Biographies Characteristics Analysis

Ranks in the American Navy. How to distinguish the military ranks of the us army

A career in the US Army is a true calling and a unique opportunity for soldiers to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people. In addition to high wages and benefits systems, the army provides career opportunities, instills leadership qualities that are indispensable in everyday life, and provides a wealth of knowledge. Regardless of rank in the US Army, each soldier plays an essential role in achieving the overall mission.

Essence of the US Army

First of all, it is worth noting that the US Army refers mainly to the ground forces. Thus, the coast guard, military police, marines and air force are separate branches of the US armed forces. Thus, the insignia of all officers and sergeants is different.

The US Army has two main elements - active and reserve troops, in addition to them, the National Guard also belongs to the ground forces and They do not depend on each other in any way, but perform one common mission - to defend their territory in every possible way.

US Army ranks

The first composition of the US Army - ordinary soldiers and sergeants. They are the backbone of the army, as they have special knowledge and perform specific functions, which ensures the success of the current mission of other units of the army. Hierarchically, the ranks of ordinary soldiers follow in this order:

  • recruit (has no insignia);
  • private;
  • ordinary soldier first class;
  • specialist;
  • Corporal

Sergeants by rank are divided into:

  • sergeant;
  • staff sergeant;
  • sergeant first class;
  • master;
  • first sergeant;
  • major;
  • command major;
  • US Army sergeant.

There are two types of officers in the army: warrant officers and officers. The latter are essentially US Army managers, key figures and professional strategists. It is they who solve emerging problems, plan missions, give orders, lead soldiers of the ground forces and can have the following ranks:

  • second lieutenant;
  • first lieutenant;
  • captain;
  • major;
  • lieutenant colonel;
  • colonel;
  • major general;
  • lieutenant general;
  • general;
  • US Army general.

Every person who devotes his life to the defense of the Motherland is an important figure for the army, regardless of rank.

U.S. Army subcomplexes

The organizational structure of the ground forces is the driving force of the army, which allows you to combine soldiers and officers into a single whole. It consists of the following divisions:

  • detachment (operates under the command of a sergeant);
  • platoon (under the control of a lieutenant);
  • company (the captain oversees this unit);
  • battalion (commander is a lieutenant colonel);
  • brigade (the colonel manages this structure);
  • division (under the command of a major general);
  • corps (managed by a lieutenant general);
  • army (may also be commanded by a lieutenant general).

Leading a military subunit is a real honor for a soldier or officer.

US military uniform

Unlike the Russian army, where the uniform can be full dress, full dress, field, work and everyday, in the US army it is divided into three categories:

  1. Utilitarian military uniform, or as the Americans call it - combat. This category consists of all kinds of special clothing for different applications. For example, sports uniforms, equipment for the operation of military vehicles, clothes for the hospital, kitchens, and even special uniforms for pregnant women.
  2. Service uniform designed for everyday wear.
  3. Uniform for social events or ceremonial output. Clothing in this category varies from white summer uniforms to uniforms for receptions, dinners and other events.

It is worth noting that the uniform of the US Army is made to order and they try to use the best materials so that soldiers and officers feel comfortable and practical both in battle and in everyday life.

Who are Warrant Officers

According to the official website of the US Army, the Volunteer Officer is an adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer and advisor. Thanks to the progressive level of knowledge gained during the training, this officer is able to manage, maintain and integrate systems and equipment in all spectrums of ground operations. And to put it in simple terms, a non-commissioned officer is an ensign, that is, not yet an officer, but not an ordinary sergeant either.

Of course, depending on the rank, the duties of the "ensigns" may differ. For example, the first class of warrant officers act as secretaries to senior colleagues. They help with paperwork and perform simple functions related to the management of personnel and technical support of the army. And the fifth class of senior warrant officers manages entire brigades, divisions and other classes of ensigns, makes final decisions and gives orders.

Insignia "ensigns"

First of all, it is worth noting that all warrant officer insignia are divided into “unmuted” and “muted”. The first ones are needed for various social events, so that the badge is more visible, and the "muted badges" are intended for combat and casual wear.

The unmuted Warrant Officer First Class insignia is a matte black square in the center of a silvery metal plate. A muted sign is a dark green plate with a square of the same color.

As for the insignia of a warrant officer second class: the unmuted insignia is two black matte squares on a silver-colored metal plate. The subdued insignia is two dark green squares on a plate of the same color.

One black square is added to each warrant officer insignia up to fourth grade. Thus, the unmuffled badge of an officer of the third class is three black squares on a silver plate. A muted sign is three dark green squares on a plate of the same color.

The unmuted and subdued insignia of the fourth class warrant officer are absolutely identical, except that one more black and dark green square is attached to their plate.

But the insignia of senior warrant officers of the fifth class are not like the rest. The unmuted mark is a long, thin black stripe on a silver plate, while the muted mark is a dark green stripe on a dark plate.

Regardless of the class, the plates can be made of silver or any other metal. They also use strong dark threads to attach the badge to clothing. In general, like the clothes of the ground forces, insignia are made with high quality and accuracy. After all, the uniform is the face of every soldier and officer of the US Army.

The promotion system for officers of the US armed forces is built on the cultivation of the spirit of competition according to the principle: the higher the military rank and position, the more stringent the selection criteria should be. Military personnel twice recognized by the commissions in accordance with the personnel program "up or out" (top or out) in the certifications as not worthy of promotion are subject to dismissal. Similar measures can be applied to persons who have not passed the physical fitness standards more than 2 times.

Certification of officers is carried out annually. The command of the US armed forces requires commanders and superiors to take an informal approach to writing appraisals, a careful and objective assessment of the business and human qualities of an officer. For these purposes, lists of words and phrases are specially prepared that can be used in certification, for example: general impression - good manners, energetic, polite, rude, shy, balanced, attractive, trustworthy, does not stand out, eccentric, etc.; character - bold, firm, (un) selfish, tolerant, superstitious, envious, stubborn, cowardly, shy, simple, impatient, etc .; mentality - rich imagination, analytical mind, sensitive, quick (slow) grasping, witty, (in) flexible, etc.

A change in the military-service relationship involves a change in the official position of a serviceman (appointment, dismissal and removal from office), assignment, deprivation and restoration of a military rank. The expiration of the length of service in a military rank is a universal condition for conferring the next military rank in the armed forces of almost all states.

To obtain the next military rank, the officers of the US armed forces must have the following length of service: first lieutenant - 1.5-2 years; captain - 3.5-4 years; major - 10 years; lieutenant colonel - 16 years; colonel - at least 22 years old. The ranks of generals are assigned by special decision.

The title "warrant officer 1st class" is awarded to sergeants after 10 years of service in the armed forces and more and the successful completion of the corresponding course of study in schools of military branches and services. Assignment of the next ranks to warrant officers is carried out upon reaching the following terms of service in the previous rank: warrant officer 1st class - 3 years; senior warrant officer 2nd class - 6 years; senior warrant officer 3rd class - 6 years; Chief Warrant Officer 4th Class - After 15 years of service as Chief Warrant Officer.

To obtain the next rank, privates and sergeants of the US Army must have the following minimum length of service in the previous rank and total length of service (in brackets - for the Air Force): private - 6 months; private 1st class - respectively 4 months and 1 year (6 months and 6 months); corporal - 6 months and 2 years (8 months and 1 year); sergeant - 8 months and 3 years (6 months and 3 years); staff sergeant - 10 months and 7 years (18 months and 5 years). At the same time, the minimum terms for conferring the next military ranks to privates and petty officers in the US armed forces are different for the ground forces, the Air Force, the Navy and the Marine Corps and depend on length of service, length of service, characteristics of the soldier, the results of various tests, awards, availability of vacancies and from the decision of the selection committee.

In the US military, the question of assignment of military ranks to officers and senior sergeants is decided by special rank commissions, which are formed anew every year from officers whose ranks are higher than those of the candidates under discussion. The task of the commissions is to select and evaluate candidates based on their attestations, characteristics and impressions from a personal meeting with an officer, his answers to questions from commission members in their specialty, from the field of military and general training. Up to the rank of "captain" inclusive, military ranks are assigned to almost everyone who is certified with the conclusion "fully ready for promotion." When assigning higher ranks, the principle of "prepared best of all" is applied. The possibility of implementing this principle is created by the excess of the number of candidates over the number of vacancies.

It is characteristic that the system of selecting candidates for obtaining the next military rank or filling vacancies is also preserved when appointing top military leaders (2-4 or more candidates are considered, which are discussed among senior officers, articles about this are published in the American military press). Promotion in the rank of junior and middle sergeants is based on the competitive-testing principle.

The procedural rules of US military law governing promotion in military rank guarantee:

The right of military officers and senior sergeants to make written statements, providing facts to refute negative characteristics;

The possibility for military officers and senior sergeants to submit written statements to the "rank commission" considering the issue of their promotion;

The presence in the service record, considered by the "ranking commission", only official characteristics (records of inappropriate behavior are not included in the service list, except in cases where inappropriate behavior is established at a judicial or out-of-court hearing);

Holding meetings of the "rank commission" behind closed doors (remarks made during the decision are not made public);

The principle of matching the military rank to the military position held is most consistently implemented in the armed forces of a number of foreign states, which provide for a system of temporary ranks. Thus, in the United States, the system for conferring military ranks requires that they must be in line with the positions they hold. Therefore, the ranks of officers and generals are divided into temporary and permanent. Permanent ranks are assigned in accordance with performance appraisal, length of service and if there is a vacancy. Temporary ranks are assigned upon appointment to positions that, according to the state, are subject to replacement by officers in a higher rank. By their legal status, those with temporary ranks are equated with officers, generals and admirals with the corresponding permanent ranks, and wear the same uniform and insignia.

Dismissal from the US military is a voluntary act, requiring compliance with a very small number of procedural rules. Forced layoffs, on the other hand, require compliance with higher-level procedural rules, depending on the reason and circumstances of the dismissal, the position and rank of the serviceman. The Administrative Dismissal Commission has the right to hear the serviceman, but this right is not unconditional and depends on the length of service and the type of dismissal in question. The age limit for U.S. military personnel is determined by length of military service. Dismissal from the armed forces on the basis of length of service is carried out in the event that a serviceman has served in the army for the period established by law. Formally, the upper limit of military service, after reaching which a serviceman is subject to compulsory dismissal, is 30 years, but exceptions are allowed for certain categories of generals and senior officers. The age limit for officers is set at 62. Officers holding senior positions in the central office, as well as representatives of higher military educational institutions, by decision of Congress on an individual basis, the service may be extended up to 64 years. The maximum term of military service for a brigadier general and colonel is 30 years, for a lieutenant colonel - 28 years, for a major - 21 years. But these periods in some cases can be extended by 5 years. Therefore, the difference in the age limits for US military personnel does not exceed 10 years.

The uniform and equipment of the US Army may vary depending on the rank and the event taking place. The easiest way to determine the rank is to look at the insignia that each member of the army has on his uniform. Each rank will have its own unique insignia, and the symbols of the captain or officer will be clearly different from the enlisted and non-commissioned officers. Familiarize yourself with these differences to learn how to quickly recognize the ranks of army members.

Steps

Definition of enlisted and non-commissioned officers

    You must know where to look for the insignia. Enlisted and non-commissioned officers' uniforms include the field dress uniform (ACU), which is usually made of camouflage-colored fabric, and the "green" uniform, which usually consists of a tunic and trousers or a rough cloth skirt. Distinctive signs are located in different places, depending on the type of form:

    • Look at the field cap. For privates and sergeants, the insignia is located in the center of the cap.
    • The insignia patches will be located in the chest area of ​​the field uniform.
    • On the "green" uniforms of privates and sergeants, the stripes with insignia are located on the upper part of the sleeves.
    • Privates and sergeants do not display their insignia on their berets. Instead, their unit is marked on the front of the beret.
  1. Learn the insignia of privates-rookies. The lowest rank (E-1) for recruits in basic combat training has no insignia. For class E-2 recruits, rank is determined by a single yellow chevron patch. For privates first class (PFC, E-3), the chevron symbol is rounded at the bottom, framing the green field.

    The insignia of soldiers of the rank E-4. Specialists (SPC) wear a green triangular insignia rounded at the top with a golden eagle in the middle. Corporals (CPL), however, have a rank insignia consisting of two chevrons.

    Determination of the insignia of sergeants. There are several types of sergeants in the US Army, both enlisted and not in the ranks. You can tell them apart by paying close attention to the insignia.

    • The insignia of a sergeant (SGT, E-5) is very similar to that of a corporal, however, instead of two chevrons, there are three.
    • Staff Sergeant (SSG, E-6) has insignia consisting of three connected chevrons with a rounded end framing a green field.
    • Sergeant First Class (SFC, E-7) has the same insignia as staff sergeants, but with two rounds at the bottom.
    • The master sergeant (MSG, E-8) has the insignia of a sergeant first class, but with three rounds at the bottom.
    • The first sergeant (1-SG, E-8) has the same insignia as the master sergeant, but with the addition of a small yellow diamond in the middle.
    • The master sergeant (SGM, E-9) has the same insignia as the first sergeant, but instead of a diamond in the middle, a star.
    • The Chief Sergeant of Command (CSM, E-9) has the same insignia as the first sergeant, but instead of a diamond in the center, there is a star surrounded by two ears of wheat.
    • The sergeant major (E-9) has the same insignia as the first sergeant, but instead of a robe in the middle, a golden eagle and two stars.
  2. Determination of the insignia of a lieutenant and a captain. Second Lieutenant (2LT, O-1), First Lieutenant (1LT, O-2) and Captain (CPT, O-3) have rectangular insignia. The Second Lieutenant has one golden rectangle, and the First Lieutenant has one silver rectangle. The insignia of a captain (CPT, O-3) is two silver rectangles.

    Determination of the insignia of major and lieutenant colonel. Both of these ranks have insignia in the form of a leaf. However, a major (MAJ, O-4) has a gold leaf, while a lieutenant colonel (LTC, O-5) has a silver leaf.

    Studying the insignia of a colonel. Colonel (COL, O-6) is the last rank before general. His insignia is a silver eagle with outstretched wings.

  3. Definition of the insignia of generals. There are 5 ranks of General in the US Army. The distinguishing mark of each rank consists of silver stars, but note the difference in them.

    • A brigadier general (BG, O-7) has a single silver star insignia.
    • Major General (MG, O-8) has a rank insignia - two silver stars located in the same row.
    • The lieutenant general (LTG, O-9) has a rank insignia - three silver stars located in one row.
    • The General (GEN, O-10) has a rank insignia of 4 silver stars in one row.
    • The General of the Army (GOA, O-11) has a rank insignia of 5 stars forming a pentagon. This rank is used only during certain military periods.

Today, the United States of America is a full-fledged hegemon on the world political, economic and military arena. This situation has become...

By Masterweb

21.05.2018 18:00

Today, the United States of America is a full-fledged hegemon on the world political, economic and military arena. This situation was made possible by a combination of many factors. However, this article will focus on the power base of this state. The US military of the 2000 era is a power structure staffed exclusively on a professional basis. Let's consider all its subtleties in more detail.

History reference

The U.S. Army, which today hovers around a million and a half, originates from the Continental Army, which, in turn, was created in June 1775, shortly before the start of the Revolutionary War of the country. The official date for the creation of the army is June 3, 1784, when the structure was legislatively approved by Congress.

In 1791 the Legion of the United States was created. It arose after many Americans left the ranks of the Armed Forces after the end of the war for their own independence.

Last war with the British

In the period 1812-1815, the US Army repelled the invasion of British troops. This time, the fighting turned out to be less successful for the Americans at the initial stage, as the British quickly advanced into the territory of the States and even took complete control of the capital, the city of Washington. But over time, the American army improved its basic skills and combat skills, which ultimately led to the restoration of the status quo at the front.

Conquest of new territories

In 1846-1848, the US Army fought with Mexico. These hostilities ended successfully for the Americans, and they were able to annex huge areas that eventually transformed into modern states: Nevada, California, Colorado, Texas, Arizona, Wyoming and New Mexico.

The most bloody armed conflict for the army from the United States of America was the Civil War Campaign of 1861-1865. For two years in a row, the US Army suffered defeat after defeat. However, everything changed after, in July 1863, near Gettysburg, the military managed to seize the strategic initiative and turn the tide of confrontation in their favor. Ultimately, in the spring of 1865, the northerners finally defeated the southerners in this armed confrontation.


Structure Description

Service in the US Army may be in the ranks of one of several branches of service, namely in:

  • Ground forces.
  • Air force.
  • Naval Forces.
  • Coast Guard.
  • Marine Corps.

An important nuance: all of these units report directly to the US Secretary of Defense, and the Coast Guard - to the National Security Agency. However, in the event of a declaration of martial law in the country, it also passes under the guardianship of the head of the defense department.

Hierarchy

The US Army, which, according to data for 2018, is 1,430,000 people, based on the country's constitution, has a commander-in-chief in the person of the president of the state. And he, in turn, gives orders to the civilian minister of the defense ministry, in whose subordination are the heads of all subspecies of the Armed Forces. The duties of the ministry include recruiting, organizing, equipping and supplying the army, monitoring its level of combat training.

The supreme commanders of the Armed Forces are members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The head of this structural unit resolves issues related to coordinating the activities of the army and the state.


Operational cooperation in the army is based on the work of the following commands:

  • North American.
  • South and Central American.
  • European.
  • Middle Eastern and Asian.
  • Pacific.

There are four other unified commands that do not have geographical areas of responsibility. Among them:

  • Strategic. He is entrusted with strategic planning and control over strategic nuclear weapons.
  • Preparations for special operations.
  • Preparation of strategic transfers.
  • United forces. It is responsible for combat training in all branches of the Armed Forces without exception.

Picking principle

Service in the US Army is on a contract basis. That is, to put it simply, all soldiers are professionals, for the training and maintenance of which the state budget allocates a lot of money. The ranks of the army accept both American citizens and citizens who live in the state on a permanent basis or who have a residence permit in the States. It is mandatory for the candidate to have at least a secondary education. Service is permitted to persons who have reached the age of eighteen. But in some cases, with the consent of the parents, a young man can get into service at the age of seventeen. At the same time, the age limit for entering the service, depending on the unit, is:

  • Air Force and Coast Guard - 27 years.
  • Navy - 34 years.
  • Marine Corps - 28 years.
  • Ground Forces - 42 years.

Green Card holders do not have the right to serve in special forces or, for example, work as a military translator. Simply put, such people are completely denied access to information that can be classified as a state secret.

The US military budget for 2018 is $612 billion, while the similar budget of the Russian Federation is only $76 billion.

Peculiarities

What is the US Army without benefits? Of course, in the stronghold of democracy in the world, there are a wide variety of bonuses. So, when entering the service, a newly minted contract soldier receives a bonus in the amount of 20,000 to 30,000 dollars to his bank account. The monthly allowance of an ordinary soldier is $2,000. In addition, the recruit receives an absolutely free hostel with furniture and amenities.

The U.S. Army entitles its members to the following civil rights under applicable law:

  • To participate in the political life of the country, that is, to elect or be elected.
  • Rest on vacation (up to 60 days).
  • Get free housing.
  • To get an education.
  • Take advantage of health insurance, control your health.
  • Count on retirement.

Enrollment in the ranks

It should be understood that any benefits and privileges are not given anywhere just like that to anyone, and the United States is no exception in this matter. After a recruit signs a contract and becomes a soldier in the US Army, he, in fact, no longer belongs to himself, but turns out to be, as they say, the “property” of the country. In this regard, the army leadership, if necessary, may well send a person to any existing point on the planet, it goes without saying that it can be “hot”. The service life under the contract varies in the range of 4-8 years.

The very same service for the "young" begins with the center for recruits. In them, recruits go through all the necessary stages of training and are under the strict control of the non-commissioned officers available there. This period lasts about 2-3 months. At this time, the soldiers train almost continuously, and sleep only 2-4 hours a day. The diet is three times a day, and the allowance is paid extra from 100 to 300 dollars a month. For married soldiers, the state provides a house or compensates for rental housing - all this is at the choice of a soldier.

As for hazing, this phenomenon is not observed in the US Army as such. Manifestations of "hazing" are minimized thanks to the precise work of the military police, due to which the sergeants are afraid to go beyond their powers. However, it is also impossible to unequivocally state that the “young” are not subjected to any bullying, because each military unit is a state within a state that carefully keeps all its secrets. It is worth noting that sergeants may well yell at their subordinates, but they cannot apply physical pressure to them or insult, infringe on them on a national, religious or gender basis.


Sexual and national gradation

The US and Russian armies are the subject of study for many specialists. And not the last role in this was played by the recently significantly aggravated political situation in the world. Among US soldiers and officers, 63% of their ethnic origin are European Americans, 15% are African Americans, 10% are Hispanics, 4% are Asians, 2% are Alaska Natives and Indians, 4% are undecided about their nationality or racial origin. belonging. Note that the last category of people is enrolled in the service only for the sake of obtaining US citizenship according to a much simplified scheme.

As for the gender situation, in the US military, 86% are men and 14% are women.


Special unit

A separate branch of the US Army is the National Guard. The number of its military personnel in the country reaches about 350,000 people, and it is represented by reserve groups.

A feature of serving in the ranks of the National Guard can be considered that a person simultaneously combines the performance of combat missions in the ranks with the main job. About 60,000 Americans replenish the guard units annually. Each of them is required to undergo combat training both in groups and individually. There are 48 special training programs available, the duration of each of which is within 4 hours. Moreover, training takes place on weekends throughout the year.

In addition, all national guards must undergo a two-week training camp, which consists in participating in military and command and staff exercises together with other army units. It is worth saying that without exception, all US employers have been warned: it is strictly forbidden to prevent the National Guard servicemen from fulfilling the tasks assigned to them by the state, because otherwise there is a threat of incurring criminal liability.

As benefits, the National Guardsmen can receive:

  • Housing allowance.
  • An increase to pay for your own treatment.
  • The right to purchase goods and products in special military stores.
  • The ability to refuel at military gas stations at a cost of 50% of the market value.
  • An addition to an existing or future pension.

Army units and ranks

For most millers, an army unit is a squad, which includes 9-10 soldiers, and is commanded by a sergeant.

The next step is a platoon with the number of soldiers from 16 to 44 and the commander is a lieutenant.

Three to five platoons form a company with a maximum number of military personnel up to 190 people. This unit is headed by a captain.

An army battalion includes 300-400 soldiers and a lieutenant colonel commander.

3-5 thousand soldiers is already a brigade led by a colonel.

The division includes 10-15 thousand fighters under the command of a major general.

The corps under the command of a lieutenant general has up to 45,000 people.

And finally, the army - within 50,000 people. It is managed by an officer with the rank not lower than lieutenant general. An additional tank corps can be introduced into the composition of this unit.

The ranks in the US Army are as follows (from lowest to highest):

  • Private recruit.
  • Private.
  • Private First Class.
  • Corporal.
  • Sergeant.
  • Staff sergeant.
  • Platoon sergeant.
  • First sergeant.
  • Staff Sergeant Major.
  • Sergeant Major St.
  • Warrant Officer First Class.
  • Chief Warrant Officer Second Class.
  • Chief Warrant Officer Third Class.
  • Chief Warrant Officer Fourth Class.
  • Second lieutenant.
  • First lieutenant.
  • Captain.
  • Major.
  • Lieutenant colonel.
  • Colonel.
  • Brigadier General.
  • Major General.
  • Lieutenant general.
  • General.
  • General of the US Army.

Power and strength

We will separately study the technical potential of the American Armed Forces. The armament of the US Army is quite diverse, but in general terms, the following data can be given:

  • The number of airports and runways is 13,513.
  • The number of aircraft is 13,000.
  • The number of tanks - 8325 pieces.
  • The number of helicopters is 6225 pieces.
  • Combat vehicles (armored) - 25,782 pieces.
  • Self-propelled guns - 1934 pieces.
  • Multiple launch rocket systems - 830.
  • Aircraft carriers - 10 pieces.
  • Warships - 473 pieces.
  • Attack naval vessels - 17 pieces.

So, comparison of armies. The US and Russia are now the main competitors on the world stage. Despite the fact that the Russian Federation is ahead of the Americans in terms of absolute numbers of weapons, not everything is so simple here.

In particular, the US Army is ahead of the Russians in terms of the total displacement of the navy and in the number of all types of ships. But the air defense system in Russia, according to experts, is much stronger.

In general, the armies of Russia and the United States are power structures that are in constant analysis. Violent disputes about the level of training of the American and Russian military do not subside and can go on almost forever. But you should definitely pay attention to such facts:

  • Not a single American warship went under from the detonation of its own combat kit located on board.
  • For more than 50 years, not a single accident with damage to the nuclear reactor zone has occurred on US nuclear submarines.
  • For 7 years, not one of the F-35 fighters has crashed during flights in a variety of conditions.

However, the key point is not even in this information. The most important geopolitical aspect of the confrontation between the United States and the Russian Federation lies in their mutual nuclear deterrence, in which a very clear parity is indicated. And all because nuclear weapons are very similar to multiplying by zero: that is, whatever the initial data, the result will still be zero.

However, there is another criterion that is very often not taken into account. His name is fighting spirit. And in this matter, the Russians have always been ahead of their Western competitors, which has been repeatedly confirmed during various combat tests in other countries.

Outfit

The uniform of the US Army has undergone significant changes over the years of development. In 2004, the country's Ministry of Defense decided to create the latest universal camouflage. His tasks included ensuring the camouflage of a soldier in any conditions, at any time of the day and on any terrain. The terms of reference required the new form to have a pixel art. As a result, the UCP shape was born - very strong and reliable, produced using rip-stop technology.

But after 2010, the UCP began to actively write off and issue to military personnel a new generation of camouflage - multicam, which allows a fighter to easily disguise himself in the city, forest, mountains and desert.

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In the American army, the gradation of ranks differs from the Soviet / Russian system and instead of the usual sergeants and foremen, junior and senior officers with generals, there is the following:

Commissioned Officers, certified superiors. Actually officers in the Russian analogy. They, in turn, are divided into:

General Officers, the main authorities. In the USSR / RF, this is a general
- Field Grade Officers In the USSR / RF, these are senior officers
- Сompany Grade Officers, bosses of the company category. In the USSR / RF, these are junior officers

Warrant officers. The translation is quite tricky - the authorities of the warrant. In the USSR / RF, these are ensigns. The US Air Force does not have this category at all.

Non-Commissioned Officers, not certified superiors. In the USSR / RF, these are sergeants and foremen.

Enlisted, conscript, employee in general. In the USSR / RF, these are privates.

From left to right.

1 row

Major General - Brigadier General*
lieutenant general - Major General
Colonel General - Lieutenant General
General
Marshal of the Russian Federation - General of the Army**

* Of course, this is a purely conditional comparison, since there is no brigadier general in the RF Armed Forces. A brigade within a division is commanded by a colonel, and a separate brigade by a major general.
** Marshal of the Russian Federation - honorary title, General of the Army - reserved.

2nd row

major - Major
lieutenant colonel - lieutenant colonel
Colonel - Colonel

3rd row

ml. lieutenant - no analogue
Lieutenant - Second Lieutenant*
Art. Lieutenant - First Lieutenant
captain - captain

* In general, the word Lieutenant and the Russian lieutenant that came from it, is translated as deputy, assistant. So the lieutenant is much more Russian.



Art. ensign - Chief Warrant Officer 5
Ensign - Chief Warrant Officer 2
Stashina - first sergeant
Art. sergeant first class
Sergeant - sergeant
ml. sergeant - corporal*
Corporal - private first class
Private - private**

* in the US Army, this rank does not apply to NCOs, but to Enlisted
** In the US Army there is also the concept of "recruit". This is the same private, but passing, speaking in Russian KMB. It has no insignia, so you won't see it outside of the US.

In addition, there are three more sergeant ranks older than 1st sergeant in the US Army: Sergeant Major, Command Sergeant Major and Sergeant Major of the United States Army. But, these are more positions than titles.

Sergeant Major is considered the head of the entire sergeant staff of one specific unit: a separate battalion or regiment, as well as a brigade or division. In fact, he is the foreman of a battalion or regiment most often.
The Command Sergeant Major performs similar duties but at the level of the Command, which can conditionally be equated to our military district.
Well, Sergeant Major of the United States Army performs the same duties at the level of all ground forces. There is only one person in this rank in the ground forces.