 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Brigadier" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(February 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Brigadier (/ˌbrɪɡəˈdɪər/BRIG-ə-DEER) is amilitary rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank abovecolonel, equivalent to abrigadier general orcommodore, typically commanding abrigade of several thousand soldiers. In other countries, it is anon-commissioned rank.
| This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Brigadier" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(December 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The word and rank of "Brigadier" originates fromFrance. In theFrench Army, theBrigadier des Armées du Roi (Brigadier of the King's Armies) was a general officer rank, created in 1657. It was an intermediate between the rank ofMestre de camp and that ofMaréchal de camp.
The rank was first created in the cavalry at the instigation ofMarshal Turenne on June 8, 1657, then in the infantry on March 17, 1668, and in the dragoons on April 15, 1672. In peacetime, the brigadier commanded his regiment and, in maneuvers or in wartime, he commanded two or three - or even four - regiments combined to form a brigade (including his own, but later the rank was also awarded to lieutenant-colonels, which allowed for the promotion of an officer who did not have his own regiment).
Before the rank of brigadier of the armies was dissolved in 1788, it was materialized by the wearing of a single star. And when it was abolished that year, the number of stars of its immediate superiors was not modified, which explains why today French generals have one more star on their insignia than their foreign counterparts (notably American).
Note that the rank of "Chef de brigade" created during the French Revolution replaced that of Colonel. A brigade commander then commanded... a half-brigade (a name that replaced the regiment).
The rank of Brigadier of the Armies reappeared during the Third Republic. It designates a colonel, experienced as a regimental commander, who has under his command several regiments without having the annexed units that would make this group a brigade. The army brigadier wears the colonel's uniform and insignia. The rank was definitively abolished in 1945.
Until 1788, a rank ofbrigadier des armées ("brigadier of the armies"), which could be described as a senior colonel or junior brigade commander, was used in theFrench Army. The normal brigade command rank was field marshal (maréchal de camp) (which elsewhere is a more senior rank). During theFrench Revolution, the ranks ofbrigadier des armées andmaréchal de camp were replaced bybrigade general (général de brigade).
In common with many countries, France now uses the officer rank ofbrigade general (Général de brigade) instead of a "brigadier" rank. Thebrigadier des armées held a one-star insignia,[1] while thegénéral de brigade inherited themaréchal de camp two-stars insignia. The disappearance of thebrigadier rank is the reason that there is no one-star insignia in the French Army.
The rank ofbrigadier is still nonetheless used in some regiments as an equivalent ofcorporal. By extension, this also applies to thegendarmerie, equivalent in rank to a corporal in the infantry.[2]
While the rank is used in a number ofNATO countries, it is ranked differently depending on the country.
| NATO code | Country[3] | English equivalent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | US | ||
| Officers | |||
| OF-6 | Norway, Slovenia | Brigadier | Brigadier general |
| OF-5 | Croatia | Colonel | |
| Other ranks | |||
| OR-8 | Spain | Warrant officer class 2 | Master sergeant |
| OR-3 | France | Lance corporal | Private first class |
![Brigadeiro (Angolan Army)[4]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aAngola-Army-OF-7.svg)
![Brigadier (Austrian Land Forces)[5]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBundesheer_-_Rank_insignia_-_Brigadier.png){kind=icon}
![Brigadeiro (Cape Verdean National Guard)[6]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBlank.svg)
![Brigader (Norwegian Army)[7]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNorway-army-OF-6.svg)
![Brigadir (Slovenian Ground Force)[8]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a18-Slovenian_Army-BG.svg)
![Brigadier (Swiss Army)[9]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCHE_OF6_Br.svg)
In many countries, especially those formerly part of theBritish Empire, a brigadier is either the highestfield rank or most juniorgeneral appointment, nominally commanding abrigade. It ranks abovecolonel and belowmajor general.
The rank is used by theBritish Army, theRoyal Marines, theAustralian Army, theBangladesh Army, theIndian Army, theSri Lankan Army, theNew Zealand Army, thePakistan Army and several others. Although it is not always considered a general officer rank, it is always considered equivalent to thebrigadier general andbrigade general rank of other countries. InNATO forces, brigadier isOF-6 on the rank scale.
"The grade of brigadier-general, also called, almost interchangeably, brigadier, first appeared in the British army during the reign of King James II. A warrant of 1705 placed the grade directly below major-general, but the appointment was always considered temporary and not continuous. The British were ambiguous over whether the holder was considered a general officer or a senior field grade office".[10]
The title is derived from the equivalent British rank of brigadier-general, used until 1922 and still used in many countries. "Brigadier" was already in use as a generic term for a commander of a brigade irrespective of specific rank. Until the rank was dissolved in 1922, brigadier-generals wore a crossed sword and baton symbol on its own.
From 1922 to 1928, the British rank title used was that of colonel-commandant, with one crown and three 'pips', a rank which, although reflecting its modern role in the British Army as asenior colonel rather than a junior general, was not well received and was replaced with brigadier after six years. Colonel-commandant was only ever used for officers commanding brigades, depots or training establishments. Officers holding equivalent rank in administrative appointments were known as "colonels on the staff", also replaced by brigadier in 1928. Colonel-commandants and colonels on the staff wore the same rank badge later adopted by brigadiers.[11]
Until shortly afterWorld War II, brigadier was an appointment conferred on colonels (as commodore was an appointment conferred on naval captains) rather than a substantive rank.[11]
InCommonwealth countries, and mostArabic-speaking countries (in which the rank is calledamid), the rank insignia comprises a crown (or some other national symbol) with three stars,[12] (sometimes called "pips"), which are often arranged in a triangle. A brigadier's uniform may also have redgorget patches. It is otherwise similar to that of a colonel (colonel's rank insignia have a crown/emblem with two stars/"pips".)[citation needed]
TheCanadian Army used the rank of brigadier (following British tradition, with identical insignia) until the unification of theCanadian Forces in 1968. The rank then becamebrigadier-general with the insignia ofSt. Edward's Crown surmounting a crossed sword and baton over one gold maple leaf.[citation needed]
The rank of abrigadier[13] was established byPhilip V in 1702 as an intermediate rank betweencolonel and truegenerals. In someIberoamerican republics (see below), the rank survived after independence. InSpain, brigadiers came to be considered full generals in 1871, and in 1889 they were renamedgeneral de brigada. The historical rank is distinct from the current NCO rank ofbrigada, although sometimes translators confuse the two. The name has survived as acadet rank at theSpanish Naval Academy.
Many countries inSouth andCentral America were formerly Spanish or Portuguese (Brazil) possessions. Brigadier [-general] is used inLatin America, in the normal sense of brigade commander rank (e.g.Colombia,Chile), although most Latin American nations instead use the rank of brigade general. InMexico, brigadier general is the rank belowbrigade general, both ranks falling between colonel and divisional general.
However, both theArgentine andBrazilian Air Forces use a curious system of variations on brigadier for all (Argentina) or most (Brazil) general officers. The origin of this system is not entirely clear, but in the case of Argentina may be due to army air units being commanded by brigade generals before the establishment of the Air Force as an independent armed force.
![Brigadier (Australian Army)[14]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aAustralian_Army_OF-6.svg)
![Brigadir (Bosnian Ground Forces)[15]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBosnia%2526Herzegovina-Army-OF-5.svg)
![Brigadier (Botswana Ground Force)[16]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBotswana-Army-OF-6.svg)
![Brigadier (Chilean Army)[17]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSS.OO.8.EJER.BRIGADIER.svg)
![Brigadier (Guyana Army)[18]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aGuyana_Defence_Force_(GDF)_Brigadier_rank_insignia.svg){kind=icon}
![Brigadier (Hindi: ब्रिगेडियर) (Indian Army)[19]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBrigadier_of_the_Indian_Army.svg)
![Brigadier (Jamaican Army)[20]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aJamaica-Army-OF-6_(new).svg)
![Brigadier (Kenya Army)[21]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a13._Kenyan_Army_BG.svg)
![Brigadier (Maltese: Brigadier) (Army of Malta)[22]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a14.Malta_Army-BG.svg)
![Brigadier (New Zealand Army)[23]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNew_Zealand-Army-OF-6.svg)
![Brigadier (Urdu: بریگیڈیئر) (Pakistan Army)[24]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aOF-6_Pakistan_Army.svg)
![Brigadier (Seychelles Infantry Unit)[25]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSeychelles_Army_OF-06_(2018).svg)
![Brigadier (Sri Lanka Army)[26]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSri_Lanka-army-OF-6.svg)
![Brigadier (Tongan Land Component)[27]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aTonga-Army-OF-6.svg)
![Brigadier (Ugandan Land Forces)[28]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aUganda-Army-OF-6.svg)
![Brigadier (British Army)[29]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBritish_Army_OF-6.svg)
![Brigadier (Zimbabwe National Army)[30]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aZimbabwe-Army-OF-6.svg)
In the UK, brigadier and sub-brigadier were formerlysubaltern ranks in theRoyal Horse Guards.[31][when?]
Brigadier also exists as a non-commissioned rank. This usage derives from the use of "brigade" to denote a squad or team, similar to the occasional English civilian usage "work brigade".
InFrance, and some countries whose forces were structured based on the method used in France, some branches of the army and thegendarmerie[2] usebrigadier for a rank equivalent tocaporal (corporal), andbrigadier-chef for a rank equivalent tocaporal-chef. Brigadier is used by arms of the army that are by tradition considered "mounted" arms, such aslogistics orcavalry units. A similar usage exists elsewhere.
In the French gendarmerie, the brigadier ranks are used as in the army, i.e. as junior enlisted ranks (gradés), while the French police use brigadier ranks as their sub-officer (sous-officier) ranks. Since all professional police and gendarmes havesub-officer status in France, the gendarmerie brigadier ranks are rarely used, since they are used only by auxiliaries. On the other hand, the police brigadier ranks, which are used to indicate professional ranks, are common.
In the French gendarmerie and in "mounted" arms of the French army, the brigadier ranks are:
| OR-4 | OR-3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army[32] | Gendarmerie | Army[32] | Gendarmerie | |
| Shoulder |  | _OR-4.svg) |  | _OR-3.svg) |
| Camouflage |  | _OR-4_Operational.svg) |  | _OR-3_Operational.svg) |
| French | Brigadier-chef | Brigadier | ||
| English translation | Chief brigadier | Brigadier | ||
In theFrench National Police, the sub-officer variations are used fornon-commissioned officers are:
In theIndonesian National Police force, this rank is referred to as theConstable ranks in the regular police units. It is equivalent to the "sergeant" rank in the armed forces. This rank is the most junior rank in the regular police units of Indonesia but is above the enlisted ranks (Tamtama) of the special police units such as in theMobile Brigade corps andwater police units. This rank is below the "Sub-inspector" (Ajun Inspektur Polisi) ranks. The police Brigadier ranks are as shown below:
Brigadir Polisi Kepala, abbreviatedBripka (Police Chief Brigadier)
Brigadir Polisi, not abbreviated (Police Brigadier)
Brigadir Polisi Satu, abbreviatedBriptu (Police Brigadier 1st class)
Brigadir Polisi Dua, abbreviatedBripda (Police Brigadier 2nd class)In addition, Police Brigadier General (Brigadir Jenderal Polisi) and Brigadier General (Brigadir Jenderal) aregeneral officer ranks in theIndonesian Police,Army andMarine Corps respectively.
In the ItalianCarabinieri andGuardia di Finanza, the ranks of vice-brigadier (vice brigadiere), brigadier (brigadiere), and chief brigadier (brigadiere capo) correspond roughly to the army ranks based onsergeant. The rank of brigade general (generale di brigata) is used throughout the armed forces as the most junior general rank, and corresponds to the British rank title of brigadier.
Brigadier is traditionally the most senior non-commissioned rank in the Dutch police, for example theNational Police Corps (Korps Nationale Politie). Its predecessors also used this rank. TheRoyal Marechaussee (military police/gendarmerie) does not use this rank.
InSpain, abrigada has a NATO rank code ofOR-8 (and is thus a senior NCO). The Spanish rankbrigada is distinct from the Spanish-languagebrigadier [-general] used for senior officers in Latin America (and historically in Spain).
![Brigadier (Burkina Faso Ground Forces)[33][34]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a02._Burkina_Faso_Army_-_CPL.svg)
![Brigada (Spanish Army)[35]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSpain-Army-OR-8.svg)