# Army and Air Force ranks (question raised by Good Morning Vietnam)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-and-air-force-ranks-question-raised-by-good-morning-vietnam/967033>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 28, 2022, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-and-air-force-ranks-question-raised-by-good-morning-vietnam/967033 "2022-06-28T12:27:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 7

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**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2022, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-and-air-force-ranks-question-raised-by-good-morning-vietnam/967033/7 "2022-06-28T12:43:45Z")

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I found a pretty good table:

| PAY SCALE | ARMY | AIR FORCE | MARINES | NAVY AND COAST GUARD |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Commissioned Officers** | | | | |
| \*\* | General of the Army | General of the Air Force | | Fleet Admiral |
| O-10 | Army Chief of Staff | | | |
| General | Air Force Chief of Staff General | Commandant of the Marine Corps | | |
| General | Chief of Naval Operations | | | |
| Commandant of the Coast Guard | | | | |
| Admiral | | | | |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | Vice Admiral |
| O-8 | Major General | Major General | Major General | Rear Admiral (Upper Half) |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | Brigadier General | Brigadier General | Rear Admiral (Commodore) |
| O-6 | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel | Captain |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Commander |
| O-4 | Major | Major | Major | Lieutenant Commander |
| O-3 | Captain | Captain | Captain | Lieutenant |
| O-2 | 1st Lieutenant | 1st Lieutenant | 1st Lieutenant | Lieutenant, Junior Grade |
| O-1 | 2nd Lieutenant | 2nd Lieutenant | 2nd Lieutenant | Ensign |
| **Warrant Officers** | | | | |
| W-5 | Master Warrant Officer 5 | | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | Master Warrant Officer |
| W-4 | Warrant Officer 4 | | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | Warrant Officer 4 |
| W-3 | Warrant Officer 3 | | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | Warrant Officer 3 |
| W-2 | Warrant Officer 2 | | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | Warrant Officer 2 |
| W-1 | Warrant Officer 1 | | Warrant Officer | Warrant Officer 1 |
| **Non-Commissioned Officers** | | | | |
| Special | Sergeant Major of the Army | Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force | Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps | Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy |
| E-9 | Command Sergeant Major | | | |
| Sergeant Major | First Sergeant (Chief Master Sergeant) | | | |
| Chief Master Sergeant | Sergeant Major | | | |
| Master Gunnery Sergeant | Master Chief Petty Officer | | | |
| E-8 | First Sergeant | | | |
| Master Sergeant | First Sergeant (Senior Master Sergeant) | | | |
| Senior Master Sergeant | First Sergeant | | | |
| Master Sergeant | Senior Chief Petty Officer | | | |
| E-7 | Sergeant First Class | First Sergeant (Master Sergeant) | | |
| Master Sergeant | Gunnery Sergeant | Chief Petty Officer | | |
| E-6 | Staff Sergeant | Technical Sergeant | Staff Sergeant | Petty Officer First Class |
| E-5 | Sergeant | Staff Sergeant | Sergeant | Petty Officer Second Class |
| E-4 | Corporal | | Corporal | Petty Officer Third Class |
| **Enlisted Personnel** | | | | |
| E-4 | Specialist | Senior Airman | | |
| E-3 | Private First Class | Airman First Class | Lance Corporal | Seaman |
| E-2 | Private | Airman | Private First Class | Seaman Apprentice |
| E-1 | Private (Recruit) | Airman Basic | Private | Seaman Recruit |

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