Military ranks of the Philippines

Summary

The Military ranks of Philippines are the military insignia used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Introduction edit

The current Philippine military ranks are inspired partially by the very first military insignia used by the military forces during the Philippine Revolution of 1896 and the Philippine–American War, and the insignia used by the Philippine Constabulary raised in 1902 during the final days of the Philippine–American War, which was basically the same style of insignia used by the United States Army at that time. Elements of both the US army ranks and the old Philippine Army appear in the current ranks; this was reflected at the general officers insignia and enlisted ranks that resembled those of the US military (the silver stars used by generals and admirals were used by field grade officers in the First Republic), the field officers (like colonels), whose insignia are suns, use those insignia used by general officers of the Revolutionary Army. Company rank insignia (i.e. captain), consisting of a silver triangle, are a recent creation. Both company grade and field grade officer insignia have the baybayin letter ka (K) in the middle, another throwback to the days of the war for independence, and even in the medal used by second-level members of the Katipunan during meetings, in which the letter is in the center.

Current ranks edit

The current AFP insignia used today are a modification of the system first used in 1954–55 as part of the Filipinization of the military forces by then President and former Secretary of National Defense Ramon Magsaysay, ending years of the US-styled rank system in place since 1935. Prior to that period, the Philippines used the same rank insignia of the United States Armed Forces with modifications for Philippine conditions.[1]

Officer ranks edit

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
  Philippine Army[2]
                   
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First lieutenant Second lieutenant


  Philippine Air Force[3]
                   
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain First lieutenant Second lieutenant


  Philippine Navy
                       
Admiral Vice admiral Rear admiral Commodore Captain Commander Lieutenant commander Lieutenant Lieutenant (junior grade) Ensign


  Philippine Marine Corps[4]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain First lieutenant Second lieutenant


  Philippine Coast Guard[5]
                   
Admiral Vice admiral Rear admiral Commodore Captain Commander Lieutenant commander Lieutenant Lieutenant (junior grade) Ensign


Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet

Enlisted personnel ranks edit

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
  Philippine Army[2]
                 
Chief master sergeant Senior master sergeant Master sergeant Technical sergeant Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Private first class Private
  Philippine Air Force[3]
                 
Chief master sergeant Senior master sergeant Master sergeant Technical sergeant Staff sergeant Sergeant Airman first class Airman second class Airman
  Philippine Navy
                 
Master Chief Petty Officer Senior Chief Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer Petty officer, first class Petty officer, second class Petty officer, third class Seaman first class Seaman second class Seaman apprentice
  Philippine Marine Corps[4]
                   
Chief master sergeant Senior master sergeant Master sergeant First sergeant Technical sergeant Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Private first class Private
  Philippine Coast Guard[5]
                 
Master chief petty officer Senior chief petty officer Chief petty officer Petty officer, first class Petty officer, second class Petty officer, third class Seaman first class Seaman second class Seaman apprentice
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Rank group Senior appointment
  Philippine Army  
First chief master sergeant
  Philippine Air Force  
First chief master sergeant
  Philippine Navy  
First master chief petty officer
  Philippine Marine Corps  
First chief master sergeant

Historic ranks edit

Revolutionary Army ranks edit

These rank insignia for the nascent army were created in late 1896, replacing the earlier rank insignia used by the Katipuneros containing the letter K (ka). Ranks were then worn on the sleeves of all uniforms.[6]

Shoulder epaulette insignia was introduced in late 1898, some time after the declaration of Philippine independence. It is worthy of mention that the insignia for the rank of Second Lieutenant and Major has three silver and gold stars, respectively, and the number of stars are reduced when promoted.

Officers edit

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
Shoulder insignia[7][8]
(1899–1901)
                   
Sleeve insignia                      
English Generalissimo/Minister marshal Captain general Lieutenant general Divisional general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Commandant Captain First lieutenant Second lieutenant

Tagalog Heneralisimo/Ministrong mariskal Kapitán heneral Tenyente Heneral Komandante Heneral Brigada Heneral Koronel Tenyente koronel Komandante Kapitán Tenyente Alpéres

Spanish[8] Generalísimo/Ministro mariscal Capitán general Teniente general General de división General de brigada Coronel Teniente coronel Comandante Capitán 1er teniente 2° teniente

Enlisted Personnel edit

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Sleeve insignia          
English Sergeant Corporal Private Civil guardsman first class Civil guardsman

Tagalog Sarhento Kabo Pribato

Spanish Sargento Cabo Privato

Rank insignia during the Commonwealth and immediate independence period (until 1954) edit

Army and Air Force edit

The Philippine Army during the Commonwealth period as well as after independence used essentially the same rank insignias as the United States Army.[citation needed] The main difference is the addition of a rank named third lieutenant and the five-star rank of Field Marshal.[9]

Officer edit

10th Grade 9th Grade 8th Grade 7th Grade 6th Grade 5th Grade 4th Grade 3rd Grade 2nd Grade 1st Grade
                   
General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant
GEN LTG MG BG COL LTC MAJ CPT 1LT 2LT

Enlisted edit

[10][11][12][failed verification]

US DoD Pay Grade E-9 E-8 E-7 E-6 E-5 E-4 E-3 E-2 E-1
From 1935 No equivalent
              No insignia
Master sergeant First sergeant Technical sergeant Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Private first class Private
September 1942 No equivalent
                    No insignia
First sergeant Master sergeant Technical sergeant Staff sergeant Technician 3rd grade Sergeant Technician 4th grade Corporal Technician 5th grade Private first class Private
August 1948 No equivalent
                        No insignia No insignia
First sergeant

Combat and noncombat

Master sergeant

Combat and noncombat

Sergeant first class

Combat and noncombat

Sergeant

Combat and noncombat

Corporal

Combat and noncombat

Private first class

Combat and noncombat

Private Recruit
February 1951 No equivalent
            No insignia No insignia
First sergeant Master sergeant Sergeant first class Sergeant Corporal Private first class Private Recruit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Miller, Alen G. (1993). "National Security". In Ronald E., Dolan (ed.). Philippines: a country study. Area Handbook (4th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. p. 272. LCCN 92039812. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Ranks and insignia". army.mil.ph. Philippine Army. Archived from the original on April 28, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Ranks". paf.mil.ph. Philippine Air Force. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "PMC rank insignia". pmc.navy.mil.ph. Philippine Marine Corps. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Philippine Coast Guard Basic Training Manual". Annex D-E: Philippine Coast Guard Education Training and Doctrine Command. 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  6. ^ Alvarez, Santiago V. (1992). The Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General : with the Original Tagalog Text. Ateneo University Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-971-550-077-7.
  7. ^ "Infographic: Army of the First Philippine Republic". malacanang.gov.ph. Presidential Museum and Library. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Gobierno Revolucionario (1898). "The laws of the first Philippine Republic (the laws of Malolos) 1898-1899". quod.lib.umich.edu (in Spanish). pp. 70–71. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  9. ^ "Commonwealth Act No. 1 | GOVPH".
  10. ^ "U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry-History of Enlisted Ranks". Archived from the original on June 29, 2010. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  11. ^ Broderick, Justin T. (2013). "Timeline of U.S. Army Enlisted Ranks, 1920 to Present". uniform-reference.net. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  12. ^ "History of U.S. Army Enlisted Grades". The Institute of Heraldry. Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. Retrieved February 11, 2021.