Air Force Ranks in Order: Enlisted, Warrant Officer, and Officer Insignia Chart

Air Force enlisted ranks run from Airman Basic at E-1 to Chief Master Sergeant at E-9. Airmen become noncommissioned officers (NCOs) on promotion to Staff Sergeant, and senior NCOs from E-7 up lead and manage people and resources across the force.

Air Force Enlisted Ranks in Order (E-1 to E-9)

Grade	Insignia	Rank	What This Rank Does	How to Address
Junior Enlisted Airmen (E-1 to E-4)
E-1		Airman Basic	New airman in basic military training or initial technical training.	Address as: Airman Basic or Airman
E-2		Airman Amn	Junior airman learning a career field and Air Force standards.	Address as: Airman
E-3		Airman First Class A1C	Junior airman who performs tasks in a career field with growing skill.	Address as: Airman First Class or Airman
E-4		Senior Airman SrA	Experienced junior airman who may supervise others after Airman Leadership School.	Address as: Senior Airman or Airman
Noncommissioned Officers (E-5 and E-6)
E-5		Staff Sergeant SSgt	First NCO grade; supervises airmen and serves as a skilled technician.	Address as: Sergeant or Staff Sergeant
E-6		Technical Sergeant TSgt	Experienced NCO who supervises and trains airmen in a work center.	Address as: Sergeant or Technical Sergeant
Senior Noncommissioned Officers (E-7 to E-9)
E-7		Master Sergeant MSgt	First senior NCO grade; leads and manages people and resources in a work center.	Address as: Master Sergeant or Sergeant
E-7		First Sergeant	Special duty position, not a rank; advises the commander on airman welfare and discipline.	Address as: By rank, such as Master Sergeant
E-8		Senior Master Sergeant SMSgt	Senior NCO who manages operations and leads larger groups of airmen.	Address as: Senior, or Senior Master Sergeant
E-8		First Sergeant	Special duty position, not a rank; advises the commander on airman welfare and discipline.	Address as: By rank, such as Senior Master Sergeant
E-9		Chief Master Sergeant CMSgt	Highest enlisted grade; leads and manages at the most senior enlisted levels.	Address as: Chief or Chief Master Sergeant
E-9		First Sergeant	Special duty position, not a rank; advises the commander on airman welfare and discipline.	Address as: By rank, such as Chief Master Sergeant
E-9		Command Chief Master Sergeant	Senior enlisted advisor to a commander at wing level and above.	Address as: Chief
E-9		Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force CMSAF	The Air Force's most senior enlisted airman and advisor to its top leaders.	Address as: Chief

The Air Force stopped appointing warrant officers in 1959 and brought them back in 2024 for cyber and information technology career fields. A Warrant Officer 1 is appointed by warrant, and Chief Warrant Officers 2 through 5 hold a commission.

Air Force officer ranks run from Second Lieutenant at O-1 to General at O-10, and their titles match the Army, Marine Corps, and Space Force. Officers move through three groups: company grade officers, field grade officers who often command squadrons and groups, and general officers who lead the largest organizations.

Air Force Officer Ranks in Order (O-1 to O-10)

Grade	Insignia	Rank	What This Rank Does	How to Address
Company Grade Officers (O-1 to O-3)
O-1		Second Lieutenant 2d Lt	Entry-level officer learning to lead in an Air Force career field.	Address as: Lieutenant
O-2		First Lieutenant 1st Lt	Junior officer with growing leadership duties in a flight or section.	Address as: Lieutenant
O-3		Captain Capt	Leads a flight or serves as an experienced specialist or aviator.	Address as: Captain
Field Grade Officers (O-4 to O-6)
O-4		Major Maj	Field grade officer in key staff and operations leadership roles.	Address as: Major
O-5		Lieutenant Colonel Lt Col	Typically commands a squadron or leads a major staff function.	Address as: Colonel
O-6		Colonel Col	Typically commands a group or wing.	Address as: Colonel
General Officers (O-7 to O-10)
O-7		Brigadier General Brig Gen	General officer leading a wing, directorate, or major staff.	Address as: General
O-8		Major General Maj Gen	Commands a numbered air force or leads a major staff directorate.	Address as: General
O-9		Lieutenant General Lt Gen	Commands a numbered air force or a major command, or leads a senior staff.	Address as: General
O-10		General Gen	Leads the largest commands, including the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.	Address as: General

General of the Air Force is a five-star grade reserved for wartime. Congress appointed Henry H. "Hap" Arnold as the first General of the Air Force in 1949.

Use the full rank and last name in writing and formal settings. In conversation, several Air Force ranks are shortened as shown below, and officers can also be addressed as sir or ma'am.

See military ranks in order for every branch side by side, or open the full rank chart for another branch below. Space Force officer titles match the Air Force, but its E-1 to E-5 titles are different.