7.3 Abbreviations (USAF Protocol)

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Armed Forces Officer Rank Abbreviations

Army

Navy

General		GEN
Lieutenant General		LTG
Major General		MG
Brigadier General		BG
Colonel		COL
Lieutenant Colonel		LTC
Major		MAJ
Captain		CPT
First Lieutenant		1LT
Second Lieutenant		2LT

Admiral		ADM
Vice Admiral		VADM
Rear Admiral (Upper Half)		RADM*
Rear Admiral (Lower Half)		RADM*
Captain		CAPT
Commander		CDR
Lieutenant Commander		LCDR
Lieutenant		LT
Lieutenant Junior Grade		LTJG
Ensign		ENS
The Navy refers to both O-7s and O-8s as "Rear Admirals". Technically the O-7 is "Rear Admiral (Lower Half)" and O-8 is Rear Admiral (Upper Half). Keep this difference in mind when rank-ordering officers in these two grades. When writing refer to them as " Rear Admiral;" when speaking they are both "Admiral"

Marine Corps

Air Force

General		Gen
Lieutenant General		LtGen
Major General		MajGen
Brigadier General		BGen
Colonel		Col
Lieutenant Colonel		LtCol
Major		Maj
Captain		Capt
First Lieutenant		1stLt
Second Lieutenant		2ndLt

General		Gen
Lieutenant General		Lt Gen
Major General		Maj Gen
Brigadier General		Brig Gen
Colonel		Col
Lieutenant Colonel		Lt Col
Major		Maj
Captain		Capt
First Lieutenant		1st Lt
Second Lieutenant		2d Lt

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