MILITARY RANKS Major David L. Rogers USAF (Ret)

Why Does the Military Have Ranks? Provides a more strict structure Immediate recognition of experience and responsibility –Necessary in emergencies –Police and fire imitate this

Let’s Start With the Air Force Two types of ranks –Officer –Enlisted Officers have a college degree –THERE IS NO OTHER WAY –They have a commission from Congress –Typically are held to a higher level of accountability—Article 133 of the UCMJ Enlisted typically enter without a college degree –They are divided into Airmen and NCO (Sergeant)

Airmen Ranks Airman Basic –No Insignia –Basic Trainee Airman –One stripe Airman First Class –Two stripes –The rank after basic a JROTC cadet has Senior Airman –Three stripes

NCO RANKS Junior NCOs –Staff Sergeant—4 stripes –Technical Sergeant—5 stripes

Senior NCOs Master Sergeant—One roof on the dog house Senior Master Sergeant—Two roofs on the dog house Chief Master Sergeant— Three roofs on the dog house There are other positions—not ranks

Officer Ranks Officers are divided into three types –Junior Grade –Field Grade –General Officer

Junior Grade Officers Second Lieutenant –Single Gold Bar –Entry Rank for most officers First Lieutenant –Two years time in grade –No infractions Captain –Four years time in service –Two years time in grade –No infractions –Review Board

Field Grade Officers Major –Approximately 12 years time in service –6 – 8 years time in grade –Board Review Lieutenant Colonel –16 years in service –Board Review Colonel –Usually years –Board Review—very limited

General Officers Normally up to four stars –Five stars possible but would require a multi-national force in time of war Brigadier General—One Star Major General—Two Stars Lieutenant General—Three Stars General—Four Stars General of the Air Forces—Five Stars

Enlisted Insignia

Officer Insignia

AFJROTC RANK Enlisted very similar—torch replaces star Airman Ranks Junior NCO Senior NCO

AFJROTC CADET OFFICERS Series of thin and thick chevrons Junior Officers have ALL THIN CHEVRONS –One Thin is second lieutenant –Two Thin is first lieutenant –Three thin is captain

AFJROTC CADET OFFICERS Cadet Senior Officers have thick and thin –Major has one thick chevron –Lieutenant Colonel has the one thick with one thin –Colonel has the thick with two thin chevrons

HOW DO I GET PROMOTED? Left up to each unit Here, you must complete tasks to achieve enlisted rank Enlisted rank can also be attained as a result of superior performance and being placed in a position of leadership—normally after two semesters –One Chief Master Sergeant Officer rank: two semesters and leadership school –SASI reserves one promotion per year for an enlisted person who performs above and beyond—normally a junior or senior who had problems going to leadership school See the Web Site – ers/Pages/ClassInformation.aspxhttp:// ers/Pages/ClassInformation.aspx