🇨🇱
Chilean Military Ranks
The Chilean Army has 19 ranks — 11 officer and 8 enlisted — from Soldado de tropa profesional up to General de ejército. Below: all 58 ranks across 3 branches (Army, Navy, Air Force), with insignia and NATO-code equivalents.
Branches
3
Ranks documented
58
Active personnel
77K
Army
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 19 of 19 matched
| 🇨🇱 Chile · Army | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
General de ejército
|
OF-9 General |
General
|
General de división
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Lieutenant general
|
General de brigada
|
OF-7 Major General |
Major general
|
Brigadier
|
OF-6 Brigadier General |
Brigadier general
|
Coronel
|
OF-5 Colonel |
Colonel
|
Teniente coronel
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
Lieutenant colonel
|
| Mayor | OF-3 Major / Commandant |
Major
|
Capitán
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Teniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Subteniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Alférez
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Suboficial mayor
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command sergeant major
Sergeant major
|
Suboficial
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
First sergeant
Master sergeant
|
Sargento primero
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
Sergeant first class
|
Sargento segundo
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
Staff sergeant
|
Cabo primero
|
OR-5 Sergeant |
Sergeant
|
Cabo segundo
|
OR-4 Corporal |
Specialist
Corporal
|
Cabo
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Private first class
|
Soldado de tropa profesional
|
OR-1 Private | Private |
Navy
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 19 of 19 matched
| 🇨🇱 Chile · Navy | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Almirante
|
OF-9 General |
Admiral
|
Vicealmirante
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Vice admiral
|
Contraalmirante
|
OF-7 Major General |
Rear admiral
|
Comodoro
|
OF-6 Brigadier General |
Rear admiral (lower half)
|
Capitán de navío
|
OF-5 Colonel |
Captain
|
Capitán de fragata
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
Commander
|
Capitán de corbeta
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
Lieutenant commander
|
Teniente 1°
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Lieutenant
|
Teniente 2°
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Ensign
|
Subteniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Ensign
|
Guardiamarina
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Ensign
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Suboficial mayor
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command master chief petty officer
Master chief petty officer
|
Suboficial
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
Command senior chief petty officer
Senior chief petty officer
|
Sargento primero
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
Chief petty officer
|
Sargento segundo
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
Petty officer first class
|
Cabo primero
|
OR-5 Sergeant |
Petty officer second class
|
Cabo segundo
|
OR-4 Corporal |
Petty officer third class
|
Marinero primero
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Seaman
|
Marinero segundo
|
OR-1 Private | Seaman recruit |
Air Force
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 20 of 20 matched
| 🇨🇱 Chile · Air Force | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
General de aire
|
OF-9 General |
General
|
General de aviación
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Lieutenant general
|
General de brigada aérea
|
OF-7 Major General |
Major general
|
Comodoro
|
OF-6 Brigadier General |
Brigadier general
|
Coronel de aviación
|
OF-5 Colonel |
Colonel
|
Comandante de grupo
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
Lieutenant colonel
|
Comandante de escuadrilla
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
Major
|
Capitán de bandada
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Teniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Subteniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Alférez
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Suboficial mayor
|
OR-9 Sergeant Major |
Command chief master sergeant
First sergeant
Chief master sergeant
|
Suboficial
|
OR-8 1st Sergeant |
First sergeant
Senior master sergeant
|
Sargento primero
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
First sergeant
Master sergeant
|
Sargento segundo
|
OR-6 Staff Sergeant |
Technical sergeant
|
Cabo primero
|
OR-5 Sergeant |
Staff sergeant
|
Cabo segundo
|
OR-4 Corporal |
Senior airman
|
Cabo
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Airman first class
|
| Soldado de tropa profesional | OR-2 Private |
Airman
|
Alumno
|
OR-1 Private | Airman basic |
Overview
- Army (Ejército de Chile): Conducts land operations, territorial defense, and border security. Headquartered in Santiago, the force is organized into six divisions, a special operations brigade, and an aviation brigade. It operates armored, motorized, mechanized, and mountain units suited to regional geographic conditions.
- Navy (Armada de Chile): Executes naval warfare, maritime patrol, and search and rescue operations across the Pacific coastline. Headquartered in Valparaíso, it manages the surface fleet, submarine force, and naval aviation assets. The branch also exercises administrative authority over national maritime territories, including Antarctic claims.
- Air Force (Fuerza Aérea de Chile): Executes air defense, combat operations, and aerial transport. Headquartered in Santiago, the force is organized into five air brigades and operates fighter squadrons, transport aircraft, and utility helicopters. It maintains logistics corridors and supports facilities at the Presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva Station in Antarctica.
- Marine Corps (Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina): Functions as an amphibious assault and coastal defense force organized under the Navy. Headquartered in Concón, it consists of four detachments deployed across the national naval zones. The force conducts expeditionary warfare, beachhead landings, and military security operations.
- Coast Guard (Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo y de Marina Mercante): Serves as the maritime authority and coast guard, operating as a specialized military directorate under the Navy. It enforces maritime laws, conducts search and rescue, and regulates merchant shipping. The force operates patrol vessels, coastal radar stations, and aviation assets to police the exclusive economic zone.
- Carabineros (Carabineros de Chile): Operates as a national gendarmerie and militarized police force under the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security, with transfer provisions to the Ministry of Defense during wartime. It conducts public order maintenance, border patrol, and law enforcement operations nationwide. The force maintains military ranks, discipline, and training structures.
Chile Military
Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) and other open sources.
Insignia image credits
- Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons: General de ejército, General de división, General de brigada, Brigadier, Coronel, Teniente coronel, Capitán, Teniente, Subteniente (Army), Alférez, Suboficial mayor (Army), Suboficial (Army), Sargento primero (Army), Sargento segundo (Army), Cabo primero (Army), Cabo segundo (Army), Cabo (Army), Soldado de tropa profesional, Capitán de navío, Capitán de fragata, Capitán de corbeta, Teniente 1°, Teniente 2°, Subteniente (Navy), Guardiamarina, Suboficial mayor (Navy), Suboficial (Navy), Sargento primero (Navy), Sargento segundo (Navy), Cabo primero (Navy), Cabo segundo (Navy), Marinero primero, Marinero segundo, Suboficial (Air Force), Sargento primero (Air Force), Sargento segundo (Air Force), Cabo primero (Air Force), Cabo segundo (Air Force), Cabo (Air Force), Alumno
- Skjoldbro — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: General de aire, General de aviación, General de brigada aérea, Comodoro, Coronel de aviación, Comandante de grupo, Comandante de escuadrilla, Capitán de bandada, Teniente, Subteniente, Alférez, Suboficial mayor
- Tzarkonrad — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Almirante, Vicealmirante, Contraalmirante, Comodoro