What are all the US military ranks?

Search: military ranks

Why: I don't understand some of the "Off Base" jokes in Reader's Digest (or I do and they're just not funny).

Answer: For each branch:

Army - General of the Army, General, Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, First Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Chief Warrant Officer 5-2, Warrant Officer, Sergeant Major of the Army, Command Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major, First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, Sergeant First Class, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant, Corporal, Specialist, Private First Class, Private 2, Private

Navy / Coast Guard - Fleet Admiral, Admiral Chief of Naval Operations / Commandant of the Coast Guard, Vice Admiral, Rear Admiral (upper half), Rear Admiral (lower half), Captain, Commander, Lieutenant Commander, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Ensign, Chief Warrant Officer 5-2, Warrant Officer, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy / Coast Guard, Force Master Chief Petty Officer, Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer, Command Master Chief Petty Officer, Master Chief Petty Officer, Senior Chief Petty Officer, Chief Petty Officer, Petty Officer 1st-3rd class, Seaman, Seaman Apprentice, Seaman Recruit

Air Force - General of the Air Force, General Air Force Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, First Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Command Chief Master Sergeant, Chief Master Sergeant, Senior Master Sergeant, Master Sergeant, Technical Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Senior Airman or Sergeant, Airman First Class, Airman, Airman Basic

Marine Corps - General, Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, First Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Chief Warrant Officer 5-2, Warrant Officer 1, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sergeant Major, Master Gunnery Sergeant, First Sergeant, Master Sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Sergeant, Corporal, Lance Corporal, Private First Class, Private

Source: Military Factory

The More You Know: Rather than mention that horrible shooting, here's some etymology

• corporal - from It. caporale "a corporal," from capo "chief, head," from L. caput "head." So called because he was in charge of a body of troops.
• lieutenant - lieu tenant, lit. "placeholder," from lieu "place" + tenant, prp. of tenir "to hold."
• sergeant - "servant," from O.Fr. sergent, from M.L. servientum (nom. serviens) "servant, vassal, soldier" (in L.L. "public official"). Specific sense of "military servant" is attested from late 13c.