ASDF Rank Insignia

ASDF grade and rank (table below) uses the following nomenclature for Enlisted Personnel, Warrant Officers and Commissioned Officers:

1. Rank descriptions, pay grade, title of address and rank abbreviation appear in the left column:

   1. Grade of rank appears first

   2. The Pay grade appears after the grade of rank

   3. Title of address appears after the pay grade BOLD and UNDERLINED

   4. The rank abbreviation appears last, after the title of address

2. Designated rank insignia appear to the right of the rank descriptions, etc.

Enlisted		Warrant Officer		Commissioned Officer
Private First Class E-3 Private PFC		Warrant Officer, One W-1 Mister WO1		Second Lieutenant O-1 Lieutenant 2LT
Specialist E-4 Specialist SPC	Not use ALSDF	Chief Warrant Officer, Two W-2 Mister CW2		First Lieutenant O-2 Lieutenant 1LT
Corporal E-4 Corporal CPL		Chief Warrant Officer, Three W-3 Mister CW3		Captain O-3 Captain CPT
Sergeant E-5 Sergeant SGT		Chief Warrant Officer, Four W-4 Mister CW4		Major O-4 Major MAJ
Staff Sergeant E-6 Sergeant SSG		Chief Warrant Officer, Five W-5 Mister CW5		Lieutenant Colonel O-5 Colonel LTC
Sergeant First Class E-7 Sergeant SFC				Colonel O-6 Colonel COL
Master Sergeant E-8 Sergeant MSG				Brigadier General O-7 General BG
First Sergeant E-8 First Sergeant 1SG				Major General O-8 General MG
Sergeant Major E-9 Sergeant Major SGM
Command Sergeant Major E-9 Sergeant Major CSM

NOTES:

1. The custom of addressing Master Sergeants as Master Sergeant is often observed within many commands.
2. The approved address for all Warrant Officers is Mister (Mrs./Miss/Ms.).
   However, the custom of addressing Chief Warrant Officers, 2 - 5 as Chief is often observed within many commands.
3. Other abbreviations authorized for use in correspondence with the general public and agencies outside DOD, on identification (ID) cards, and in personal correspondence are listed in AR 25-50 and AR 310-50.

In writing, you should refer to the person by either spelling out or abbreviating their specific exact rank, such as:

• PFC, SPC, CPL, SGT, SSG, SFC, MSG, 1SG, SGM, CSM  (Enlisted)

• WO1, CW2, CW3, CW4, CW5 (Warrant Officers)

• 2LT, 1LT, CPT (Company Grade Commissioned Officers)

• MAJ, LTC, COL (Field Grade Commissioned Officers)

• BG, MG, LTG, GEN ("4 Star") (General Grade Commissioned Officers)

When directly addressing someone (verbally) or speaking about someone (verbally) you use the "core rank", not the "modifier".

Enlisted Men & Women

Unless being spoken to by a Command Sergeant Major (in which case all bets are off), newly enlisted personnel are addressed as "Private".  Once the soldier has completed Basic Orientation Training, and a specialty course or two, they may have more than one stripe (up) and be addressed as "Corporal" (E-4).

Non-Commissioned Officers

Sergeants (E-5), Staff Sergeants (E-6), Sergeants First Class (E-7), and Master Sergeant (E-8) may be addressed as "Sergeant". With the rank of First Sergeant  (E-8) you may address them as "1st Sergeant" or if it's OK with them, "Top" (CHECK WITH THEM FIRST), (as in Top Sergeant or highest NCO of the unit).

E-9s, the Sergeants Major and Command Sergeants Major, should be addressed as "Sergeant Major", never as Sir!.

Warrant Officers

Technically, all Warrant Officers (W01 and CW2 through CW5) may correctly be addressed "Mr." or "Ms.".  However, CW2 through CW5 are customarily  addressed as "Chief".

Commissioned Officers

All Lieutenants (0-1 and 0-2) are addressed as "Lieutenant".  Captains (0-3) are addressed as "Captain"; Majors (0-4) are addressed as "Major".  All Colonels, whether Lieutenant Colonel (0-5) or "full bird" Colonel (0-6) are called "Colonel".  All Generals (0-7 and above) are addressed as "General".

Awards
Alabama War Ribbon	Distinguished Service Ribbon	Meritorious Service Ribbon
Commendation Ribbon	Achievement Ribbon (Officer)	Achievement Ribbon (Enlisted)
Merit Ribbon	Desert Shield/Storm Support	Disaster Readiness Ribbon
SGT Dixie Club-G Ribbon	SGT Dixie Club-S Ribbon	SGT Dixie Club-B Ribbon
Service Ribbon	Distinguished Graduate Ribbon	Professional Development Ribbon
Officer Training Ribbon	Warrant Officer Training	NCO Training Ribbon
CERT Ribbon	Recruiting Ribbon	Super Recruiting Ribbon
ASDF Association Ribbon	SGAUS Ribbon
RIGHT SIDE OF UNIFORM
Outstanding Unit Ribbon	SGAUS Superior Unit Citation	MEMS Academy Unit Citation