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Flag commissioned officers
	Armies, air forces (non-Commonwealth)	Navies, coast guard	Air forces (Commonwealth system)
	Field marshal	Admiral of the fleet	Marshal of the air force
	General or colonel general or army general	Admiral	Air chief marshal
	Lieutenant general or army corps general	Vice admiral	Air marshal
	Major general or divisional general	Rear admiral or Counter admiral	Air vice-marshal
	Brigadier or brigadier general	Commodore or flotilla admiral	Air commodore
Senior commissioned officers
	Colonel	(Ship-of-the-Line) Captain	Group captain
	Lieutenant colonel	Frigate captain or Commander	Wing commander
	Major or commandant	Corvette captain or Lieutenant commander	Squadron leader
Junior commissioned officers
	Captain	Lieutenant	Flight lieutenant
	First lieutenant or lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade or sub-lieutenant	Flying officer
	Second lieutenant or junior lieutenant	Ensign or midshipman	Pilot officer
	Officer cadet	Officer cadet	Flight cadet
Non-commissioned officers
	Warrant officer or sergeant major	Warrant officer or chief petty officer	Warrant officer
	Sergeant	Petty officer	Sergeant
Enlisted ranks
	Corporal or bombardier	Leading seaman	Corporal
	Lance corporal or Lance bombardier or Specialist	Able seaman	Leading aircraftman
	Private or gunner or trooper or sapper	Seaman	Aircraftman or airman or aviator

A petty officer (PO) is a non-commissioned officer in many navies. Often they may be superior to a seaman, and subordinate to more senior non-commissioned officers, such as chief petty officers.

Petty officers are usually sailors that have served at least several years in their respective navies. Petty officers represent the junior and mid-grade non-commissioned officer ranks of many naval services, and are generally responsible for the day-to-day supervision of ranks junior to them. They may also serve as technical specialists within their rating (military occupation).