South African military ranks

The South African National Defence Force's rank system is largely based on the British system, with the Air Force (and later the Military Health Service) sharing the Army rank titles. Rank titles changed over time as did the insignia.

In 2008 the South African Air Force redesigned its insignia completely, while keeping the Army titles.

Evolution of rank titles

Army and Air Force ranks

General officers

Field officers

Company / junior officers

Warrant officers

Warrant officer class 1 rank badge 1921–2002
Warrant officer class 1 rank badge 1921–57

In June 2008[2] a new series of warrant officer ranks were introduced.

Non-commissioned officers

Rank and file

Naval ranks

Flag officers

Senior officers

Junior officers

Petty officers

Ratings

1961–1994 rank structure

The Army rank structure was shared between the Army, Air Force and SAMS with some small differences. In the Air Force a staff sergeant was a flight sergeant for example. The Air Force ranks had a blue background and the NCO stripes were blue. For SAMS the ranks had a maroon background.

Officers

Rank insignia of the South African Defence Force
Officer ranks General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant Candidate officer

South African Defence Force: pre 1994

Other ranks

Rank insignia of the South African Defence Force
Warrant officers and other ranks Senior chief warrant officer Chief warrant officer Master warrant officer Senior warrant officer Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private

South African Defence Force: pre 1994
Not used
Not used
Not used
Not used
No insignia

Note: in the artillery and anti-aircraft corps, the corporal and lance-corporal are called "bombardier" and "lance-bombardier". The private is called a "gunner" in the artillery and anti-aircraft, a "rifleman" in the infantry, a "trooper" in the armoured corps, a "sapper" in the engineers, a "signalman" in the signals corps, and a "scout" in the intelligence corps.

Substantive warrant officer posts

A WO1 wearing RSM insignia

Any warrant officer class 1 could be posted to substantive posts, including

However they would retain the rank of WO1, while wearing unique rank insignia. To distinguish the posting different colour backgrounds were used; for example, red for regimental sergeant major and black for command sergeant major. The sergeant major of each arm of service wore insignia topped by the arms of their respective arm of service.

In 2008 the warrant officer ranks were expanded to make each substantive rank a formal rank.

Army

The SA Army was formed in 1912 as the Union Defence Force. It was given its present name in 1951. The rank system is derived from that of the British Army. The ranks of General Officers changed in September 2003 when the rank previously called Brigadier became known as Brigadier General.[3]

Officers

Rank insignia of the South African National Defence Force
Officer ranks General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant Candidate officer

South African Army

Warrant officers

Rank insignia of the South African National Defence Force
Warrant officers Master chief warrant officer Senior chief warrant officer Chief warrant officer Master warrant officer Senior warrant officer Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2

South African Army

Other ranks

Rank insignia of the South African National Defence Force
Other ranks Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private

South African Army
No insignia

Air Force

The SA Air Force was formed in 1920. Unlike many other Commonwealth air forces, it had army style rank system. In 2002 the Air Force officer rank insignia structure was changed from one which was shared with the Army to a new pattern based on stripes. The Air Force stated that this was "in order to bring it more in line with international forms of rank".[4] The army-style rank titles were retained. Note: The Rank of General is only used when the Chief of the Air Force is also the Chief of the Defence Force which has occurred on occasion in the past.

Officers

Rank insignia of the South African National Defence Force
Officer ranks General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant Candidate officer

South African Air Force

Warrant officers and other ranks

Note: The Rank of Master Chief Warrant Officer is only used when the Sergeant Major of the Air Force is also the Sergeant Major of the Defence Force.

Rank insignia of the South African National Defence Force
Warrant officers and other ranks Master chief warrant officer Senior chief warrant officer Chief warrant officer Master warrant officer Senior warrant officer Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Flight sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Airman

South African Air Force
No insignia

Navy

The SA Navy was originally two separate organisations, namely the South African Division of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (formed in 1913) and the South African Naval Service (formed in 1922 and renamed the "Seaward Defence Force" in 1939). They amalgamated in 1942 to form the SA Naval Forces, which were renamed "SA Navy" in 1951. The rank system is based on that of the (British) Royal Navy.

The ranks of Flag Officers changed in 1997 when the rank previously called Commodore became known as Rear Admiral (Junior Grade).[5]

Officers

Rank insignia of the South African National Defence Force
Officer ranks Admiral Vice admiral Rear admiral Rear admiral JG Captain Commander Lieutenant commander Lieutenant Sub lieutenant Ensign Midshipman

South African Navy

Warrant Officers and other ranks

Rank insignia of the South African National Defence Force
Warrant officers and other ranks Senior chief warrant officer Chief warrant officer Master warrant officer Senior warrant officer Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Chief petty officer Petty officer Leading seaman Able seaman Seaman

South African Navy

Military Health Service

The SA Military Health Service uses the Army rank system. There is a differentiation in that the rank insignia is displayed on a red background as opposed to the army, which is displayed on a brown background.

Warrant Officer of the SANDF

The highest ranking South African non-commissioned officer is the Warrant Officer of the South African National Defence Force. He holds the rank of master chief warrant officer.[6] As of October 2012 the incumbent MCWO is Mothusi Kgaladi[7]

References

  1. ↑ Radburn, Arthur (1990). "South African Army Ranks and Insignia". South African Journal of Military Studies 20 (2): 2.
  2. ↑ http://www.dod.mil.za/news/news2008/sep2008/Sep2008-3.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.saairforce.co.za/the-airforce/structure/rank-insignia
  4. ↑ SAAF Rank Insignia
  5. ↑ Bennett, C. H.; Söderlund, A. G. (2008). South Africa's navy : a navy of the people and for the people. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-620-41446-3.
  6. ↑ Fact file: Comparative military and civil service grades | DefenceWeb
  7. ↑ Mothusi Victor Kgaladi new WO SANDF | DefenceWeb

See also

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