British and US military ranks compared

British and US Officer Ranks Compared

Note that the US military usually uses O-1 to O-11 to symbolize officer, and not the NATO codes of OF-1 to OF-10 in which all subaltern officers are classed as OF-1 (O-1 and O-2 in US). Not listed are US warrant officers. In accordance with Army Regulation (AR) 135–100 , Department of the Army Pamphlet (DA Pam) 600–11 and Army Field Manual (FM) 22–100 (para A-3) [1], a warrant officer is an officer who can and does command, carry out military justice actions and sits both selection and promotion boards. A warrant officer is a single-track specialty officer, initially appointed by the Secretary of the Army, he/she receives a commission upon promotion to Chief Warrant Officer Two (CW2).

Notes to table above

1. RAF-style ranks are also used by the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Nigerian Air Force, Indian Air Force, Pakistan Air Force, Bangladesh Air Force and Sri Lanka Air Force. The Ghana Air Force and Air Force of Zimbabwe (previously Royal Rhodesian Air Force) also use the same basic system, but replace Pilot Officer and Flying Officer with Air Sub Lieutenant and Air Lieutenant. The Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Malaysian Air Force also previously used the system.
2. OF-10 ranks in the United States can only be attained during war time. This is also now generally the case in the UK, although provision is made to award them under special circumstances in peacetime (no promotions to these ranks have been made since they were generally suspended in 1997).
3. The Royal Marines rank alongside their army equivalents. However, when borne on the books of any of HM Ships or Naval Establishments Royal Marines are subject to the Naval Discipline Act 1957 and in these circumstances many officer ranks in the Royal Marines enjoy greater status. Second Lieutenants are equivalent to Sub Lieutenants and ranks from Lieutenant to Major may be considered equivalent to one rank higher (OF-2 to OF-4). Lieutenant Colonels are considered equivalent to RN Captains with less than six years in the rank, and Colonels would be equivalent to Captains with more than six years seniority. Higher ranks follow the equivalence on the table above.
4. Not used in the Royal Marines.
5. Junior to equivalents in other services.
7. Depends on Officer commissioning Program, Naval Academy, Merchant Marine Academy and NROTC are MIDN, Seaman-to-Admrial 21 (STA-21), and Officer Candidate School are OC.

US "Enlisted" and British "Other" ranks compared

Notes to table above

1. Pay grade is used in the US military as to normalize the equivalent enlisted and officer ranks respectively. For example, the base pay of an E-8 is the same in the Air Force and the Army. In theory, those two E-8s will have equivalent levels of seniority and responsibility. When enlisted men from several services are together, the senior enlisted man is responsible for the group. For comparing ranks with other countries the Paygrade numbers match with the NATO Codes for Enlisted (Other) ranks. Hence E-1, at least for this purpose, can be considered same as OR-1, E-2 as OR-2 and so on. Also note that the British Armed Forces do not actually use the term Enlisted Ranks. The equivalent in the Royal Navy is Ratings and in the other services is Other Ranks (formally, at least in the past, Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men).
2. A Warrant Officer in UK service is a senior non-commissioned rank not comparable to the various grades of Warrant Officer in the US, although holding the Queen's Warrant and with certain privileges similar to those of officers. In the Army and Royal Marines, they are referred to by their appointment, of which there are many (for example, Regimental Sergeant Major is a WO1 appointment). The US rank is held by single track career specialists (ranking between Enlisted Ranks and 2nd Lieutenant) and have no NATO equivalent. An RN Warrant Officer Class 1 incorporated the former rank of Fleet Chief Petty Officer.
3. The RN created the rate of Warrant Officer Class 2 on 1 April 2004. Previously, there was a rate of Charge Chief Petty Officer, who usually ranked as OR-7, although above other CPOs. A Charge Chief Artificer (a highly-qualified technical CCPO) could be given a NATO OR-8 status, but still ranked below WO2 in the Army and Royal Marines. On the creation of WO2, all CCPOs were upgraded to this rate.
4. British Sergeants/Petty Officers are seen as equal to E5 and E6 although Corporals as well as Sergeants may appointed to an official OR-5 (i.e. E-5) military role as is suited to the particular situation.
5. Leading Rate is junior to Corporals in the other services
6. From April 1, 1999 Able Rating and Ordinary Rating merged, Marine 1st Class and Marine 2nd Class merged, and Junior Rating and Junior Marine were abolished.
7. Technical trades and musicians only.
8. Household Cavalry.
9. The most senior WO1s are, in descending order, the Conductors (Cdr) of the Royal Logistic Corps, the Academy Sergeant Major (AcSM), and the Garrison Sergeant Major (GSM) of the London District
10. The rank of Junior Corporal is used by the RAF Section of the Combined Cadet Force as an equivalent to OR-3.
11. Includes Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), Garrison Sergeant Major (GSM), and Household Cavalry Regimental Corporal Major (RCM). These appointments are similar in function to the equivalent US rank indicated, but are equal in rank to other WO1 appointments.
12. Includes Company Sergeant Major (CSM), Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM), Royal Artillery Battery Sergeant Major (BSM), Household Cavalry Squadron Corporal Major (SCM), and Band Sergeant Major. These appointments are similar in function to the equivalent US rank indicated, but are equal in rank to other WO2 appointments.
13. Infantry regiments.
14. Staff Sergeants can also hold other appointments, such as Company Quartermaster Sergeant.
15. Royal Artillery.
16. Brigade of Guards.
17. Trooper (Tpr) in the Household Cavalry, Royal Armoured Corps and Special Air Service; Gunner (Gnr) in the Royal Artillery; Sapper (Spr) in the Royal Engineers; Signaller (Sig) in the Royal Corps of Signals; Air Trooper (ATpr) in the Army Air Corps; Guardsman (Gdm) in Foot Guards regiments; Fusilier (Fus) in Fusilier regiments; Kingsman in the King's Regiment; Rifleman (Rfm) in the Royal Green Jackets and Royal Gurkha Rifles; Highlander in The Highlanders; Craftsman (Cfn) in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; Musician (Mus) in the Corps of Army Music; Drummer (Dmr), Trumpeter (Tptr), Bugler, or Piper (Ppr) if appropriate.

Wider References

Comparative military ranks

External Links

• World Rank Insignia