Captain (O-6)
Insignia of the naval rank of captain
Country	United States
Service branch	United States Navy United States Coast Guard United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps US Maritime Service
Abbreviation	CAPT
Rank group	Senior officer
NATOrank code	OF-5
Pay grade	O-6
Next higher rank	Rear admiral (lower half)
Next lower rank	Commander
Equivalent ranks	Colonel

Captain (O-3)
Insignia of the USA, USAF, and USSF rank of captain
Insignia of the USMC rank of captain
Country	United States
Service branch	United States Army United States Air Force United States Marine Corps United States Space Force
Abbreviation	CPT (USA); Capt. (USAF/USSF); Capt, Capt., or CAPT (USMC)
Rank group	Junior or company-grade officer
NATOrank code	OF-2
Pay grade	O-3
Next higher rank	Major
Next lower rank	First lieutenant
Equivalent ranks	Lieutenant (USN, USCG, USPHSCC, NOAA Corps, US Maritime Service)

In theuniformed services of the United States,captain is acommissioned-officer rank. In keeping with the traditions of themilitaries of most nations, the rank varies between the services, being a senior rank in the naval services (O-6) and a junior rank in the ground and air forces (O-3). Many fire departments and police departments in the United States also use the rank of captain as an officer in a specific unit.

For the naval rank, a captain is a senior officer ofU.S. uniformed services pay grades O-6^[1] (the sixth officer rank), typically commanding seagoing vessels, major aviation commands and shore installations. This rank is used by theU.S. Navy,U.S. Coast Guard,^[2]U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps,^[3] theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps,^[4] and theU.S. Maritime Service.

Seaborne services of the United States and many other nations refer to the officer in charge of any seagoing vessel as "captain" regardless of actual rank.^[5] For instance, in the civilianUnited States Merchant Marine, the commander of a vessel is also referred to as a captain, and everyone in his boat must abide by his commands. While not an official rank, as in military pay grade, it is an official title. One exception to the rule is when an officer of higher rank than captain, such as admiral, is the officer in charge of one or more seagoing vessel(s), such as acarrier battle group. An admiral is never referred to as "captain". In the seaborne services, especially for submarine and aviation commands, the commanding officer is often referred to informally as "skipper" whether the officer is a captain or below.^[6]

For the ground and air forces rank, a captain is of pay grade O-3 (the third officer rank), usually serving as the commander of acompany-sized unit in the ground forces, as a flight leader or other squadron officer in air units, or serving as an executive officer or staff officer for a larger unit such as abattalion orsquadron. This rank is used by theU.S. Army,U.S. Air Force, andU.S. Marine Corps.^[1]

The rank of captain is also used in other organizations outside the military, particularly in fire departments, police, and law enforcement.

• 
  U.S. Air Force^{[N 1]}
• 
  U.S. Army (dress, garrison)
• 
  U.S. Army (field, combat)
• 
  U.S. Army (field, combat)
• 
  U.S. Marine Corps^[7] (dress, garrison)
• 
  U.S. Marine Corps^[7] (field, combat)

• 
  USN,USCG,USPHSCC, andNOAACOC collar, cover (hat), or shoulder rank insignia (on select uniforms)
• 
  The eagle, shoulder boards, and dress blue sleeve stripes of a U.S. Navy captain

  (Line officer)
• 
  The eagle, shoulder boards, and dress blue sleeve stripes of a U.S. Coast Guard captain
• 
  The eagle, shoulder boards, and sleeve stripes (dress blues + female dress whites) of aUSPHS captain
• 
  The eagle, shoulder boards, and sleeve stripes (dress blues + female dress whites) of aNOAA Corps captain
• 
  The eagle, shoulder boards, and sleeve stripes (dress blues) of aUSMS captain

The insignia for captains in the United States Army was first authorized in 1836.^[8] During theAmerican Civil War, the rank of captain was used in both theUnion Army andConfederate States Army. The rank was typically held by either junior staff officers or company commanders. In the case of the latter, company officers were normally elected by the men of their unit, unless the officer in question held rank in theRegular Army. In cases where regiments had suffered high casualties, it was not uncommon for a captain to assume duties as the regimental commander. Such was the case in the1st Mississippi Infantry which was commanded by Captain Owen Hughes after the regiment had lost over half its number at theBattle of Nashville.

• 
  U.S. Army(September 1959 to October 2015)^[9]
• 
  U.S. Army(1861 to 1865)

Because of the ambiguity created by the common use of "captain" for officers of different grades among the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, NOAA, Public Health Service, and Space Force, equivalency is conferred between officers by use of identicalpay grade rather than title of rank. The higher the grade, the higher the rank of the officer. For example, an Army, Air Force, Marine, or Space Force captain (O-3) is equivalent in rank, responsibilities, and grade to a Navy, Public Health Service, NOAA, or Coast Guardlieutenant (O-3).^[1] Similarly, a Navy, Public Health Service, NOAA, or Coast Guard captain (O-6) is equivalent in rank, responsibilities, and grade to an Army, Air Force, Marine, or Space Forcecolonel (O-6)^[1]. Thus, Army, Air Force, Marine, and Space Force colonels together with Navy, Public Health Service, NOAA, and Coast Guard captains wear the silver eagle insignia of the grade of O-6^[8], while Army, Air Force, Marine, and Space Force captains together with Navy, Public Health Service, and Coast Guard lieutenants wear the double silver bars of the rank insignia of the grade of O-3^[8]. Additionally, the O-6 rank of Navy, Public Health Service, NOAA, and Coast Guard captain is abbreviated as uppercase "CAPT"^[10], while the O-3 rank of captain is abbreviated as "CPT"^[8] for the Army and mixed-case "Capt" for the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force.^[1]

In the United States, the rank of captain first appeared in theContinental Army during theRevolutionary War.^[11] A captain was theofficer placed in charge of a company of soldiers and was granted a commission from the regimentalcolonel. A captain was afforded one to severallieutenants, depending on the size of the company, and the captain's commission could be revoked or expired at the end of a particular military campaign.

TheContinental Navy used the rank of captain as the commander of a sailing vessel at war,^[12] with the captain having several lieutenants on board, as well as asailing master to assist in their duties. This use of the rank carried over into theU.S. Navy. Captain was the highest naval rank from 1775 until 1857, when the United States Congress created the rank offlag officer.^[12] With the addition of the ranks ofcommander andlieutenant commander between lieutenant and captain, a Navy captain became equivalent in rank to an Armycolonel.

• Naval captain

• DA Pamphlet 600–3, Commissioned Officer Professional Development and Career Management

• Military ranks of the United States

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