The Italian Army ranks are the ranks used by the Italian Army and are worn on epaulettes of shirts. The Army of Italy contains levels of ranks showing both their officers' status and seniority as dedicated members of the Italian militia. Although altered throughout history, the current ranks stand as the lowest rank being "soldato semplice" and the highest rank being "generale". There are a total of 32 ranks within 7 categories. These categories include: temporary service volunteers, permanent service volunteers, sergeants, marshals (NCOs), junior officers, senior officers, and generals.^[1]

In order to clearly show an officer's rank as a form of identification and authority, insignia patches are worn by all members of the Italian army. Insignia patches are a sort of label worn on the epaulets of officers that sport different markings, such as stripes and stars, to show how highly ranked an individual is. These patches display a soldier's rank and position to their fellow officers as well as their identity on the battlefield. In each ranking category of officer, there is a trend in the symbols shown on their insignia patches. Each rank an individual rises he gains more detailed and recognizable symbols, these new symbols are most often an additional star or stripe added per higher rank achieved.^[2]

Current ranks

The chart below represents the Italian Army rank insignia used on the slip-on of winter service uniforms. The color of the uniforms is khaki.^[3]

Officers who are assigned to a position acting in a higher rank than their own wear the insignia of the higher rank but the highest star of the insignia is trimmed in red enamel. Similarly, an officer temporarily assigned to a position attaining a higher rank in the absence of the incumbent officer, wear the star in bronze colour.

As can be seen, the Italian rank system has a large number of junior NCO ranks. Several ranks (which are variations on corporal) have a "chosen" version of the rank, "chosen" having the same sense of "leading", as in the historic British Army appointment of "chosen man" (now called lance-corporal).

Officers

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
	Officers
	Generals										Senior officers						Junior officers
Italian Army[4]
			Generale	Generale di Corpo d'Armata con Incarichi Speciali	Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Tenente Generale)		Generale di Divisione (Maggior Generale)		Generale di Brigata (Brigadier Generale)		Colonnello		Tenente Colonnello		Maggiore		Primo capitano	Capitano	Tenente			Sottotenente									Allievo Ufficiale
Translation			General	Corps General with special tasks	Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		First captain	Captain	Lieutenant			Second lieutenant

Enlisted

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
	Sub-officers																						Volunteer ratings				Enlisted
	Marshals								Sergeants														Permanent service volunteers				Temporary service volunteers
Italian Army[4][5]							Maresciallo capo Maresciallo ordinario Maresciallo																Caporale maggiore capo scelto q.s. Caporale maggiore capo scelto Caporale maggiore capo Caporale maggiore scelto Primo caporale maggiore
	Primo luogotenente q.s.		Luogotenente		Primo maresciallo				Sergente maggiore capo q.s.	Sergente Maggiore Capo	Sergente Maggiore						Sergente										Caporal Maggiore		Caporale						Soldato
Translation	Sub-lieutenant				First marshal		Chief marshal Ordinary marshal Marshal		Chief sergeant major		Sergeant major						Sergeant						Senior Chief Corporal-Major	Chief Corporal-Major	Senior Corporal-Major	First Corporal-Major	Corporal-Major		Corporal						Private

Enlisted ranks introduced in 2018

Other rank insignia
NATO Code	OR-9	OR-7	OR-4
Shoulder board
Italian[5]	Primo luogotenente q.s.[6]	Sergente maggiore capo q.s.	Caporale maggiore capo scelto q.s.
English	Sub-lieutenant (special class)	Chief Sergeant Major (special class)	Senior Chief Corporal-Major (special class)

History

Italian Army officers used to wear the ranks on the sleeve, like naval officers. Since 1946, insignia were changed in order to align with NATO regulations. In 1973 the system had the following slight change: the "bastion wall" was added to the stars for general officers, instead of the silver shoulder board; the civic crown was added to the stars for field officers, instead of a gold band on the edge of the epaulette or shoulder strap; the stars began to be placed near the edge of the epaulette instead of in the center. These changes were mostly intended to make insignia more easily recognizable on the field uniform.

Timeline of change

See also: Military ranks of the Kingdom of Italy and Military ranks of the Italian Social Republic

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Italian Army (1947–1972)[7]
			Generale di corpo d'armata con incarichi speciali		Generale di corpo d'armata		Generale di divisione		Generale di brigata		Colonnello comandante di reggimento	Colonnello	Tenente colonnello		Maggiore		Primo capitano	Capitano	Primo tenente		Tenente		Sottotenente
Italian Army (1972–?)

References