US Air Force Ranks & Insignia, Check Complete List In Order
The U.S. Air Force ranks are broken down into two groups: Enlisted Ranks (E-1 to E-9) and Commissioned Officer Ranks (O-1 to O-10). Check the complete list of the US Air Force Ranks and Insignia in order.
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the US military and one of the eight uniformed services of the US. It was originally created on August 1, 1907, as part of the US Army Signal Corps. The USAF was established as a separate branch of the US military in 1947 with the passage of the National Security Act of 1947. It is the second-youngest branch of the US military. Formally adopted in 2010, the US Air Force’s motto is “Aim High … Fly-Fight-Win”.
In this article, check the complete list of the US Air Force Ranks and Insignia in order.
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US Air Force Ranks and Insignia, Complete List In Order
The US Air Force has two main rank groups: enlisted ranks (E-1 to E-9) and commissioned officer ranks (O-1 to O-10). The Air Force is the only branch of the US military where non-commissioned officer (NCO) status is achieved at the rank of E-5. There are no warrant officers in the Air Force. The highest-ranking military officer in the Air Force is the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, who exercises supervision over Air Force units and serves as one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Enlisted Ranks
Airman Basic is the lowest rank enlisted rank in the US Air Force with no rank insignia. Their responsibilities include basic combat training, maintaining personal and military equipment, learning basic military skills, etc. The Air Force enlisted members E-5 and E-6 are referred to as Non-Commissioned Officer (NCOs). Air Force enlisted members E-7 and above are referred to as Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCOs).
| Rank | Enlisted Personnel |
| E-1 | Airman Basic |
| E-2 | Airman |
| E-3 | Airman First Class |
| E-4 | Senior Airman |
| E-5 | Staff Sergeant |
| E-6 | Technical Sergeant |
| E-7 | Master Sergeant |
| E-7 | First Sergeant |
| E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant |
| E-8 | First Sergeant |
| E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant |
| E-9 | First Sergeant |
| E-9 | Command Chief Master Sergeant |
| E-9S | Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force |
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Commissioned Officer Ranks
The United States Air Force has ten commissioned officer ranks, from O-1 to O-10. The lowest rank is Second Lieutenant (O-1), and the highest rank is General (O-10). General of the Army is reserved for wartime use only.
| Rank | Commissioned Officer Personnel |
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant |
| O-3 | Captain |
| O-4 | Major |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel |
| O-6 | Colonel |
| O-7 | Brigadier General |
| O-8 | Major General |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General |
| O-10 | General |
| General of the Army (reserved for wartime only) |
By now, you should be able to understand the US Air Force rank structure, and the difference between enlisted, non-commissioned, and commissioned officer ranks in the US Air Force.
Roopashree Sharma is an experienced broadcast journalist with over 7 years of experience, specialising in beats including geopolitics, defence, and general awareness. She has worked in the roles of correspondent and producer for leading media houses, including Zee, WION, and Economic Times. Currently serving as Deputy Manager – Editorial at Jagran New Media, she produces explainer articles and videos for the General Knowledge (GK) section of the Jagran Josh (English) portal. For inquiries, contact her at roopashree.sharma@jagrannewmedia.com.
