Every Rank in the US Air Force Explained in Detail

Every Rank in the US Air Force Explained in Detail

The US Air Force has 28 distinct ranks from Airman Basic (E-1) to General of the Air Force (five-star), covering all enlisted ranks E-1 through E-9 and officer ranks O-1 through O-10. This Air Force ranks breakdown explains Airman Basic with no insignia, Senior Airman with Below the Zone promotion, Staff Sergeant as first NCO, Technical Sergeant after 12 years average, Master Sergeant as flight chief, Senior Master Sergeant limited to 2.5% of enlisted force, Chief Master Sergeant representing top 1%, and First Sergeant special duty with diamond insignia.

Officer ranks include Second Lieutenant, Captain commanding flights, Major as first field-grade officer, Lieutenant Colonel commanding squadrons of 200-500 personnel, Colonel as wing commander managing 1,000-4,000 personnel, Brigadier General through Lieutenant General, General as Chief of Staff, and General of the Air Force held only by General Henry H. Arnold who became the only five-star general in two services after commanding Army Air Forces in World War II.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Airman Basic (E-1, No Insignia, Basic Training)
00:51 - Airman (E-2, Single Chevron)
01:46 - Airman First Class (E-3, Two Chevrons)
02:32 - Senior Airman (E-4, Three Chevrons)
03:43 - Staff Sergeant (E-5, First NCO Rank) CORRECTION: Staff Sergeant has 3 chevrons with 1 rocker underneath, not 4 chevrons. Thank you to viewers who caught this error.
04:53 - Technical Sergeant (E-6, Section Supervisor)
05:42 - Master Sergeant (E-7, Flight Chief)
06:54 - First Sergeant (Special Duty Assignment, Diamond Insignia)
07:45 - Senior Master Sergeant (E-8, Limited to 2.5% of Force)
08:54 - Chief Master Sergeant (E-9, Limited to 1% of Force)
09:42 - Command Chief Master Sergeant (Senior Enlisted Adviser)
10:22 - Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (Top Enlisted Position)
10:59 - Second Lieutenant (O-1, Entry-Level Officer)
11:58 - First Lieutenant (O-2, Experienced Junior Officer)
12:45 - Captain (O-3, Flight Commander)
14:19 - Major (O-4, First Field-Grade Officer)
15:28 - Lieutenant Colonel (O-5, Squadron Commander)
16:15 - Colonel (O-6, Wing Commander)
17:31 - Brigadier General (O-7, One Star)
18:22 - Major General (O-8, Two Stars)
19:32 - Lieutenant General (O-9, Three Stars)
20:15 - General (O-10, Four Stars)
21:07 - General of the Air Force (Five Stars, General Henry H. Arnold)
22:31 - Conclusion

🎓 TRAINING & EDUCATION:
Basic Military Training: 8 weeks (Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland)
Technical Training School: Weeks to 2+ years depending on specialty
Airman Leadership School: 6 weeks (required before Staff Sergeant)
First Sergeant Academy: Counseling, military justice, crisis intervention
Squadron Officer School: Required for Captains
Air Command and Staff College: Required for field-grade officers
Air War College: Senior officer professional education
Professional Military Education: Required at each tier for advancement

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🧠 Mission Intel breaks down the complex world of armed forces in the simplest way possible. We cover every branch—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Special Forces—explaining modern technology, tactics, and the future of warfare in clear, easy-to-follow detail.

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🎓 EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE: This documentary is created for educational analysis of military history, international relations, and geopolitical strategy.

COPYRIGHT: Fair use under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research. Fair Dealing under UK Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 section 30.