VETERANS AND MILITARY NEWS | A veteran is a former member of the armed service or military. Branches of the military include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Veterans can serve during times of war or peace.
Below the links, you will find a list of acronyms to help you understand the veterans ranks or qualifications.
- American Indian Wars (1609-1924 Intermittent)
- The American Revolutionary War (19 Apr 1775 – 3 Sep 1783)
- The Mexican-American War (1846-1848)
- Civil War Veterans (1861-1865)
- Spanish-American War (21 Apr 1898 to 10 Dec 1898)
- World War I Veterans (28 Jul 1914 – 11 Nov 1918)
- World War II Veterans (1939-1945)
- Korean War Veterans (1950-1953)
- Vietnam War Veterans (1959-1975)
- Persian Gulf War (2 Aug 2 1990 – 28 Feb 1991)
- Veterans (Service Details Unknown)
*** These are incomplete lists. I am working on updating the information. ***
Military Abbreviations
E = Enlisted – An enlisted member is one who has joined the military or “enlisted.” A minimum of a high school diploma is required.
NCO = Non-Commissioned Officer – An NCO is an enlisted member who has risen through the ranks through promotion. NCOs serve as the link between enlisted personnel and commissioned officers. They hold responsibility for training troops to execute missions. Training for NCOs includes leadership, management, specific skills, and combat training.
W = Warrant Officer – A warrant officer is a highly trained specialist. One must be an enlisted member with several years of experience, be recommended by his or her commander, and pass a selection board to become a warrant officer.
O = Commissioned Officer – An commissioned officer’s primary function is to provide management and leadership in his or her area of responsibility. Requires a bachelor’s degree and later, as one progresses through the ranks, a master’s degree for promotions. Specific commissioning programs exist (e.g., military academies, Reserve Officer Training Corps [ROTC]).
| Pay Grade | Title | Abbreviation | Branch |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-1 | Private | PVT | US Army |
| E-2 | Private 2 | PV2 | US Army |
| E-3 | Private First Class | PFC | US Army |
| E-4 | Specialist | SPC | US Army |
| E-4 | Corporal | CPL | US Army |
| E-5 | Sergeant | SGT | US Army |
| E-6 | Staff Sergeant | SSG | US Army |
| E-7 | Sergeant First Class | SFC | US Army |
| E-8 | Master Sergeant | MSG | US Army |
| E-8 | First Sergeant | 1SG | US Army |
| E-9 | Sergeant Major | SGM | US Army |
| E-9 | Command Sergeant Major | CSM | US Army |
| E-9 Special | Sergeant Major of the Army | SMA | US Army |
| W-1 | Warrant Officer | WO1 | US Army |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CW2 | US Army |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CW3 | US Army |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CW4 | US Army |
| W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | CW5 | US Army |
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2LT | US Army |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1LT | US Army |
| O-3 | Captain | CPT | US Army |
| O-4 | Major | MAJ | US Army |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | LTC | US Army |
| O-6 | Colonel | COL | US Army |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | BG | US Army |
| O-8 | Major General | MG | US Army |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | LTG | US Army |
| O-10 | General | GEN | US Army |
| Special | General of the Army | GA | US Army |
| E-1 | Airman Basic | AB | US Air Force |
| E-2 | Airman | Amn | US Air Force |
| E-3 | Airman First Class | A1C | US Air Force |
| E-4 | Senior Airman or Sergeant | SrA | US Air Force |
| E-5 | Staff Sergeant | SSgt | US Air Force |
| E-6 | Technical Sergeant | TSgt | US Air Force |
| E-7 | Master Sergeant | MSgt | US Air Force |
| E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt | US Air Force |
| E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt | US Air Force |
| E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant | CMSgt | US Air Force |
| E-9 | Command Chief Master Sergeant | CCM | US Air Force |
| E-9 Special | Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force | CMSAF | US Air Force |
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2d Lt | US Air Force |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1st Lt | US Air Force |
| O-3 | Captain | Capt | US Air Force |
| O-4 | Major | Maj | US Air Force |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | Lt Col | US Air Force |
| O-6 | Colonel | Col | US Air Force |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | Brig Gen | US Air Force |
| O-8 | Major General | Maj Gen | US Air Force |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | Lt Gen | US Air Force |
| O-10 | General Air Force Chief of Staff | Gen | US Air Force |
| Special | General of the Air Force | GOAF | US Air Force |
| E-1 | Seaman Recruit | SR | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-2 | Seaman Apprentice | SA | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-3 | Seaman | SN | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-4 | Petty Officer 3rd Class | PO3 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-5 | Petty Officer 2nd Class | PO2 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-6 | Petty Officer 1st Class | PO1 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-7 | Chief Petty Officer | CPO | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-8 | Senior Chief Petty Officer | SCPO | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-9 | Master Chief Petty Officer | MCPO | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-9 | Command Master Chief Petty Officer | MCPOC | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-9 | Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer | FLTCM | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-9 | Force Master Chief Petty Officer | FORCM | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-9 Special | Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard | MPCOCG | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-9 Special | Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy | MCPON | Navy or Coast Guard |
| W-1 | Warrant Officer | WO1 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CWO2 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CWO3 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CWO4 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | CWO5 | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-1 | Ensign | ENS | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-2 | Lieutenant, Junior Grade | LTJG | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-3 | Lieutenant | LT | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-4 | Lieutenant Commander | LCDR | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-5 | Commander | CDR | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-6 | Captain | CAPT | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-7 | Rear Admiral (lower half) | RDML | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-8 | Rear Admiral (upper half) | RADM | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-9 | Vice Admiral | VADM | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-10 | Admiral Chief of Naval Operations /Commandant of the Coast Guard | ADM | Navy or Coast Guard |
| O-10 Special | Fleet Admiral | FADM | Navy or Coast Guard |
| E-1 | Private | Pvt | Marine Corps |
| E-2 | Private First Class | PFC | Marine Corps |
| E-3 | Lance Corporal | LCpl | Marine Corps |
| E-4 | Corporal | Cpl | Marine Corps |
| E-5 | Sergeant | Sgt | Marine Corps |
| E-6 | Staff Sergeant | SSgt | Marine Corps |
| E-7 | Gunnery Sergeant | GySgt | Marine Corps |
| E-8 | Master Sergeant | MSgt | Marine Corps |
| E-8 | First Sergeant | 1stSgt | Marine Corps |
| E-9 | Master Gunnery Sergeant | MGySgt | Marine Corps |
| E-9 | Sergeant Major | SgtMaj | Marine Corps |
| E-9 Special | Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps | SgtMajMarCor | Marine Corps |
| W-1 | Warrant Officer 1 | WO1 | Marine Corps |
| W-2 | Chief Warrant Officer 2 | CW2 | Marine Corps |
| W-3 | Chief Warrant Officer 3 | CW3 | Marine Corps |
| W-4 | Chief Warrant Officer 4 | CW4 | Marine Corps |
| W-5 | Chief Warrant Officer 5 | CW5 | Marine Corps |
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2ndLt | Marine Corps |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1stLt | Marine Corps |
| O-3 | Captain | Capt | Marine Corps |
| O-4 | Major | Maj | Marine Corps |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | LtCol | Marine Corps |
| O-6 | Colonel | Col | Marine Corps |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | BGen | Marine Corps |
| O-8 | Major General | MajGen | Marine Corps |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | LtGen | Marine Corps |
| O-10 | General | Gen | Marine Corps |
VETERANS AND MILITARY NEWS