US Air Force and Space Force Rank Abbreviations
27 abbreviations · part of Military Abbreviations
Rank abbreviations of the US Air Force and the US Space Force, which share one officer rank structure and most senior enlisted titles. Both services write ranks in mixed case without periods (SrA, TSgt, Lt Col, Brig Gen), following the Air Force writing guide known as The Tongue and Quill, and the Air Force uniquely writes second lieutenant as 2d Lt. The Space Force, created in December 2019, uses Specialist 1 through Specialist 4 (Spc1 to Spc4) for its junior enlisted grades and Sergeant (Sgt) at E-5.
| Abbreviation | Stands for | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Lt | First Lieutenant (US Air Force and Space Force) | Junior officer grade O-2 in the Air Force and Space Force, worn as a single silver bar. |
| 2d Lt | Second Lieutenant (US Air Force and Space Force) | Entry officer rank in the Air Force and Space Force, pay grade O-1, marked by a gold bar. |
| A1C | Airman First Class | Air Force enlisted rank at pay grade E-3, shown by two chevrons around a central star. |
| AB | Airman Basic | Lowest enlisted rank in the US Air Force, pay grade E-1, worn with no insignia. |
| Amn | Airman (US Air Force) | Air Force enlisted rank at pay grade E-2, insignia a single chevron with a star in the center. |
| Brig Gen | Brigadier General (US Air Force and Space Force) | One-star general officer rank in the Air Force and Space Force, pay grade O-7. |
| CAPT | Captain (US Navy and Coast Guard) | Senior officer rank at pay grade O-6 in the Navy and Coast Guard, insignia a silver eagle or four gold sleeve stripes. |
| CCM | Command Chief Master Sergeant | Air Force and Space Force chief master sergeant serving as the senior enlisted leader of a wing, numbered air force, major command or field command, advising the… |
| CMSAF | Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force | Single most senior enlisted position in the US Air Force, serving as personal adviser to the chief of staff and secretary of the Air Force on enlisted matters. |
| CMSgt | Chief Master Sergeant | Highest regular Air Force and Space Force enlisted rank, pay grade E-9, insignia five chevrons below the star and three above. |
| CMSSF | Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force | Senior enlisted leader of the US Space Force, advising the chief of space operations on the training, readiness and welfare of enlisted Guardians. |
| COL | Colonel (US Army) | Senior field-grade Army officer, pay grade O-6, whose insignia is a silver eagle. |
| GEN | General (US Army) | Highest active Army rank, pay grade O-10, worn as four silver stars. |
| Lt Col | Lieutenant Colonel (US Air Force and Space Force) | Senior officer grade O-5 in the Air Force and Space Force, shown by a silver oak leaf. |
| Lt Gen | Lieutenant General (US Air Force and Space Force) | Three-star general officer rank in the Air Force and Space Force, pay grade O-9, held by commanders of numbered air forces and major field commands, senior Pentagon… |
| MAJ | Major (US Army) | First field-grade officer rank in the Army, pay grade O-4, marked by a gold oak leaf. |
| Maj Gen | Major General (US Air Force and Space Force) | Two-star general officer rank in the Air Force and Space Force, pay grade O-8, commonly held by numbered air force commanders, major center commanders and senior… |
| MSgt | Master Sergeant (US Air Force and Space Force) | First senior NCO grade in the Air Force and Space Force, pay grade E-7, insignia five chevrons below the star with one chevron above. |
| SGT | Sergeant (US Army) | First of the Army's sergeant grades, pay grade E-5, worn as three chevrons. |
| SMSgt | Senior Master Sergeant | Second-highest enlisted grade, E-8, in the Air Force and Space Force, worn as five chevrons below the star and two above. |
| Spc1 | Specialist 1 | Lowest enlisted rank in the US Space Force, pay grade E-1. |
| Spc2 | Specialist 2 | Space Force enlisted rank at pay grade E-2, held by most Guardians during technical training. |
| Spc3 | Specialist 3 | Space Force enlisted rank at pay grade E-3, the grade at which many Guardians are working their first operational crew positions on satellite command, missile warning… |
| Spc4 | Specialist 4 | Space Force enlisted rank at pay grade E-4, the senior junior-enlisted grade before promotion to sergeant. |
| SrA | Senior Airman | Air Force enlisted rank at pay grade E-4, three chevrons around a star. |
| SSgt | Staff Sergeant (US Air Force) | First noncommissioned officer grade in the Air Force, pay grade E-5, worn as four chevrons around a star. |
| TSgt | Technical Sergeant | Pay grade E-6 in both the Air Force and Space Force, worn as five chevrons around a star. |
More military abbreviations
- British Military Rank Abbreviations (50)
- Military Award and Decoration Abbreviations (37)
- Military Pay Grade Abbreviations (44)
- Military Term Abbreviations (248)
- Military Unit and Organization Abbreviations (126)
- Naval Ship Abbreviations (23)
- US Army Rank Abbreviations (34)
- US Marine Corps Rank Abbreviations (25)
- US Navy and Coast Guard Rank Abbreviations (31)
- US Navy and Coast Guard Rating Abbreviations (52)
- Veteran Abbreviations (53)
- Weapon and Military Equipment Abbreviations (77)