FACTOID # 49: Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country.
 
 Home   Encyclopedia   Statistics   Countries A-Z   Flags   Maps   Education   Forum   FAQ   About 
 
WHAT'S NEW
RECENT ARTICLES
More Recent Articles »
 

SEARCH ALL

FACTS & STATISTICS    Advanced view

Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 

 

(* = Graphable)

 

 


Encyclopedia > Captain (military)

Please see "Captain" for other uses of the term This article concerns the rank and title of Captain. ...


Captain is a military rank used in nearly every army and navy of the world. Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ... The multinational Combined Task Force One Five Zero (CTF-150) The British Grand Fleet, the supreme naval force of World War I A rare occurrence of a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea. ...

Contents


Navy

Captain, as a naval positon, is most often given to the naval rank (equivalent to NATO rank code OF-5) of a commissioned officer between commander (OF-4) and commodore or rear admiral (OF-6). The Polish Navy is, however, a notable exception, with "commander" being OF-5. By nautical custom, naval officers below the rank of captain who command a ship are addressed as "captain" while aboard that ship. A naval captain traveling aboard a vessel he does not command is never referred to by rank to avoid confusion with the nautical captain, who remains in charge of the entire ship (including the passengers who outrank the nautical captain). Navies have military rank systems that often are quite different from those of armies or air forces. ... In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ... Insignia of a United States Navy Commander Commander is a military rank used in many navies but not generally in armies or air forces. ... Commodore is a military rank used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a flag officer. ... The term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. ... Flag of the Polish Navy Polish Navy Ensign The Polish Navy (Marynarka Wojenna RP, MW RP) is the branch of Polands armed forces responsible for naval operations. ...


Captains with field naval commands generally command ships of cruiser size or larger. The more senior the officer, the larger the ship. Commanders of aircraft carriers can be rear admirals, but generally, ship commanders are of captain rank or lower. Also, many captains are either retired or have desk jobs. USS Port Royal (CG-73), a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, launched in 1992. ... An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft—in effect acting as a sea-going airbase. ... The term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and can trace its origins to the British Royal Navy. ...


Army and Marines

In armies and marines, captain is the rank (equivalent of NATO rank code OF-2) of a commissioned officer that is a rank above a lieutenant and below a major. The military rank of captain is ranked three steps lower than a naval captain, and has no special authority with respect to a ship; an army or marine captain is just another passenger or crew member while on board. In Germany, the rank is hauptmann. Army (from French armée) can, in some countries, refer to any armed force. ... France Marines is the name of a commune in the département of Val dOise, France. ... In military organizations, a commissioned officer is a member of the service who derives authority directly from a sovereign power, and as such holds a commission from that power. ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ... Major is a military rank denoting an officer of mid-level command status. ... Captain is both a nautical term and a military rank. ...


Prior to the professionalization of the armed services of European nations subsequent to the French revolution, a captain was a nobleman who purchased the right to head a company from the previous holder of that right. He would in turn receive money from another nobleman to serve as his lieutenant. The funding to provide for the troops came from the monarch or his government; the captain had to be responsible for it. If he was not, or was otherwise court-martialed, he would be dismissed ("cashiered"), and the monarch would receive money from another nobleman to command the company. Otherwise, the only pension for the captain was selling the right to another nobleman when he was ready to retire. Liberty Leading the People, a painting by Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 but which has come to be generally accepted as symbolic of French popular uprisings against the monarchy in general. ...


Air Force

Due to most air forces being the junior service in most countries, it has adopted ranks from one of the other services. Many, such as the United States Air Force, use a rank structure and insignia similar to those of the army, while the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries use a unique rank structure, loosely based on the naval one, in which a group captain is equivalent to the naval rank of captain. In the unified system of the Canadian Forces, however, the air force rank titles are identical to that of the Army, while the rank insignia is common to Army, Navy, and Air Force; thus, an air force or army captain wears two silver stripes on sleeve or epaulet (the same as a naval lieutenant), while the modern equivalent of the British group captain bears the rank and insignia of colonel, i.e. four gold stripes on sleeve or epaulet (same as a naval captain). An air force is a military or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare. ... The United States Air Force (or USAF) is the aerospace branch of the United States armed forces and one of the seven uniformed services. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Commonwealth of Nations, usually known as the Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent sovereign states, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire. ... A Group Captains sleeve/shoulder insignia A Group Captains command flag Group Captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. ... The Canadian Forces (French: Forces canadiennes) are the combined armed forces of Canada. ... CF-18 Hornet CH-149 Cormorant CC-115 Buffalo CT-114 Tutor CH-124 Sea King CH-148 Cyclone Canadian Forces Air Command (AIRCOM) is the air force element of the Canadian Forces. ... A Lieutenant is a military, paramilitary or police officer. ... Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ...


Captain ranks by country

Equivalent Captain ranks

Taewi is a Korean military rank used in the armed forces of South Korea. ... Captain is both a nautical term and a military rank. ... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Insignia

A variety of images illustrative of different forces' insignia for captain (or captain-equivalents) are shown below:

See also

Comparative military ranks are a means of comparing military rank systems of different nations as a means of categorizing the hierarchy of an armed force compared to another. ...

External link

  • Estonian Navy Ranks


 

COMMENTARY     


Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here
Your name
Your comments
Please enter the 5-letter protection code

Want to know more?
Search encyclopedia, statistics and forums:

 


Lesson Plans | Student Area | Student FAQ | Reviews | Press Releases |  Feeds | Contact
The Wikipedia article included on this page is licensed under the GFDL.
Images may be subject to relevant owners' copyright.
All other elements are (c) copyright NationMaster.com 2003-5. All Rights Reserved.
Usage implies agreement with terms.