US Military Ranks
To be successful, the military must operate like a well-oiled machine, with each individual component working in perfect sync with all the others.
In order to mobilize such a huge body as the US military, there must be multiple levels of organization, control, and communication, so that every service member knows when and how to fulfill their own individual duties. The US military ranks, and specifically the United States Army ranks, are a very important part of this organizational process. Military officer ranks ensure that leadership responsibilities in the chain of command are delegated appropriately; while US Army enlisted ranks make sure that various support and combat tasks are carried out by trained and qualified personnel.
US Army Enlisted Ranks
The bulk of the United States Army ranks are taken up by enlisted personnel. In fact, enlisted personnel account for about 83 percent of the people serving in the military. Anyone who is in good health, is a citizen or resident alien, has a high school diploma or GED, and meets certain moral criteria can enter the military. Usually they begin at the bottom of the ladder as a Private and work their way up through training and experience. Here is a list of enlisted ranks in US Army in order of ascending responsibility (and pay!):
| Insignia | United States Army Ranks | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| No Insignia | Private | PVT |
 |
Private 2 | PV2 |
 |
Private First Class | PFC |
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Specialist | SPC |
 |
Corporal | CPL |
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Sergeant | SGT |
 |
Staff Sergeant | SSG |
 |
Sergeant First Class | SFC |
 |
Master Sergeant | MSG |
 |
First Sergeant | 1SG |
|
Sergeant Major | SGM |
 |
Command Sergeant Major | CSM |
 |
Sergeant Major of the Army | SMA |
Warrant Officers Ranks
| Insignia | United States Army Ranks | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
 |
Warrant Officer 1 | WO1 |
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Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CW2 |
 |
Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CW3 |
 |
Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CW4 |
 |
Chief Warrant Officer 5 | CW5 |
Military Officer Ranks
Officers account for about 17 percent of the total Army personnel.
While some civilian professions, like medical doctor, chaplain, or lawyer can earn qualified individuals a direct ticket to an officer rank, most officers receive their ranks by attending Officer Candidate School, the United States Military Academy, or Reserve Officer’s Training Corps. Here are the American military ranks for officers, in ascending order:
| Insignia | Military Officer Ranks | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
 |
Second Lieutenant | 2LT |
 |
First Lieutenant | 1LT |
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Captain | CPT |
 |
Major | MAJ |
 |
Lieutenant Colonel | LTC |
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Colonel | COL |
 |
Brigadier General | BG |
 |
Major General | MG |
 |
Lieutenant General | LTG |
 |
General | GEN |
 |
General of the Army | GA |
Addressing Personnel
Addressing Personnel by Ranks in US Army
Most of the time, personnel are simply addressed by their American military ranks followed by their last name. However, some of the ranks work a bit differently. These exceptions include calling warrant officers “Mr”, “Ms”, or “Chief”, and calling all generals “General”. Also, a private first class is still called “Private,” and all sergeants below First Sergeant are simply called “Sergeant”.