Military Ranks in Order

The defense forces of the United States are considered as one of the most powerful armed forces in the world. The US military carries an impressive pack of soldiers and a mind-boggling number of weapons and other artillery used for the defense of the country. When an American citizen enrolls in a military school, the three words that he/she will often hear are Rank, Rate and Grade. The armed forces use the term "Rank" to understand the status of a fellow officer, while the navy addresses the term as "Rate". The term "Grade" is used to decide the pay structure of an officer.

There are seven 7 uniformed services in the United States military. The most commonly known services are The Coast Guard, Navy, Marines and the Army. In each of these services, there exists a ranking system which determines military rankings in order. Military ranks designate personnel positions in order of authority, importance and duties. There are three general categories which are further divided into separate elements to mention specific ranks. These categories are Enlisted Personnel, Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers.

Army Military Ranks
The list of army ranks starts with Privates or Recruits. There are two levels of Privates, PV1 and PV2, following which the recruit advances to Private First Class. Once he/she has advanced to this rank, the officer can either become a Corporal or a Specialist. After that, he/she can qualify for the post of a Sergeant, and there are various ranks of Sergeants from Regular to Staff. The highest ranking is the Sergeant of the Army.

Air Force Ranks
Ranks in the air force are quite different from all the other branches. The lowest enlisted rank in the air force is the Airman Basic with several more ranks to follow. After the officer crosses the Senior Airman rank, he/she advances to the Sergeant level. The highest officer rank in the air force is Chief Master Sergeant.

Marine Corps and Coast Guard Ranks
Military ranks for the marine corps and coast guard begin with the lowest rank of command which is Private and Seaman respectively. Warrant officer is the lowest rank in the category of marine corps and ends with the Chief Warrant Officer. The lowest rank in the coast guard begins with Warrant Officer 1 and ends with Master Warrant Officer. The top rank of coast guard is called the "Fleet Admiral" and the highest rank in marine corps is the "General".

US Navy Ranks
The lowest rank in the navy is Seaman Recruit. Seaman Recruit then progresses to Seaman Apprentice, Officer Third and then First Class. Next rank is Chief Petty Officer, Senior Petty Officer and Master Chief Petty Officer. The highest rank is the Master Chief Petty Officer of the navy which is equal to a Major of the army. Next in order are the Commander, Captain, Rear Admiral (Lower Half), Rear Admiral (Upper Half), Vice Admiral, and the highest rank in the navy is the Fleet Admiral.

NOAA Corps and PHSCC Corps
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps (NOAA Corps) and United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC Corps) are two uniformed services which do not contain enlisted or warrant officers. The NOAA Corps operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the PHSCC Corps operate under the United States Public Health Service. The officers of these commissioned corps are placed in 11 categories: Dentist, Dietitian, Engineer, Environmental Health Officer, Health Service Officer, Nurse, Medical, Physical, occupational, speech therapists, Pharmacist, Scientist and Veterinarian.

US Military Ranks in Order

Below is a list of military ranks structures in ascending order.

Warrant Officers in the Army

• Warrant Officer
• Chief Warrant Officer 2
• Chief Warrant Officer 3
• Chief Warrant Officer 4
• Chief Warrant Officer 5

Commissioned Officers in the Army

• Second Lieutenant
• First Lieutenant
• Captain
• Major
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel
• Brigadier General
• Major General
• Lieutenant General
• General
• General of the Army

Enlisted Officers in the Army

• Private
• Private 2
• Private First Class
• Specialist
• Corporal
• Sergeant
• Staff Sergeant
• Sergeant First Class
• Master Sergeant
• First Sergeant
• Sergeant Major
• Command Sergeant Major
• Sergeant Major of the Army

Commissioned Officers in the Air Force

• Second Lieutenant
• First Lieutenant
• Captain
• Major
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel
• Brigadier General
• Major General
• Lieutenant General
• General Air Force Chief of Staff
• General of the Air Force

Enlisted Officers in the Air Force

• Airman Basic
• Airman
• Airman First Class
• Senior Airman or Sergeant
• Staff Sergeant
• Technical Sergeant
• Master Sergeant
• Senior Master Sergeant
• Chief Master Sergeant
• Command Chief Master Sergeant
• Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force

Warrant Officers in the Marines

• Warrant Officer 1
• Chief Warrant Officer 2
• Chief Warrant Officer 3
• Chief Warrant Officer 4
• Chief Warrant Officer 5

Commissioned Officers in the Marines

• Second Lieutenant
• First Lieutenant
• Captain
• Major
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel
• Brigadier General
• Major General
• Lieutenant General
• General

Enlisted Officers in the Marines

• Private
• Private First Class
• Lance Corporal
• Corporal
• Sergeant
• Staff Sergeant
• Gunnery Sergeant
• Master Sergeant
• First Sergeant
• Master Gunnery Sergeant
• Sergeant Major
• Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

Warrant Officers in the Navy

• Warrant Officer
• Chief Warrant Officer 2
• Chief Warrant Officer 3
• Chief Warrant Officer 4
• Chief Warrant Officer 5

Commissioned Officers in the Navy

• Ensign
• Lieutenant, Junior Grade
• Lieutenant
• Lieutenant Commander
• Commander
• Captain
• Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
• Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
• Vice Admiral
• Admiral Chief of Naval Operations/Commandant of the Coast Guard
• Fleet Admiral

Enlisted Officers in the Navy

• Seaman Recruit
• Seaman Apprentice
• Seaman
• Petty Officer 3rd Class
• Petty Officer 2nd Class
• Petty Officer 1st Class
• Chief Petty Officer
• Senior Chief Petty Officer
• Master Chief Petty Officer
• Command Master Chief Petty Officer
• Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer
• Force Master Chief Petty Officer
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy

Warrant Officers in the Coast Guard

• Chief Warrant Officer 2
• Chief Warrant Officer 3
• Chief Warrant Officer 4
• Ensign
• Lieutenant Junior Grade
• Lieutenant
• Lieutenant Commander
• Commander
• Captain
• Rear Admiral (lower half)
• Rear Admiral (upper half)
• Vice Admiral
• Admiral Chief of Naval Operations/Commandant of the CG

Enlisted Officers in the Coast Guard

• Seaman Recruit
• Seaman Apprentice
• Fireman Apprentice
• Airman Apprentice
• Seaman
• Fireman
• Airman
• Petty Officer 3rd Class
• Petty Officer 2nd Class
• Petty Officer 1st Class
• Chief Petty Officer
• Senior Chief Petty Officer
• Master Chief Petty Officer
• Command Master Chief Petty Officer
• Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard

Commissioned Officers in the NOAA Corps

• Ensign
• Lieutenant (Junior grade)
• Lieutenant
• Lieutenant Commander
• Commander
• Captain
• Rear Admiral (Lower half)
• Rear Admiral
• Vice Admiral

Commissioned Officers in the PHSCC Corps

• Ensign
• Lieutenant-Junior Grade
• Lieutenant
• Lieutenant Commander
• Commander
• Captain
• Rear Admiral (Lower half)
• Rear Admiral
• Vice Admiral
• Admiral

So these were all the military ranks in order from the various departments of the United States Armed Forces. They always say about the army, 'It's a man's life' and it surely is, those attractive military uniforms, those stripes and stars, and the honor to defend your country. A career in the US military is the best option for people who want to do something good for the nation and who want to make their peers proud.