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Military ranks of Brazil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The military ranks of Brazil are the military insignia used by the Brazilian Armed Forces. The insignia and ranks of the Brazilian military are defined by Act no. 6880 of December 9, 1980.[1]
Air Force ranks date from 1941, when the Brazilian Air Force was organized as a merger of the Navy's Aeronaval Force and the Army's Aviation Service.[2]
Commissioned officer ranks
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The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
The shoulder epaulette pads from Navy and Air Force indicate both rank and specialty branch. The air force examples below are shown without branch designation marks on the epaulettes, with the exception of the ranks of Marshal of the Air Force and Air Chief Marshal, which can only be occupied by aviators. Army shoulder pads do not represent branch, as this is indicated elsewhere in the uniform like on the cuff and sleeves of the dress and everyday uniforms.[3]
The Military Police alongside the Military Firefighters Corps are classed as an auxiliary and reserve forces of the Army[4] and thus carry insignia similar to that service. Another important point to mention is that police forces are subordinate to the governors of their respective states. As a result, the structure of their insignias follows that of the Brazilian Army. However, each state has its own legislation, regulations regarding insignias, uniforms, historical uniforms, and teaching academies for both NCOs and COs.[3]
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Police force and firefighter corps commanders and chiefs
The highest commander of the police force is the governor.[4] Since it serves as an auxiliary force to the army,[4] the highest rank attainable is that of colonel.[9] However, there are special ranks designated for military commanders within the police. These positions are appointed by each governor and are exclusively assigned to senior officers, most of whom are colonels.[10]
The design of insignias may vary from state to state, and in some states, certain positions may or may not include a distinction in rank design.[11] The representations shown are generalized artistic illustrations and may not reflect the exact insignias used in each state.
Note: The insignias in the table were artistically created based on real models from various Brazilian states. They serve illustrative purposes and may include minor inaccuracies or design differences compared to official state insignias.
Rank flags
Student officers
Each branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces has its own institutions for training commissioned officers (COs) and non-commissioned officers (NCOs). The academies responsible for officer training in each branch are:
- Army: Agulhas Negras Military Academy (AMAN), Military Institute of Engineering (IME), Reserve Officers' Training Centers (NPOR/CPOR), Army School of Health and Complementary Training (ESFCEx/EsFCEx) (Which also houses the Military Chaplains School for the Army), and the Army School of Physical Education (EsEFEx).[15]
- Navy: Naval School (EN) and Admiral Wandenkolk Training Center (CIAW).
- Air Force: Brazilian Air Force Academy (AFA) and Air Force Reserve Officers' Preparatory Centers (CPORAER).
For police forces, each state has its own academies; however, the most famous is the Barro Branco Police Academy (APMBB) in the state of São Paulo.
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Preparatory school
The Brazilian system includes a preparatory stage before entering the military academy. Known as preparatory schools, students who graduate from these institutions are guaranteed access to their respective academies, as follows:
- Army: Brazilian Army Preparatory School of Cadets (EsPCEx) (1 year) provides a guaranteed place at AMAN.
- Navy: Naval College (CN) (3 years, combined with high school) provides a guaranteed place at EN.
- Air Force: Preparatory School for Air Cadets (EPCAr) (3 years, combined with high school) provides a guaranteed place at AFA.
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Non-commissioned Officers
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The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
Students non-commissioned officers
Future NCOs are not classified as Cadets but rather as Students (Portuguese: Aluno). Additionally, the term "Student" is followed by the rank for which they are being trained. For example, for corporals: Student-Corporal; and for sergeants: Student-Sergeant.[citation needed]
The academies responsible for NCO training in each branch are:
- Army: ESA (The course lasts for two years, and graduates are commissioned as Third Sergeants)
- Navy: EAM and CIAA (It lasts 2 months to be a Sergeant, but you must have completed the Apprentice (11 months) and Corporal (4 Months) courses beforehand to be eligible).
- Air Force: EEAR (The course lasts for two years, and graduates are commissioned as Third Sergeants).
For police forces, each state has its own academies. In São Paulo State, the Escola Superior de Sargentos (ESSgt) can be translated as Sergeants' Advanced School or Higher School for Sergeants.[20]
It is worth mentioning that there are other courses for training sergeants and corporals, as well as advanced training courses. One of these courses is the CFST (Temporary Sergeant Training Course), which allows the NCO to remain in an active military career for a maximum of 8 years.[21]
Students who graduate from sergeant courses can attain the positions of Sub-lieutenant (in the army or police) or Sub-officer (in Navy, Air Force and Marines).[22] However, depending on the NCO's performance and additional courses completed, they may rise to the rank of Captain.[20]
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Generalissimo
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 | This section may incorporate text from a large language model. (July 2025) |
On January 15, 1890, Deodoro da Fonseca was acclaimed by some troops and supporters as "Generalíssimo Comandante das Forças de Terra e Mar" (transl. Generalissimo Commander of the Forces of Land and Sea).[28] However, there is no known official decree, law, or military act issued by the Brazilian federal government or the Ministry of War (currently the Ministry of Defense) that formally granted Fonseca a military rank higher than Marshal or Admiral, which remain the highest military rank in Brazil. The Brazilian Armed Forces do not recognize a six-star general rank in any of their branches.[1][3]
Although the term "Generalíssimo" has occasionally appeared in cultural or civic commemorations, such uses are symbolic or honorific. The rank does not appear in official legislation that defines the structure and hierarchy of the Armed Forces of Brazil.[29][3][1]
The proposed six-star insignia shown in this article are artistic or speculative reconstructions, and have never been issued or officially adopted by the Brazilian military. There is no known instance of Marshal Deodoro having worn such insignia.[30] The adoption of stars in insignia was established by law in 1954, when Getúlio Vargas signed decree number 34,999, which standardized the use of stars to visually designate general officers.[31]
Generalíssima
A symbolic military title of "Generalíssima" (female form of Generalissimo) has also been officially given to Our Lady of the Conception Aparecida, the Patroness of Brazil.[32] In 1967, during the 250th anniversary of the appearance of her image, president Artur da Costa e Silva formally conferred upon her the title "Generalíssima do Exército Brasileiro" in a civil-military ceremony held at Aparecida.[32] The event featured participation by the Brazilian Army, the Ministry of Defense, and was marked by the presentation of the Pontifical Golden Rose by Cardinal Amleto Cicognani, on behalf of Pope Paul VI.[32][33][34][35]
Official reports from the Military Ordinariate of Brazil and the Chamber of Deputies describe a Request for Solemn Session No. 2479/2023 as an act of renewing the title of "Generalíssima do Exército Brasileiro".[36][37]
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References
Further reading
External links
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