AIR FORCE RANK

HISTORYOF

BOTH OFFICER AND ENLISTED

Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

Second Lieutenant 2Lt. O-1

First Lieutenant 1Lt. O-2

Captain Capt. O-3

Active Duty Company Grade Officer Ranks

Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

Major Maj. O-4

Lieutenant Colonel Lt. Col. O-5

Colonel Col. O-6

Active Duty Field Grade Officer Ranks

Brigadier General Brig. Gen. 0-7

Major General Maj. Gen. 0-8

Lieutenant General Lt. Gen. 0-9

General Gen. 0-10

Active Duty General (Flag)Officer Ranks

General of the Gen. 0-11 Air Force

Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

TECHNICIAN5TH GRADE

TECHNICIAN4TH GRADE

TECHNICIAN3RD GRADE

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS

CORPORAL

SERGEANT

STAFF SERGEANT

TECHNICALSERGEANT

MASTERSERGEANT

FIRSTSERGEANT

PRIVATE

GRADE 4

GRADE 7

GRADE 2

GRADE 3

GRADE 5

GRADE 6

GRADE 1

NO INSIGNIA

ARMY WORLD WAR II ENLISTED RANK

STAFF SERGEANT(SSGT)

TECHNICAL SERGEANT

TECH SERGEANT

(TSGT)

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS

CORPORAL

SERGEANTFIRST AND MASTER

SERGEANT

PRIVATE

NO INSIGNIA

STAFF SERGEANT(SSGT)

TECHNICAL SERGEANT

TECH SERGEANT

(TSGT)

MASTER SERGEANT(MSGT)

AIRMAN THIRD CLASS(A3C)

AIRMAN SECOND CLASS(A2C)

AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C)

BASIC AIRMAN

NO INSIGNIA

FIRST SERGEANT DIAMOND

STARS LOZENGESIdeas submitted for the Senior

and Chief Master Sergeant Insignia

Both ideas rejectedSENIOR SENIOR

CHIEFCHIEF

CHIEF MASTER

SERGEANT(CMSGT)

SENIOR MASTER

SERGEANT(SMSGT)

EXCEPTED RANK INSIGNIA FOR SENIOR AND CHIEF

PROPOSAL SUBMITTED FOR SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETING

UPGRADE TRAINING

CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT OF THE AIR FORCE(CMSAF)

AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C)

AIRMAN

SERGEANT

SENIOR AIRMAN (SRA)

AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C)

AIRMAN (AMN)

SERGEANT

PROPOSED TOP THREE RANK

NEW CHANGES TO RANK BY GENERAL MCPEAK

COMMAND CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT(CCMS)

COMMAND CHIEF MASTER - CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT

SERGEANT(CCMS) OF THE AIR FORCE(CMSAF)

CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT(CMSGT) – FIRST SERGEANT“CHIEF”

AIRMAN (AMN)

AIRMAN FIRST CLASS(A1C)

SENIOR AIRMAN(SRA)

STAFF SERGEANT(SSGT)

TECHNICAL SERGEANTTECH SERGEANT

(TSGT)

MASTER SERGEANT(MSGT) – FIRST SERGEANT

SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT(SMSGT) – FIRST SERGEANT

AIRMAN BASIC

NO INSIGNIA

CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY ENLISTED RANK

CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY AIRMAN RANK

Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

Airmen Basic AB. E-1

Airmen Amn. E-2

Airmen First Class A1C E-3

No Stripes

Senior Airmen SrA. E-4

Staff Sergeant SSgt. E-5

Technical Sergeant TSgt. E-6

Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY MIDDLE NCO RANK

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

Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY TOP THREE NCO RANK

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

Title Abbreviation Pay Grade

CURRENT ACTIVE DUTY TOP THREE NCO RANK Cont.