni militum), five of whom were young men of Equestrian rank and one of whom was a nobleman who was headed for the Senate. A Military tribune is both a military officer of the Roman Legion and an official of the Roman State.

The tribuni militari were the Roman army's senior officers who commanded the rough equivalents to the US and British armies battalions and brigades (the relevant modern ranks being major, lieutenant colonel, colonel and brigadier general). The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major 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 Caesar's commentaries on his conquest of Gaul and the civil war. Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus was a writer of the Later Roman Empire. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western

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. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus or Claudius I ( August 1, 10 BC &ndash October 13, AD 54 ( Tiberius Claudius Drusus from birth to Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, commonly known as Suetonius (ca 69/75 &ndash after 130 was an equestrian and a historian during the Roman Empire. "

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 cohorts (cohortes), each consisting of six centuries, each of between 60 and 160 men. A cohort (from the Latin cohors, plural cohortes) is a fairly large military unit generally consisting of one type of soldier Each century was led by a centurion (centurio) who was assisted by a number of junior officers. Centurion redirects here This article is about the Roman soldier 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, 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 Mongol Empire ( Mongolyn Ezent Güren or mn Их Mонгол улс Ikh Mongol Uls; 1206–1368 was the largest contiguous Empire The Mongol military tactics and organization helped the Mongol Empire to conquer nearly all of continental Asia the Middle East and parts of eastern Europe The organization of the Mongol army was based on that of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia: the decimal system. The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenid Persian Empire ( haχɒmaneʃijɒn (558–330 BC was the first of the Persian Empires to rule over significant portions of The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia 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. Noyan, noyon (and some other spellings introduced via Arabic texts Mongolian: ноён was a Title of authority in the Mongol Empire The largest organic unit was a ten thousand man unit (tumen) led by an appointed noyan. Tumen or Tümen ("unit of ten thousand" from Turkic: tümen; Түмэн Tümen) was a part of the decimal system used by Turkic ^[4] The Mongalisen is what we would call General of the Army.

Medieval ranks

High command in medieval armies

The king’s army was placed under the command of the High Constable as commander-in-chief. A constable is a person holding a particular office most commonly in law enforcement. A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces 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. For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank (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. An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority 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, a band of soldiers assigned (or raised) by a vassal lord on behalf of his lord (in later times the King himself). A company is a Military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 Soldiers Most companies are formed of three to five Platoons although the exact number may vary The vassal lord in command of the company was a commissioned officer with the rank of captain. Captain was derived from the Late Latin word capitaneus (meaning head man or chief). Vulgar Latin (in Latin sermo vulgaris, "folk speech" is a Blanket term covering the popular Dialects and Sociolects of the Latin A traditional tribal chief is the leader of a Tribe, or the head of a tribal form of self-government

The commissioned officer assisting the captain with command of the company was the lieutenant. Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services 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. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people When he was not assisting the captain, the lieutenant commanded a unit called a platoon, particularly a more specialized platoon. A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or Squads and containing about 30 to 50 soldiers 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. 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 The word ensign was in fact derived from the Latin word insignia. Insignia (the plural of Latin insigne: emblem symbol is a Symbol or Token of personal power, Status or Office 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. Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned officer Military rank in many Armed forces.

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 Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks.

A noncommissioned officer (NCO) received their authority from superior officers rather than the King. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force The highest rank of NCO was sergeant. Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world 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 squad. In military terminology a squad is a small Military unit led by a Non-commissioned officer (NCO that is subordinate to an Infantry 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. Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations 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. Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations

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. 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 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. 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 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. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries This is the reason why a major outranks a lieutenant, but a lieutenant general outranks a major general. Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country

As armies grew bigger, they were split into corps. The lieutenant generals received command of these corps. The corps were split into divisions, each division headed by a major general. A division is a large Military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to thirty thousand soldiers Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries The division was originally an organizational structure under the corps to assist in command and control of various regiments and brigades. This article is about a military unit For alternative meanings see Corps (disambiguation. A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is 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. A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major General. For the other Swedish kings known as Gustavus Adolphus see Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden or Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden 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. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine 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). Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country 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 colonels. Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies In the 17th century, the sergeant of the colonel was the sergeant major. A Sergeant Major is a rank or appointment in many militaries around the world 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. Sergeant Major General is a now extinct Military rank that can trace its origins to the Middle Ages. 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. Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country

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. A battalion is a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel The commanding officer ( CO) is the officer in command of a Military unit. While executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an Organization, the exact meaning of the role is variable

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". The Geneva Conventions consist of four Treaties formulated in Geneva, Switzerland, that set the standards for International law for humanitarian

Apart from conscripted personnel one can distinguish:

Commissioned officers

Officers are distinguished from other military members by holding a commission; they are trained as leaders and hold command positions. Conscription (also known as the draft, the call-up or national service) is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by some established authority An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority Letters patent are a type of Legal instrument in the form of an Open letter issued by a Monarch or Government, granting an office right

Officers are further separated into three levels:

• General, Flag, or Air Officers
• Field or Senior Officers
• Company Grade or Junior Officers

General, Flag, or Air Officers

Officers who typically command units or formations that are expected to operate independently for extended periods of time (brigades and larger, or flotillas or squadrons of ships), are referred to variously as General Officers (Army, Marines, and some Air Forces), Flag Officers (navy), or Air Officers (some Commonwealth air forces). A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is A flotilla (from Spanish meaning a flota of small ships and this from French flotte) or naval flotilla, is a formation of small A squadron is a small unit or formation of Cavalry, armour, Aircraft (including Balloons) or Warships Army A flag officer is a commissioned officer who is senior enough to be entitled to fly a Flag to represent where he exercises command An Air Officer is a British Royal Air Force officer of rank Air Commodore or higher

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. 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 Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Brigadier General is the lowest ranking General Officer in some countries usually sitting between the ranks of Colonel and Major 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. Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks of the highest Naval officers Vice Admiral is a naval rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in seniority Rear admiral is a Naval Commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral. In some navies, such as Canada's, the rank of Commodore is a flag rank. "MARCOM" redirects here For the historical (1936–1950 U Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than

In the United Kingdom and most other Commonwealth air forces, Air Officer ranks usually include Air Chief Marshal, Air Marshal, Air Vice-Marshal and Air Commodore. 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 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 Air Vice-Marshal ( AVM) is an Air officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. Air Commodore ( Air Cdre in the RAF, AIRCDRE in the RNZAF and RAAF, A/C in the former RCAF) is a rank in For some air forces, however, such as those of Canada, United States or most of the Air Forces in the Americas, army General Officer ranks are used. Mission AIRCOM is responsible for all aircraft operations in the Canadian Forces enforcing the security of Canada's airspace and providing aircraft for supporting the missions of

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. For other meanings see Field Marshal (disambiguation Field marshal is a military officer rank An Admiral of the Fleet or Fleet Admiral is a military Naval officer of the highest rank Marshal of the Royal Air Force ( MRAF) is the highest rank in the Royal 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. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

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 Marines and Coast Guard which have only used four). Marine ranks in descending order with tables indicating abbreviations in the style used by the Marine Corps pay grades and rank insignia Commissioned Officers See also

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 Généraux de division, and 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. The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest A Général de corps d'armée (General of Army Corps is a senior rank in the French Army. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries The Marshal of France (Maréchal de France and pl Maréchaux de France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a Military rank. In the United States Navy, a commodore currently is a senior captain commanding a squadron that is too small for a rear admiral to command, although that name has historically been used as a rank. Please see " Commodore " for other uses of this rank Commodore is a rank of the United States Navy with a somewhat For information specifically on the Royal Navy rank of captain see Captain (Royal Navy. A squadron is a small unit or formation of Cavalry, armour, Aircraft (including Balloons) or Warships Army Rear admiral is a Naval Commissioned officer rank above that of a Commodore and Captain, and below that of a Vice Admiral.

Field or Senior officers

Field officers, 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). A field officer or field grade officer is an Army, Marine, or Air force Commissioned officer senior in rank to a company officer 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 (/ˈkɹ̩nl̩/), Lieutenant Colonel, Major and Captains in the British Army holding an Adjutant's appointment. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Lieutenant Colonel ( Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grade 's spelling is a rank of Commissioned officer in the armies Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country In many Commonwealth countries the field rank of Brigadier is used, although it fills the position held by Brigadier General in other countries. This article refers to the military rank For the Doctor Who character known as the Brigadier see Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart.

USN naval senior officer ranks include captain and commander. See " Captain " for other versions of this rank In the uniformed services of the United States, captain is a federal Commander is a Military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service In some countries, the more senior rank of 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. Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than

Commonwealth (excluding Canada) air force Senior Officer ranks include Group Captain, Wing Commander, and Squadron Leader. Group Captain ( Gp Capt in the RAF and Indian Air Force, GPCAPT in the RNZAF and RAAF, G/C in the former Wing Commander ( Wg Cdr in the RAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, W/C in the former RCAF) is a commissioned Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence

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 and various grades of Lieutenant. See " Captain " for other versions of this rank In the uniformed services of the United States, captain is a federal Lieutenant (abbreviated Lt or Lieut) is a Military, Naval, Paramilitary, Fire service, Emergency medical services Typical naval junior officer ranks include grades of Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant and/or Sub-Lieutenant/Ensign. Lieutenant Commander ( Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy) is a Commissioned officer rank in many navies Superior Sub-Lieutenant is a military rank It is normally a junior officer rank Ensign (ˈɛnsən is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries normally in the infantry or navy Commonwealth (excluding Canada) air force Junior Officer ranks usually include Flight Lieutenant, Flying Officer, and Pilot Officer. Flight Lieutenant ( Flt Lt in the RAF; FLTLT in the RAAF and RNZAF, F/L in the former RCAF) is a junior 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 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

Warrant Officers

Warrant officers (as receiving authority by virtue of a warrant) are a hybrid rank treated slightly differently in each country and/or service. A Warrant Officer ( WO) is a member of a military organization holding one of a specific group of ranks. Most often the term warrant refers to a specific type of Authorization; a Writ issued by a competent officer usually a Judge or Magistrate WOs may either be effectively senior non-commissioned officers or an entirely separate grade between commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers, usually held by specialist personnel. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force

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. Other Ranks (ORs in the British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force (and in the armies and air forces of many other Commonwealth countries A non-commissioned member (NCM in the Canadian Forces, is defined in the Queen's Regulations and Orders as "… any person other than an

Non-Commissioned Officers

Non-commissioned officers (NCOs) are enlisted personnel, under the command of an officer, granted delegated authority to supervise other military members or assigned significant administrative responsibilities. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force In U. S. Army parlance: "NCOs are the backbone of the Army!"[1] They are responsible for the care and direct control of junior military members, often functioning in the smaller field units as Executive Officers. While executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an Organization, the exact meaning of the role is variable

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). Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries police forces and other uniformed organizations around the world Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations Chief Petty Officer is a non-commissioned officer or equivalent in many naval services and coast guards. A Petty Officer is a noncommissioned officer or equivalent in many navies. 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, Marine, Airman/Aircraftman and Seaman (Seaman Recruit in the United States Navy and Coast Guard). 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 Marines (from the English adjective marine, meaning of the sea, from Latin language mare, meaning sea via French adjective Airman is a term used to refer to any enlisted personnel in the United States Air Force or Other Ranks in the Royal Air Force (in which airwoman Aircraftman ( AC) or Aircraftwoman ( ACW) is the lowest rank in the Royal Air Force and the Air forces of several other Commonwealth Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy. Seaman Recruit is the lowest enlisted rank in the US Navy and U 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 Commission in most monarchies or a Presidential Commission in many other countries. Letters patent are a type of Legal instrument in the form of an Open letter issued by a Monarch or Government, granting an office right 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. The United States Senate is the Upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the Lower house being the House of Representatives Most officers are approved en bloc by voice vote, but flag officers are usually required to appear before the Armed Services Committee and answer questions to the satisfaction of its members, prior to a vote on their commission. A voice vote in a Legislative body refers to a Vote taken on a topic where the participants merely respond verbally to a question with a spoken "yea" (yes The Committee on Armed Services is a Committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the

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 used to be an appointment of captain in the Royal Navy and lance corporal used to be an appointment of private in the British Army. Please see Commodore (rank for other versions of this rank Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and Please see Captain (naval for other versions of this naval rank The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) Lance Corporal is a Military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide and also by some Police forces and other uniformed organizations The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces.

Size of command

Main article: 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. A military organization is a way of structuring the armed forces of a State as a need to offer Military capability required by the National defence policy The ranking and command system used by 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 fireteam is a small Military unit of Infantry. It is the smallest unit in the militaries that use it and is the primary unit upon which infantry organization is A Sergeant leads a Squad consisting of three Fireteams. In military terminology a squad is a small Military unit led by a Non-commissioned officer (NCO that is subordinate to an Infantry 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. A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or Squads and containing about 30 to 50 soldiers 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). The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists Hospital Corpsman (HM is a rating in the United States Navy and a member of the Navy's Hospital Corps For the Brush-footed butterfly Species, see Athyma selenophora. While executive officer literally refers to a person responsible for the performance of duties involved in running an Organization, the exact meaning of the role is variable 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, usually consisting of four Platoons (three Rifle Platoons and one Weapons Platoon). A company is a Military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 Soldiers Most companies are formed of three to five Platoons although the exact number may vary His command post can include a Gunnery Sergeant and as many as seven others. Gunnery Sergeant insigniaUS Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant ( GySgt) is 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 a Military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel A squadron is a small unit or formation of Cavalry, armour, Aircraft (including Balloons) or Warships Army A battalion is around 500-1500 men and usually consists of between two and six companies.

A Colonel commands a Regiment or Group, often consisting of four Battalions (for an Infantry unit) or five to six Air Groups (for a Wing). A regiment is a Military unit, composed of a variable number of Battalions – commanded by a Colonel. Group is a term used by different Air forces for an element of Military organization. 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. The 1st Marine Regiment is an infantry Regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. 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. Marine Air Control Group 18 (MACG-18 is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma that is currently The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and are headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on the island of The III Marine Expeditionary Force, is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps that is forward-deployed and able to deploy rapidly and

The next level has traditionally been a Brigade, commanded by a Brigadier General, and containing two or more Regiments. A brigade is a Military unit Echelon: is But this structure is considered obsolete today. At the present time, in the U.S. Army, a Brigade is roughly equal to or a little larger than a Regiment, consisting of three to seven battalions. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. 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, commanded by a Major General and consisting of from 10,000 to 20,000 persons. A division is a large Military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to thirty thousand soldiers 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. Military police ( MPs) are normally the Police of a Military Organization. ) 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. A tank is a tracked, Armoured fighting vehicle designed for Front-line combat which combines Operational mobility and tactical Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Numbers also differ for non-combat units such as quartermasters, cooks, and hospital staff. Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations In land armies it is a term referring to a military individual or unit who specializes in supplying and provisioning troops 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 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. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. 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. This article is about a military unit For alternative meanings see Corps (disambiguation. 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 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. An army (from Latin Armata "act of arming" via Old French armée) in the broadest sense is the land-based Armed forces 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 Groups, these being the largest field organization handled by a single commander in modern warfare. An army group is a Military organization consisting of several field armies, which is self-sufficient for indefinite periods 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

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

• 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 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
• Royal Air Force officer ranks
• Royal Air Force enlisted ranks
• 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

• Debra Hamel 1998, Athenian generals: Military authority in the classical period. Debra Hamel is an American Historian specializing in Ancient Greece. Leiden.
• Oxford Classical Dictionary, 2nd edition, 1996: strategoi. The Oxford Classical Dictionary ( OCD) is the standard one-volume Encyclopedia in English of topics relating to Ancient Greece and
• 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

• United States Military Rank Insignia, Background, & Description
• Glossary of Ancient Greek Military Terms
• Military ranks of the world
• PDF rank and insignia chart of the modern Norwegian army, navy, and air force.
• Military rank
• US Military ranks and rank insignia
• Articles about armed forces and police ranks

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