Major (United States)

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Major (United States)

Please see "Major
Major

In many European languages, the term Major refers to a military rank, denoting seniority at one of usually various levels of rank, for example: "Sergeant-Major" denoting the most senior ranking sergeant of a large military unit; "Captain-Major", denoting a mid-level command status Officer ...
" for other countries that use this rank

In the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
, Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Military of the United States and one of the uniformed services of the United States....
, and Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing Military power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver Marine Air-Ground Task Force....
, major is a field grade

Field officer

A field officer or field grade officer is an army, Marine , or air force commissioned officer senior in rank to a Company-grade officer but junior to a general officer; in some Navy, it is an officer who is a Lieutenant Commander, Commander, or Captain ....
military officer

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an Armed forces who holds a position of authority.Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereignty power and, as such, hold a Letters patent charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position....
rank

Military rank

Military rank is a system of hierarchy 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....
just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel

Lieutenant Colonel (United States)

In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, lieutenant colonel is a field officer United States Military Officer military rank just above the rank of Major and just below the rank of Colonel ....
. It is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant commander

Lieutenant commander (United States)

In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, lieutenant commander is a junior officer rank, with the pay grade of O-4....
in the other uniformed services

Uniformed services of the United States

The United States has seven federal uniformed services that Officer officers as defined by Title 10 of the United States Code, and subsequently structured and organized by Title 10, Title 14 of the United States Code, Title 42 of the United States Code and Title 33 of the United States Code of the United States Code....
.

The pay grade for the rank of major is O-4. The insignia for the rank consists of a golden oak leaf, with slight stylized differences between the Army/Air Force version and the Marine Corps version.

jor in the U.S.

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Encyclopedia

In the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for Army operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S....
, Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Military of the United States and one of the uniformed services of the United States....
, and Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

Field officer

Officer (armed forces)

Military rank

Lieutenant Colonel (United States)

Lieutenant commander (United States)

Uniformed services of the United States

Army

A major in the U.S. Army typically serves as a battalion

Battalion

A battalion is a military unit of around 500-1500 men usually consisting of between two and seven company and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel....
executive officer or as the battalion operations officer (S-3). A major can also serve as a primary staff officer for a brigade

Brigade

A 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....
or task force

Task force

A task force is a temporary Military organization established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology....
in the areas concerning personnel, logistical and operations. In addition, majors command augmented companies in Combat Service and Service Support units. U.S. Army majors also command U.S. Army Special Operations

Special operations

Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Examples of special operations include such operations such as reconnaissance/military intelligence, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism actions....
companies such as a Special Forces Operational Detachment Bravo (ODB), Civil Affairs (CA) company or Psychological Operations company, as well as certain types of separate (i.e, numbered vice lettered) Military Intelligence companies.

American Civil War (Union)

During the American Civil War the Union forces continued to use the same rank structure previously established for the Army and Marine Corps.

American Civil War (Confederate)

Prior to the American Civil War the rank structure for the military forces of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
were modelled after the British rank insignia. After the southern states seceded and became the Confederate States of America

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America formed as the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven Southern United States U.S. state of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S....
, the Confederate Army developed their own system of rank identification for its officers.

The new confederate rank of Major was to be indicated on the collar and in rows of gold lace forming an Austrian knot

Austrian knot

An Austrian Knot is an elaborate design of twisted cord or lace worn as part of a dress uniform, usually on the lower sleeve. It is usually a distinction worn by commissioned officer; the major exception is the hussars, in which Austrian knots are worn by all ranks....
on each sleeve. Previously, the United States military at that time indicated rank by systems using epaulettes, chevrons, or shoulder straps so this new style differed greatly from the system used by Union forces.

Air Force

A major in the Air Force typically has duties as a senior staff officer at the squadron level. In flying squadrons majors are generally flight commanders or assistant directors of operations. In the mission support and maintenance groups majors may occasionally be squadron commanders. In the medical group a major may be the head of a clinic or flight.

Police officer

The rank is also used in some police

Police

Police are agents or agencies, usually of the executive , empowered to enforce the law and to ensure public and social order through the legitimized use of force....
departments.