UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Field Medical Training Battalion
Camp Lejeune
FMSO 1101
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. (FMSO-HSS-1101)
ENABLING LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Without the aid of references, identify rank equivalencies between the rank structures of
Armed Forces personnel, per the student handout. (FMSO-HSS-1101a)
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. (FMSO-HSS-1101b)
3. Without the aid of references, given a description or title, identify the seniority between
rank/paygrade of Armed Forces personnel, per the student handout. (FMSO-HSS-1101c)
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1. ENLISTED RANKS
Junior Enlisted
PAYGRADE MARINE CORPS NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
Private Seaman Recruit Private Airman Basic
E-1 NONE NONE NONE NONE
Private First Class Seaman Apprentice Private Airman
E-2
Lance Corporal Seaman Private First Class Airman First
Class
E-3
Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO)
PAYGRADE MARINE CORPS NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
Corporal Petty Officer Third Corporal Senior Airman
Class
E-4
Specialist
Sergeant Petty Officer Second Sergeant Staff Sergeant
Class
E-5
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Staff Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO)
PAYGRADE MARINE CORPS NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
Staff Sergeant Petty Officer First Staff Sergeant Technical
Class Sergeant
E-6
Gunnery Sergeant Chief Petty Officer Sergeant First Master Sergeant
Class
E-7
First Sergeant
Master Sergeant Senior Chief Petty Master Sergeant Senior Master
(Technical) Officer (Technical) Sergeant
(Technical)
E-8
First Sergeant First Sergeant First Sergeant
(Administrative) (Administrative) (Administrative)
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PAYGRADE MARINE CORPS NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
Master Gunnery Master Chief Sergeant Major Command Chief
Sergeant (Technical) (Technical) Master Sergeant
(Technical) (Technical)
E-9
Command Command
Sergeant Major Master Chief Sergeant Major First Sergeant
(Administrative) (Administrative) (Administrative) (Administrative)
Sergeant Major of Master Chief Sergeant Major of Chief Master
the Marine Corps Petty Officer of the Army Sergeant of the
the Navy Air Force
(MCPON)
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2. 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
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Company Grade Officer
PAYGRADE MARINE NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
There are no W-1 There are no
W-1 Warrant Officers in Warrant Officers
the Navy in the Air Force
There are no
W-2 Warrant Officers
in the Air Force
There are no
Warrant Officers
W-3
in the Air Force
There are no
Warrant Officers
in the Air Force
W-4
There are no
Warrant Officers
W-5 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.
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Company Grade Officers
PAYGRADE MARINE NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
2 Lieutenant
nd
Ensign 2 Lieutenant
nd
2nd Lieutenant
O-1
1st Lieutenant Lieutenant 1st Lieutenant 1st Lieutenant
Junior Grade
O-2
Captain Lieutenant Captain Captain
O-3
Field Grade Officers
PAYGRADE MARINE NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
Major Lieutenant Major Major
Commander
O-4
Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Lieutenant
Colonel Colonel Colonel
O-5
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Colonel Captain Colonel Colonel
O-6
General Grade Officers
PAYGRADE MARINE NAVY ARMY AIR FORCE
Brigadier General Rear Admiral Brigadier General Brigadier General
(Lower half)
O-7
Major General Rear Admiral Major General Major General
(Upper half)
O-8
Lieutenant General Vice Admiral Lieutenant General Lieutenant General
O-9
General Admiral General General
O-10
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
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REFERENCE
Blue Jackets Manual, 22nd Edition, Pgs 60-62
Rev: July 2008
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