

The lowest ranking officer would be a pay grade of O-1. In the army, this person would be called a private. The base pay for military members across all branches receive the same base pay based on rank and the length of time they’ve been enlisted.įor example, an airman basic in the Air Force-the lowest of all the ranks-is an E-1 (E for enlisted) grade and receives the same pay as someone who is in the Army and is in the E-1 category. This means the higher a member rises in the ranks or the more specialized they are in a given field, the more they earn. How Military Ranks Affects EarningsĪ military member’s rank affects their pay grade. In some cases, commissioned officers must earn their bachelor’s degree or even master’s degree to achieve their rank. They might focus on a specialized area like a warrant officer or move up through the ranks like an enlisted member. Warrant officers remain in their specialty once they are in it and are able to provide instruction and education to other service members.Ĭommissioned officers are the highest ranking military members. Warrant officers are highly trained in a technical field and are in every branch of the service except for the Air Force. In the Navy and Coast Guard, NCOs are called petty officers, while in the Marines those who reach a rank of E-4 are NCOs, which is the rank of corporal. Enlisted members who have reached a certain grade might receive a rank called “non-commissioned officer” or NCO. They are trained to perform a specific duty. In general, military ranks are divided into three general categories.Įnlisted members enter the military with little to no experience and move up the ranks with experience and time. The term “military occupational specialty” or MOS is also used to denote the responsibilities of a given member. The Coast Guard and Navy don’t even use the term rank and instead call it a rate. It’s possible for petty officers, chiefs, sergeants, and petty officers be at the same pay grade and rank, but have different medals and ribbons if they are in different branches of the service. For instance, Members of the armed forces who are lieutenants don’t outrank officers, but lieutenants in the Navy are the same rank as a Captain in the Army. Though rankings are similar, the various branches of the military do have differences. It also affects the medals and ribbons, as well as the authority and responsibility you have. These ranks affect their earnings and the benefits they receive.
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Military ranks for military members are based on their experience and the number of years they’ve been enlisted.
