Israel Defense Forces ranks
Encyclopedia : I : IS : ISR : Israel Defense Forces ranks
| Israel Defense Forces | |||||||||||||||||
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| Category | Rank name and U.S rank equivalent | Insignia |
|---|---|---|
or General Officers | Rav alúf (רב אלוף) (Lieutenant General) | 
|
| Alúf (אלוף) (Major General) | 
| |
| Tat alúf (תת-אלוף) (Brigadier General) | 
| |
or Field Grade Officers | Alúf mishné (אלוף משנה) (Colonel) | 
|
| Sgan alúf
(סגן אלוף) (Lieutenant Colonel) | 
| |
| Rav séren
(רב סרן) (Major) | 
| |
or Company Grade Officers | Séren (סרן) (Captain) | 
|
| Ségen (סגן) (1st Lieutenant) | 
| |
| Ségen mishné (Sagam) (סגן-משנה — סג"ם) (2nd Lieutenant) | 
| |
| Academic Officers | Katsín akademái bakhír (קצין אקדמאי בכיר) (Senior academic officer) | 
|
| K'tsín miktsóa akademái
(קצין מקצוע אקדמאי) (Academic officer) | 
| |
| Rav nagád (רב נגד) (Chief Warrant Officer) | 
| |
| Rav samál bakhír (רב סמל בכיר) (Warrant Officer) | 
| |
| Rav samál mitkadém
(רב סמל מתקדם) (Sergeant Major) | 
| |
| Rav samál rishón (רב סמל ראשון) (Sergeant First Class) | 
| |
| Rav samál (רב סמל) (First Sergeant) | 
| |
| Enlisted | Samál rishón (סמל ראשון) (Staff Sergeant) |  |
| Samál (סמל) (Sergeant) |  | |
| Rav turái (Rabat) (רב טוראי — רב"ט) (Corporal) |  | |
| Turái rishón (טוראי ראשון) (Private First Class - no longer in use) |  | |
| Turái (טוראי) (Private) | (none) | |
Notes
- As the ranks of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are traditionally translated one-to-one to Western ranks then the rank of Aluf (אלוף) is translated as Major General, and Rav Aluf (רב אלוף) is translated as Lieutenant General. However, a more proper translation (in terms of both language and organizational role) of Aluf would be to full General (four-star, in American terms). Similarly, as the Hebrew prefix Rav is equivalent to the English prefix arch (as in archangel), a more fitting transation for the rank of Rav-Aluf would be Arch-General, or, more conventionally, Field Marshal or five-star General.
- In the IDF, the same ranks are used throughout the army, including the Israeli Air Force and Israeli Navy. This contrasts with many other armed forced that have a separate rank system for different branches. [link]
- Enlisted insignias are worn on the arm sleeves whereas officer insignias are worn on the shoulders.
- Officer insignias are silver with a dark blue background in the air force and gold with a black background in the navy. In the army, both lieutenant ranks usually have the blackish-gold ranks (shown above) with an olive-green background until promoted to the rank of captain. Enlisted ranks are identical in the army and air force, however the navy use golden ranks.
- The rank of Private First Class is no longer in use. Privates retains their rank until promoted to Corporal, usually at the end of basic training (Tironut) or after several 7-8 months of service (whichever comes later). Combat units traditionally don't wear the Corporal rank, remaining without insignia until they reach the rank of Sergeant.
- Non-commissioned officer ranks listed on this page correspond to the Hebrew Nagad ranks, a word that translates as 'non-commissioned officer'. Corporals and sergeants however who are commanders are called Mashak, an abbreviation that also translates as 'non-commissioned officer' (or, literally, 'a commander who is not an officer').
See also
External links
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