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About This Quiz
The United States armed forces consist of several branches. These include the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. The men and women who serve in the armed forces, help defend the country and the world, helping to ensure freedom to millions.
Of course, these men and women are led by officers of varying ranks. These officers are distinguished by the insignias they wear which form part of their uniforms. These insignias are nothing new. In fact, in the United States' history, they can be traced back more than 200 years. But why are they necessary? Well, during the heat of battle, it is vital to not only know who your leaders are but also what they expect of you at any given moment. Sometimes, trying to recognize them while bullets flash around your head is made easier by looking for their insignia.
Many of the insignias used in the United States are similar across the various branches of the military. They ultimately serve an essential purpose in terms of chain of command and, of course, identification. Are you ready to try to match the position to the insignia? Good luck. It's going to be tough!
General of the Air Force
General of the Air Force is a position that is given to the commander of the entire U.S. Air Force and only during wartime. It has not been filled since World War II.
Senior Airman
Master Sergeant
General
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Able Seaman
Rear Admiral (Lower Half)
The Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is a rank above captain but below Admiral in the United States Navy and Coast Guard. It is the equivalent of an Army Brigadier General.
Ensign
Commander
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Sergeant Major
Private E2
Sergeant First Class
A military veteran with 15 years experience, a Sergeant First Class is usually an adviser to a platoon leader. In Hollywood movies, they are always the grizzled veteran who looks after the greenhorns and generally always survives.
Seaman Apprentice
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Marine Lance Corporal
Chief Master Sergeant
Sergeant Major
Navy Captain
For commissioned officers, this is the most senior rank one can attain before Admiral positions. Captains in the Navy are often in control of ships.
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Lieutenant Commander
This is the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard equivalent of an Army Major. The Lieutenant Commander ranks higher than a Lieutenant but lower than a Commander.
Lieutenant Junior Grade
Second Lieutenant
Recruit
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Lieutenant Junior Grade
A Lieutenant Junior Grade is the first ranking above Ensign but below full Lieutenant. It is used by both the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. It was the rank achieved by astronaut Neil Armstrong.
Airman First Class
Corporal
Sergeant Major
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Able Seaman
Warrant Officer 1 (Marine Corps)
Warrant Officer 1 (Marine Corps) is the first and lowest of the Warrant Officer ranks in the United States Marines. People appointed to this rank also have a specialty they perform within the corps. They are also expected to lead.
Private
Airman
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Technical Sergeant
Seaman Apprentice
After the Seaman Recruit rank (which carries no insignia), this is the lowest rank in the U.S. Navy. This rank was formerly known as Seaman (Second Class) and is found in the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Sea Cadet Corps.
Staff Sergeant
Army Sergeant First Class
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Fleet Admiral
Fleet Admiral is a position given to the commander of the entire U.S. Navy and only during wartime. The last time it was filled was in 1946.
Navy General
Rear Admiral
Ensign
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Chief Warrant Officer 4
Recruit
Private E2
This is the lowest rank in the United States Army and is assigned to all soldiers when they enter the force. A soldier may be promoted to Private First Class after wearing this rank for four months and with a year’s service behind them.
Airman
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Airman First Class
Major General
A Major General commands divisions of between 10,000 to 16,000 soldiers. In the U.S. Navy, the equivalent rank is a two-star Rear Admiral.
Chief Master Sergeant
Master Chief Petty Officer
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Able Seaman
Marine Gunnery Sergeant
Army Sergeant First Class
Chief Petty Officer
A rank for non-commissioned officers, the Chief Petty Officer rank was first used in the U.S. Navy in 1893 and later followed in the Coast Guard. Over and above criteria like years of service, to attain the rank of Chief Petty Officer, a peer review is also undertaken.
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Brigadier General
A Brigadier General serves as a deputy commander for Army divisions under the control of a General. They help to oversee staff and with mission planning.
Private E2
Major
Corporal
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Sergeant Major
Corporal
A team leader in small Army units, a Corporal is the base rank for non commissioned officers in the United States Army. A Corporal and a Specialist are on the same pay scale but a Specialist may not lead any soldiers.
Chief Master Sergeant
Petty Officer, First Class
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Able Seaman
General
Lieutenant Colonel
A Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army leads battalions of between 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Noted by their silver oak leaf insignia, both the U.S Marine Corps and Air Force also have this officer position.
Petty Officer First Class
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Warrant Officer 1
This is the lowest of the officer ranks in the United States Army. They fill a number of roles, including as advisors, trainers, combat leaders and as experts in technical fields. They are appointed by the Secretary of the Army.
Seaman Recruit
Private
Technical Sergeant
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Chief Warrant Officer 3
A Chief Warrant Officer 3 is an advanced level expert commissioned officer. They perform a variety of roles through brigade level as per their field of specialty.
Lieutenant Colonel
Brigadier General
Major General
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Senior Airman
Seaman
Petty Officer
Vice Admiral
This commissioned officer carries a three-star insignia and ranks above a Rear Admiral and below an Admiral. A Vice Admiral is the same rank as a Lieutenant General in the Army.
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U.S. Navy Lieutenant
The most senior position in junior officer ranks, a Lieutenant in the Navy is a higher rank than the Army position of the same name. A Navy Lieutenant is the equivalent rank of a Captain in the U.S. Army.
Able Seaman
Naval Captain
None of the above
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Ensign
This rank, which is found both in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, is the equivalent of a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. An Ensign will lead a group in a specialist position on a warship, such as a gunnery unit, for example.
Army Private First Class
Corporal
None of the above
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Lieutenant Commander
Colonel
A Colonel in the U.S. Army leads brigades of between 1,500 to 3,200 soldiers. This is the most senior rank for field grade military officers. To become a Colonel an Army officer must have served for 22 years or more.
Ensign
Paratroop Captain
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Recruit
General of the Air Force
Rear Admiral
Specialist
Soldiers with a four-year college degree are given the rank of Specialist when undertaking Basic Combat Training. They are able to manage enlisted soldiers of lower ranks, for example, privates. After 47 months in service and 11 months within the Specialist rank, they can be promoted to Sergeant.
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Petty Officer, Third Class
First Lieutenant
First Lieutenants typically have 18 to 24 months of service and often lead platoons operating specialized weapons. This could include a heavy machine gun or mortar platoon.
Technical Sergeant
Airman First Class
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Fleet Admiral
Ensign
Flight Commander
Warrant Officer
A Warrant Officer is a master level expert commissioned officer who performs a variety of roles at brigade, corps and division level as per their field of specialty.
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Airman
Seaman
Private First Class
Sergeant
In the U.S. Army, a Sergeant is a team/section leader who commands a group of soldiers. They oversee a team's daily tasks and lead them in combat.
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Lieutenant General
A Lieutenant General commands corps of between 60,000 to 70,000 soldiers spread across three divisions. During the Middle Ages, the Lieutenant General was the second in command on the battlefield.
U.S. Navy Warrant Officer 1
Chief Petty Officer
Airman, First Class
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General - Army Chief of Staff
A General - Army Chief of Staff is the most senior level commissioned officer. This position is normally given to a General who has more than 30 years of Army experience.
Major General
Colonel
Brigadier General
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Marine Gunnery Sergeant
Senior Airman
Midshipman
A Midshipman is a low-ranking officer in the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. The position was first created in 1794 in the U.S. Navy. Midshipman is also a rank in the British Royal Navy.
Sergeant Major
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Major General
Rear Admiral (Upper Half)
The Rear Admiral (Upper Half) is a rank above Read Admiral (Lower Half) but below Vice Admiral. It is the equivalent of an Army Major General.
Airman
Army Sergeant First Class
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U.S. Navy Warrant Officer 1
This is the lowest of the officer ranks in the United States Navy. People filling these positions are highly skilled in their field but are non-commissioned officers.
Staff Sergeant
Senior Airman
Private
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Chief Warrant Officer 5
Staff Sergeant
A Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army leads a squad of up to 16 soldiers and has one or two sergeants under their command.
Navy Captain
Ensign
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Airman First Class
Captain
Captains in the U.S. Army lead large company-size units of between 60 to 200 soldiers at a time. The U.S. Army uses the abbreviation CPT for the position while their Marine and Air Force counterparts use Capt.
Marine Private First Class
Seaman Apprentice
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Chief Warrant Officer 5
A Chief Warrant Officer 5 is a senior-level expert commissioned officer who performs a variety of roles at brigade, corps and division level as per their field of specialty. They also mentor Warrant Officers of a lower rank.
Fleet Admiral
General of the Army
Rear Admiral
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Petty Officer, Second Class
Master Sergeant
Recruit
Seaman
Seaman is the third lowest rank an enlisted person will receive in both the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard. It is designated by three angled stripes.
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Captain
Major
Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant is the entry-level rank for commissioned officers. Typically, a Second Lieutenant will lead between 16 to 44 soldiers in the U.S. Army.
Corporal
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Airman
Brigadier General
Admiral
When not at war, this is the highest post in the United States Navy. In 1866, President Andrew Johnson appointed the first Admiral to lead the U.S. Navy.
Major
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Second Lieutenant
Major
A Major controls a U.S. Army brigade and is responsible for personnel, logistics and operations. This rank is given to commissioned officers. The rank is signified by the gold oak leaf.
General of the Air Force
Fleet Admiral
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Colonel
Ensign
Able Seaman
Private First Class
This is the next rank up from Private E2. This rank is given to any soldier who starts Basic Combat Training with prior military experience.
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Major
Lieutenant Commander
Chief Warrant Officer 2
A Chief Warrant Officer 2 is an intermediate level expert commissioned officer. They perform a variety of roles through battalion level as per their field of specialty.
Major General
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Sergeant Major
Master Chief Petty Officer
General of the Army
The General of the Army is the Supreme Commander of the U.S. Army when the country is at war. This is a war-time position held by the likes of General Douglas MacArthur and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Private First Class
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