The US military can trace its origins to the Revolutionary War. Because the British primarily influenced the colonial era, the root of what it meant to be an American at that time was, in fact, British in nature. So naturally, all military ranks were initially identical to those of the British military. These are the origins of military ranks in America.

Moving Away from the British

The US military didn’t really start to significantly change until its ranking structure became more unique from that of the British military. Ranks were broken down into more subdivisions, meaning there were eventually more ranks among American officers than in the British military. The slight changes in rank structures were a start to the evolving military that was being created in colonial America.

Chevrons Became Standard

The British first used chevrons as markers of time in service. The US Army, Navy, and Marine Corps would come to use these symbols for many generations to further denote rank and structure among those enlisted. Chevrons became easy ways to identify senior and junior enlisted men and women. Still used today, these are some of the longest-lasting patches in US history.

The Influence of Naval Ranks

The Navy then added their ratings to the chevrons. A rating was symbolized as an eagle perched on an anchor, with another symbol underneath to signify the role of a sailor. This would be the first instance of a predecessor to the custom OCP patches that are now seen in Army ranks today.

The origins of military rank in America had a long and interesting history that other countries, namely Great Britain and France, helped to shape over time. It ultimately had to find uniqueness in its rank structure. With its own officers, insignias, rankings, and ratings, the US military would soon become a fighting force with an identity of its own.