# Military insignia **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 30, 2003, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197 "2003-03-30T09:08:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/1 "2003-03-30T09:08:56Z")
Can anyone tell me what insignia marks what kind of officer in the Army? My knowledge is limited to “I think silver oak leaves means lieutenant or something.” Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/2 "2003-03-30T09:19:41Z")
Google is your friend **Rilchiam** [military insignia](http://www2.powercom.net/~rokats/armedforces.html) Lieutenant’s insignia is a bar. ---
**Author:** ![lancev32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/67e7ee/32.png) [@lancev32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lancev32)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/3 "2003-03-30T09:29:01Z")
Gold oak leaves = Major, Silver oak leaves = lieutenant Col… ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/4 "2003-03-30T10:24:29Z")
Hiya Rilchy, 1 gold bar: Lieutenant 2nd class 1 silver bar: Lieutenant 1st class 2 silver bars: Captain 1 gold oak leaf: Major 1 silver oak leaf: Lieutenant-Colonel 1 silver eagle: Colonel 1 silver star: Brigadier-General 2 silver stars: Major-General 3 silver stars: Lieutenant-General 4 silver stars: I can’t remember (General?) 5 silver stars: General of the Army You can find pictorial representations of these badges at [http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/armyorank/blorank.htm](http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/armyorank/blorank.htm) and [http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/rankchart/blofficerrank.htm](http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/rankchart/blofficerrank.htm) Hope this helps! Max. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/5 "2003-03-30T10:30:17Z")
Here’s a history of [five star generals](http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/faq/FAQ-5star.htm) in the US. There have been only five of them. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/6 "2003-03-30T10:49:11Z")
Thank you!! I did Google, but the sites I found were more concerned with history than current conventions. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/7 "2003-03-30T15:46:52Z")
> [@](#): > > 1 gold bar: Lieutenant 2nd class > 1 silver bar: Lieutenant 1st class > 2 silver bars: Captain > 1 gold oak leaf: Major > 1 silver oak leaf: Lieutenant-Colonel > 1 silver eagle: Colonel **Rilchiam** specifically asked about army ranks (which are used in the Mrines and air force as well), but coming from a Navy family… 1 gold bar: Ensign (ENS) 1 silver bar: Lieutenant (Junior Grade) (LTJG) 2 silver bars: Lieutenant (LT) 1 gold oak leaf: Lietenant Commander (LDCR) 1 silver oak leaf: Commander (CDR) 1 silver eagle: Captain (CPT) ---
**Author:** ![jayseebee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/258eb7/32.png) [@jayseebee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayseebee)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/8 "2003-03-30T17:59:24Z")
Insignia of the British Army: 1 pip (a square) = Second Lieutenant 2 pips = Lieutenant 3 pips = Captain 1 crown = Major 1 crown and 1 pip = Lieutenant Colonel 1 crown and 2 pips = Colonel 1 crown and 3 pips = Brigadier sword, stick and 1 pip = Major General sword, stick and 1 crown = Lieutenant General sword, stick, 1 pip and 1 crown = General 2 sticks and 1 crown (or something like that I think) = Field Marshal Pictures [here](http://www.army.mod.uk/presscentre/badges/#) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/9 "2003-03-30T18:29:18Z")
Here’s an interesting site for the OP and anyone else interested: [Rank Insignia of the World](http://hemsidor.torget.se/users/k/klix/grader_e.html). When Rilchiam asked “What kind of officer,” I thought he was referring to Infantry, Artillery, Engineer, and so on. Quick rundown from memory: Field Artillery: Crossed cannons. Air Defense Artillery: Crossed missiles. Infantry: Crossed rifles. Armor: Crossed sabres with a tank superimposed. Engineer (both Construction & Combat): Castle. Adjutant General: National shield. Military Police: Crossed pistols. Finance: Lozenge. I’m pretty sure the rest can be found at the Army’s site: www.army.mil. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/10 "2003-03-30T19:24:00Z")
Nitpick: My brother just got commissioned as an army lietenant this spring, and at dinner afterwards, with him in his uniform, my dad asked him why gold bars would be under silver bars in rank. “They’re not gold, they’re brass.” ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/11 "2003-03-30T20:20:10Z")
**Monty** : There’s a finance? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/12 "2003-03-30T20:55:56Z")
Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/13 "2003-03-30T21:51:50Z")
How about Iraqi military insignia. The Rank Insignia of the World site above doesn’t have it list it. Also, is there a difference between Iraq’s military insignia and the Baath party uniform insignia you see in meetings of Saddam’s cabinet. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/14 "2003-03-31T01:54:01Z")
In General all the Arab armies (and navies and air forces) use a standard insignia set. The funny rank you see on TV is an Iraqi Field Marshall, that is to say a five-star general. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/15 "2003-03-31T03:11:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Billdo \* > \*\*How about Iraqi military insignia. The Rank Insignia of the World site above doesn’t have it list it. > > Also, is there a difference between Iraq’s military insignia and the Baath party uniform insignia you see in meetings of Saddam’s cabinet. \*\* No, I’m just interested in American. There are some military-type persons passing through here, and I would like to be able to address them as “Colonel” or whatever, if necessary. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/16 "2003-03-31T03:41:48Z")
**Monty** , I like the Army Chemical Corps insignia – crossed laboratory retorts, superimposed on a benzene ring. (OTOH to this day I have no idea WTH the Navy JAG insignia is supposed to represent…) [http://www.rankinsignia.info/index.php](http://www.rankinsignia.info/index.php) has even more insignia (I mean, how often do you get to look up Bazilian Navy rating badges). Iraq, apparently like most Arab armies, follows a modified British-Army pattern for their regular military insignia, adapted to historical Arabic ranks ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/17 "2003-03-31T04:43:45Z")
originally posted by Rilchiam * * * No, I’m just interested in American. There are some military-type persons passing through here, and I would like to be able to address them as “Colonel” or whatever, if necessary. * * * Address both single bars as “Lieutenant.” 1 gold bar: 2nd Lieutenant 1 silver bar: 1st Lieutenant Address the 2 silver bars (railroad tracks) as “Captain”. 2 silver bars: Captain Address the gold oak leaf as “Major”. 1 gold oak leaf: Major Address both the silver oak leaf and the silver eagle as “Colonel”, pronounced: “kernel” 1 silver oak leaf: Lieutenant-Colonel 1 silver eagle: Colonel Address all generals as “General” 1 silver star: Brigadier-General 2 silver stars: Major-General 3 silver stars: Lieutenant-General 4 silver stars:General 5 silver stars: General of the Army One of the good things about being a retired Army Sergeant is that you can address all officers as “Son.” ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/18 "2003-03-31T05:12:01Z")
Thank you, **T. Slothrop** , and welcome to the boards! ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/19 "2003-03-31T13:22:15Z")
BTW – if the officers are in their field/combat camouflage uniforms, the “silver” insignia will be black, the “gold” insignia will be brown. And don’t forget the Warrant Officers (single bars interrupted with colored strips, different for each service that has them). ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197/20 "2003-03-31T16:23:48Z")
> [@](#): > > My brother just got commissioned as an army lietenant this spring, and at dinner afterwards, with him in his uniform, my dad asked him why gold bars would be under silver bars in rank. Once upon a time, rank pips were worn on epaulets. Some branches wore gold pips on silver epaulets, other branches wore silver pips on gold epaulets. Then they decided everyone should wear silver pips on gold epaulets Company officers would wear a relatively plain epaulet: alone for a 2nd Lt; with one bar for a 1st Lt; with 2 bars for a Capt. Field officers would wear a fancier epaulet: alone for a Major, with a leaf for a Lt. Colonel, with an eagle for a full Colonel. Generals would wear a really fancy epaulet with 1 to 4 stars. In the mid 19th century they changed to a rectangular shoulder mark like you see in Civil War movies and Western movies. One problem: Now Majors wore the same thing as 2nd Lt’s. So they decided to give the Majors something similar to the Lt Col but in a different color. Hence the gold leaf. The 2nd Lt wore a shoulder mark with a plain field. When the Army adopted khaki uniforms in the 1890s, they just pinned the insignia to the collar or shouder strap. One problem: now the 2nd Lt wore the same thing as a Private. So they decided to give the 2nd Lt something similar to a 1st Lt but in a different color. Hence the “butterbar”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-insignia/165197.md?page=2)