The Rank Structure and Uniform
Officers hold ranks throughout their service, and even into retirement, and their rank is reflected in their uniform. The uniform of an Officer is much like that of a Soldier, and like a Soldier's, is defined by the region in which the person is serving. The consistent difference between the two uniforms is that the Officer's uniform has red or maroon epaulettes on the shoulders, whilst a Soldier's are black or blue. Officer's epaulettes feature the Salvation 'S', as well as another insignia to designate rank. These insignia may be sewn into the epaulette, or be separate metal pins attached to the epaulettes.
| Rank | Date adopted | Current Status | Description | Insignia / Epaulettes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 1878 | Active | The worldwide leader of The Salvation Army, elected by the most senior Salvation Army officers in the world. | Red velvet trim with gold crest, gold bar and gold 'S' on the collar. |
| Commissioner | 1880 | Active | The leader of a Territory. Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army and International Secretaries are also usually given the rank Commissioner. | Maroon velvet with silver crest and trim except the Chief of the Staff of The Salvation Army, also a commissioner but who has a silver bar under his/her crest. |
| Lieutenant-Commissioner | 1920 | Discontinued (1973) | ||
| Colonel | 1880 | Active | Reserved for territorial and international leaders. | Crest with silver trim and silver trim around "s" patches |
| Lieutenant-Colonel | Active | Crest with silver trim without silver trim around "s" patches | ||
| Brigadier | 1889 | Discontinued (1973) | Crest with two stars | |
| Senior-Major | 1948 | Discontinued (1959) | Crest with one star | |
| Major | 1879 | Active | After 15 years of service the officer is promoted to Major. | Crest |
| Field-Major | 1921 | Discontinued (1931) | ||
| Commandant | 1916 | Discontinued (1931) | ||
| Adjutant | 1888 | Discontinued (1948) | ||
| Ensign | 1888 | Discontinued (1931) | ||
| Senior-Captain | 1948 | Discontinued (1959) | ||
| Staff-Captain | 1881 | Discontinued (1931) | This was a rank created to differentiate Officers assigned to headquarters from field Officers. | Three stars |
| Captain | 1877 | Active | After 5 years of service the officer is promoted to Captain. | Two stars |
| Lieutenant | 1879 | Discontinued (2001) Reinstated (2008) |
Following two years at Officer Training College, the Cadet is commissioned with the rank of Lieutenant. | One star |
| First Lieutenant | 1948 | Discontinued (1959) | ||
| Second Lieutenant | 1948 | Discontinued (1959) | ||
| Probationary Lieutenant | 1917 | Discontinued (1973) | ||
| Cadet-Lieutenant | 2001 | Discontinued (2008) | ||
| Cadet | 1880 | Active | A Salvation Army soldier, that is undertaking training to become an Officer at a Salvation Army Officer Training College. | Blue or red bar |
| Envoy | Active | A non-commissioned officer who works for The Salvation Army in a ministry position. | ||
| Candidate | Active | A person undergoing assessment for Salvation Army officership or Envoyship. | wears the soldiers uniform until other accepted into The Salvation Army's Training College or Envoyship. | Blue soldiers euplet |
Read more about this topic: Officer Of The Salvation Army
Famous quotes containing the words rank, structure and/or uniform:
“Your rank is way down below his when you seek to establish the exceptions and he seeks to establish the rule.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“It is difficult even to choose the adjective
For this blank cold, this sadness without cause.
The great structure has become a minor house.
No turban walks across the lessened floors.
The greenhouse never so badly needed paint.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“Iconic clothing has been secularized.... A guardsman in a dress uniform is ostensibly an icon of aggression; his coat is red as the blood he hopes to shed. Seen on a coat-hanger, with no man inside it, the uniform loses all its blustering significance and, to the innocent eye seduced by decorative colour and tactile braid, it is as abstract in symbolic information as a parasol to an Eskimo. It becomes simply magnificent.”
—Angela Carter (1940–1992)