1. HISTORY OF
AIR FORCE RANK
BOTH OFFICER
AND ENLISTED

2. Active Duty Company Grade Officer Ranks
Title Abbreviation Pay Grade
Captain Capt O-3
First Lieutenant Lt O-2
Second Lieutenant 2Lt O-1

3. Active Duty Field Grade Officer Ranks
Title Abbreviation Pay Grade
Colonel Col O-6
Lieutenant Colonel Lt. Col O-5
Major Maj O-4

4. Active Duty General (Flag)Officer Ranks
Title Abbreviation Pay Grade
General of the Gen
Air Force
General Gen
Lieutenant General Lt. Gen
Major General Maj. Gen
Brigadier General Brig. Gen

5. ARMY WORLD WAR II ENLISTED RANK
GRADE 1
TECHNICAL
SERGEANT
GRADE 2
STAFF
SERGEANT
TECHNICIAN
3RD GRADE
GRADE 3
MASTER
SERGEANT
TECHNICIAN
4TH GRADE
SERGEANT
GRADE 4
TECHNICIAN
5TH GRADE
CORPORAL
GRADE 5
PRIVATE
FIRST CLASS
GRADE 6
FIRST
SERGEANT
GRADE 7
NO INSIGNIA
PRIVATE

6. FIRST AND MASTER
SERGEANT
SERGEANT
CORPORAL
TECHNICAL SERGEANT
TECH SERGEANT
(TSGT)
PRIVATE
FIRST CLASS
STAFF SERGEANT(SSGT)
NO INSIGNIA
PRIVATE

7. AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C)
MASTER SERGEANT(MSGT)
AIRMAN SECOND CLASS(A2C)
TECHNICAL SERGEANT
TECH SERGEANT
(TSGT)
AIRMAN THIRD CLASS(A3C)
NO INSIGNIA
STAFF SERGEANT(SSGT)
BASIC AIRMAN

8. FIRST SERGEANT DIAMOND

9. Ideas submitted for the Senior and Chief Master Sergeant Insignia
STARS
LOZENGES
CHIEF
CHIEF
Both ideas rejected
SENIOR
SENIOR

10. EXCEPTED RANK INSIGNIA FOR SENIOR AND CHIEF
CHIEF MASTER
SERGEANT(CMSGT)
SENIOR MASTER
SERGEANT(SMSGT)

11. PROPOSAL SUBMITTED FOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING UPGRADE TRAINING

12. CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT OF THE AIR FORCE(CMSAF)

13. SERGEANT
AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C)
AIRMAN

14. SERGEANT
SENIOR AIRMAN (SRA)
AIRMAN FIRST
CLASS(A1C)
AIRMAN (AMN)

15. PROPOSED TOP THREE RANK

17. NEW CHANGES TO RANK BY GENERAL MCPEAK

18. COMMAND CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT(CCMS)

19. AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C) MASTER SERGEANT(MSGT) – FIRST SERGEANT
CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED RANK
STAFF SERGEANT(SSGT)
SENIOR MASTER
SERGEANT(SMSGT) – FIRST SERGEANT
COMMAND CHIEF MASTER - CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT
SERGEANT(CCMS) OF THE AIR FORCE(CMSAF)
SENIOR AIRMAN(SRA)
AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C)
MASTER SERGEANT(MSGT) – FIRST SERGEANT
AIRMAN (AMN)
CHIEF MASTER
SERGEANT(CMSGT) – FIRST SERGEANT
“CHIEF”
NO INSIGNIA
AIRMAN BASIC
TECHNICAL SERGEANT
TECH SERGEANT
(TSGT)

20. CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY AIRMAN RANK
Title Abbreviation Pay Grade
Senior Airmen SrA E-4
Airmen First Class A1C E-3
Airmen Amn E-2
No Stripes
Airmen Basic AB E-1

21. CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY MIDDLE NCO RANK
Title Abbreviation Pay Grade
Technical Sergeant TSgt. E-6
Staff Sergeant SSgt E-5

22. CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY TOP THREE NCO RANK
Title Abbreviation Pay Grade
Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt E-8
Senior Master Sergeant that’s a 1st Sergeant
Master Sergeant MSgt E-7
Master Sergeant that’s a 1st Sergeant

23. CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY TOP THREE NCO RANK Cont.
Title Abbreviation Pay Grade
Chief Master Sergeant “Chief” CMSgt E-9
Chief Master Sergeant that’s a 1st Sergeant
Command Chief Master Sergeant CCMS
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force CMSAF