US Army uniforms and equipment may vary depending on rank and event. The easiest way to determine rank is to look at the insignia that each member of the army has on his uniform. Each rank will have its own unique insignia, and the insignia of a captain or officer will be clearly different from that of an enlisted or non-commissioned officer. Familiarize yourself with these differences to learn how to quickly identify military ranks.

Steps

Definition of privates and sergeants

You must know where to look for insignia. Enlisted and noncommissioned uniforms include field clothing (ACU), which is usually made of camouflage-patterned fabric, and a “green” uniform, which usually consists of a jacket and trousers or a skirt of rough fabric. Distinctive marks are located in different places, depending on the type of uniform:

• Look at the field uniform cap. For privates and sergeants, the insignia is located in the center of the cap.
• Badges with insignia will be located in the chest area of ​​the field uniform.
• On the “green” uniform of privates and sergeants, the insignia stripes are located on the upper part of the sleeves.
• Privates and sergeants do not display their insignia on their berets. Instead, their unit is designated on the front of the beret.

1. Find out the distinctive insignia of private recruits. The lowest rank (E-1) for recruits undergoing basic combat training does not have insignia. For E-2 recruits, rank is determined by one yellow square patch (chevron). For Private First Class (PFC, E-3), the chevron symbol is rounded at the bottom, framing a green field.

   Distinctive insignia of soldiers with the rank of E-4. Specialist Personnel (SPC) wear a green triangular insignia, rounded at the top and with a gold eagle in the middle. Corporals (CPL), however, have a rank insignia consisting of two chevrons.

   Definition of insignia for sergeants. There are several types of sergeants in the US Army, both enlisted and non-enlisted. You can tell them apart by paying close attention to their insignia.

   • The rank insignia of a sergeant (SGT, E-5) is very similar to a corporal's, but instead of two chevrons there are three.
   • The Staff Sergeant (SSG, E-6) insignia consists of three connected chevrons with a curved end framing a green field.
   • A Sergeant First Class (SFC, E-7) has the same insignia as a Staff Sergeant, but with two curves at the bottom.
   • The Master Sergeant (MSG, E-8) has the rank insignia of a Sergeant First Class, but with three curves at the bottom.
   • The First Sergeant (1-SG, E-8) has the insignia of a Master Sergeant, but with the addition of a small yellow diamond in the middle.
   • A master sergeant (SGM, E-9) has the insignia of a first sergeant, but instead of a diamond in the middle there is a star.
   • The command sergeant major (CSM, E-9) has the insignia of a first sergeant, but instead of a diamond, there is a star in the center surrounded by two ears of wheat.
   • A sergeant major (E-9) has the insignia of a first sergeant, but instead of a robe, there is a gold eagle and two stars in the middle.

2. Definition of insignia for lieutenant and captain. Second Lieutenant (2LT, O-1), First Lieutenant (1LT, O-2) and Captain (CPT, O-3) wear rectangular insignia. For the Second Lieutenant it is one gold rectangle, and for the First Lieutenant it is one silver rectangle. Captain's insignia (CPT, O-3) is two silver rectangles.

   Definition of the insignia of major and lieutenant colonel. Both of these ranks have leaf insignia. However, for a major (MAJ, O-4) it is a gold leaf, and for a lieutenant colonel (LTC, O-5) it is a silver leaf.

   Studying the insignia of a colonel. Colonel (COL, O-6) is the last rank before general. His insignia is a silver eagle with outstretched wings.

3. Definition of the insignia of generals. There are 5 ranks of general in the US Army. The insignia of each rank consists of silver stars, but note the differences in them.

   • A brigadier general (BG, O-7) has a single silver star insignia.
   • A major general (MG, O-8) has the insignia of two silver stars located in the same row.
   • The lieutenant general (LTG, O-9) has the insignia of three silver stars located in one row.
   • The General (GEN, O-10) insignia consists of 4 silver stars located in one row.
   • The General of the Army (GOA, O-11) rank insignia consists of 5 stars forming a pentagon. This rank is only used during certain military periods.

A career in the U.S. Army is a true calling and a unique opportunity for Soldiers to defend the Constitution and the rights and interests of the American people. In addition to high pay and benefit systems, the military provides opportunities for career growth, instills leadership skills that are indispensable in everyday life, and provides a wealth of knowledge. Regardless of rank in the U.S. Army, every Soldier plays an essential role in achieving the overall mission.

The essence of the US Army

The first thing to note is that the US Army refers primarily to ground forces. Thus, the Coast Guard, Military Police, Marines and Air Force are separate branches of the US armed forces. Thus, the insignia of all officers and sergeants is different.

There are two main elements in the US Army - active and reserve troops; in addition to them, the ground forces also include the National Guard and They do not depend on each other in any way, but carry out one common mission - to defend their territory in all possible ways.

US Army ranks

The first composition of the US Army is ordinary soldiers and sergeants. They are the backbone of the Army because they have specialized knowledge and perform specific functions that ensure the success of the ongoing mission of other branches of the Army. Hierarchically, the ranks of ordinary soldiers follow in this order:

• recruit (has no insignia);
• private;
• Private Soldier First Class;
• specialist;
• Cpl.

Sergeants by rank are divided into:

• sergeant;
• staff sergeant;
• Sergeant First Class;
• master;
• first sergeant;
• major;
• command major;
• US Army Sgt.

There are two types of officers in the Army: Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers. The latter are essentially managers of the US Army, key figures and professional strategists. They are the ones who solve problems that arise, plan missions, give orders, lead the ground forces and may have the following ranks:

• second lieutenant;
• first lieutenant;
• captain;
• major;
• lieutenant colonel;
• colonel;
• Major General;
• Lieutenant General;
• general;
• US Army General.

Every person who devotes his life to defending the Motherland is an important figure for the army, regardless of rank.

US Army Subcomplexes

The organizational structure of the ground forces is the driving force of the army, which makes it possible to unite soldiers and officers into a single whole. It consists of the following divisions:

• detachment (operating under the command of a sergeant);
• platoon (under the control of a lieutenant);
• company (the captain oversees this unit);
• battalion (commander is a lieutenant colonel);
• brigade (the colonel controls this structure);
• division (under the command of a major general);
• corps (managed by a lieutenant general);
• army (may also be commanded by a lieutenant general).

Leading a military subunit is a real honor for a soldier or officer.

American military uniform

Unlike the Russian army, where the uniform can be ceremonial, ceremonial-weekend, field, work and everyday, in the US army it is divided into three categories:

1. Utilitarian military uniform, or as the Americans call it, combat uniform. This category consists of all kinds of special clothing for various applications. For example, sports uniforms, equipment for operating combat vehicles, clothes for the hospital, kitchens, and even special uniforms for pregnant women.
2. Service uniform, which is intended for everyday wear.
3. Uniform for social events or ceremonial weekend. Clothes in this category range from white summer uniforms to uniforms for receptions, dinners and other events.

It is worth noting that the US Army uniform is made to order and tries to use the best materials to make soldiers and officers comfortable and practical both in battle and in everyday life.

Who are Warrant Officers?

According to the official US Army website, a non-commissioned officer is an adaptive technical expert, combat leader, trainer and advisor. Thanks to the advanced level of knowledge gained during training, this officer is able to manage, maintain and integrate systems and equipment across the entire spectrum of land operations. And to put it in simple words, a warrant officer is a warrant officer, that is, not yet an officer, but not an ordinary sergeant either.

Of course, depending on the rank, the responsibilities of “warrant officers” may differ. For example, the first class of warrant officers acts as secretaries to their senior colleagues. They help with paperwork and perform simple functions related to personnel management and technical support for the army. And the fifth class of chief warrant officers manages entire brigades, divisions and other classes of warrant officers, making final decisions and issuing orders.

Insignia of "warrant officers"

The first thing to note is that all warrant officer insignia are divided into “unmuted” and “muted.” The first ones are needed for various social events, so that the sign is more noticeable, and “muffled signs” are intended for combat and casual wear.

The unsubdued rank insignia of a Warrant Officer First Class is a matte black square centered on a silver metal plate. The muted sign is a dark green plate with a square of the same color.

As for the Warrant Officer Class 2 insignia: the unmuted insignia is two matte black squares on a silver metal plate. The subdued insignia is two dark green squares on a plate of the same color.

One black square is added to each insignia of warrant officers up to fourth grade. Thus, the unmuted insignia of a third class officer is three black squares on a silver plate. The muted sign is three dark green squares on a plate of the same color.

The unmuted and muted insignia of a fourth class warrant officer are absolutely identical, except that another black and dark green square are attached to their plate.

But the insignia of senior warrant officers of the fifth class are not similar to the others. The non-muted mark is a long thin strip of black on a silver plate, and the muted mark is a dark green stripe on a dark plate.

Regardless of class, records can be made of silver or any other metal. They also use strong, dark-colored threads to attach the sign to clothing. In general, like the clothing of the ground forces, insignia are made with high quality and accuracy. After all, the uniform is the face of every soldier and officer of the US Army.

A person who wants to figure out how to distinguish an ordinary US Army soldier from an officer should know where exactly to look for signs of such distinction on a soldier’s equipment. The uniform of US military units is divided into two types:

1. Field sample. Most often in camouflage colors.
2. Military style. Predominantly green in color, from which it gets its common name, it consists of trousers, a beret and a jacket.

Why do I need to know this?

Many will be interested to know that the generally accepted American divisions into ranks by military rank are used not only in military affairs. For example, in the popular military tactical game airsoft, some teams actively use military ranks USA. Therefore, those who are interested in this game will find this information useful, which will help quickly destroy the command.

A Few Reasons to Know About the Differences in Army Military Ranks USA :

1. When you meet a team in airsoft that follows the established NATO ranks, you will know who to eliminate first.
2. By addressing a soldier of these troops correctly by rank, you will amaze him with your broad outlook and high intellectual abilities.
3. When reading literature, historical or fiction, you will clearly know what place the character occupies in the military hierarchy.

Distinguishing marks

The identification of distinguishing marks among military personnel from this army largely depends on the type of army equipment they are wearing. We list where they can be found most often among ordinary soldiers and sergeants:

Now let's talk about how to find rank marks among officers:

Decoding American abbreviations

For those who want to become deeply acquainted with the abundance of ranks in the army USA, this table of ranks with additional abbreviations for those who do not speak English is perfect.

US Army Officers, Air Force US and Marine Corps

Navy officers USA

Privates and sergeants

1 Private Recruit etc. No stripes are provided.

2 Private

3 Private 1st class

4.1 Specialist

4.2 Corporal

5 Sergeant

6 Staff Sergeant

7 Sergeant 1st class

8.1 Master Sergeant

8.2 First sergeant

9.1 Sergeant Major

9.2 Command Sergeant Major

9.3 Sergeant Major (Army)

Warrant - officers

1 Warrant Officer Class 1

2 Chief Warrant Officer Class 2

3 Chief Warrant Officer Class 3

4 Chief Warrant Officer Class 4

5 Chief Warrant Officer Class 5

Officers

1. Brigadier General

1. General

1. General of the armies

An important feature of the US Army is that among military personnel it is not encouraged for a junior subordinate to address a senior official, by rank, as is customary in most other armies. A lower-ranking serviceman calls his immediate superiors succinctly - sir (sir) if he is a man, and mam (ma'am) if he is a woman. Army leaders usually address subordinates either simply by name or according to their rank.

If we talk in more detail about the peculiarities of treatment in the ranks of the US Army, it is based on the principle that a superior serviceman calls his subordinate by the rank group to which he belongs. So, for example, a general calls a senior officer colonel, and lieutenant addresses the sergeant - “sergeant” (sergeant), that is, subgroups of the hierarchy are not taken into account in ordinary communication.

The address of a civilian to a military man follows a similar pattern, the only thing is that if a person wants to emphasize a respectful or close relationship, then he adds - my (May), that is, mine. For example, my sergeant (may sergeant).

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SAPPER school Tab Patch of the US Army Corps of Engineers in Europe Patch of the US Army Corps of Engineers in Vietnam Patch of the 926 US Army Engineer Brigade Description On a white square 2 1 4 inches 5.72 cm on each side point up with a 1 8 inch .32 cm white border, a scarlet square voided of the field bearing a scarlet saltire, superimposed by a yellow castle tower. Symbolism Scarlet and white are the colors traditionally used by

Sleeve insignia of the Special Operations Forces Command. US Army Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Description On a black oval with a 3 16 inch .48cm yellow braided inner border and a 1 8 inch .32cm overedge outer border, 2 5 8 inches 6.67cm in width and 3 1 4 inch 8.26cm in height overall, a yellow finial spearhead with three yellow bands issuing from base. Attached immediately above as an integral part of the insignia, a black arc tab 1 1 16 inches 2.70cm in width

22nd Army Logistics Command sleeve insignia Description On a blue shield 3 inches 7.62 cm in height and 2 inches 5.08 cm in width overall, two yellow quills vertically, side by side, one curved to the left and one to the right, with their points touching two yellow arrowheads in base, within a yellow 1 8 inch .32 cm border. Symbolism The quill is used in heraldry to represent calm, willing performance and was used in ancient times

Patch of the 8th US Army Medical Brigade Description On a maroon octagon 2 1 2 inches 6.35 cm in height overall bearing a white Greek cross surmounted by a yellow crown of seven points, six points extending beyond the cross all within a 1 8 inch .32 cm white border. Symbolism The Greek cross, a symbol of aid and assistance is used to represent the 8th Medical Brigade. The crown alluding to New York referred to as the Empire State was suggested by the Statue of Liberty

Oregon National Guard Joint Staff Sleeve Badge Description On a blue shield with a 1 8 inch .32 cm blue border, 3 inches 7.62 cm in height and 2 5 8 inches 6.67 cm in width, consisting of a yellow demi-sun superimposed by the black silhouette of two diagonally crossed bayonets and at base a white wavy bar, all below a white stylized profile of Mount Hood. Symbolism The colors blue and yellow gold are adapted from the State Flag of Oregon gold

99th Infantry battalion obsolute 648th Combat Support Brigade sleeve insignia Description On a vertical rectangular embroidered item coming to a 90-degree angular point at base, divided into three equal parts, green, cobalt blue, and red, bearing a silver gray compass rose throughout, with grebe gray shading, surmounted by a diagonally placed silver gray lightning bolt edged black and a sword with the blade divided silver gray below and at top black, the point

Sleeve insignia of the 230th Combat Support and Logistics Brigade, US Army Description A shield-shaped embroidered device, arched at top and edged with a 1 8 inch .32 cm Buff border blazoned as follows Per chevron Azure and Gules, a chevron Argent, overall a sword erect Buff, in chief three mullets in chevron of the third. Overall dimensions are 2 5 8 inches 6.67 cm in width by 3 1 2 inches 8.89 cm in length. Symbolism Red and buff are the colors traditionally used by Sustainment

Sleeve insignia 10 US Army Manpower Command Description On a dark blue shield with a 1 8 inch .32 cm white border, 2 1 2 inches 6.35 cm in width and 3 inches 7.62 cm in height overall, a red saltire surmounted by a yellow vertical sword. Symbolism Dark blue and scarlet are the colors traditionally associated with Personnel units red, white and blue are our National colors. The saltire or crossbuck represents strength and support while simulating

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Description A vertical rectangle arched at top and bottom, 3 inches 7.62 cm in height and 2 1 4 inches 5.72 cm in width overall, having within a 1 8 inch .32 cm yellow border a field divided per saltire of yellow and scarlet and between two yellow decrescents at center, two black vertical arrows conjoined, their points upwards. Symbolism Scarlet and yellow

Patch of the 113th US Army Field Artillery Brigade Description On an oblong scarlet shield arched at top and base, 3 inches 7.62 cm in height and 2 inches 5.08 cm in width overall, a gold cannon barrel slanted left with breech to lower right between a pyramid of six black gunstones and a white hornet striking at the top, all within a 1 8 inch .32 cm gold border. Symbolism Scarlet and yellow are the colors used for Artillery and recall the predecessor's design. The

The 357 Air and Missile Defense Detachment Patch. US Army Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Description A shield shaped embroidered device 3 1 4 inches 8.26 cm in height by 2 5 8 inches 6.67 cm in width overall edged with a 1 8 inch .32 cm yellow border, consisting of a scarlet shield with three yellow piles and a scarlet demi-burst of nine points issuing from the top, all counterchanged. Symbolism Scarlet and yellow are associated with Artillery. The three piles represent searchlight beams,

Patch of the 425th US Army Transport Brigade Description On a brick red disc with a 1 8 inch .32 cm golden yellow border 2 1 4 inches 5.72 cm in diameter overall, a central yellow circular band conjoined with four yellow diagonal bands saltirewise throughout bearing eight black billets saltirewise. Symbolism Brick red and golden yellow are colors used for Transportation. The yellow rim with diagonal bands joined by a ring in the center simulates a steering wheel and refers

Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Description A white seven pointed star 2 1 4 inches 5.72cm in diameter with one point up pierced by a similar figure 1 1 16 inches 2.70cm in diameter with one point down, all on a dark blue disc background 2 1 2 inches 6.35cm in diameter. Symbolism The design is arbitrarily selected to represent the 7th Corps Area Service Command. White, being a mixture of all colors, has been

US Army Corps of Engineers Training Center Fort Leonard Wood sleeve insignia Description On a scarlet lozenge with rounded corners, 2 inches 5.08cm in width and 3 inches 7.62cm in height, a torch surmounted by a castle, all white. Symbolism The colors scarlet and white are traditionally used for the Corps of Engineers. The castle is taken from the Corps of Engineers Insignia. The torch represents the training mission. Background The shoulder sleeve insignia was originally approved

Sleeve insignia of the 336th Financial Center of the Treasury Service in the USA Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Description On a silver gray disc 2 1 2 inches 6.35 cm in diameter overall with a 1 8 inch .32 cm border a blue fleur-de-lis superimposed by a golden yellow horizontal voided lozenge. Symbolism Silver gray and golden yellow are the colors traditionally associated with Finance units. The blue fleur-de-lis reflects the unit s heritage and area of ​​operation while the lozenge recalls the

Patch of the 460th NBC Defense Brigade of the US Army Patch of the 460th Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Brigade of the US Army Patch of the 455th NBC Defense Brigade of the US Army Patch of the 455th Radiation, Chemical and Biological Defense Brigade of the US Army US troops Patch of the 415th NBC Defense Brigade of the US Army Patch of the 415th Radiation Brigade,

Sleeve insignia of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the US Army Description On a disc 2 5 8 inches 6.67 cm in diameter a white-edged blue triskelion with lower leg vertical between three white five-pointed stars on a green background all enclosed by a 1 8 inch .32 cm white border. Symbolism The green background with three stars refers to the hickory tree crest of the Tennessee Army National Guard. The wavy blue three-armed partition represents the coming together of the Holston and the

Sleeve insignia of the 352nd Brigade for Liaison with Civil Administration and Population. US Armed Forces 353rd Civil Liaison Brigade patch. Sleeve insignia of the 357th Brigade for Liaison with Civil Administration and Population. Sleeve insignia of the 354th Brigade for Liaison with Civil Administration and Population. Civil Affairs Command with ERROR Sleeve insignia of the 360th Civil Affairs Brigade.

The state, which does not have a potential enemy near its borders, was able to build powerful armed forces with the most modern weapons. America's military consists of just over a million military personnel (whose training is considered a modern model for most armies on the planet), as well as almost seven hundred thousand civilian employees. Up to five hundred thousand people serve in the ground forces, up to two hundred thousand in the reserve army, and almost four hundred and fifty thousand in the National Guard.

The American army occupies a leading position on the planet in terms of the level of funds spent on it. Thus, the 2016 military budget provided for spending more than $607 billion on the needs of the army, which amounted to more than 34% of global military spending. According to independent sources, this is three times more than China's defense spending and seven times more than Russia's.

General structure of the US Army

The US Army was founded in June 1775 by an act of Congress, it was intended to defend the young independent state. Modern American armed forces include independent types of armed forces:

• Ground troops;
• Air Force;
• Navy;
• Marine Corps (MCC);
• Coast Guard.

Moreover, everyone except the Coast Guard is directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense, the latter is subordinated to the National Security Agency in peacetime, but during martial law is also resubordinated to the Minister of Defense.

The US Constitution provides for the appointment of the President of the State by the Commander-in-Chief of the American Army. He, in turn, controls the national Armed Forces in peacetime, directing the civilian Minister of Defense, who reports to the heads of the sub-services of the Armed Forces. The heads of ministries deal with issues of recruiting, equipping, organizing and supplying the army, and also control the combat training of personnel. The highest military command of the branches of the Armed Forces are members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The chairman of this committee resolves issues of coordinating the activities of everything related to the military administration of the state.

The operational subordination of the US Armed Forces is currently reduced to nine unified commands, five of which are formed based on the geographical principle.

Five unified commands:

• North American;
• South and Central American;
• European;
• Middle Eastern and Asian;
• Pacific.

All branches of the US Armed Forces located in their areas of responsibility are subordinate to the commanders of these unified commands. The remaining four joint commands do not have their own areas of responsibility.

The Unified Commands include:

• Strategic Command. Deals with strategic planning issues, controls strategic nuclear weapons;
• Special Operations Training Command;
• Strategic Airlift Command;
• Unified Forces Command. Engaged in combat training in all branches of the Armed Forces.

Recruiting the American Army

The American army is recruited voluntarily and is based on a contract basis. American citizens or permanent residents of the United States of America who have a residence permit and have at least a secondary education are accepted for service. The minimum candidate age for military service is 18 years. However, if you achieve parental approval, you can go to serve at the age of seventeen.

The age limit for active military service is determined for each branch of the US Army. So, for example, the age limit could be:

• Air Force and Coast Guard - 27 years;
• Marine Corps - 28 years;
• Navy - 34 years;
• Ground forces - 42 years.

Each contract soldier signs a service contract for a period of four to eight years.

National and racial composition

The United States of America is a multinational state. The national composition of the country is represented, in addition to Europeans, by African Americans, Asians and Latin Americans. The same picture is reflected in the formation of the American army.

Thus, according to information from open sources, the following serve in the American Armed Forces:

• European Americans - 63%;
• African Americans - 15%;
• Hispanics - 10%;
• Asians - 4%;
• Indians and Alaska Natives - 2%;
• Others from different mixed marriages - 2%;
• 4% were undecided on their race or nationality.

It should be noted that the latter group includes those who do not have American citizenship, but have the right to permanent residence in the United States. Most of them join the military because it makes it much easier to obtain American citizenship.

Gender

American military personnel are divided by gender:

• Men – 86%;
• Women - 14%.

For many years, it was generally accepted that only officers could be professional soldiers in the American army. However, after the Vietnam War, during the period of army reform in the early seventies, non-commissioned officers and warrant officers received the status of professional military personnel.

Mobilization resources

The total American population is more than 325 million people. This provides the army with extremely large mobilization resources. According to some estimates, mobresources may amount to more than one hundred and ten million American citizens.

Every year, more than four million Americans and American women reach military age. In addition, the state has at its disposal approximately eight hundred and fifty thousand so-called “reservists” of all branches of the military. A separate branch of the military is the American National Guard, formed by reserve groups created by the Army and Air Force. The total number of National Guardsmen in the United States is approximately three hundred fifty thousand military personnel.

Features of service in the US National Guard

A special feature of service in the American National Guard is the combination of service and work in a civilian specialty. Every year, the National Guard accepts approximately sixty thousand American citizens into its ranks. All of them are required to undergo combat training in groups and individually. There are forty-eight programs of four hours each, running on weekends throughout the year.

In addition, National Guardsmen are sent to camp for two weeks to participate in command post and military exercises together with Army units. All employers are officially warned that if they try to prevent National Guard soldiers from carrying out the service and combat tasks assigned by the state, they may even face criminal liability.

In addition to patriotic feelings, Americans are motivated by various benefits provided to those serving in the US National Guard:

• Increase to pay for accommodation;
• Increase to pay for treatment;
• Preferential sale of goods and products in military stores;
• Refueling at military gas stations (at a price 50% cheaper than the market price);
• Increase in pension;
• Other.

Features of US military doctrine

Recently, the American military leadership has proposed concentrating its resources in five important areas:

• Elimination of terrorism and expansion of weapons of mass destruction;
• Intelligence service;
• Preparation for information wars, including the protection of one’s information and communications systems, as well as the elimination of similar enemy systems;
• The struggle for military superiority in the airspace with an emphasis on the development of unmanned aircraft;
• Development of military space technologies.

At the same time, American military doctrine pays attention to preparations for military clashes during unconventional and hybrid conflicts.

Armament of the US Army, Air Force and Navy

Infantry weapons:

• Tanks - over eight thousand;
• Armored combat vehicles - almost twenty-six thousand;
• Self-propelled artillery guns - almost two thousand;
• Towed artillery - almost one thousand eight hundred;
• Missile systems - more than one thousand three hundred.

• Aircraft - more than thirteen and a half thousand;
• Fighters - more than two thousand two hundred and twenty;
• Fixed-wing combat aircraft - more than two thousand six hundred;
• Military transport aircraft - more than five thousand two hundred;
• Training aircraft - more than two and a half thousand;
• Helicopters - more than six thousand;
• Combat helicopters - more than nine hundred.

Military units and formations

• A squad consists of nine to ten military personnel, these are US Army soldiers commanded by a sergeant. The smallest structural element in the US Army;
• Platoon (platoon) - sixteen to forty-four military personnel led by a lieutenant. A platoon consists of two to four squads;
• Company (company) – sixty-two to one hundred and ninety military personnel. It consists of three to five platoons, the company is commanded by a captain;
• US Army battalion - three hundred to thousand military personnel. Consisting of four to six companies, the battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel;
• Brigade – three to five thousand military personnel. It consists of three to five battalions led by a colonel;
• Division - ten to fifteen thousand military personnel. Its usual composition is three brigades, the division is headed by a major general;
• Corps - two to forty-five thousand military personnel. It consists of two to five divisions, the corps is controlled by a lieutenant general;

Chevrons and stripes of the US Army are distinctive signs that are attached to clothing and reflect affiliation with certain structures, official position, type of troops, as well as service in a specific unit. In addition, chevrons with stripes may indicate length of service, terms of study at a military educational institution, military or special ranks in the US Army. They can complement shoulder straps and buttonholes or even replace them. It may also be a rating badge, or "US Army badge."

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Most of us know it from films in which the military knows neither reproach, nor fear, nor pride. Attentive people have probably noticed that the United States is quite different from Russia. For example, among Russians, a sergeant is the same soldier, but with a little more power, and a captain is a low-ranking officer. And if we look at the same ranks, but only in the USA, it turns out that their sergeant is a big and powerful person, and the captain is something distant, almost transcendental.

General of the Army is the highest military rank in the United States. Its counterpart in other countries is marshal and field marshal. Typically assigned during war.

Commodore is a rank belonging to the officer corps. This is one step higher than a captain, but less than a rear admiral. Abolished in 1899, but when World War II began, some US military ranks were temporarily restored, including Commodore.

A master sergeant is a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army and many other countries. This rank is in eighth place in the military hierarchy.

First Sergeant is a rank associated with the sergeant corps of the US Army. This is practically the same as Master Sergeant.

Private First Class is a simple conscript rank or the highest for an ordinary soldier. It is the third rank in the ground forces. Situated between the private and the corporal (or specialist).

Sergeant First Class - refers to the sergeant corps of the US Army and several other countries. He is ranked seventh in rank, between staff sergeant and first sergeant or master sergeant.

Sergeant major (ground forces) is a rare military rank that belongs to the sergeant corps.

Specialist is the military rank of private in the United States Army. It is similar to the rank of corporal, but is not part of the sergeant corps.

Senior lieutenant is the junior officer in the armies of many states, including Russia.

Staff sergeant is an army rank included in the sergeant corps. In the USA it is at the sixth level and is between the ranks of sergeant and sergeant first class.

In addition, US military ranks have another term called cadet. This is a student at the West Point Military Academy of the United States of America.