In many of the world's military establishments,
brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher
rankMilitary rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...
temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being
brevetted. For example, "He was brevetted
major generalMajor General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General...
." The promotion would be noted in the officer's title, for example, "Bvt. Maj. Gen.
Joshua L. ChamberlainJoshua Lawrence Chamberlain was an American college professor from the State of Maine, who volunteered during the American Civil War to join the Union Army. Although having no earlier education in military strategies, he became a highly respected and decorated Union officer, reaching the rank of...
".
United States
The
Articles of WarThe Royal Navy's Articles of War were the statutory provisions regulating and governing the behaviour of members of the Royal Navy. They were prominently displayed in all naval ships, and set out a list of criminal provisions which applied to members of the Royal Navy and others to whom the Act...
adopted in 1776 established the legal validity of brevets in the U.S. forces, and in 1806 these were slightly revised. When first used, a brevet commission in the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
entitled the officer to hold a higher rank. This promotion held no effect within the officer's current unit, but when assigned duty at the brevet rank by the
U.S. PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
such an officer would command with the brevet rank, and be paid at the higher rank, only while at that assignment. The brevet promotion would not affect their seniority in the army at the time. Beginning on April 16, 1818, brevet commissions also required confirmation by the
United States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election....
, just as all other varieties of officer commissions did.
Early use
Brevets were first used in the U.S. Army during the
American Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , also sometimes known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen united former British colonies in North America, and concluded in a global war between several European great powers...
. Often the nation's
Continental CongressThe Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution...
could not find suitable positions for foreign officers—mostly from
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
—who sought commissions. The first U.S. brevet was given to Jacques Antoine de Franchessin on July 20, 1776, allowing him to hold the rank of
lieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
within the
Continental ArmyThe American Continental Army was an army formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen...
. Franchessin and another 35 men of foreign birth would hold brevet commissions in the army by the end of the war. By 1784 an additional 50 officers would receive brevets for "meritorious services" during the conflict.
In the 19th century U.S. Army, brevet promotions were extremely common. Often newly commissioned officers received brevet rank until authorized positions became available. For example an officer might graduate from
West PointThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. Established in 1802, USMA is the oldest of the United States's five service academies. The military garrison at West Point was occupied in 1778 and played a key...
and be appointed a brevet second lieutenant until a posting opened up. Additionally, officers could be brevetted to fill higher positions or for gallantry.
American Civil War
During the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
almost all senior officers received one form of brevet or another, particularly during the final months of the war. It was not unheard of for an officer to have several different ranks simultaneously, such as being a brevet
major generalIn the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general. Major general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the...
of volunteers, an actual
brigadier generalA brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed services.-...
of volunteers, a brevet
lieutenant colonelIn the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the rank of commander in the other uniformed services....
in the
regular armyIn contemporary use, the term Regular Army refers to the full-time active component of the United States Army, as opposed to the Army Reserve or the Army National Guard. -Civil War:...
, and an actual regular army captain (e.g.,
Ranald S. MackenzieRanald Slidell Mackenzie was a career United States Army officer and general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, described by General Ulysses S. Grant as its most promising young officer...
).
The
Confederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a separatist political entity existing between 1861 to 1865, established by eleven southern slave states of the United States of America, each of which had previously declared their secession from the United States...
had legislation for the use of brevets in their armed forces, provided by Article 61 of the the nation's Articles of War, and by their 1861
Army Regulations, based on the U.S. Army's 1857 version. Although Article 61 was revised in 1862, its effect was dubious since the
Confederate States ArmyThe Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865. It was established in two phases with provisional and permanent organizations, which existed concurrently....
did not use any brevet commissions during its existence.
The United States
Marine CorpsMarines are military forces optimised for operations at sea. Historically the marine forces or marine corps are infantry forces that are part of the country's navy...
also issued brevets. After officers became eligible for the
Medal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while...
, a rare
Marine Corps Brevet MedalThe Marine Corps Brevet Medal, also known as the Brevet Medal, was a military decoration of the United States Marine Corps; it was created in 1921 as a result of Marine Corps Order Number 26. The decoration was a one-time issuance and retroactively recognized living Marine Corps officers who had...
was issued to living officers who had been brevetted between 1861 and 1915.
Modern usage
The practice of brevetting disappeared from the (regular) U.S. military at the end of the 19th century; honors were bestowed instead with a series of medals. However, the similar practice of
frockingFrocking is a U.S. term for a military officer or non-commissioned officer wearing insignia of a higher grade before promotion. An officer or NCO who has been selected for promotion may be authorized to "frock" to the next grade. In the U.S...
continues in four of the five branches of the U.S. armed forces. The US Air Force does not allow the regular practice of frocking before a promotion date.
Although brevetting as such was no longer in effect in the 20th century U.S. military, it was common during the First and Second World Wars for officers in the
Regular ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
(the peacetime, permanent standing army composed of career soldiers) to be given temporary promotion to higher ranks in the wartime
National ArmyThe National Army was the combined conscript and volunteer force that was formed by the United States War Department in 1917 to fight in World War I...
or
Army of the United StatesThe Army of the United States is the official name for the conscription force of the United States Army that may be raised at the discretion of the United States Congress in the event of the United States entering into a major armed conflict...
composed primarily of volunteers and draftees. For instance,
Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was a five-star general in the United States Army and the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. During the Second World War, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, with responsibility for planning and supervising the...
had the permanent rank of Captain but the effective rank of Lieutenant Colonel during the First World War. At war's end, the National Army was disbanded and he reverted to his permanent rank of Captain. Such quasi-brevet promotions may become permanent; during the Second World War, Eisenhower had the permanent rank of Brigadier General but served as General of the Army; at war's end, this promotion was confirmed in the Regular Army.
Today, brevetting still occurs on rare occasions when officers are selected for promotion to a higher rank, but have yet to reach the effective date of promotion. For brevetting to occur today, an unusual set of circumstances must be present to justify wearing the higher rank before the promotion becomes effective. For example, in 2005, two U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonels selected to promotion to Colonel were brevetted (frocked) Colonel about six months ahead of their effective dates of promotion due to the high-profile nature of the duties that they were performing.
The U.S. National Guard, which depends on the governor of a state to concede its commissions, may still confer brevets. Many states maintain a clause permitting the governor to confer any rank in its defense forces, including the militia and National Guards. Some states provision that the sitting governor may confer any rank, but this appointment is considered valid only for the duration of the governor’s own term in office.
Some states also confer brevets as part of their regular honors system. Georgia confers honorary ranks into its state police force. Kentucky is famous for
its colonelsKentucky Colonel is an honorary title bestowed upon individuals by approval of the governor of Kentucky. It is not a military rank, requires no duties, and carries with it no pay or compensation other than membership in the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. Award of the title requires...
, and so too is Tennessee, both of which make the appointment as an honorary member of the governor's staff. Alabama, Texas and
NebraskaNebraska Admiral is Nebraska's highest honor, and an honorary title bestowed upon individuals by approval of the Governor of Nebraska, a triply landlocked U.S. state. It is not a military rank, requires no duties, and carries with it no pay or other compensation...
also confer an admiralty within a symbolic navy. Similar honors have been issued for
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
's militia navy, which has only existed on paper since 1908. In all cases these honorary titles may be considered effective brevets, equal to that of the National Guard, by being conferred by a sitting governor.
United Kingdom
In the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
the brevet commission was only by courtesy. Officially both titles were used, as: "Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Cornwallis." Originally the term designated a promotion given on such occasions as a coronation, or the termination of a great war, and had its origin during the reign of
James IIJames II & VII was King of England and Ireland as James II, and Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
(1685-88); but it was abused so frequently and used to such an extent by the general award of brevet commissions, that in 1854, during and after the
Crimean WarThe Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire on one side and an alliance of the British Empire, France, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia on the other. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, its bestowal was limited strictly to cases of very distinguished service in the
fieldIn warfare, a theater or theatre is defined as a specific geographical area of conduct of armed conflict, bordered by areas where no combat is taking place....
and on the principle of seniority. In the United Kingdom, brevet commissions were confined to grades from captain to lieutenant-colonel.
The Brevet conferred rank in the army, but importantly, not in the regiment. Advancement in the regiment could take place generally only by
purchaseThe sale of commissions was a common practice in most European armies where wealthy and noble officers purchased their rank. Only the Imperial Russian Army and the Prussian Army never used such a system. While initially shunned in the French Revolutionary Army, it was eventually revived in the...
or by seniority, and when there was a suitable vacancy (caused by the death, retirement or promotion of a more senior officer). When on duty with his regiment, only regimental rank counted; if the regiment was with a larger formation then brevet rank could be used to determine command of temporary units formed for special purposes. In particular
BrigadierBrigadier is a military rank, the meaning of which has a considerable variation.-Officer rank:In many countries, especially those formerly part of the former British Empire, a Brigadier is either the highest field rank or most junior General appointment, nominally commanding a brigade...
was not then a permanent rank so command of
brigadeA brigade is a military unit that is typically composed of two to five regiments or battalions, depending on the era and nationality of a given army. Usually, a brigade is a sub-component of a division, a larger unit consisting of two or more brigades; however, some brigades are classified as a...
s was determined by seniority, including date of promotion to any brevet rank. Thus it was possible for a regimental
MajorIn the British military, major is a military rank which is used by both the British Army and Royal Marines. The rank insignia for a major is a crown. The equivalent is Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy and Squadron Leader in the Royal Air Force....
to hold a brevet
Lieutenant-colonelcyLieutenant Colonel is a British rank used in several Commonwealth countries superior to Major and subordinate to Colonel. The comparable naval rank is Commander and the comparable rank in many Commonwealth air forces is Wing Commander....
with seniority over the commission of his own commanding officer as Lieutenant-Colonel and be given command of a brigade (potentially including his own regiment). Similarly, if the officer was serving in a staff position or as an
Aide-de-campAn aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
then they could use their brevet rank. Appointment to a brevet also counted towards the requirement to have served for a sufficient time in a lower rank to be eligible for promotion (by purchase) to a more senior one.
France
In French usage it applies to commissions in general. The French military used provisional commissions much similar to current US brevet ranks, that is, promotions given to officers performing high-profile duties before the effective date of promotion. As an example,
Charles de GaulleCharles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II...
was promoted "provisional brigadier general" (
général de brigade à titre provisoire) in 1940 when he was commander of an armoured division.
In French, an "officier breveté" is known between 1870 to 1940 as officier who studied in Ecole supérieure de guerre, where lieutenants and capitaines could enforce their knowledge.
Germany
In the Prussian and German army and navy, it was possible to bestow a
Charakter rank on officers that was in many respects similar to a brevet rank. For example, an
Oberst could receive the
Charakter als Generalmajor. Very often, German officers would be promoted to the next higher
Charakter rank on the day of their retirement.
Spain
It was not uncommon during the 19th century to distinguish between
empleo ("employed") rank and
graduación ("grade") being the effective command position. In the 1884 rank regulations (which with minor modifications were in force during the Spanish–American War) stars marked the rank whilst the actual post was reflected in gold lace on the cuffs.
As in practice both situations coincided the system was dropped in 1908 leaving only the starred system of denoting rank. Nevertheless during the Spanish Civil War the system was revived in the Nationalist side due to the lack of trained officers because of the enlargement of the army. The breveted officers (known as
habilitados or
estampillados) wore their actual rank on the cuffs but their brevetted one in a rectangular black patch on the left breast of their coats or shirts.
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