Chapter Text
General Army Rank
Enlisted Personnel: any rank below CO
Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO, non-com): enlisted soldiers with specific skills and duties; hold leadership positions; commissioned by authority of the force; report to COs
Commissioned Officer (CO): commanding officers commissioned by authority of the president; outrank NCOs
Pay Grade: sometimes enlisted are referred to by pay grade (e.g. Dean is a T-4 Sergeant meaning he is a technician fourth grade)
Enlisted Rank Order (1943-1948)
Private
Private First Class
Technician Fifth Grade
Corporal
Technician Fourth Grade
Sergeant
Technician Third Grade
Staff Sergeant
Technical Sergeant
First Sergeant
Master Sergeant
Officer Rank Order
2nd Lieutenant
1st Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Lieutenant Colonel
Colonel
Brigadier General
Major General
Lieutenant General
General
Unit Order
Team: 1 NCO, 3 junior enlisted soldiers
Squad: 2 teams
Platoon: 2-3 squads, can include a few dozen soldiers
Company: 3-4 platoons; tactical-sized unit that can perform a battlefield function on its own
Battalion: 4-6 companies, can include up to 1,000 soldiers
Regiment: 2 or more battalions
Brigade: a few battalions, 3000-5000 soldiers
Division: 3-4 brigades
Corp: 2-5 divisions, 20,000-45,000 soldiers; highest level of command that can provide operational combat direction
Other
IC: first-in-command
2IC: second-in-command
Executive Officer (XO): typically responsible for administrative aspects, day-to-day activities, and personnel of a unit; often second-in-command and reports to the commanding officer
Commanding Officer (CO, Commander): ultimate authority of a military unit
CCO: company commanding officer (not a recognized acronym, used by Castiel for brevity)
Command Post (CP): unit headquarters (HQ)
Battalion S-1: personnel
Battalion S-2: intelligence
Battalion S-3: operations
Battalion S-4: logistics
E-1: lowest army rank, private with no uniform insignia
E-2: private in training or on their first assignment
Lance Corporal: private serving as a temporary NCO
Infantry: troops who fight on foot
ETO Infantry: European Theater of Operations, US Army
Status
KIA: Killed in Action
DNB: Died, non-battle
DOW: Died of Wounds
FOD: Finding of Death (no recovered body)
WIA: Wounded in Action
POW: Prisoner of War
MIA: Missing in Action
Dis: Discharged
Hon: Honorable Discharge
Med: Medical Discharge
DD: Dishonorable Discharge
1-A: available for unrestricted military service
4-F: not acceptable for military service