Military ranks of Brazil

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Brazilian Armed Forces
Components
Ranks
Military ranks of Brazil
History
Military history 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.[citation needed]

The Military Police alongside the Military Firefighters Corps are classed as an auxiliary and reserve forces of the Army[3] 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.[citation needed]

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Brazilian Army[4]
 Marshal Army General Divisional General Brigade General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain First Lieutenant Second Lieutenant
Marechal General de exército General de divisão General de brigada Coronel Tenente-coronel Major Capitão Primeiro tenente Segundo tenente
Brazilian Navy[5]
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
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[6]
Marechal-do-ar Tenente-brigadeiro do Ar Major-brigadeiro Brigadeiro Coronel Tenente-coronel Major Capitão Primeiro-tenente Segundo-tenente
Brazilian Military Police[7]
Coronel Tenente-coronel Major Capitão Primeiro tenente Segundo tenente
Brazil Military Firefighters Corps
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.[3] Since it serves as an auxiliary force to the army,[3] the highest rank attainable is that of colonel.[8] 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.[9]

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.[10]

Rank Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major
Brazilian Military Police[7]
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
Brazil Military Firefighters Corps
Comandante Geral Deputy general commander Chief of Staff

Rank flags

Rank General / Flag Officers Senior Officers
 Brazilian Army[11]
 Brazilian Navy[12]
 Brazilian Air Force[13]

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:

For police forces, each state has its own academies; however, the most famous is the Barro Branco 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[15]

Aspirante a Oficial

Aluno do 5° ano de ativa[15] Aluno do 5° ano da reserva[15] Aluno do 4° ano Aluno do 3° ano Aluno do 2° ano Aluno do 1° ano
AMAN[15]
Cadete do 4° ano[15] Cadete do 3° ano Cadete do 2° ano Cadete do 1° ano
CPOR[15]
Aluno CPOR[15]
EsFCEx[16]
Primeiro-Tenente Aluno (Sleeve)
EN[17]

Aspirante do 2° ano

Aspirante do 1° ano

Guarda-Marinha Aspirante do 4° ano[17] Aspirante do 3° ano
Guarda-Marinha (Marines) Aspirante do 4° ano (Marines)[17] Aspirante do 3° ano (Marines)
AFA[18]

Aspirante

Cadete 4° ano Cadete 3° ano Cadete 2° ano Cadete 1° ano
CPORaer[18]
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)

Brazil 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:

Rank group Cadets
(preparatory schools)
EsPCEx[15]
Aluno EsPCEx[15]
EPCAr[18]
Aluno EPCAR

3°Ano[18]

Aluno EPCAR

2°Ano

Aluno EPCAR

1°Ano

CN[17]
Aluno CN

3° Ano[17]

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[4]
Subtenente Primeiro-sargento Segundo-sargento Terceiro-sargento Taifeiro-mor Cabo Taifeiro primeira classe Taifeiro segunda classe Soldado
Brazilian Navy[5]
Suboficial Primeiro-sargento Segundo-sargento Terceiro-sargento Cabo Marinheiro
 Brazilian Marine Corps
Suboficial fuzileiro naval Primeiro-sargento fuzileiro naval Segundo-sargento fuzileiro naval Terceiro-sargento fuzileiro naval Cabo fuzileiro naval Soldado fuzileiro naval
 Brazilian Air Force[6]
Suboficial Primeiro-Sargento Segundo-Sargento Terceiro-Sargento Cabo Taifeiro-mor Soldado Taifeiro primeira classe Soldado segunda classe Taifeiro segunda classe
Brazilian Military Police[7]
Subtenente Primeiro-sargento Segundo-sargento Terceiro-sargento Cabo Soldado primeira classe Soldado segunda classe
Brazil Military Firefighters Corps
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.[citation needed]

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.[19]

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).[20] However, depending on the NCO's performance and additional courses completed, they may rise to the rank of Captain.[citation needed]

Rank group Sargeants candidates Corporal candidates Soldier candidates
 Brazilian Army
Sargento-Aluno (ESA) 2°Ano[21] Aluno-Sargento (ESA) 1°Ano[21] Atirador (Tiro de Guerra)
Sargento-Aluno

(CFST)[15]

Aluno-Sargento

(CFST)[15]

Cabo-Aluno (CFC)[15] Aluno-Cabo

(CFC)[15]

 Brazilian Air Force
Aluno 4° Período

(EEAR)[22]

Aluno 3° Período

(EEAR)

Aluno 2° Período

(EEAR)

Aluno 1° Período

(EEAR)

Aluno-Taifeiro[22]
Brazilian Military Police
Aluno-Sargento

(Essgt) (SP)

Aluno-Sargento[23]

(ES)

Aluno-Sargento[24]

(SC)

Aluno-Cabo[24]

(SC)

Military Firefighters Corps
Aluno-Sargento[25]

(PB)

Aluno-Cabo[25]

(PB)

Aluno-Soldado[25]

(PB)

Aluno-Soldado

(PR)

Generalissimo

Generalissimo Fonseca in 1891.
Dress uniforms of Emperor Pedro II, as Commander-in-Chief of the National and Imperial Navy. Their sleeve insignia would later be reused for Deodoro da Fonseca as Generalissimo.

On January 15, 1890, Deodoro da Fonseca was acclaimed by the troops as "Generalíssimo de Terra e Mar" (Generalissimo of Land and Sea), thus becoming the only "six-star general officer" in Brazil.[26]
Official statements regarding the specifications of his Generalissimo uniforms remain unavailable; however, his rank insignia, as seen in a few oil painting portraits and photographs, consisted of two stylized oak branches adorned on both sides by leaves and fruits, along with six or seven small stars between the branches, all embroidered in gold on each sleeve. The design has been previously worn by the Emperors Pedro I and II, as commanders-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Brazilian Empire, yet the rationale for adopting their design is likewise unknown.[27]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Act no. 6880 of December 9, 1980.
  2. ^ Instituto Histórico e Cultural da Aeronáutica. História geral da aeronáutica brasileira [General history of Brazilian aeronautics] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Vol. 3.
  3. ^ a b c BRASIL. Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil de 1988. Art. 144, § 6º. Emenda Constitucional nº 104, de 4 de dezembro de 2019. Disponível em: https://www.jusbrasil.com.br/topicos/10673132/artigo-144-da-constituicao-federal-de-1988.
  4. ^ a b "Postos e Graduações - Exército". eb.mil.br (in Portuguese). Brazilian Army. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Postos e Graduações". marinha.mil.br (in Portuguese). Brazilian Navy. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Postos e Graduações". fab.mil.br (in Portuguese). Brazilian Air Force. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b c "Insígnias". Polícia Militar do Estado de São Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  8. ^ BRASIL. Lei nº 14.751, de 12 de dezembro de 2023. Art. 12, Inciso I. Lei Orgânica Nacional das Polícias Militares e dos Corpos de Bombeiros Militares dos Estados, do Distrito Federal e dos Territórios. Disponível em: https://normas.leg.br/?urn=urn:lex:br:federal:lei:2023-12-12;14751
  9. ^ BRASIL. Lei nº 14.751, de 12 de dezembro de 2023. Art. 29. Lei Orgânica Nacional das Polícias Militares e dos Corpos de Bombeiros Militares dos Estados, do Distrito Federal e dos Territórios. Disponível em: https://normas.leg.br/?urn=urn:lex:br:federal:lei:2023-12-12;14751
  10. ^ BRASIL. Lei nº 14.751, de 12 de dezembro de 2023. Art. 15, inciso I. Lei Orgânica Nacional das Polícias Militares e dos Corpos de Bombeiros Militares dos Estados, do Distrito Federal e dos Territórios. Disponível em: https://normas.leg.br/?urn=urn:lex:br:federal:lei:2023-12-12;14751
  11. ^ "Normas para a Feitura de Insígnias de Comando, Chefia ou Direção" (in Brazilian Portuguese). 4 July 1980.
  12. ^ "Portaria No 368 /MB, de 30 de Novembro de 2016" (PDF). Boletim da Marinha do Brasil. I (Administrativo) Nº 12/2016. 30 November 2026.
  13. ^ "Símbolos Heráldicos da Aeronáutica". Publicada No BCA Nº 180, de 5 de Outubro de 2020. 2020-09-22.
  14. ^ https://www.esefex.eb.mil.br/
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Army Commander (8 October 2015). Portaria Nº 1.424 [Ordinance No. 1.424] (Annex C) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Ministry of Defense. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Busca". esfcex.eb.mil.br. Retrieved 2025-02-16.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Regulamento de Uniformes da Marinha do Brasil (RUMB) - Volume I - Normas Gerais e Básicas sobre os Uniformes da MB" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 24, 2024.
  18. ^ a b c d "Insígnias e Acessórios da Força Aérea Brasileira". SlideShare. 2015-03-03. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  19. ^ MINISTÉRIO DA DEFESA. 8º Batalhão de Polícia do Exército. Curso de Formação de Sargento Temporário, § 5º. Disponível em: https://8bpe.eb.mil.br/index.php/pt/curso-de-formacao-de-sargento-temporario.
  20. ^ BRASIL. Lei nº 14.751, de 12 de dezembro de 2023. Art. 15, inciso V. Lei Orgânica Nacional das Polícias Militares e dos Corpos de Bombeiros Militares dos Estados, do Distrito Federal e dos Territórios. Disponível em: https://normas.leg.br/?urn=urn:lex:br:federal:lei:2023-12-12;14751
  21. ^ a b "Portaria – C Ex Nº 2.259, de 5 de junho de 2024". Diário da União. 5 June 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Regulamento De uniformes Para Militares da Aeronáutica (RUMAER) RCA35-2/2023" (PDF). Ministério da Defesa. Comando da Aeronáutica. Estado-Maior da Aeronáutica (RCA 35-2). 20 April 2023.
  23. ^ "Regulamento de Uniformes e Insígnias da Policía Militar do Espíritu Santo" (PDF). PORTARIA Nº 707-R, de 21.06.2017. Comissão de elaboração do Regulamento de Uniformes da PMES: 35. 21 June 2017.
  24. ^ a b "Conheça a Hierarquia Na #PMSC". X (Twitter). 2020-10-27.
  25. ^ a b c "Aprova o Regulamento de Uniformes do Corpo de Bombeiros Militar da Paraíba (RUCBM/PB)" (PDF). Diário oficial. Nº 14.621. João Pessoa - Domingo, 17 de Abril de 2011 (DECRETO Nº 32.101, de 15 de Abril de 2011): 9. 2011-04-17.
  26. ^ "Os Atos do Governo Provisório". Prefeitura de Marechal Deodoro. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  27. ^ RODRIGUES, J. W. "Fardas do Reino Unido e do Império" (PDF). Museu Imperial - Instituto Brasileiro de Museus. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
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