Military rank of Spain

The regular armed forces, as well as the governmental or citizen institutions that are governed by military discipline, ordinarily follow a ladder with which their members are rewarded for their merits, in addition to assigning them different responsibilities depending on their position within said ladder.

In contemporary Western civilization, mainly in the Spanish-speaking world, said rank basically consists (according to the most common nomenclature for infantry ground forces, followed by most regular militarized institutions) of:

• School of recruits (understanding “school” at the same time as a mode of instruction and as a collectivity of homologous individuals), to which candidates belong, which they will get according to the merits gained during their initial training. Meanwhile, their performance is assessed on the limits of civil jurisdiction.
• Cadet School or "chattery", which brings together those who have been accepted in the institution, acquiring the rights and obligations that correspond to their own jurisdiction.
• School of classes to which they belong who have personnel in their command, usually to provide instruction, and have some minor degree (cabo or sergeant).
• School of Officers for those who, in addition to direct command on classes and cadets, carry out administrative work (the Lieutenant and Captain, called 'official' outside the regular forces).
• Staff which groupes the administrative staff with grade (especially the officiality) directly under the orders of the commander-in-chief.
• Commandance for those who have responsibility and command (“commander”) on the staff of a specific detachment, battalion or geographical region.
• Chief occupied by the highest authorities of the institution (commanders or elders, colonels and generals).
• Commander or Chief. In the regular forces, and in many civil institutes of military discipline, the monarch, the president or the prime minister of the nation is recognized as their "maximum boss" or "high command".

The ranks are not homogeneous between the different armies of the different countries or between the military on land, sea and air. Likewise, there are various nomenclatures according to their field of action.

Army

MPTM (professional soldiers of troops and sailors)

• Soldier
• First soldier (only those of the old organic law of promotions remain): already disused.
• Corporal
• Corporal first
• Corporal

NCOs

• Sergeant
• Sergeant first
• Brigade
• Lieutenant
• Senior

Officers

• (while belonging to the Military General Academy)
• Lieutenant
• Captain
• Commander
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel

General officers

• Brigade General
• General of division
• General Lieutenant
• Army General
• General captain

Badges of General Officers and Army Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General captain1	Army General2	General Lieutenant	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez
1 Holded by the king of Spain as part of his constitutional functions. 2 Holded by JEME and JEMAD, if it belongs to the Earth Army.

Insignia of non-commissioned officers and troops of the Army

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First soldier1	Soldier
1 Obsolete employment. It is currently not presented on the troop scale.

Badges of Army students and aspirants

NATO Code	OR-1	Cadet officers		Assistant officers			MPTM students
Spain
	Knight/Dama alferez cadete 3♪4th and 5th grade	Knight/Dama cadete 2.o course	Knight/Dama cadet 1.♪Course	Sergeant student (3.♪course)	Knight/Dama student 2.o course	Knight/Dama student 1.♪Course	Aspirant MPTM
Note: The academic jobs of the military training centres do not have NATO code allocations.

Chest straps ("biscuits") worn on the pixelated arid and wooded field uniforms.

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General captain	Army General	General Lieutenant	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First soldier	Soldier

For sportswear
NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General captain	Army General	General Lieutenant	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez
NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First soldier	Soldier
NATO Code	OR-1	Cadet officers			Assistant officers			MPTM students
Spain								SIN DIVISA
	Knight/Dama alferez cadete of 3.♪4th and 5th grade	Knight/Dama cadet 3♪ course (with pending subjects)	Knight/Dama cadet of 2.o course	Knight/Dama cadet of 1.♪ Course	Sergeant student of 3.♪ Course	Knight/Dama student of 2nd grade	Knight/Dama student of 1.♪ Course	Aspirant MPTM

Spanish Army

MPTM (professional soldier of troops and sailors)

• Marinero
• First Mariner
• Corporal
• Corporal first
• Corporal

NCOs

• Sergeant
• Sergeant first
• Brigade
• Lieutenant
• Senior

Officers

• Alferez de fragata
• Alferez de navío
• Ship Lieutenant
• Corvette captain
• Captain of the frigate
• Ship captain

General officers

• Admiral
• Vice Admiral
• Admiral
• Admiral General
• General captain

Badges of General Officers and Navy Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General captain1	Admiral General2	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Admiral	Ship captain	Captain of the frigate	Corvette captain	Ship Lieutenant	Alferez de navío	Alferez de fragata
1 Holded by the king of Spain as part of his constitutional functions. 2 Holded by the AJEMA and JEMAD, if it belongs to the Navy.

Insignia of non-commissioned officers and seamen of the Navy

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First Mariner	Marinero

Insignia of Navy students and aspirants

NATO Code	OF-1	Officers				Assistant officers			MPTM students
Spain
	Alférez fragata (5.o)	2.a guard (4.o)	1.a (about 3.o)	2.aspirant (size of 2.o)	1.aspirant (1.o)	Sergeant student (3.♪ course)	2.a (2nd course)	1.a (1.♪ course)	Alumno MPTM
Note: The academic jobs of the military training centres do not have NATO code allocations.

Marines

MPTM (troops and sailors)

• Soldier
• First soldier
• Corporal
• Corporal first
• Corporal

NCOs

• Sergeant
• Sergeant first
• Brigade
• Lieutenant
• Senior

Officers

• Alférez
• Lieutenant
• Captain
• Commander
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel

General officers

• Brigade General
• General of division: employment of the general commander of Marine Corps (COGEIM)
• General Lieutenant

Insignia of General Officers and Officers of the Marine Corps

NATO Code	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General Lieutenant	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez

Insignia of non-commissioned officers and troops of the Marine Corps

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First soldier	Soldier

Marine Corps Student and Aspirant Badges

NATO Code	OF-1	Officers				Assistant officers			MPTM students
Spain
	Alférez (5.o)	2.a guard (4.o)	1.a (about 3.o)	2.aspirant (size of 2.o)	1.aspirant (1.o)	Sergeant student 3.♪ year	Student 2.o year	Student 1.♪ year	Alumno MPTM
Note: The academic jobs of the military training centres do not have NATO code allocations.

Chest straps ("cookies") worn on the pixelated arid uniform.

NATO Code	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General Lieutenant	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First soldier	Soldier

Army of the Air and Space

MPTM (troops and sailors)

• Soldier
• First soldier
• Corporal
• Corporal first
• Corporal

NCOs

• Sergeant
• Sergeant first
• Brigade
• Lieutenant
• Senior

Officers

• Alférez
• Lieutenant
• Captain
• Commander
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel

General officers

• Brigade General
• General of division
• General Lieutenant
• General Air
• General captain

Insignia of general officers and officers of the Air and Space Forces

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General captain1	General Air2	General Lieutenant	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez
1 Holded by the king of Spain as part of his constitutional functions. 2 Holded by JEMA and JEMAD, if it belongs to the Air and Space Army.

Insignia of non-commissioned officers and troops of the Air and Space Army

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First soldier	Soldier

Badges of students and applicants of the Air and Space Army

NATO Code	OF-1			Officers Cadet			Assistant Officers			MPTM students
Spain
	Alferez pupil Fifth year	Alferez pupil 4.o year	Alferez pupil 3.♪ year	Knight/dama cadet 3.♪ year (with pending subjects)	Knight/dama cadet 2.o year	Knight/dama cadet 1.♪ year	Sergeant student (3.♪ year)	2.o students (2nd year) Treatment of “coat” in ABA.	1.o students 1♪ year)	Aspirant MPTM
Note: The academic jobs of the military training centres do not have NATO code allocations.

Chest straps ("biscuits") used on arid/woodland uniforms and overalls

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General captain	General Air	General Lieutenant	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First soldier	Soldier

Civil Guard

Corporals and guards

• Civilian guard
• First Guard (not a job or rank but a military distinction close to extinguishing)

Jobs/categories first command link.

• Corporal
• Corporal first
• Corporal

NCOs

• Sergeant
• Sergeant first
• Brigade
• Lieutenant
• Senior

Officers

• Alférez
• Lieutenant
• Captain
• Commander
• Lieutenant Colonel
• Colonel

General Officers

• Brigade General
• General of division
• General Lieutenant

Badges of the ranks of general officers and officers of the Civil Guard

NATO Code	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	General Lieutenant1	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez
1 During the 2021-2025 period, only five officers can hold this job at the same time, including the Deputy Operating Director (DAO).

Insignia of the scales of non-commissioned officers, corporals and guards of the Civil Guard

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First Guard	Guard

Badges of students and aspirants of the Civil Guard

NATO Code	Officers			Assistant officers
Spain
	Alferez pupil	2.o students (2nd year)	1.o students (1.♪ year)	Sergeant student

Chest straps ("biscuits") used in the different units of the Civil Guard

NATO Code	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1
Spain
	Lieutenant General	General of division	Brigade General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander	Captain	Lieutenant	Alférez

NATO Code	OR-9		OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2	OR-1
Spain
	Senior	Lieutenant	Brigade	Sergeant first	Sergeant	Corporal	Corporal first	Corporal	First Guard	Guard

After 6 uninterrupted years of service in the Corporal and Guards Scale, they will enjoy the same treatment and consideration as non-commissioned officers. The corporals will have this consideration from the day they reach that job, if they had not obtained it before.

Non-official consideration