Military ranks of Brazil

The military ranks of Brazil are the military insignia used by the Brazilian Armed Forces. The insignia and ranks of the Brazilian military are defined by Act no. 6880 of December 9, 1980.^[1]

Air Force ranks date from 1941, when the Brazilian Air Force was organized as a merger of the Navy's Aeronaval Force and the Army's Aviation Service.^[2]

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

The shoulder epaulette pads from Navy and Air Force indicate both rank and specialty branch. The air force examples below are shown without branch designation marks on the epaulettes, with the exception of the ranks of Marshal of the Air Force and Air Chief Marshal, which can only be occupied by aviators. Army shoulder pads do not represent branch, as this is indicated elsewhere in the uniform like on the cuff and sleeves of the dress and everyday uniforms.^[3]

The Military Police alongside the Military Firefighters Corps are classed as an auxiliary and reserve forces of the Army^[4] and thus carry insignia similar to that service. Another important point to mention is that police forces are subordinate to the governors of their respective states. As a result, the structure of their insignias follows that of the Brazilian Army. However, each state has its own legislation, regulations regarding insignias, uniforms, historical uniforms, and teaching academies for both NCOs and COs.^[3]

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Brazilian Army[5] v t e
	Marechal		General de exército		General de divisão		General de brigada				Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro tenente			Segundo tenente
Brazilian Navy[6] v t e
	Almirante		Almirante de esquadra		Vice-almirante		Contra-almirante				Capitão de mar e guerra		Capitão de fragata		Capitão de corveta		Capitão-tenente		Primeiro-tenente			Segundo-tenente
Brazilian Marine Corps v t e
			Almirante-de-esquadra fuzileiro naval		Vice-almirante fuzileiro naval		Contra-almirante fuzileiro naval				Capitão-de-mar-e-guerra fuzileiro naval		Capitão-de-fragata fuzileiro naval		Capitão-de-corveta fuzileiro naval		Capitão-tenente fuzileiro naval		Primeiro-tenente fuzileiro naval			Segundo-tenente fuzileiro naval
Brazilian Air Force[7] v t e
	Marechal-do-ar		Tenente-brigadeiro do Ar		Major-brigadeiro		Brigadeiro				Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro-tenente			Segundo-tenente
Brazilian Military Police[8] v t e
											Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro tenente			Segundo tenente
Military Firefighters Corps v t e
											Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro tenente			Segundo tenente
Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers

Police force and firefighter corps commanders and chiefs

The highest commander of the police force is the governor.^[4] Since it serves as an auxiliary force to the army,^[4] the highest rank attainable is that of colonel.^[9] However, there are special ranks designated for military commanders within the police. These positions are appointed by each governor and are exclusively assigned to senior officers, most of whom are colonels.^[10]

The design of insignias may vary from state to state, and in some states, certain positions may or may not include a distinction in rank design.^[11]

Rank	Colonel					Lieutenant colonel		Major
Brazilian Military Police[8]
	Comandante geral	Governor military cabinet chief	Deputy general commander/ Chief of Staff	Chief of Staff Or Deputy Chief of Staff	Colonel in the role of military court judge	Governor military cabinet chief/ Interim		Governor military cabinet chief
Military Firefighters Corps
	Comandante Geral		Deputy general commander	Chief of Staff

Rank flags

Rank	General / Flag Officers				Senior Officers
Brazilian Army[12]
Brazilian Navy[13]
Brazilian Air Force[14]

Student officers

Each branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces has its own institutions for training commissioned officers (COs) and non-commissioned officers (NCOs). The academies responsible for officer training in each branch are:

• Army: Agulhas Negras Military Academy (AMAN), Military Institute of Engineering (IME), Reserve Officers' Training Centers [pt] (NPOR/CPOR), Army School of Health and Complementary Training [pt] (ESFCEx/EsFCEx) (Which also houses the Military Chaplains School for the Army), and the Army School of Physical Education [pt] (EsEFEx).^[15]
• Navy: Naval School (EN) and Admiral Wandenkolk Training Center (CIAW).
• Air Force: Brazilian Air Force Academy (AFA) and Air Force Reserve Officers' Preparatory Centers [pt] (CPORAER).

For police forces, each state has its own academies; however, the most famous is the Barro Branco Police Academy [pt] (APMBB) in the state of São Paulo.

Rank group	Special Student Grade	Junior officer	Student officer/Cadets
			5th year		4th year	3rd year	2nd year	1st year
IME[16]		Aspirante a Oficial
			Aluno do 5° ano de ativa[16]	Aluno do 5° ano da reserva[16]	Aluno do 4° ano	Aluno do 3° ano	Aluno do 2° ano	Aluno do 1° ano
AMAN[16]
					Cadete do 4° ano[16]	Cadete do 3° ano	Cadete do 2° ano	Cadete do 1° ano
CPOR[16]
					Aluno CPOR[16]
EsFCEx[17]
	Primeiro-Tenente Aluno (Sleeve)
EN[18]							Aspirante do 2° ano	Aspirante do 1° ano
		Guarda-Marinha			Aspirante do 4° ano[18]	Aspirante do 3° ano
		Guarda-Marinha (Marines)			Aspirante do 4° ano (Marines)[18]	Aspirante do 3° ano (Marines)
AFA[19]		Aspirante
					Cadete 4° ano	Cadete 3° ano	Cadete 2° ano	Cadete 1° ano
CPORaer[19]
							Aluno 2° periodo	Aluno 1° periodo
Brazilian Military Police
		Aspirante a oficial			Aluno-oficial 4° ano (APMBB)	Aluno-oficial 3° ano (APMBB)	Aluno-oficial 2° ano (APMBB)	Aluno-oficial 1° ano (APMBB)
Military Firefighters Corps
		Aspirante				Aluno-oficial 3° ano	Aluno-oficial 2° ano	Aluno-oficial 1° ano
Rank group	Special Student Grade	Junior officer	5th year		4th year	3rd year	2nd year	1st year
			Student officer/Cadets

Preparatory school

The Brazilian system includes a preparatory stage before entering the military academy. Known as preparatory schools, students who graduate from these institutions are guaranteed access to their respective academies, as follows:

• Army: Brazilian Army Preparatory School of Cadets (EsPCEx) (1 year) provides a guaranteed place at AMAN.
• Navy: Naval College [pt] (CN) (3 years, combined with high school) provides a guaranteed place at EN.
• Air Force: Preparatory School for Air Cadets [pt] (EPCAr) (3 years, combined with high school) provides a guaranteed place at AFA.

Rank group	Cadets (preparatory schools)
EsPCEx[16]
	Aluno EsPCEx[16]
EPCAr[19]
	Aluno EPCAR 3°Ano[19]	Aluno EPCAR 2°Ano	Aluno EPCAR 1°Ano
CN[18]
	Aluno CN 3° Ano[18]	Aluno CN 2° Ano	Aluno CN 1° Ano

Non-commissioned Officers

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Brazilian Army[5] v t e
	Subtenente										Primeiro-sargento						Segundo-sargento			Terceiro-sargento			Taifeiro-mor		Cabo				Taifeiro primeira classe						Taifeiro segunda classe	Soldado
Brazilian Navy[6] v t e
	Suboficial										Primeiro-sargento						Segundo-sargento			Terceiro-sargento			Cabo						Marinheiro
Brazilian Marine Corps v t e
	Suboficial fuzileiro naval										Primeiro-sargento fuzileiro naval						Segundo-sargento fuzileiro naval			Terceiro-sargento fuzileiro naval			Cabo fuzileiro naval						Soldado fuzileiro naval
Brazilian Air Force[7] v t e
	Suboficial										Primeiro-Sargento						Segundo-Sargento			Terceiro-Sargento			Cabo		Taifeiro-mor				Soldado			Taifeiro primeira classe			Soldado segunda classe	Taifeiro segunda classe
Brazilian Military Police[8] v t e
	Subtenente										Primeiro-sargento						Segundo-sargento			Terceiro-sargento			Cabo						Soldado primeira classe						Soldado segunda classe
Military Firefighters Corps v t e
	Subtenente										Primeiro-sargento						Segundo-sargento			Terceiro-sargento			Cabo						Bombeiro primeira classe						Bombeiro segunda classe
Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted

Students non-commissioned officers

Future NCOs are not classified as Cadets but rather as Students (Aluno in PT). Additionally, the term "Student" is followed by the rank for which they are being trained. For example, for corporals: Student-Corporal; and for sergeants: Student-Sergeant.^{[citation needed]}

The academies responsible for NCO training in each branch are:

• Army: ESA (The course lasts for two years, and graduates are commissioned as Third Sergeants
• Navy: EAM and CIAA (It lasts 2 months to be a Sergeant, but you must have completed the Apprentice (11 months) and Corporal (4 Months) courses beforehand to be eligible).
• Air Force: EEAR (The course lasts for two years, and graduates are commissioned as Third Sergeants).

For police forces, each state has its own academies. In São Paulo State, the Escola Superior de Sargentos (ESSgt) can be translated as Sergeants' Advanced School or Higher School for Sergeants.^[20]

It is worth mentioning that there are other courses for training sergeants and corporals, as well as advanced training courses. One of these courses is the CFST (Temporary Sergeant Training Course), which allows the NCO to remain in an active military career for a maximum of 8 years.^[21]

Students who graduate from sergeant courses can attain the positions of Sub-lieutenant (in the army or police) or Sub-officer (in Navy, Air Force and Marines).^[22] However, depending on the NCO's performance and additional courses completed, they may rise to the rank of Captain.^[20]

Rank group	Sargeants candidates				Corporal candidates		Soldier candidates
Brazilian Army
	Sargento-Aluno (ESA) 2°Ano[23]		Aluno-Sargento (ESA) 1°Ano[23]				Atirador (Tiro de Guerra)
	Sargento-Aluno (CFST)[16]		Aluno-Sargento (CFST)[16]		Cabo-Aluno (CFC)[16]	Aluno-Cabo (CFC)[16]
Brazilian Air Force
	Aluno 4° Período (EEAR)[24]	Aluno 3° Período (EEAR)	Aluno 2° Período (EEAR)	Aluno 1° Período (EEAR)			Aluno-Taifeiro[24]
Brazilian Military Police
	Aluno-Sargento (Essgt) (SP)	Aluno-Sargento[25] (ES)	Aluno-Sargento[26] (SC)		Aluno-Cabo[26] (SC)
Military Firefighters Corps
	Aluno-Sargento[27] (PB)				Aluno-Cabo[27] (PB)		Aluno-Soldado[27] (PB)	Aluno-Soldado (PR)

Generalissimo

Generalissimo Fonseca in 1891.

First Proposed Insignia for "Generalíssimo de Terra e Mar das Forças Armadas do Brasil, following other insignias' pattern for accuracy"^{[citation needed]}

Second Proposed Insignia for "Generalíssimo de Terra e Mar das Forças Armadas do Brasil, following other insignias' pattern for accuracy"^{[citation needed]}

On January 15, 1890, Deodoro da Fonseca was acclaimed by the troops as "Generalíssimo Comandante das Forças de Terra e Mar" (Generalissimo Commandant of the Forces of Land and Sea), thus becoming the only "six-star general officer" in Brazil.^[28]

See also

• Military ranks of the Empire of Brazil
• Military ranks of Portugal