Italian Army ranks

History

Italian Army officers used to wear the ranks on the sleeve, like naval officers. Since 1946, insignia were changed in order to align with NATO regulations. In 1973 the system had the following slight change: the wreath was added to the stars for general officers, instead of the silver epaulette; the crown was added to the stars for field officers, instead of a gold band on the edge of the epaulette; the stars began to be placed near the edge of the epaulette instead of in the center. These changes were mostly intended to make insignia more easily recognizable on the field uniform.

Chart

The chart below represents the Italian Army rank insignia used on the slip-on of winter service uniforms. The color of the uniforms is khaki.^[1]

Officers who are assigned to a position acting in a higher rank than their own wear the insignia of the higher rank but the highest star of the insignia is trimmed in red enamel. Similarly, an officer temporarily assigned to a position attaining a higher rank in the absence of the incumbent officer, wear the star in bronze colour.

As can be seen, the Italian rank system has a large number of junior NCO ranks. Several ranks (which are variations on corporal) have a "chosen" version of the rank, "chosen" having the same sense of "leading", as in the historic British Army appointment of "chosen man" (now called lance-corporal).

Officers
Generals
generale[2] General
generale di corpo d'armata[3] (tenente generale) Corps General (Lieutenant general)		generale di divisione (maggior generale) Divisional general (Major general)		generale di brigata (brigadier generale) Brigade General (Brigadier general)
Senior officers
colonnello Colonel		tenente colonnello Lieutenant colonel		maggiore Major
Junior officers
primo capitano First captain	capitano Captain		tenente Lieutenant		sottotenente Second lieutenant
Sub-officers
Marshals
primo maresciallo luogotenente First Marshal Lieutenant (sub-officers) NATO Eq.: OR-9, Warrant officer/Sergeant Major of the Army			primo maresciallo Transl.: First marshal NATO Eq.: OR-9, Command Sergeant Major
maresciallo capo Transl.: Chief marshal NATO Eq.: OR-9, Sergeant major		maresciallo ordinario Transl.: Ordinary marshal NATO Eq.: OR-8, First sergeant		maresciallo Transl.: Marshal NATO Eq.: OR-8, Master sergeant
Sergeants
sergente maggiore capo Transl.: Chief sergeant major NATO Eq.: OR-7, Sergeant first class sergente maggiore Transl.: Sergeant-major (paratrooper) NATO Eq.: OR-6, Staff sergeant sergente maggiore Transl.: Sergeant-major NATO Eq.: OR-6, Staff sergeant sergente Transl.: Sergeant (paratrooper) NATO Eq.: OR-5, Sergeant sergente Transl.: Sergeant NATO Eq.: OR-5, Sergeant
Ratings
Permanent service volunteers
caporalmaggiore capo scelto Transl.: Senior Chief Corporal-Major NATO Eq.: OR-4, Corporal/Lance sergeant caporalmaggiore capo Transl.: Chief Corporal-Major NATO Eq.: OR-4, Corporal/Master corporal caporale maggiore scelto Transl.: Senior Corporal-Major NATO Eq.: OR-4, Corporal primo caporalmaggiore Transl.: First Corporal-Major NATO Eq.: OR-4, Corporal/Lance corporal
Enlisted
Temporary service volunteers
caporalmaggiore Transl.: Corporal-Major (paratrooper) NATO Eq.: OR-3, Private first class caporalmaggiore Transl.: Corporal-Major NATO Eq.: OR-3, Private first class
caporale Transl.: Corporal (paratrooper) NATO Equivalent rank: OR-2, Private caporale Translation: Corporal NATO Equivalent rank: OR-2, Private (no insignia) soldato Soldier (Private or Recruit)

STANAG 2116 ranking

Officers

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
Italy (Edit)									primo capitano capitano			No equivalent
	generale (Chief of Defense Staff only)	generale di corpo d'armata con incarichi speciali (Chief of Army General Staff only)	generale di corpo d'armata (tenente generale)	generale di divisione (maggior generale)	generale di brigata (brigadier generale)	colonnello	tenente colonnello	maggiore		tenente	sottotenente		allievo ufficiale
Abbreviation	Gen.	Gen.CSMD Gen.CSME	Gen.CdA	Gen.Div.	Gen.Brig.	Col.	Ten.Col.	Magg.	Pr.Cap Cap.	Ten.	S.Ten.
Before 1947 generale d'armata rather than generale was the title of a four star general. The chief of the Italian Army is a generale di corpo d'armata con incarichi speciali (special duties) NATO rank OF-9. The insignia has four stars with the higher star has a red enamel.
Pay grade	O-11	O-10	O-9	O-8	O-7	O-6	O-5	O-4	O-3	O-2	O-1

Enlisted

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4		OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Italy[4] (Edit)																							Caporale maggiore capo scelto Caporale maggiore capo Caporale maggiore scelto Primo caporale maggiore
	Primo maresciallo luogotenente		Primo maresciallo		Maresciallo capo		Maresciallo ordinario	Maresciallo	Sergente maggiore capo		Sergente maggiore						Sergente								Caporal maggiore		Caporale						Soldato
Abbreviation	1° Mar. Lgt.		1° Mar.		Mar. Ca.		Mar. Ord.	Mar.	Serg. Magg. Ca.		Serg.Magg.						Serg.						CMCS CMC C.le Magg. Sc. 1° C.le Magg.		C.le Magg.		C.le						Sold.
Pay grade	E-9						E-8		E-7		E-6						E-5						E-4		E-3		E-2						E-1

This chart represents the Italian Army enlisted rank insignia with seniority decreasing left-to-right inside a given pay grade. All ranks of sergente or higher are considered as Non Commissioned Officers. Airborne units personnel wear the chevrons on a blue base.

History

Enlisted insignia saw no significant changes until 1973 when the chevrons were moved from the sleeve to the epaulette. In 1997 the new ranks from 1°CM to CMCS were created for permanent service enlisted personnel, and the new insignia were created. in the same year, the rank of C.le Sc. was created as top rank for conscript personnel, and the new insignia was created.

Current usage

The rank of caporale is not a command grade and only results in a higher paygrade, and may be attained by conscript personnel. The ranks up to caporal maggiore may be attained by temporary service personnel. Higher ranks may only be attained by permanent service personnel. Sergeants generally have team command tasks, and are appointed in the rank only after several months training course. The rank of soldato is used only for recruits and is substituted by the following, depending on the branch or service:

• Fante/Fan. (Infantryman)
• Alpino/Alp. (Mountain infantryman)
• Bersagliere/Bers. (Marksman, Rifleman)
• Paracadutista/Par. (Parachutist)
• Granatiere/Gra. (Grenadier)
• Lagunare/Lag. (Lagoon infantryman)
• Artigliere/Art. (Artilleryman, Gunner)
• Trasmettitore/Trs. (Signaller)
• Assistente di Sanità/Asa. (Medic)
• Cavaliere/Cav. (Cavalryman)
• Lanciere/Lanc. (Lancer)
• Dragone/Dra. (Dragoon)
• Carrista/Cr. (Tanker)
• Autiere/Aut. (Driver)
• Geniere/Gnr. (Pioneer, Sapper)
• Guastatore/Guast. (Combat Sapper)
• Incursore/Inc. (Special Forces Operator)

Notes

1. In the images the Pantone colour khaki 16-0726 TC, rendered as RGB 161 143 94, has been used.
2. until 1947 Generale d'Armata
3. The chief of the Italian Army is now a generale di corpo d'armata con incarichi speciali (special duties) NATO rank OF-8. The insignia has four stars with the higher star in red enamel.
4. Italian Army web site