Although military rank is abbreviated differently among the service branches, AP Style standardizes all military titles. The standardization provides consistency and helps avoid confusion.
Rank is only capitalized and abbreviated when it precedes a person’s name and becomes part of that person’s title.
Gen. Hartzog gave a Greater Issues address.
The general walked up to the podium.
Army and Air Force
| Rank | Title Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| General | Gen. |
| lieutenant general | Lt. Gen. |
| major general | Maj. Gen. |
| brigadier general | Brig. Gen. |
| Colonel | Col. |
| lieutenant colonel | Lt. Col. |
| Major | Maj. |
| Captain | Capt. |
| first lieutenant | 1st Lt. |
| second lieutenant | 2nd Lt. |
| chief warrant officer five (CW5) | Chief Warrant Officer 5 |
| chief warrant officer four (CW4) | Chief Warrant Officer 4 |
| chief warrant officer three (CW3) | Chief Warrant Officer 3 |
| chief warrant officer two (CW2) | Chief Warrant Officer 2 |
| warrant officer (W01) | Warrant Officer |
| sergeant major of the Army | Sgt. Maj. of the Army |
| command sergeant major | Command Sgt. Maj. |
| sergeant major | Sgt. Maj. |
| first sergeant | 1st Sgt. |
| master sergeant | Master Sgt. |
| sergeant first class | Sgt. 1st Class |
| staff sergeant | Staff Sgt. |
| Sergeant | Sgt. |
| Corporal | Cpl. |
| Specialist | Spc. |
| private first class | Pfc. |
| Private | Pvt. |
Navy and Coast Guard
| Rank | Title Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Admiral | Adm. |
| vice admiral | Vice Adm. |
| rear admiral upper half | Rear Adm. |
| rear admiral lower half | Rear Adm. |
| Captain | Capt. |
| commander | Cmdr. |
| lieutenant commander | Lt. Cmdr. |
| lieutenant | Lt. |
| lieutenant junior grade | Lt. j.g. |
| Ensign | Ensign |
| chief warrant officer | Chief Warrant Officer |
| master chief petty officer of the Navy | Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy |
| master chief petty officer | Master Chief Petty Officer |
| senior chief petty officer | Senior Chief Petty Officer |
| chief petty officer | Chief Petty Officer |
| petty officer first class | Petty Officer 1st Class |
| petty officer second class | Petty Officer 2nd Class |
| petty officer third class | Petty Officer 3rd Class |
| Seaman | Seaman |
| seaman apprentice | Seaman Apprentice |
| seaman recruit | Seaman Recruit |
Marine Corps
Ranks and abbreviations for commissioned officers are the same as those in the Army. Warrant officer ratings follow the same system used in the Navy. There are no specialist ratings.