| US Army Ranks Enlisted -- Officer Instructions: Start with the left column (Enlisted) and work down through through the enlisted ranks in green text; then do the right column (Officer) in this way. Only the green ranks are used in our role-playing as a platoon. | |||||
| Enlisted This category of ranks is where a soldier starts at and proceeds forward from. During the Vietnam War you either joined the army or were drafted. I joined the army in June 1968 (5 days out of high school) and began "Boot Camp" (Basic Training) as a Private. (scroll down to insignia) ENLISTED |
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Officer 3 ways to enter this category: 1. ROTC: 4 years of College 2. West Point: 4 years of military college 3. OCS: Start as an enlisted soldier and if you have a minimum of 3 years of college you can apply for the 6 month Officer Candidate School During the Vietnam War there was a shortage of Infantry lieutenants so the army dropped the college requirement for Infantry OCS. After Basic and Advanced Training, I was accepted into OCS at 18 y/o and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant 6 months later at 19 y/o. OFFICER | |||
| Private E-1 Private PV1 |
No Rank Insignia |
Second Lieutenant O-1 Lieutenant 2LT |
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| Private E-2 Private PV2 |
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First Lieutenant O-2 Lieutenant 1LT |
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| Private First Class E-3 Private PFC |
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Captain O-3 Captain CPT |
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| Specialist E-4 Specialist SPC |
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Major O-4 Major MAJ |
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| Corporal E-4 Corporal CPL |
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Lieutenant Colonel O-5 Colonel LTC |
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| Sergeant E-5 Sergeant SGT |
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Colonel O-6 Colonel COL |
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| Staff Sergeant E-6 Sergeant SSG |
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Brigadier General O-7 General BG |
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| Sergeant First Class E-7 Sergeant SFC |
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Major General O-8 General MG |
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| Master Sergeant E-8 Sergeant * MSG |
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Lieutenant General O-9 General LTG |
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| First Sergeant E-8 First Sergeant 1SG |
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General O-10 General GEN |
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| Sergeant Major E-9 Sergeant Major SGM |
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| Command Sergeant Major E-9 Sergeant Major CSM |
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