South African military ranks

Evolution of rank titles

Army and Air Force ranks

General officers

• Field marshal (1923–c. 1950)
• General (1914– ) (called "commandant-general" 1956–68)
• Lieutenant-general (1914– )
• Major-general (1914– ) (called "combat general" 1960–68)
• Brigadier-general (1912–40, 1998– )

Field officers

• Brigadier (1937–98) (called "colonel-commandant" 1937–40)
• Colonel (1912– )
• Chief commandant (Used in the Commandos 1968–70)
• Lieutenant-colonel (1912– ) (called "commandant" 1950–1988)

Company / junior officers

• Major (1912– )
• Captain (1912– )
• Lieutenant (1912– ) (called "field cornet" 1960–68)
• Second lieutenant (1918– ) (called "assistant field cornet" 1960–68)

Warrant officers

In June 2008 a new series of warrant officer ranks were introduced.

• Warrant officer 1st class (1921– )
• Warrant officer 2nd class (1921– )
• Warrant officer (1912–21)

Non-commissioned officers

• Staff sergeant (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent "flight sergeant")
• Sergeant (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air sergeant" until 1970)
• Corporal (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air corporal" until 1970)
• Lance-corporal (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "leading air mechanic" until 1970)

Rank and file

• Private (1912– ) (Air Force equivalent called "air mechanic" 1920–70, "private" 1970–82 and "airman" 1982–)

Naval ranks

Flag officers

• Admiral (1972– )
• Vice-admiral (1965– )
• Rear-admiral (1940– )
• Rear-admiral junior grade (1998– )

Senior officers

• Commodore (1946–98)
• Captain (1941– )
• Commander (1913– )
• Lieutenant-commander (1913– )

Junior officers

• Lieutenant (1913– )
• Sub-lieutenant (1913– )
• Ensign (1913– ) (called "acting sub-lieutenant" until 1965)
• Warrant officer 1st class (1955– )
• Warrant officer 2nd class (1955– )
• Warrant officer (1913–55)

Petty officers

• Chief petty officer (1913– )
• Petty officer (1913– )
• Leading seaman (1913– )
• Able seaman (1913– )

Ratings

• Seaman (1913– )

Army

The SA Army was formed in 1912 as the Union Defence Force. It was given its present name in 1951. The rank system is derived from that of the British Army.

The ranks of General Officers changed in September 2003 when the rank previously called Brigadier became known as Brigadier General.

Officers

Other ranks

Note: in the artillery and anti-aircraft corps, the corporal and lance-corporal are called "bombardier" (bombardeer) and "lance-bombardier" (onderbombardeer). The private is called a "gunner" in the artillery and anti-aircraft, a "rifleman" in the infantry, a "trooper" in the armoured corps, a "sapper" in the engineers, a "signalman" in the signals corps, and a "scout" in the intelligence corps.

Substantive warrant officer posts

Any warrant officer class 1 could be posted to substantive posts, including

• Regimental sergeant major
• Command sergeant major
• Brigade sergeant major
• Sergeant Major of the Army
• Sergeant Major of the Air Force

However they would retain the rank of WO1, while wearing unique rank insignia. To distinguish the posting different colour backgrounds were used; for example, red for regimental sergeant major and black for command sergeant major. The sergeant major of each arm of service wore insignia topped by the arms of their respective arm of service.

In 2008 the warrant officer ranks were expanded to make each substantive rank a formal rank.

Air Force

The SA Air Force was formed in 1920. Unlike many other Commonwealth air forces, it had an army style rank system. In 2002 the Air Force officer rank insignia structure was changed from one which was shared with the Army to a new pattern based on stripes. The Air Force stated that this was "in order to bring it more in line with international forms of rank". The army-style rank titles were retained. Note: The rank of General is only used when the Chief of the Air Force is also the Chief of the Defence Force which has occurred on occasion in the past. In 2005 the South African Air Force redesigned its insignia completely, while keeping the Army titles.

Officers

Other ranks

Navy

The SA Navy was originally two separate organisations, namely the South African Division of the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (formed in 1913) and the South African Naval Service (formed in 1922 and renamed the "Seaward Defence Force" in 1939). They amalgamated in 1942 to form the SA Naval Forces, which were renamed "SA Navy" in 1951. The rank system is based on that of the (British) Royal Navy.

The ranks of flag officers changed in 1997 when the rank previously called Commodore became known as Rear Admiral (Junior Grade).

Officers

Enlisted

Health Service

Officers