Rank Structure

OVERVIEW – Rank Structure

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Ranks denote the command status of individual soldiers in the hierarchy in the JDF. The clearly-stated hierarchy makes it possible for a large fighting body such as the JDF to accomplish tasks with speed and efficiency. Once Recruits complete their basic military training, they attain the rank of Private. Enlisted personnel form the basic foundation of the JDF’s manpower.
Warrant Officers are soldiers who have distinguished themselves with their dedication and professionalism. With more than 10 years of service, they are the most experienced personnel in the JDF.
Junior Officers oversee the execution of orders and ensure the welfare of the men under their command. They are most important in small-unit combat, and earn the respect of their men by leading by example. As exemplary soldiers, they bring their men into action with dedication and energy. Junior Officers graduate from Officer Cadet School (OCS) with the rank of Second Lieutenant, and are promoted to Lieutenant after they have had sufficient experience. Later they may be moved to higher appointments and assume the rank of Captain.
Senior Officers make command decisions in combat and peacetime, taking charge of units and important branches. Senior Officers are crucial in the formulation and execution of missions, as well as overseeing the training and direction of their charges. Commanding Officers begin their duties at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and only the few who can distinguish themselves will attain this rank. It is an even greater challenge and responsibility for a senior officer to attain the rank of full Colonel.
Although the Jamaica Defence Force consist of an air, coast guard and infantry units, a person who is granted a commission, or enlists into the Force is on first commissioning or on enlistment given an army rank. The rank given, in the case of an officer, is Second Lieutenant and in the case of a soldier, Private. The rank structure of the JDF is outlined below in order of seniority. The naval equivalent is shown beside each army rank.

Commissioned Officers
Ranks	Coast Guard Equivalent
Major General	Rear Admiral
Brigadier	Commodore
Colonel	Captain(N)
Lieutenant Colonel	Commander
Major	Lieutenant Commander
Captain	Lieutenant Senior Grade
Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade
Second Lieutenant	Sub Lieutenant
Officer Cadet	Midshipman

Enlisted Personnel
Ranks	Coast Guard Equivalent
Warrant Officer Class 1	Master Chief Petty Officer 1
Warrant Officer Class 2	Master Chief Petty Officer 2
Staff/Colour Sergeant	Chief Petty Officer
Sergeant	Petty Officer
Corporal	Leading Seaman
Lance Corporal	Able Seaman
Private	Ordinary Seaman

Commissioned Officers		Enlisted Ranks
Each rank in the army and its equivalent naval rank (which appears directly underneath) form of verbal address may sometime differ from written form as shown in table below.
RANK	DESCRIPTION	RANK	DESCRIPTION
Major General Rear Admiral	A Major General (Maj Gen) wears on both shoulder straps one star (pip) and crossed sword and baton as his insignia of rank. A Rear Admiral (RAdm) [equivalent to a Major General] wears on his shoulder-boards one extra- broad gold ring and one broad one as his insignia of rank . However, in full dress uniform he wears quite different rank insignia on his shoulder-boards, namely a crown, crossed sword and baton and a star.	Warrant Officer Class 1 Master Chief Petty Officer Class 1	A Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) has as his/her insignia the Royal Coat of Arms, which he/she wears on a leather wristlet on his/her right wrist with the exception of when it is worn on the No. 1 dress, then it is worn on the sleeve. A Master Chief Petty Officer I (MCPOI) rank insignia is the same as that of the WO1, however, his/her rank is worn on the collar of his/her ‘whites’.
Brigadier Commodore	A Brigadier (Brig) wears on both shoulder straps a crown and three stars. A Commodore (Cdre) [equivalent to a Brigadier] wears on his shoulder boards one extra board gold ring.	Warrant Officer Class 2 Master Chief Petty Officer Class 2	A Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2) wears a crown, usually on a leather wristlet on his/her right wrist with the exception of when it is worn on the No. 1 dress, then it is worn on the sleeve. A Master Chief Petty Officer II (MCPOII) has the same rank as a WO2. However, his/her rank is worn on the collar of his/her ‘whites’.
Colonel Captain	A Colonel (Col) wears on both shoulder straps a crown and two stars. A Captain (Capt (N)) wears on his shoulder boards four broad gold rings.	Staff Sergeant Chief Petty Officer	A Staff Sergeant (SSgt) has three chevrons and a crown on his/her upper right sleeve. A Chief Petty Officer (CPO) wears, usually on his/her shirt collar points, an anchor encircled by a wreath and surmounted by a crown.
Lieutenant Colonel Commander	A Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) wears on both shoulder straps a crown an one star. A Commander (Cdr) wears on his shoulder boards three broad gold rings.	Sergeant Petty Officer	A Sergeant (Sgt) has three chevrons on his/her upper right sleeve. A Petty Officer (PO) wears, usually on his/her shirt collar points, two crossed anchors surmounted by a crown.
Major Lieutenant Commander	A Major (Maj) wears a crown on both shoulder straps. A Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cdr) wears two broad rings with a narrow one between them.	Corporal Leading Seaman	A Corporal (Cpl) wears on his/her upper right sleeve two chevrons. A Leading Seaman (LS) wears on his/her upper right sleeve an anchor.
Captain Lieutenant (senior grade)	A Captain (Capt) wears three stars on both shoulder straps. A Lieutenant Senior Grade (Lt (sg)) is equivalent to an Army Captain; he/she wears two broad gold rings on his/her shoulder boards.	Lance Corporal Able Bodied Seaman	A Lance Corporal (LCpl) wears one chevron on his/her upper right sleeve. An Able-Bodied Seaman (AB) has on his/her upper sleeve a single chevron.
Lieutenant Lieutenant (Junior grade)	A Lieutenant (Lt) wears two stars on his/her shoulder straps. A Lieutenant Junior Grade (Lt (sg)) wears one broad ring and a narrow one.	Private Ordinary Seaman	There is no insignia of rank for Private (Pte) or Ordinary Seaman (ORD).
Second Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant	A Second Lieutenant (2 Lt) wears one star on both shoulder straps. A Sub Lieutenant (Sub Lt) wears one broad ring on his/her shoulder-boards.

HOW THEY ARE ADDRESSED
Commissioned Officers
ALL OTHER UNITS EXCEPT COAST GUARD		COAST GUARD
RANK	DESCRIPTION	RANK	DESCRIPTION
Major General	He is described initially as ‘Major General John Brown‘ but is described thereafter and always addressed as ‘General Brown‘ or ‘General‘. A serving Major General may also be described as ‘Chief of Staff, Jamaica Defence Force. (In verbal address, the full compound rank is never used, e.g. even in initially addressing a Major General one would say ‘General [Brown]’.)	Rear Admiral (RAdm) [equivalent to a Major General]	He is described initially as ‘Rear Admiral John Brown‘ and is described thereafter and addressed as ‘Admiral Brown‘ or ‘Admiral‘. A serving Rear Admiral may also me described as ‘Chief of Staff, Jamaica Defence Force. (In verbal address, the full compound rank is never used, e.g. even in initially addressing a Rear Admiral one would say ‘Admiral [Brown]’.)
Brigadier	He is described initially as ‘Brigadier John Brown‘ and is described thereafter and addressed as ‘Brigadier Brown‘ or Brigadier‘. A serving Brigadier may also be described as ‘the Chief of Staff, Jamaica Defence Force’.	Commodore (Cdre) [equivalent to a Brigadier]	He is described initially as ‘Commodore John Brown‘ and is described thereafter and addressed as ‘Commodore Brown‘ or ‘Commodore‘. A serving Commodore may also be described as "Chief of Staff, Jamaica Defence Force’.
Colonel	He is ‘Colonel John Brown‘ on first reference, ‘Colonel Brown‘ or ‘Colonel‘ thereafter.	Captain (N)	When being addressed in a letter is is ‘Captain (N) John Brown‘ or ‘Captain John Brown‘ on first reference, ‘Captain Brown‘ or ‘Captain‘ thereafter.
Lieutenant Colonel	He is ‘Lieutenant Colonel John Brown‘ on first mention, ‘Colonel Brown‘ or ‘Colonel‘ thereafter. (*In verbal address, the full compound rank is never used, e.g. even in initially addressing a Lieutenant Colonel one would say ‘Colonel Brown’.*	Commander (Cdr) Lieutenant Commander	After initial mention, both ranks are referred to and addressed socially, as ‘Commander (John [Jane]) Brown‘, (the establishment allows for female commissions up to the rank of Lieutenant Commander). (In social verbal address, the full compound rank is not used, e.g. even in initially addressing a Lieutenant Commander one would say ‘Commander [Brown]’.)
Major	He/she is ‘Major John (Jane) Brown‘ on first mention, ‘Major Brown‘ or ‘Major‘ thereafter.	Lieutenant (sg)	He/she is addressed ‘Lieutenant (John [Jane]) Brown‘.
Captain	He/she is ‘Captain John (Jane) Brown‘ on first mention, ‘Captain Brown‘ or ‘Captain‘ thereafter. *(Note: No one in the rank of Captain or above is ever referred to or addressed as ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss’.*	Lieutenant (jg)	He/she is addressed as ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss Brown’. Note: No one in the rank of Lieutenant (sg) or above is ever referred to or addressed as ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss’.
Lieutenant 2^nd Lieutenant	They are referred to as ‘Lieutenant‘ and ‘2^nd Lieutenant‘ respectively on first mention and thereafter as ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss Brown’ and addressed likewise. If preferred, a (full) Lieutenant may be referred to as ‘Lieutenant Brown‘ at all times.	Sub Lieutenant (Sub Lt)	On first mention he/she is ‘Sub Lieutenant John [Jane] Brown‘, thereafter ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss Brown‘.

HOW THEY ARE ADDRESSED
Enlisted Ranks
ALL OTHER UNITS EXCEPT COAST GUARD		COAST GUARD
RANK	DESCRIPTION	RANK	DESCRIPTION
Warrant Officer Class 1	He/she is addressed as ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss Brown’	Master Chief Petty Officer I (MCPOI) Master Chief Petty Officer II (MCPOII)	Both ranks are addressed ‘Master Chief Petty Officer (Brown)‘ and on subsequent references the MCPOI is ‘Mr/Mrs/Miss Brown’ and the MCPOII is ‘Master Chief Brown‘.
Warrant Officer Class 2	He/she is addressed as ‘Sergeant Major (Brown)‘.	Chief Pety Officer (CPO)	He/she is addressed ‘Chief Petty Officer (Brown)‘ and on secondary reference is ‘Chief Brown‘.
Colour/Staff Sergeant	He/she is addressed as ‘Colour Sergeant (Brown)‘ or ‘Staff Sergeant (Brown)‘ [whichever is applicable].	Petty Officer (PO)	He/she is addressed ‘Petty Officer (Brown)‘.
Sergeant	He/she is addressed as ‘Sergeant (Brown)‘.	Leading Seaman (LS)	He/she is addressed ‘Leading Seaman (Brown)‘.
Corporal Lance Corporal	They are referred to as Corporal Brown‘ and ‘Lance Corporal Brown‘ respectively. After initial mention, both are referred to and always addressed as ‘Corporal‘. (In verbal address, the full compound rank is never used, e.g. even in initially addressing a Lance Corporal one would say ‘Corporal [Brown]’.)	Able-Bodied Seaman (AB)	He/she is addressed ‘Able Seaman (Brown)‘.
Private	He/she is referred to and addressed as ‘Private Brown‘. If his/her surname is not known he/she is addressed as ‘Soldier‘.	Ordinary Seaman (ORD)	He/she is addressed ‘Seaman (Brown)‘.

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