A colonel, pictured in 2019

Enlisted men of the ranks of segundo-cabo (left) and Sargento-principal (right)

Military ranks of Cape Verde are the insignia used to denote rank in the Cape Verdean Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Coast Guard.

Background

The Cape Verdean Armed Forces have existed since independence from Portugal in 1975. The currently comprise 1,200 personnel in the National Guard, plus 200 Coast Guard and 100 in the Air Force (which organisationally comes under the Coast Guard). The structure and organisation is defined by the Decree-Law no. 30/2007 of August 20. The National Guard and Coast Guard have their own headquarters which are responsible to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, a colonel. The Chief of Staff also has responsibility for the armed forces' Staff Command and Logistics Command.^[1] The chief of staff is supported by a deputy, also a colonel. The Coast Guard use the same rank structure as the land forces and have been commanded by an officer with the rank of major (2013) or lieutenant-colonel (2011).^[2][3]

The organisation is headed by a General Chief of Staff who, in 2015, held the rank of Major-General.^[4] The armed forces as a whole come under the control of the civilian government.^[1]

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Cape Verdean National Guard[5]
							Major-general		Brigadeiro-general		Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro tenente		Tenente		Subtenente
Cape Verdean Coast Guard[6]
											Capitão–de–mar		Capitão–de–navio		Capitão-de–patrulha		Capitão-tenente		Primeiro-tenente		Tenente		Guarda-marinha

Student officer ranks

Rank group	Student officer
Cape Verdean National Guard[5]
	Aspirante
Cape Verdean Coast Guard[6]
	Aspirante à oficial

Enlisted

This table illustrates the rank insignia of enlisted members of the national guard and coast guard.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Cape Verdean National Guard[5]																																				No insignia
	Sargento-mor						Sargento-chefe		Sargento-principal		Primeiro-sargento						Segundo-sargento		Sargento	Furriel	Instruendo curso de sargento		Cabo-principal		Cabo de Secção		Cabo-adjunto		Primeiro-cabo			Segundo-cabo			Instruendo curso de cabo	Soldado
Cape Verdean Coast Guard[6]
	Sargento-mor						Sargento-chefe		Sargento-principal		Primeiro-sargento						Segundo-sargento		Furriel		Segundo-furriel		Cabo-principal		Cabo de secção		Cabo-adjunto		Primeiro-cabo			Segundo-cabo

Former ranks

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Cape Verdean National Guard (1992–2012)
											Colonel Coronel		Lieutenant Colonel Tenente-coronel		Major Major		Captain Capitão		First Lieutenant Primeiro tenente		Lieutenant Tenente		Second Lieutenant Subtenente		Officer Cadet Aspirante
Cape Verdean National Guard (1975–1992)
									Brigade Commandant Comandante de brigada		First Commandant Primeiro comandante		Commandant Comandante		Major Major		Captain Capitão		First Lieutenant Primeiro tenente		Lieutenant Tenente		Second Lieutenant Subtenente		Officer Cadet Aspirante}

Enlisted

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Cape Verdean National Guard (1992–2012)																																			No insignia
	Sergeant-major Sargento-mor						Chief sergeant Sargento-chefe		Master sergeant Sargento-principal		First sergeant Primeiro-sargento			Second sergeant Segundo-sargento			Sergeant Sargento				Lance sergeant Furriel						Master corporal Cabo-adjunto		First corporal Primeiro-cabo			Second corporal Segundo-cabo			Soldado
Cape Verdean National Guard (1975–1992)																																			No insignia
											First sergeant Primeiro-sargento			Second sergeant Segundo-sargento			Lance sergeant Terceiro-sargento												First soldier Primeiro-soldado						Soldado

References