🇲🇽
Mexican Military Ranks
The Mexican Army has 15 ranks — 11 officer and 4 enlisted — from Soldado up to Secretario de la defensa nacional. Below: all 58 ranks across 4 branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard), with insignia and NATO-code equivalents.
Branches
4
Ranks documented
58
Active personnel
216K
Army
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 15 of 15 matched
| 🇲🇽 Mexico · Army | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Secretario de la defensa nacional
|
OF-9 General |
General
|
General de división
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Lieutenant general
|
General de brigada
|
OF-7 Major General |
Major general
|
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
|
Capitan primero
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Capitán segundo
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Teniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Subteniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Sargento primero
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
Sergeant first class
|
Sargento segundo
|
OR-5 Sergeant |
Sergeant
|
Cabo
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Private first class
|
Soldado
|
OR-1 Private | Private |
Navy
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 15 of 15 matched
| 🇲🇽 Mexico · Navy | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Secretario de Marina
|
OF-9 General |
Admiral
|
Almirante
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Vice admiral
|
Vicealmirante
|
OF-7 Major General |
Rear admiral
|
Contraalmirante
|
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 de navío
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Lieutenant
|
Teniente de fragata
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Ensign
|
Teniente de corbeta
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
Lieutenant (junior grade)
Ensign
|
Guardiamarina
|
OF-D Student Officer |
Midshipman / officer candidate
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Segundo maestre
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
Chief petty officer
|
Tercer maestre
|
OR-5 Sergeant |
Petty officer second class
|
Cabo
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Seaman
|
Marinero
|
OR-1 Private | Seaman recruit |
Air Force
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 14 of 14 matched
| 🇲🇽 Mexico · Air Force | NATO code |
Equivalent in
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
General de división
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Lieutenant general
|
General de ala
|
OF-7 Major General |
Major general
|
General de grupo
|
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
|
Capitan primero
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Capitán segundo
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Teniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Subteniente
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Sargento primero
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
First sergeant
Master sergeant
|
Sargento segundo
|
OR-5 Sergeant |
Staff sergeant
|
Cabo
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Airman first class
|
Soldado
|
OR-1 Private | Airman basic |
National Guard
Rank Ladder
Highest first · 14 of 14 matched
| 🇲🇽 Mexico · National Guard | NATO code |
Equivalent in
United States equivalents from its Army.
|
|---|---|---|
| Officers | ||
Comisario General
|
OF-8 Lieutenant General |
Lieutenant general
|
Comisario Jefe
|
OF-7 Major General |
Major general
|
Comisario
|
OF-6 Brigadier General |
Brigadier general
|
Inspector General
|
OF-5 Colonel |
Colonel
|
Inspector Jefe
|
OF-4 Lieutenant Colonel |
Lieutenant colonel
|
Inspector
|
OF-3 Major / Commandant |
Major
|
Subinspector Primero
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Subinspector Segundo
|
OF-2 Captain / 1st Lieutenant |
Captain
|
Oficial
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
Suboficial
|
OF-1 Lieutenant |
First lieutenant
Second lieutenant
|
| Enlisted ranks | ||
Agente Mayor
|
OR-7 Sergeant 1st Class |
Sergeant first class
|
Agente
|
OR-5 Sergeant |
Sergeant
|
Subagente
|
OR-3 Private 1st Class |
Private first class
|
Guardia Nacional
|
OR-1 Private | Private |
Overview
- Mexican Army (Ejército Mexicano): Conducts ground combat, territorial defense, and counter-narcotics operations. It is administered by the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) and organized into regional military zones. The branch fields infantry, motorized cavalry, artillery, and engineer units, with no main battle tanks in its inventory.
- Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Mexicana): Executes airspace defense, aerial reconnaissance, and tactical transport missions. Also administered by SEDENA, it operates transport, combat, and rotary-wing aircraft to support ground forces and assist in disaster relief. The branch maintains air bases across the country, with its logistics hub at Santa Lucía.
- Mexican Navy (Armada de México): Secures maritime borders, the exclusive economic zone, and offshore infrastructure in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Administered by the Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR), it deploys surface combatants, patrol vessels, and naval aviation assets. It also operates search and rescue stations along both coastlines.
- Mexican Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infantería de Marina): Serves as the amphibious and expeditionary force under the direct command of SEMAR. It conducts port security, coastal patrolling, and internal security operations against organized crime. Units are organized into naval infantry battalions, amphibious reaction forces, and special forces groups.
- National Guard (Guardia Nacional): Functions as a national police force with military status, integrated under SEDENA as a permanent branch of the armed forces following constitutional reforms. It executes public safety duties, border security, and domestic law enforcement operations across the federal territory. The force collaborates with ground and air forces in joint security sweeps.
Mexico Military
Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) and other open sources.
Insignia image credits
- Skjoldbro — CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons: Secretario de la defensa nacional, General de división, General de brigada, General brigadier, Coronel (Army), Teniente coronel (Army), Mayor (Army), Capitan primero (Army), Capitán segundo (Army), Teniente (Army), Subteniente (Army), Sargento primero (Army), Sargento segundo (Army), Cabo (Army), Soldado (Army), Secretario de Marina, Almirante, Vicealmirante, Contraalmirante, Capitán de navío, Capitán de fragata, Capitán de corbeta, Teniente de navío, Teniente de fragata, Teniente de corbeta, Guardiamarina, Segundo maestre, Tercer maestre, Cabo (Navy), Marinero, Coronel (Air Force), Teniente coronel (Air Force), Mayor (Air Force), Capitan primero (Air Force), Capitán segundo (Air Force), Teniente (Air Force), Subteniente (Air Force), Sargento primero (Air Force), Sargento segundo (Air Force), Cabo (Air Force), Soldado (Air Force)
- Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons: Comisario General, Comisario Jefe, Comisario, Inspector General, Inspector Jefe, Inspector, Subinspector Primero, Subinspector Segundo, Oficial, Suboficial, Agente Mayor, Agente, Subagente, Guardia Nacional