Appendix 4

Table of Army Ranks, Branches, and Awards

Officer Ranks:

O-10: General (GEN) 4 stars

O-9: Lieutenant General (LG) 3 stars

O-8: Major General (MG) 2 stars

O-7: Brigadier General (BG) 1 star

O-6: Colonel (COL)“Bird Colonel”

O-5: Lieutenant Colonel (LCOL)

O-4: Major (MAJ)

O-3: Captain (CPT)

O-2: First Lieutenant (1LT)

O-1: Second Lieutenant (2LT) “Shavetail”

(Five warrant officer ranks fall in between)
Enlisted ranks (all qualify as NCOs except privates):

E-9: Sergeant Major (SgtMaj)

E-8: First Sergeant (1stSgt) “Top Kick”

E-8: Master Sergeant (MSgt)

E-7: Sergeant First Class (SFC)

E-6: Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt)

E-5: Sergeant (Sgt)

E-4: Corporal (Cpl, Corp)

E-4: Specialist (Spec)

E-3: Private First Class (PFC)

E-2: Private (Pvt)

E-1: Private“Buck”

Explanation of Army Constituent Units:
Unit Size Make-up Command

(“A ____ has about ____ men divided into _______with a _____ in charge.”)

Army: 50 to 60 thousand: multiple corps: GEN, LG

Corps: 30 to 50 thousand: 2 or more divisions: LG

Division: 10 to 20 thousand: 2 to 4 brigades: MG

Brigade: 3 to 5 thousand: 2 to 5 regiments: BG (or 3 to 6 battalions)

Regiment: 2 to 3 thousand: 2 or more battalions: COL (or 3 to 7 companies)

Battalion: 300 to 1500: 2 to 6 companies: LCOL

Company: 70 to 250: 3 to 5 platoons: CPT, MAJ

Platoon: 25 to 60: 2 to 4 squads: 1LT, 2LT

Squad: 8 to 14: NCO

List of Army Branches

Air Defense Artillery

Armor (tanks)

Aviation

Chemical

Engineers

Field Artillery

Infantry (includes Airborne)

Military Police

Intelligence

Signals

Adjutant General (lawyers)

Finance

Ordnance

Quartermaster (supplies)

Transportation

Medical

Nurses

Hierarchy of Army Awards

Award: Year established and re-established

Congressional Medal of Honor: 1862

Distinguished Service Cross: 1847, 1918

Distinguished Service Medal: 1918

Silver Star: 1918

Legion of Merit: 1942

Soldier’s Medal: 1926

Bronze Star: 1944

Purple Heart: 1782, 1932

Commendation Medal: 1945