Whatever happened to the "Field Marshal"?

[DAVOUT]

Originally posted by Sirotnikov
can someone explain in words the difference between the different kinds of ranks?

what's the difference between a general officer and a field grade officer and a company grade officer and warrant officers and non-comissioned officers?

Sub-Lieutenant, Lieutenant, Captain (Company), Major (Batallion), Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel (Regiment) are officers.
Sergeant, Quarter-master Sergeant, Master-sergeant are non-commissionned officers.
Generals command brigades, divisions, corps, armies.

[Lonestar]

The bigger question is, whatever happened to Grand Admiral?

[Dr Strangelove]

Originally posted by Sirotnikov
can someone explain in words the difference between the different kinds of ranks?

what's the difference between a general officer and a field grade officer and a company grade officer and warrant officers and non-comissioned officers?

Well, general officers are just what it says- rank bridagier general or above. There is also the term "flag rank" which refers to everything from Colonel and above. They were permitted to have their own standard bearer and flag. In Napoleon's day regiments were the only real permanent militery formations and were usually given their own regimental colors.

Field officers include everything from second lieutenants to lieutenant colonels. Like their name implies, when their units are in the field so are they.

Non-commisioned officers are corporals and sergeants. They're basically enlisted men who have the experience and time in grade to have advanced in rank. In the old days officers were considered to be "commissioned", serving voluntarily at the pleasure of their superiors. Unlike enlisted men they were permitted to resign when they wanted to. The term harks back to the days when only aristocrats and gentlemen could become officers, and as such were entitled to somewhat priviledged treatment. Non-commissioned officers obviously did not come from the same strata of society, and did not recieve the same priviledges.

Warrant officers are pretty rare these days. I think that they are sort of inbetween commissioned and non-commissioned ranks, generally being enlisted men serving in a capacity as a lieutenant, but not with the same priviledges and pay.

[Bearcat]

Warrant officers are usually enlisted men who receive a warrant from either the President or Congress and advance beyond the enlisted grades, but aren't commissioned officers either.

[KrazyHorse]

Doesnt' the navy still have warrant officers?

[TheStinger]

In the UK warrant officers are very common. They are the sergeant majors of the army. They are assigned to a company or battalion and are in charge of discipline and are quite senior. Nominally they are junior to all the officers, however it would be unusual for a Lt to order 1 about although thre will be called Sir or Mr.

They are also used as technical managers in teh engineers and signals

Field marshall was abolished in the UK in the last 10 years.

[curtsibling]

I thought the UK still has a Field Marshall...

[TheStinger]

No the Chief of Staff is now a 4 star general. I think they reserve the right to reintorduce it in times of serious war. However as we would a t present to put more than 1 corps into the field the need for a field marshall is a bit limited.

The best reason for field marshalls was that it annoyed the French. They didn't like their amry commanders having lower ranks even though they had bigger armies.(typical British arrogance really)

[Sirotnikov]

Well in the IDF there are enlisten men, non comissioned officers and warrant officers are considered the same,
and officers.

I'm not aware of any distinction between field and non field officers.

Thanks for the information though

[Sava]

"Field Marshall Sava" I like the sound of that

[Lonestar]

Hmmm..."Grand Admiral Lonestar"

[GePap]

Originally posted by TheStinger
No the Chief of Staff is now a 4 star general. I think they reserve the right to reintorduce it in times of serious war. However as we would a t present to put more than 1 corps into the field the need for a field marshall is a bit limited.

The best reason for field marshalls was that it annoyed the French. They didn't like their amry commanders having lower ranks even though they had bigger armies.(typical British arrogance really)

The Brits had Field Marshals at the time of the 1940 campaing? cause in WW2 that would be the only time the French had larger formations that the brits. In WW1 the French had Marshalls.

[Tattila the Hun]

Finns have had one marshall, Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim. He was the supremo commander of the FDF during the 1939-44 wars.

The last Grand Admiral I've heard was Thrawn, and he was assassinated by his noghri-bodyguard.

[Lonestar]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun
Finns have had one marshall, Carl Gustav Emil Mannerheim. He was the supremo commander of the FDF during the 1939-44 wars.

The last Grand Admiral I've heard was Thrawn, and he was assassinated by his noghri-bodyguard.

Pelleon is now Grand Admiral of the Imperial forces.