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list of U.S. military ranks
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A comparison chart displays the officer rank insignias for the United States Army, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, with each rank represented by its corresponding badge, bar, leaf, eagle, or star symbols. A chart displaying the enlisted rank insignias for each branch of the United States military-Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Space Force-organized by rank and showing the corresponding symbols for each position.
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A comparison chart displays the officer rank insignias for the United States Army, Marines, Air Force, Space Force, Navy, and Coast Guard, with each rank represented by its corresponding badge, bar, leaf, eagle, or star symbols.
Military rank insignias Rank insignias of U.S. military officers.

list of U.S. military ranks

Written by
Michael Ray
Michael Ray is an assistant managing editor who has worked at Britannica since 2003. In addition to leading the Geography and History team, he oversees coverage of European history and military affairs....
Michael Ray
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

In the early days of the Continental Army, military dress was anything but uniform. Militiamen often wore civilian hunting or work clothes, and such uniforms that did exist varied widely according to state or regiment. George Washington created a system to designate rank, but for noncommissioned officers, these insignias amounted to little more than colored strips of cloth or ribbon. Officer rank insignias were slightly more elaborate, consisting of color-coded hat cockades and sashes. Throughout...

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