Field officer


A field officer, field-grade officer, or senior officer is an army, Marine, or air force commissioned officer senior in rank to a company officer but junior to a general officer. In most armies this corresponds to the ranks of major, lieutenant colonel and colonel, or their equivalents. Some countries also include brigadier in the definition.
Historically, a regiment or battalion's field officers made up its command element.

Canada

In the Canadian Armed Forces, the equivalent of field officers are senior officers ; they include the army and air force ranks of Major, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Colonel, and the naval ranks of Lieutenant-Commander, Commander, and Captain.

France

In the French Forces, field officers are called officiers supérieurs. There are three ranks, in ascending order : Commandant, Lieutenant-colonel and Colonel, while brigadiers rank among officiers généraux.

Germany

In the German Bundeswehr, officers from Major, Oberstleutnant to Oberst in the Heer and Luftwaffe, or from Korvettenkapitän, Fregattenkapitän to Kapitän zur See in the Deutsche Marine are traditionally known as Stabsoffiziere OF-3, OF-4 and OF-5.

Russia

Field officer, was the designation of a particular officers rank category of the Russian Imperial Army and Navy until 1917.

United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries

The British Army, and some others in the Commonwealth, also include the brigadier in this category: the equivalent in other armies is a general officer.

United States

Today, a field officer in the United States Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force is typically a major, lieutenant colonel, or a colonel: