Italian Army Ranks

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Generals
Generale
(until 1947 Generale d'Armata)
Full General
Generale di corpo d'armata
(Tenente Generale)
Corps General
(Lieutenant General)		 Generale di divisione
(Maggiore Generale)
Divisional General
(Major General)		 Generale di brigata
(Brigadier Generale)
Brigade General
(Brigadier General)
Senior Officers
Colonnello
Colonel		 Tenente Colonnello
Lieutenant Colonel		 Maggiore
Major
Junior Officers
Primo capitano
First Captain		 Capitano
Captain		 Tenente
Lieutenant		 Sottotenente
Sub Lieutenant
Non-commissioned Officers
Primo maresciallo luogotenente
First Marshal Lieutenant		 Primo maresciallo
First Marshal
Maresciallo capo
Chief Marshal		 Maresciallo ordinario
Ordinary Marshal		 Maresciallo
Marshal
Non-commissioned Officers
Sergente maggiore capo
Chief Sergeant Major		 Sergente maggiore
Sergeant-Major
(paratrooper)		 Sergente maggiore
Sergeant-Major		 Sergente
Sergeant
(paratrooper)		 Sergente
Sergeant
Permanently Enlisted Personnel
Caporalmaggiore capo scelto
Chosen Chief Corporal-Major		 Caporalmaggiore capo
Chief Corporal-Major		 Caporale maggiore scelto
Chosen Corporal-Major		 Primo caporalmaggiore
First Corporal-Major
Volunteers
Caporalmaggiore
Corporal-Major
(paratrooper)		 Caporalmaggiore
Corporal-Major		 Caporale scelto
Chosen Corporal
(paratrooper)		 Caporale scelto
Chosen Corporal
Caporale
Corporal
(paratrooper)		 Caporale
Corporal		 (no insignia)
Soldato
Private (Soldier)

This chart represents the Italian Army rank insignia used on the slip-on of winter service uniforms. The color of the uniforms is khaki.[1]

Officers who are assigned to a position attaining a higher rank wear the star of the higher rank with a red enamel. Similarly, officer temporarily assigned to a position attaining a higher rank in vacancy of the officer in charge, wear the star of the higher rank in bronze colour.

As can be seen, the Italian rank system has a large number of junior NCO ranks. Several ranks (which are variations on corporal) have a "chosen" version of the rank, "chosen" having the same sense of "leading", as in the historic British Army appointment of "chosen man" (now called lance-corporal).

Contents

[edit] History

Italian Army officers used to wear the ranks on the sleeve, like Naval officers. Since 1946, insignia was changed in order to fulfill NATO regulations. In 1973 the system had the following slight change: the wreath was added to the stars for General Officers, instead of the silver epaulette; the crown was added to the stars for Field Officers, instead of a gold band on the edge of the epaulette; the stars began to be placed near the edge of the epaulette instead of in the center. These changes were mostly intended to make insignia easily recognizable on the Field Uniform.

[edit] STANAG 2116 ranking

[edit] Officials

NATO Code OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2 OF-1 OF-D- Student Officer
Flag of Italy Italy (Edit)
No Equivalent
No Equivalent
Generale Generale di Corpo d'Armata
(Tenente Generale)		 Generale di Divisione
(Maggiore Generale)		 Generale di Brigata
(Brigadiere Generale)		 Colonnello Tenente Colonnello Maggiore Primo capitano
Capitano		 Tenente Sottotenente
Abbreviation Gen.CSMD Gen.CSME Gen.CdA Gen.Div. Gen.Brig. Col. Ten.Col. Magg. Pr.Cap Cap. Ten. S.Ten.
  • ³ Before 1947 Generale d'Armata.
  • 4 The chief of the Italian Army is a Generale di Corpo d'Armata con incarichi speciali (special duties) NATO rank OF-8. The insignia has four stars with the higher star has a red enamel.
Pay grade O-11 O-10 O-9 O-8 O-7 O-6 O-5 O-4 O-3 O-2 O-1

[edit] Enlisted

NATO Code OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
Flag of Italy Italy
(Edit)
Sergente Maggiore Capo Sergente Maggiore Sergente Primo Caporale Maggiore Capo Scelto Caporale Maggiore Scelto Caporale Maggiore Capo Primo Caporale Maggiore Caporal Maggiore Caporale Scelto Caporale Soldato
Abbreviation SMC Serg.Magg. Serg. CMCS CMC CMS 1°CM CM C.le Sc. C.le Sold.
Pay grade E-6 E-5 E-4 E-4 E-4 E-4 E-3 E-2 E-1

This chart represents the Italian Army enlisted rank insignia with seniority decreasing left-to-right inside a given pay grade. All ranks of sergente or higher are considered as Under-Officers. Airborne units personnel wear the chevrons on a blue base.

[edit] History

Enlisted insignia saw no significant changes until 1973 when the chevrons were moved from the sleeve to the epaulette. In 1997 the new ranks from 1°CM to CMCS were created for permanent service enlisted personnel, and the new insignia were created. in the same year, the rank of C.le Sc. was created as top rank for conscript personnel, and the new insignia was created.

[edit] Current usage

The rank of Caporale and of Caporale Scelto are not command grades and only result in a higher paygrade, and may be attained by conscript personnel. The ranks until Caporal Maggiore may be attained by temporary service personnel. Higher Ranks may only be attained by permanent service personnel. Sergeants generally have team command tasks, and are appointed in the rank only after several months training course. The rank of Soldato is used only for recruits and is substituted by the following, depending on the branch or service:

  • Fante/Fan. (Infantryman)
  • Alpino/Alp. (Mountain Infantryman)
  • Bersagliere/Bers. (Marksman)
  • Paracadutista/Par. (Parachutist)
  • Granatiere/Gra. (Grenadier)
  • Lagunare/Lag. (Lagoon Infantryman)
  • Artigliere/Art. (Artillery Soldier)
  • Trasmettitore/Trs. (Signaller)
  • Assistente di Sanità/Asa. (Medic)
  • Cavaliere/Cav. (Cavalryman)
  • Lanciere/Lanc. (Lancer)
  • Dragone/Dra. (Dragoon)
  • Carrista/Cr. (Tankist)
  • Autiere/Aut. (Driver)
  • Geniere/Gnr. (Pioneer)


[edit] References

  1. ^ In the images has been used the Pantone colour Khaki 16-0726 TC, rendered as RGB 161 143 94.

[edit] Notes

Languages