Air Force Rank Insignias

What’s Coming Up? General Terminology Enlisted Insignia Airman NCO SNCO Officer Insignia Company Grade Field Grade General Officers What’s the Difference?

Rank and Insignia Terminology Rank or Grade – are the same, and represent your current rank. It’s what you wear on your sleeve, shoulder, or collar points. Insignia – a device that identifies the rank of a member. Chevron – a badge worn usually on your sleeve indicating your rank. Pay Grade – a simple way to identify how much pay you will receive. It’s either “E” for enlisted or “O” for an officer. There will always be a number associated with each grade. Your enlisted pay grade is always one more then the number of stripes you have. For example; an Airman 1 st Class (2 stripes) is an E-3 for pay purposes.

Rank and Insignia Terminology Air Force Grade Insignia System – is broken down into 2 categories, enlisted and officer Noncommissioned Officer – enlisted grades are subdivided into 2 categories: NCO and airman grades. Company Grade – the 1 st three officer ranks (1Lt, 2Lt, Capt) Field Grade – the 2 nd three officer ranks (Maj, Lt Col, Col) General Officer – senior officers that wear “stars”

Active Duty Enlisted Ranks

Enlisted Rank Insignia (Active Duty) An Overview E-1 AB E-2 Amn E-3 A1C E-4 SrA E-5 SSgt E-6 TSgt E-7 MSgt E-8 SMSgt E-9 CMSgt No Insignia First Sgt (E-7, E-8, E-9)

Airman Rank (1) There are four airman grades: (a) Airman Basic (AB) (b) Airman (Amn) (c) Airman First Class (A1C) (d) Senior Airman (SrA) (2) An airman basic (AB) does not wear any grade insignia.

Active Duty Airman Ranks Airman Basic AB E-1 Airman Amn E-2 Airman First Class A1C E-3 Title Abbreviation Pay Grade No Stripes Senior Airman SrA E-4

Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Rank (1) SSgt through CMSgt are all considered part of the NCO grades. However, SSgt and TSgt are technicians, and MSgt and above are considered supervisors and managers, and that’s why we break these grades into NCO and SNCO categories. (2) There are 2 NCO grades: (a) Staff Sergeant (SSgt) (b) Technical Sergeant (TSgt)

Active Duty NCO Ranks Staff Sergeant SSgt E-5 Technical Sergeant TSgt E-6 Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

Senior Noncommissioned Officer (SNCO) Rank (3) There are three SNCO grades: (a) Master Sergeant (MSgt) (b) Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt) (c) Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Note: These three ranks/grades can also be assigned as “First Sergeants” (1 st Shirt). They serve a liaison between the enlisted corps of the unit and the commander of the unit. They would have a silver “diamond” added to their rank chevrons.

Active Duty SNCO Ranks Master Sergeant MSgt E-7 Master Sergeant that’s a 1 st Sergeant Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt E-8 Senior Master Sergeant that’s a 1 st Sergeant Chief Master Sergeant CMSgt E-9 Chief Master Sergeant that’s a 1 st Sergeant Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

Chief Master Sgt of the Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Senior enlisted advisor to the applicable commander Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force “One deep” position

CMSgt of the Air Force (cont) The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force is the highest position held by any enlisted personnel. The grade insignia is a chevron of eight stripes with a wreath around the bottom and sides of the star. The CMSAF acts as a personal advisor to the Air Force Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Air Force regarding the welfare, effective use, and progress of the enlisted force.

Enlisted Rank Insignia (Active Duty) In Review E-1 AB E-2 Amn E-3 A1C E-4 SrA E-5 SSgt E-6 TSgt E-7 MSgt E-8 SMSgt E-9 CMSgt No Insignia First Sgt (E-7, E-8, E-9)

Active Duty Officer Insignias

Officer Rank Insignia (Active Duty) An Overview 2Lt1LtCaptMajLt ColCol Brigadier General Lt General Major General

Active Duty Officer Ranks (Company Grade) Second Lieutenant 2Lt O-1 First Lieutenant 1Lt O-2 Captain Capt O-3 Title Abbreviation Pay Grade (Gold Bar) (Silver Bar) (Silver Bars)

Active Duty Officer Ranks (Field Grade) MajorMajO-4 (Gold Oak Leaf) (Silver Oak Leaf) Lieutenant ColonelLt Col0-5 ColonelCol 0-6 (Silver Eagle) Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

Active Duty Officer Ranks (General Officer) Brigadier General Brig Gen 0-7 (Silver Star) (Silver Stars) Major General Maj Gen 0-8 Lieutenant GeneralLt Gen 0-9 (Silver Stars) Title Abbreviation Pay Grade General Gen 0-10 (Silver Stars)

Officer Rank Insignia (Active Duty) In Review 2LtCaptMajLt ColCol Brigadier General Lt General Major General 1Lt

Active Duty vs. JROTC what’s the difference? Enlisted the star inside the chevron of active duty personnel is replaced with a torch for cadets. cadets, like active duty personnel, may wear other insignia (academic pins, rocketry badge, flight solo badge, awareness presentation badge, air society badge, and others)

Active Duty vs. JROTC (cont) what’s the difference? Enlisted The top 3 enlisted ranks (MSgt, SMSgt, CMSgt) can also be assigned as “First Sergeants” (1 st Shirt). They are typically the most senior NCO of a unit and are in charge of all the enlisted members in that unit. They would have a silver “diamond” added to their rank chevrons. JROTC does not have chevrons with diamonds for 1 st Sgt, if we have a 1 st Sgt, they could wear a “rope” or cord type device from the shoulder. JROTC does not have a Chief Master Sgt of the Air Force.

Active Duty vs. JROTC (cont) what’s the difference? Officers active duty officer rank (or grade) insignia look very different from cadet officer rank insignia. AD officer flight caps have a silver braid, and cadet caps do not. there is no general grade officer ranks in JROTC

What did we learn? General Terminology Enlisted Insignia Airman NCO Officer Insignia Company Grade Field Grade General Officers What’s the Difference? Active vs. Cadet