The army has told you to "be all you can be." Instead of buying right into the challenge, I decided to find out exactly what that means. I wanted to know what it meant to the Armed forces when someone was all that they could be.

There are five parts in the United States Armed Forces; the United States Army; the United States Marine Corps; the United States Navy; The United States Coast Guard; and the United States Air Force. I was very confused about the order of rank, the type of insignia, how one becomes the rank that they are, and the names of the groups of fighting soldiers.

First, ranks of officers in all parts of the United States Armed Forces and insignia of commissioned officers:

• General of the Armies – Gen. John. J. Pershing was the only person to have held this rank in life. This rank was originally established posthumously by Congress for George Washington in 1799, and he was promoted to the rank by joint resolution of Congress, approved by President Gerald Ford, October 19, 1976.
• General of the Army- Five silver stars fastened together in a circle and the coat of arms of the United States in gold color metal with shield and crest enameled.
• General……………………………………. Four silver stars
• Lieutenant General ……………… Three silver stars
• Major General ………………………. Two silver stars
• Brigadier General ………………… One silver star
• Colonel ……………………………………. Silver eagle
• Lieutenant Colonel ……………….. Silver oak leaf
• Major ……………………………………… Gold oak leaf
• Captain …………………………………… Two silver bars
• First Lieutenant …………………… One silver bar
• Second Lieutenant ………………. One gold bar

• Grade Five: Silver bar with 4 enamel silver squares
• Grade Four: Silver bar with 4 enamel black squares
• Grade Three: Silver bar with 3 enamel black squares
• Grade Two: Silver bar with 2 enamel black squares
• Grade One: Silver bar with 1 enamel black square

E-9 through E-1 are pay grades.

*Air Force insignias for

Officers are identical to

those of the Army.

E-9 Army: Command Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major

Navy: Master Chief Petty Officer

Air Force: Chief Master Sergeant

Marine Corps: Sergeant Major, Master Gunnery Sergeant

Coast Guard: Master Chief Petty Officer

E-8= Army: First Sergeant, Master Sergeant

Navy: Senior Chief Petty Officer

A.F.: Senior Master Sergeant

M.C.: First Sergeant, Master Sergeant

C.G.: Senior Chief Petty Officer

E-7= Army: Sergeant First Class

Navy: Chief Petty Officer

A.F.: Master Sergeant

M.C.: Gunnery Sergeant

C.G.: Chief Petty Officer

E-6= Army: Staff Sergeant

Navy: Petty Officer First Class

A.F.: Technical Sergeant

M.C.: Staff Sergeant

C.G.: Petty Officer First Class

E-5= Army: Sergeant

Navy: Petty Officer Second Class

A.F.: Staff Sergeant

M.C.: Sergeant

C.G.: Petty Officer Second Class

E-4= Army: Corporal, Specialist

Navy: Petty Officer Third Class

A.F.: Senior Airman

M.C.: Corporal

C.G.: Petty Officer Third Class

E-3= Army: Private First Class

Navy: Seaman

A.F. : Airman First Class

M.C.: Lance Corporal

C.G.: Fireman, Seaman

E-2= Army: Private

Navy: Seaman Apprentice

A.F. : Airman

M.C.: Private First Class

C.G.: Fireman Apprentice, Seaman Apprentice

E-1 Army: Private – no insignia

Navy: Seaman Recruit

A.F.: Airman Basic- no insignia

M.C.: Private- no insignia

C.G.: Seaman Recriut- no insignia

• Fleet Admiral- (reserved for wartime only)……………………………1 two inch with 4 one-half inch
• Admiral- ………………………………………… 1 two inch with 3 one-half inch
• Vice Admiral- …………………………………1 two inch with 2 one-half inch
• Rear Admiral-(upper half) …………. 1 two inch with 1 one-half inch
• Rear Admiral – (lower half) ……….. 1 two inch
• Captain-……………………………………………4 one-half inch
• Commander-…………………………………….3 one-half inch
• Lieutenant Commander-………………..2 one half inch with on-quarter inch between
• Lieutenant-…………………………………….. 2 one- half inch
• Lieutenant (J.G.)- ………………………… 1 one-half inch with one-quarter inch above
• Ensign-…………………………………………….. 1 one-half inch

-Warrant Officer W-3: ½" stripe with 2 breaks, 2" apart

-Warrant Officer W-2: ½" stripe with 3 breaks, 2" apart

-Warrant Officer W-1: ¼" stripe with 3 breaks, 2" apart

-Enlisted Personnel (noncommissioned petty officers)- A rating badge worn on the upper left sleeve, consisting of a spread eagle, appropriate number of chevrons, and centered specialty mark.

MARINE CORPS- Marine Corps’ distinctive cap and collar ornament is the Marine Corps Emblem- a combination of the American eagle, a globe, and an anchor. Marine Corps enlisted insignia, although basically similar to Army’s, feature crossed rifles beneath the chevrons. Marine Corps enlisted rank insignia are as follows and their insignia are shown above in this order:

COAST GUARD- Coast Guard insignia follow Navy custom, with certain minor changes such as the offer cap insignia. The Coast Guard shield is worn on both sleeves of officers and on the right sleeve of all enlisted personnel.

The next thing that irked me was how to refer to the groups of men fighting. In other words I was confused about the grouping of soldiers in the Army.

A Squad: in infantry usually 10 enlisted personnel under a staff sergeant.

A Platoon: in infantry 4 squads under a lieutenant.

A Company: Headquarters section and 4 platoons under a captain.

A Battalion: Hdqts. and 4 or more companies under a lieutenant colonel.

(Battalion-size unit in the cavalry is a squadron)

Brigade: Hdqts. and 3 or more battalions under a colonel.

Division: Hdqts. and 3 brigades with artillery, combat support, and combat

service support unit under a major general.

Army Corps: Two or more divisions with corps troops under a lieutenant

general.

Field Army: Hdqts. and 2 or more corps with field Army troops under a

general.

All of this talk about power and many men fight under one man made me wonder how that man got there. Mostly what I found for every part of the United States Armed Forces is that depending on how hard a soldier works, how fast they pick up newly learned skills, job performance and experience.

In all parts of the armed forces, one must be a soldier of the lowest form for at least six months before he or she begins to advance. In the same breathe it must be noted that during my research I came across the fact that women cannot follow certain career paths that the army otherwise offers with open arms.

An example career is as follows (for fun lets call him Harry):

1^st- Platoon Leader: After Harry’s initial training as an infantry officer, he is assigned to lead a platoon. Harry must:

• Train and lead an infantry platoon of 30-50 soldiers
• Inspect troops, barracks, and equipment
• Plan daily conditioning programs for the platoon or the entire company
• Lead the platoon on combat training exercises
• Direct the care and maintenance of weapons, radios, and other equipment assigned to the platoon

• Command an infantry company consisting of several platoons
• Develop and carry out battle plans to support battalion objectives
• Develop, schedule, and carry out training plans and field exercises
• Explain battle plans and assign objectives to platoon leaders

• Assist his battalion commander in administration and management duties
• Manage a specialized function such as logistics or operations for a battalion or headquarters staff
• Teach infantry courses
• Resolve unit supply, maintenance, or personnel problems
• Advise senior commanders on infantry operations and readiness

• Command an infantry battalion of 500- 1,000 men
• Plan training exercises or missions
• Instruct company commanders on mission assignments and objectives
• Coordinate battle plans with armor, artillery, and air support units

I hope that I have uncovered some of the mystery of the Armed Service by doing this research.

1. Dept. of Defense. Military Careers: A Guide to Military Occupations and

Selected Military Career Paths. Washington: GPO, 1996.

2. The World Almanac and Book of Facts. New York: Press Pub Co. (The New