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Common military ranks
Officers
Navies1	Armies and Air Forces	Air Forces1
Admiral of the Fleet	Field Marshal	Marshal of the Air Force
Admiral	General	Air Marshal
Commodore	Brigadier	Air Commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group Captain
Commander	Lt. Colonel	Wing Commander
Lt. Commander	Major	Squadron Leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying Officer
Seamen, soldiers and airmen
Warrant Officer	Sergeant Major	Warrant Officer
Petty Officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Leading Rate	Corporal	Corporal
Seaman	Private	Aircraftman
1 in the Commonwealth

Ensign (IPA: [ˈɛnsən]) is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name.

"Ensign" is ensigne in French, Fähnrich in German, and chorąży in Polish, each of which derives from a term for a flag. The Spanish alférez and Portuguese alferes is a junior officer rank below lieutenant associated with carrying the flag, and so is often translated as "ensign", although unlike the rank in other languages, one of its possible etymologies links it to the Latin term "aquilifer", the bearer of the eagle (ensign) of the Roman Legion.

Contents 1 Argentina 2 France and Canada 3 Austria and Germany 4 New Zealand 5 Norway 5.1 Norwegian Army and Navy officer ranks & Insignia with corresponding NATO codes 6 Poland 7 Romania 8 Russia 9 United Kingdom 10 United States 11 In Fiction 11.1 United Federation of Planets 11.2 Earth Federation 11.3 Star Kingdom of Manticore 12 See also 13 References

Argentina

In Argentina, the rank of ensign is used by both the air force and the gendarmerie. It is, however, used differently in the two services. The air force uses the rank for newly qualified officers, while the gendarmerie uses "ensign" ranks as an equivalent for the army's "lieutenant" ranks.

Argentine Air Force Rank	Argentine Gendarmerie Rank	Equivalent Commonwealth Ranks for comparison
-------------	-------------	-------------
Ensign	Sub-Ensign	Acting Pilot Officer / 2nd Lieutenant
Lieutenant	Ensign	Pilot Officer / 2nd Lieutenant
First Lieutenant	First Ensign	Flying Officer / Lieutenant

The other armed forces of Argentina have ranks equivalent to ensign: "subteniente" (which can be translated into English as "sublieutenant") in the army and "guardiamarina" (with no direct translation into English) in the navy"¹. In the army, the most junior sublieutenant in a regiment (or other unit) is also the flag carrier.

1. ^ Argentine Army official website, ranks of the Army compared with those of the Air Force and Navy

France and Canada

French Ship-of-the-line Ensigns

Ship-of-the-line Ensign, First Class, Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe

Ship-of the-line Ensign, Second Class, Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe

In France of the ancien regime, like in other countries, the ensign (enseigne) was the banner of an infantry regiment¹. Also like in other countries, the name began to be used for the officers who carried the ensign. It was renamed sub-lieutenant (sous-lieutenant) in the end of the 18^th century. The Navy used a rank of Ship-of-the-Line Ensign (enseigne de vaisseau), which was the first officer rank. It was briefly renamed Ship-of-the-line Sub-Lieutenant (sous-lieutenant de vaisseau) in the end of the 18^th century, but its original name was soon restored.

Nowadays, the rank is still used in the Marine nationale : Ship-of-the-Line Ensign (Enseigne de vaisseau) is the name of the two lowest officer ranks (which are distinguished as from one another as "first class", equal to an army lieutenant, and "second class", equal to an army sub-lieutenant.) The term enseigne de marine ("naval ensign") is also often used, but is not the official title. Both ranks of Ensign use the style lieutenant.

French-speaking Canadian Naval officers also uses the terms of enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe and de première classe as the French term for Acting Sub-Lieutenant and Sub-Lieutenant respectivily. However, French-Canadian Sub-Lieutenant use the short form of enseigne instead of lieutenant.

1. ^ The cavalry regiments used the term cornette (cornet) and the dragoons regiments used guidon.

Austria and Germany

German Army and Air Force rank insignia (shoulder tab)

German Navy rank insignia (sleeve)

Austrian Army rank insignia (collar)

Ensign, in German Fähnrich, is a German and Austrian officer cadet rank. A German ensign serves in the ranks, first as a junior non-commissioned officer then in subsequent grades equivalent to Unterfeldwebel (until 1945, now Unteroffizier), Feldwebel, and Oberfeldwebel (until 1945, now Hauptfeldwebel). Ultimately the ensign becomes an officer.

The word Fähnrich comes from an older German military title, Fahnenträger, and first become a distinct military rank on January 1, 1899.

Junior Rank Fahnenjunker

Fähnrich

Senior Rank Oberfähnrich

New Zealand

An Ensign's (RNZN) shoulder insignia

The Royal New Zealand Navy, unlike the Royal Navy—whose uniforms, insignia, and traditions it copies—created the Ensign grade to equal the lowest commissioned RNZAF grade of Pilot Officer and the New Zealand Army grade of Second Lieutenant. It ranks above the grade of Midshipman. Like the grade of Pilot Officer, it uses a single thin strip of braid. The fact that the Royal Navy has no real equivalent to the lowest commissioned Royal Air Force and British Army grades was the driving factor behind the RNZN's decision to create the Ensign grade, as well as the fact that at the time New Zealand was actively involved with the United States Armed Forces, it also made sense to balance the rank system out with that used by the United States Navy.

Norway

Norwegian Ensigns Insignia

An RNoN Fenrik Arm, shoulder or chest insignia (depending on uniform)

An Norwegian Army and Heimevernet (Home Guard) Fenrik shoulder insignia.

The Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) the Norwegian Army and the Royal Norwegian Air Force's equivalent of Ensign is Fenrik (rank below lieutenant).It was previously referred to as Second Lieutenant (Norwegian: Secondløitnant), while the rank of lieutenant went by Premier Lieutenant.

The rank is obtained after attending "befalsskolen" for one year, from which the candidate emerges as a sergeant, and serving as a sergeant for one additional year. The rank is known to have been temporarily given to soldiers with rank equivalent of non-commissioned officers, showing skill-set's and performance beyond their rank, in contract based operative service (UN, NATO). This is highly uncommon and the rank is reverted after the contract period ends.

A Fenrik serves as a NATO (OF-1) Second Lieutenant, but the function of the rank differs drastically from other armies. Although it is an officer rank, it strongly resembles an NCO-rank in practice. Fenriks are usually former experienced sergeants without officer education, and usually fill such roles as squad leaders and platoon sergeants. This is due to the lack of an NCO-corps in the Norwegian army ¹.

The historical background for this is that Norways NCO-corps was discontinued on July 1. 1975, and the senior NCO's currently serving was given officer ranks. NCO's ranking as "Oversersjant" was given the officer rank of Fenrik ², NCO's ranking as "Stabssersjant" was given the rank of Lieutenant ³, and - in accordance with "Hærordningen av 1. januar 1977" - the most senior of the NCO's ranking as "Stabsserjant" was given the rank of Captain.

The corresponding ranks for the RNoN was "Overkvartermester" (Kvartermester I klasse) ⁴ and "Flaggkvartermester" ⁵.

The corresponding ranks for the Royal Norwegian Air Force was "Vingsersjant" and "Stabssersjant" ⁶.

The rank insignia is worn on the sleeves (navy dress uniform only), on the shoulders of service uniforms or - more recently - on the chest. The chest placement is of newer date - introduced with the M-2000 uniform, which is worn by both noncommissioned ranks and officers in all branches of the Norwegian Defence.

Norwegian Army and Navy officer ranks & Insignia with corresponding NATO codes

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D)	Student Officer
Norway	No Equiv	General	Generalløytnant	Generalmajor	Brigader	Oberst	Oberstløytnant	Major	Kaptein / Rittmester	Løytnant	Fenrik	No Equiv

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D)	Student Officer
Norway (Edit)	No Equivalent	Admiral	Viseadmiral	Kontreadmiral	Flaggkommandør	Kommandør	Kommandørkaptein	Orlogskaptein	Kapteinløytnant	Løytnant	Fenrik	No Equivalent

1. ^ Article on Second Lieutenants (Norvegian Paragraph)
2. ^ Article on Oversersjant no.wikipedia.org (in Norwegian)
3. ^ Article on Stabssersjant no.wikipedia.org (in Norwegian)
4. ^ Article on Overkvartermester no.wikipedia.org (in Norwegian)
5. ^ Article on Flaggkvartermester no.wikipedia.org (in Norwegian)
6. ^ Article on Vingsersjant no.wikipedia.org (in Norwegian)

Poland

The Polish Army equivalent of "ensign" is "chorąży" (the Polish for "ensign" or "flag" being "chorągiew").

Romania

The Romanian Navy equivalent of "ensign" is aspirant.

Russia

The present-day Russian-Army equivalent is the NCO rank of praporshchik (пра́порщик);and the Russian-Navy equivalent, Mitshman (ми́чман).

United Kingdom

Until 1871, when it was replaced by Second Lieutenant, Ensign was the lowest rank of commissioned officer in infantry regiments of the British Army (except fusilier and Rifle regiments, which always used Second Lieutenant). It was the duty of officers of this rank to carry the colours of the regiment. In the 16th century "ensign" was corrupted into "ancient," and was used in the two senses of a banner and the bearer of the banner. Today, the term "Ensign" is still used by the Foot Guards regiments, for instance during the ceremony of Trooping the Colour. The equivalent cavalry rank was Cornet, also being derived from the name of a banner.

United States

The ranks of Ensign and Cornet were abolished in the US Army in the year 1800.¹

In the United States Navy, the rank of "Ensign" superseded in 1862 that of "Passed Midshipman". It is the most junior commissioned officer in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps and the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps ranking below lieutenant junior grade. It is also equivalent to a second lieutenant in the United States Army, United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force. Depending upon the warfare community, an Ensign may go straight to a ship after commissioning to serve as a division officer or receive one to two years of specialty training prior to reporting to an operational unit. Ensigns who become division officers are responsible for leading a group of petty officers and enlisted personnel in a division while at the same time receiving on the job training in leadership, naval systems, programs, and polices from enlisted service members and other officers. U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Ensigns wear a collar insignia of a single gold bar, hence their nickname of "butterbars" (shared with Army, Air Force and Marine 2nd lieutenants).

Until achieving the rank of lieutenant commander, it is customary to address naval officers as "Mister." For example, Ensign Smith might also be addressed as "Mister Smith".

The most senior U.S. Navy ensign on board ship or in a naval aviation squadron, receives an enlarged collar insignia, often engraved with the word "BULL", and is known as the "Bull Ensign". However, this is usually confined to within the command, as it is not recognized as regulation uniform devices. By tradition, this officer is responsible for guiding and mentoring the other ensigns of a ship or squadron's wardroom. In some wardrooms, the Bull Ensign must don a bull-horned hardhat to social functions.

The Bull Ensign is the direct social superior to the J.O.R.G. Ensign, or "George" (Junior Officer Requiring Guidance) who is the most junior officer in a naval command. (The origins of the term "George Ensign" are not clear. J.O.R.G. is a backronym.) The Bull is directly responsible for the actions of the JORG. The JORG normally serves as the Vice-President of the mess at formal military dinners, or "mess nights", and has key responsibilities for the success of this important military social event. The JORG is typically the collector and manager of the Wardroom Fund, a bank account funding miscellaneous incidentals to social functions as well as parting gifts or plaques for separating officers. Some of the various incidental duties of the JORG may also include maintaining the senior officer of the wardroom's Government-Owned Vehicle (GOV), setting up projectors and screens for General Military Training (GMT) and various other tasks. In the Seabees, the JORG is called the "Boot" and must carry a concrete- and rebar-filled Boot. This boot must be inspection-ready at all times. Other members of the Wardroom often seek to steal the boot and hold it ransom.

While officer rank is determined based on date of rank and line number precedence, not all ensigns typically receive the same prejudice as demonstrated by the JORG and Bull traditions. Limited Duty Officer or other prior enlisted, are often viewed as being a bit more knowledgeable and experienced as freshly commissioned officers. As such these members often referred to as "Mustangs," who are typically given tougher assignments commensurate with those appropriate for an Ensign. They are also designated as an O-1E versus an O-1 in regard to pay and benefits. True "Mustangs" never experience a break in service. The O-1E pay grade is available to prior enlisted servicemembers with greater than four years of enlisted service. Therefore, the O-1E pay grade does not necessarily indicate one is a Mustang. Prior enlisted service members earning a commission retain separate pay benefits from regular commissioned officers until promotion to O-4.

v • d • e U.S. officer and officer candidate ranks
	Officer Candidate	O-1	O-2	O-3	O-4	O-5	O-6	O-7	O-8	O-9	O-10	Special	Special
Approximate Insignia:	(no universal insignia)												(no authorized insignia)
USAF:	CDT / OT	2d Lt	1st Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig Gen	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	GOAF[1][4]	[2]
USA:	CDT / OC	2LT	1LT	CPT	MAJ	LTC	COL	BG	MG	LTG	GEN	GA[1][4]	General of the Armies[1][4]
USMC:	Midn / Cand	2ndLt	1stLt	Capt	Maj	LtCol	Col	BGen	MajGen	LtGen	Gen	[2]	[2]
USN:	MIDN / OC	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	CDRE[1] / RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	FADM[1][4]	Admiral of the Navy[1][4]
USCG:	CDT	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	CDRE[1] / RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	[2]	[2]
USPHS:	[2]	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM	ADM	[2]	[2]
NOAA:	[2]	ENS	LTJG	LT	LCDR	CDR	CAPT	RDML	RADM	VADM[1][4]	[3]	[2]	[2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2] Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3] Grade requires Congressional approval for re-activation [4]

v • d • e U.S. warrant officer ranks
	W-1	W-2	W-3	W-4	W-5
Approximate Insignia:	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)	(no universal insignia)
USAF:	WO-1[1]	CWO-2[1]	CWO-3[1]	CWO-4[1]	CWO-5[1]
USA:	WO1	CW2	CW3	CW4	CW5
USMC:	WO-1	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	CWO-5
USN:	WO-1[1]	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	CWO-5
USCG:	[3]	CWO-2	CWO-3	CWO-4	[3]
USPHS:	[3]	[3]	[3]	[3]	[2]
NOAA:	[2]	[2]	[2]	[2]	[2]
Grade inactive [1] Grade never created [2] Grade is authorized for use by U.S. Code but has not been created [3]

In Fiction

United Federation of Planets

In Starfleet (from the fictional universe of Star Trek), "Ensign" is the most junior officer rank. It is the rank bestowed on newly commissioned officers when they graduate from Starfleet Academy. Ensigns typically begin their careers as the most junior officers in the department of their chosen specialty. Ensigns who have strongly distinguished themselves in their academy class or on duty may sometimes be given posts as main-shift bridge officers (such as Ensigns Pavel Chekov or Harry Kim).

Earth Federation

In the Universal Century timeline of the Gundam anime series. The rank of Ensign is the 7^th rank up below Lieutenant JG. The rank of Ensign is only extended to the EFF army branch. Notanble EFF Ensigns include Ensign Shiro Amada, Ensign Kou Uraki (Later Lieutenant JG), Ensign Amuro Ray (Later Lieutenant)and Ensign Hayato Kobayashi.

Star Kingdom of Manticore

In the series of novels, known as "the Honor Harrington series", written by David Weber, the rank of Ensign is used by the Royal Manticoran Navy. In many of these novels the most junior officers start first as Midshipmen (or Midshipwomen) and upon passing that grade become Ensigns. In several stories Ensigns are pivotal to the plot, or play a major part in supporting the major characters. Honor Harrington herself has been one.

See also

• U.S. Navy officer rank insignia
• Comparative military ranks
• Sub-Lieutenant
• Signifer
• Vexillarius

References

• Division Officer's Guide / James Stavridis and Robert Girrier - Naval Institute Press, 2004 - ISBN 1591147999

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