Air force and their respective pay grades insignias abbreviations and classifications. The table below lists all the standard ranks in the u s. The only person to hold this rank was henry h.
In 1944 congress created the rank general of the air force. The highest rank attainable in the air force is the five star general of the air force. Above the pay grade of e 4 e 5 through e 9 all ranks fall into the category of nco and are further.
While all air force military personnel are referred to as airmen it can specifically refer to the pay grades of e 1 through e 4 which are below the level of non commissioned officers ncos. The chart below represents the current enlisted rank insignia of the united states air force. Rank is different from the paygrade.
Enlisted e 1 through e 4 non commissioned officers e 5 through e 9 and commissioned officers o 1 through o 10 the letter and number represent the title and paygrade of the airman. Air force ranks are comprised of three categories within the chain of command. Air force ranks insignia.
The ocp uniform which the air force began shifting to in 2018 currently has a seven color background for nametapes service tapes rank insignia and badges but now the air force is switching. Mcpeak redesigned the service dress uniform. The insignia have been essentially unchanged since then except for a brief period during the 1990s when then air force chief of staff general merrill a.
The current air force officer rank names and insignia were taken from the army upon the establishment of the air force as a separate service in 1947. Private private first class corporal technician fifth grade sergeant technician fourth grade staff. This rank structure provided for seven enlisted ranks.
Although the united states air force came into being as an independent uniformed service with the national security act of 1947 it retained the united states army air forces rank structure and corresponding insignia of years past.
