Veteran’s Day is coming up (this Monday, the 11th), so to honor all of our military veterans, we thought we’d share with you what the rank embroidered patches mean on military uniforms.
Army
Private
Private First Class
Specialist
Corporal
Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Sergeant First Class
Master Sergeant
The rank patches after Master Sergeant use the same patch, but with different symbols in the middle to distinguish rank. A First Sergeant has a diamond, a Sergeant Major has a star, a Command Sergeant Major has a wreath and a star, and a Sergeant Major of the Army has the Army seal.
Army uniforms also include service ribbons or badges that denote which missions the person has been a part of. These are colorful and worn on the chest.
Navy
Seaman Apprentice
Seaman
Petty Officer Third Class
Petty Officer Second Class
Petty Officer First Class
Chief Petty Officer
The rank patches after Chief Petty Officer use the same patch, but with different symbols to distinguish rank. A Senior Chief Petty Officer has a star above the eagle, a Master Chief Petty Officer has two stars above the eagle, a Command Master Chief Petty Officer has a star in the middle and two stars above the eagle, and a Master Chief Petty Office of the Navy has a star in the middle and three stars above the eagle.
Navy uniforms also include service ribbons or badges that denote which missions the person has been a part of. These are colorful and worn on the chest.
Marine Corps
Private First Class
Lance Corporal
Corporal
Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Gunnery Sergeant
Master Sergeant
The rank patches after Master Sergeant use the same patch, but with different symbols in the middle to distinguish rank. A First Sergeant has a diamond in the middle, a Master Gunnery Sergeant has a bursting bomb (or a “pineapple”), a Sergeant Major has a star in the middle and two stars above the eagle, and a Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps has the Marine Corps “eagle, globe, and anchor” symbol.
Marine Corps uniforms also include service ribbons or badges that denote which missions the person has been a part of. These are colorful and worn on the chest.
Air Force
Airman
Airman First Class
Senior Airman
Staff Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Senior Master Sergeant
Chief Master Sergeant
The rank patches after Chief Master Sergeant use the same patch, but with different symbols in the middle to distinguish rank. A Command Chief Master Sergeant has a star in the middle, and a Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force has the Great Seal of the United States and a wreath around the bottom star.
Air Force uniforms also include service ribbons or badges that denote which missions the person has been a part of. These are colorful and worn on the chest.
In addition to the patches and ribbons or badges that are found on military uniforms, there can also be name tags and other pins or patches, depending on the uniform and military branch.
