Field officer
Encyclopedia
A field officer is an army
, marine, or air force
commissioned officer senior in rank to a company officer
but junior to a general officer; in some navies
, it is an officer who is a Lieutenant Commander
, Commander
, or Captain
.
Historically, a regiment
or battalion
's field officers made up its command element.
The British Army
(in which these officers are called officers of field rank), and some others in the Commonwealth
(including the Australian Army
and New Zealand Army
), also include the brigadier
in this category: the equivalent in other armies is a general officer (the brigadier general
).
Today, a field officer in the United States
(here called of field grade) Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force is typically a major
, lieutenant colonel
, or a colonel
:
In the Canadian Forces
, the equivalent of field officers are senior officers ; they include the army and air force ranks of Major, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Colonel, and the naval ranks of Lieutenant-Commander
, Commander
, and Captain (Navy)
.
In the French Forces, field officers are known as Commandant, Lieutenant-colonel and Colonel (Capitaine de corvette, Capitaine de frégate and Capitaine de vaisseau in the naval forces
).
In the German forces
, officers from Major to Colonel in the Army and Luftwaffe, or from Lieutenant Commander to Captain in the Navy are known as Stabsoffiziere (which could be translated as Staff Officers, though the meaning is different from that of "staff officer" in anglophone forces).
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
, marine, or air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
commissioned officer senior in rank to a company officer
Company-grade officer
In US military usage, a company-grade officer is a Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, or Captain.In the Army, company-grade officers are typically assigned to a company as a platoon leader or executive officer or as a commander . They may also be assigned as staff officers. They may preside...
but junior to a general officer; in some navies
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, it is an officer who is a Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
, Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
, or Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
.
Historically, a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
or battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
's field officers made up its command element.
The British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
(in which these officers are called officers of field rank), and some others in the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
(including the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
and New Zealand Army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
), also include the brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
in this category: the equivalent in other armies is a general officer (the brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
).
Today, a field officer in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(here called of field grade) Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force is typically a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, or a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
:
In the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, the equivalent of field officers are senior officers ; they include the army and air force ranks of Major, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Colonel, and the naval ranks of Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant-Commander (Canada)
In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of lieutenant-commander is the naval rank equal to major in the army or air force and is the first rank of senior officer...
, Commander
Commander (Canada)
In the Royal Canadian Navy, the rank of Commander is a Naval rank equal to a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Army or Air Force. A Commander is senior to aLieutenantCommander or an Army or Air Force Major, and junior to a Captain or Colonel....
, and Captain (Navy)
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
.
In the French Forces, field officers are known as Commandant, Lieutenant-colonel and Colonel (Capitaine de corvette, Capitaine de frégate and Capitaine de vaisseau in the naval forces
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
).
In the German forces
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, officers from Major to Colonel in the Army and Luftwaffe, or from Lieutenant Commander to Captain in the Navy are known as Stabsoffiziere (which could be translated as Staff Officers, though the meaning is different from that of "staff officer" in anglophone forces).