Podcast Beta
Questions and Answers
What rank is indicated by one 2 inch stripe with two 1/2 inch stripes above it?
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a CAPTAIN wear?
Which rank is represented by one 1/2 inch stripe with one 1/4 inch stripe above it?
How many breaks are on the sleeve of a CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER, W-4?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a VICE ADMIRAL wear?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank wears three 1/2 inch stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
(a) CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER, W-5 wears one 1/2 inch stripe with what additional feature?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a REAR ADMIRAL wear?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank is indicated by wearing four 1/2 inch stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
What rank wears two 1/2 inch stripes with one 1/4 inch stripe in between?
Signup and view all the answers
How many breaks are on the sleeve of a WARRANT OFFICER, W-1?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER, W-3 wear?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank is represented by one 2 inch stripe only?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a LIEUTENANT wear?
Signup and view all the answers
'Warrant Officer, W-5' wears one 1/2 inch stripe with a break of what type?
Signup and view all the answers
'Rear Admiral' wears one 2 inch stripe with how many 1/2 inch stripes above it?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a COMMANDER wear?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the rank that wears a 2 inch stripe with three 1/2 inch stripes above it?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does an ENSIGN wear?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank is indicated by wearing two 1/2 inch stripes with one 1/4 inch stripe in between?
Signup and view all the answers
How many breaks are on the sleeve of a CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER, W-3?
Signup and view all the answers
What does a VICE ADMIRAL wear on their sleeve?
Signup and view all the answers
How many breaks are on the sleeve of a CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER, W-2?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank wears two 1/2 inch stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a REAR ADMIRAL (Lower Half) wear?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the position of the first stripe on the sleeve?
Signup and view all the answers
How many total stripes are worn by a CAPTAIN?
Signup and view all the answers
'Warrant Officer, W-1' wears how many stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
'Chief Warrant Officer, W-3' wears how many breaks on their sleeve?
Signup and view all the answers
'Lieutenant (Junior Grade)' is represented by wearing which combination of stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
'Commander' wears how many 1/2 inch stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a LIEUTENANT COMMANDER wear?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the rank that wears a 2 inch stripe with one 1/2 inch stripe above it?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a Chief Warrant Officer, W-2 wear?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank is indicated by wearing one 2 inch stripe only?
Signup and view all the answers
'Chief Warrant Officer, W-4' wears one 1/2 inch stripe with what feature?
Signup and view all the answers
'Commander' wears how many 1/2 inch stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
How many total stripes are worn by a VICE ADMIRAL?
Signup and view all the answers
'Warrant Officer, W-1' wears how many stripes in total?
Signup and view all the answers
How many 1/2 inch stripes does a LIEUTENANT COMMANDER wear?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank is represented by one 2 inch stripe with two 1/2 inch stripes above it?
Signup and view all the answers
How many breaks are on the sleeve of a WARRANT OFFICER, W-1?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the rank that wears a 2 inch stripe with three 1/2 inch stripes above it?
Signup and view all the answers
How many total stripes are worn by a CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER, W-4?
Signup and view all the answers
Which rank is indicated by wearing one 2 inch stripe only?
Signup and view all the answers
'Chief Warrant Officer, W-3' wears how many breaks on their sleeve?
Signup and view all the answers
'Warrant Officer, W-5' wears one 1/2 inch stripe with what additional feature?
Signup and view all the answers
'Vice Admiral' wears what on their sleeve?
Signup and view all the answers
'Commander' wears how many 1/2 inch stripes?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Military Rank System
- Military rank is a badge of leadership, and responsibility for personnel, equipment, and mission grows with each advancement.
- Paygrades are administrative classifications used to standardize compensation across the military services, and should not be confused with rank.
Enlisted Ranks
- Enlisted paygrades are classified as E-1 to E-9.
- Some enlisted paygrades have two ranks, such as corporal and specialist at the E-4 paygrade in the Army.
- In the Marine Corps, a master gunnery sergeant and a sergeant major are both E-9s, but the sergeant major has the higher rank.
- Service members in paygrades E-1 through E-3 are usually in training status or on their initial assignment.
- Basic training includes immersion in military culture and values, and teaching of core skills required by the service component.
- Specialized or advanced training provides recruits with a specific area of expertise, known as a military occupational specialty (Army and Marine Corps), rate (Navy), or Air Force specialty (Air Force).
Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs)
- Leadership responsibility increases significantly in the mid-level enlisted ranks, and is recognized by the use of terms such as NCO and petty officer.
- Army sergeants, Air Force staff sergeants, and Marine corporals are considered NCO ranks.
- Navy NCO equivalent is petty officer, achieved at the rank of petty officer third class.
Senior Enlisted Ranks
- E-8 and E-9 ranks have increased responsibility, and are commanders' senior advisers for enlisted matters.
- Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force have two positions at the same paygrade (E-8 and E-9), depending on the person's job.
- The senior enlisted person of each service is the spokesperson for the enlisted force at the highest levels of their services.
Warrant Officers
- Warrant officers hold warrants from their service secretary and are specialists and experts in certain military technologies or capabilities.
- The lowest-ranking warrant officers serve under a warrant, but receive commissions from the president upon promotion to chief warrant officer 2.
- These commissioned warrant officers are direct representatives of the president of the United States.
- There are no warrant officers in the Air Force.
Commissioned Officers
-
Commissioned officers hold presidential commissions and are confirmed at their ranks by the Senate.
-
Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps officers are divided into company grade officers (O-1 to O-3), field grade officers (O-4 to O-6), and general officers (O-7 and higher).
-
The equivalent officer groupings in the Navy are called junior grade, mid-grade, and flag.
-
Naval officers wear distinctively different rank devices depending on the uniform they're wearing.### Navy Ranks
-
Navy ranks are not difficult to learn and are important to know to avoid trouble.
-
E-2 is 2 stripes, and E-3 is 3 stripes, with Petty Officers having a similar system, with a Chevron added as you go up in rank.
-
Chiefs also have a similar system, with a star added as they go up in rank.
-
Chiefs have an anchor, Senior Chiefs have a star, and Master Chiefs have 2 stars.
-
Note that Fleet and Force Master Chiefs are two separate ranks, but wear the same insignia.
Lower Pay Grades
- The Navy changes the color of its lower pay grades to help with recognition.
- E-2/E-3 have a green patch on their uniform if they work on airplanes, and a similar system for other jobs.
- Everyone else gets black and white.
Warrant Officers
- Warrant Officers are above the senior most enlisted rank, but below the regular Officer pay grade.
- They have gold stripes in widths of 2 inch, 1/2 inch, or 1/4 inch indicating the individual's rank.
- The stripes encircle the sleeve with the lower edge of the first stripe 2 inches from the edge of the sleeve.
- Multiple stripes have 1/4 inch intervals in between.
Officer Ranks
- Admiral: 1 x 2 inch stripe with 3 x 1/2 inch stripes above it.
- Vice Admiral: 1 x 2 inch stripe with 2 x 1/2 inch stripes above it.
- Rear Admiral: 1 x 2 inch stripe with 1 x 1/2 inch stripe above it.
- Rear Admiral (Lower Half): 1 x 2 inch stripe.
- Captain: 4 x 1/2 inch stripes.
- Commander: 3 x 1/2 inch stripes.
- Lieutenant Commander: 2 x 1/2 inch stripes with 1 x 1/4 inch stripe in between.
- Lieutenant: 2 x 1/2 inch stripes.
- Lieutenant (Junior Grade): 1 x 1/2 inch stripe with 1 x 1/4 inch stripe above it.
- Ensign: 1 x 1/2 inch stripe.
Warrant Officer Ranks
- Chief Warrant Officer, W-5: 1 x 1/2 inch stripe with 1/8 inch blue strip broken by 1 hash mark.
- Chief Warrant Officer, W-4: 1 x 1/2 inch stripe with 1 break.
- Chief Warrant Officer, W-3: 1 x 1/2 inch stripe with breaks 2 inches apart, 2 breaks centered symmetrically.
- Chief Warrant Officer, W-2: 1 x 1/2 inch stripe with breaks 2 inches apart, 3 breaks centered symmetrically.
- Warrant Officer, W-1: 1 x 1/2 inch stripe.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Discover the significance of military rank as a badge of leadership and how responsibility grows with each advancement. Learn about the distinction between rank and paygrades, such as E-1, W-2, and O-5, which are administrative classifications for standardizing compensation across military services.
