The word colonel originates in the medieval term capitaine colonel, "the head of a column". Lieutenant-colonel is the one who can "hold the place" of a colonel in his absence. The word chef or "chief" in English comes from the Latin word caput meaning "head".
''Lieutenant-colonel''
The lieutenant-colonel has the same responsibilities as a colonel. They were called major during the First French Empire.
''Commandant''
Commandant is equivalent to a major in most English-speaking countries.
A Sous-lieutenant commands at the same level as a lieutenant, but is a more junior officer rank.
''Aspirant''
Aspirant An Officer Designate rank, it is used in the Armée de Terre, the Armée de l'Air, the Marine Nationale and the Gendarmerie Nationale. Technically it is not a commissioned rank but it is still treated in all respects as one. Aspirants are either officers in training in military academies or voluntaries, serving as temporary officers. The aspirant must have been previously élève officier. S/He can afterwards be commissioned as a sous-lieutenant or enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe. The insignia is a single curl of gold lace, disrupted by "flashes" of wool. It was widely used during both World Wars for providing young educated people with an officer's authority.
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Eleve officier ; a rank held during the first years at the officer academies.
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''Sous-officiers'' - sub-officers, i.e. non-commissioned officers
Major, the senior sub-officer rank, since 1 January 2009 this grade is attached to the sous-officiers. Prior to this date it was an independent corps between the sous-officiers and the officiers. There are relatively few majors in the army, about one per regiment or brigade. As they could hold equivalent administrative tasks as officiers they are more common in the Armée de l'Air.
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Notethe difference with many army rank systems of other countries where the term major is used for a rank above that of captain. For example, the rank of "major" in the US Army or British army is equivalent to the rank of "commandant" in the French army.
Adjudant-chef: "Chief adjutant"; often same responsibilities as the lieutenant.
* adjudant-chef
Adjudant: Adjutant; often same responsibilities as an adjutant-chef.
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Sergent-chef, addressed as "chef". Typically a platoon second-in-command.
Etymologically the adjudant is the adjoint of an officer, and the sergeant "serves". Aspirants are cadet officers still in training. Sous-lieutenants are junior officers and are often aided by adjudants or adjudants-chefs, who are experienced NCOs/warrant officers. Full lieutenants are experienced junior officers, served by sergeants when commanding their unit. A four chevron sergent-chef-major rank existed until 1947. It was a ceremonial rank usually given to the most senior or experienced NCO in a unit, similar to a colour sergeant in the British Army. It was discontinued in the post-war army due to its redundancy.
''Militaires du rang'' - Troop ranks
Caporal-chef: in command of an équipe.
Caporal: in command of an équipe.
Aviateur de première classe.
Aviateur de deuxième classe.
There are also distinctions to distinguish volunteers and conscripts, and bars for experience.
Other armies
As the following national air forces were trained by French Air Force personnel, these wear insignia similar to those used in this service:
