Military ranks of Ethiopia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Military ranks of Ethiopia" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

The military ranks of Ethiopia are the military insignia used by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF). While Ethiopia is a landlocked country, it is in the process of reestablishing a Blue-water navy.[1] On 8 January 2022, the rank of field marshal general was awarded for the first time to Birhanu Jula.[2] At the same time, new ranks were introduced to the ENDF.[3]

## Commissioned officer ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Ethiopian Army[4]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
የፊልድ ማርሻል ጄኔራል
Yefīlidi marishali jēnērali | ጄነራል
Jēnerali | ሌተናል ጄነራል
Lētenali jēnerali | ሜጀር ጄነራል
Mējeri jēnerali | ብርጋዴር ጄነራል
Birigadēri jēnerali | ኮሎኔል
Kolonēli | ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli | ሻለቃ
Shalek’a | ሻምበል
Shamibeli | የመቶ ዓለቃ
Yemeto ‘alek’a | ምክትል የመቶ ዓለቃ
Mikitili yemeto ‘alek’a
Ethiopian Navy

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
አድሚራል
Ādimīrali | ቫይስ አድሚራል
Vayisi ādimīrali | ሬር አድሚራል
Rēri ādimīrali | ኮሞዶር
Komodori | ካፒቴን
Kapītēni | ኮማንደር
Komanideri | ሌፍተናንት ኮማንደር
Lēfitenaniti komanideri | ሌፍተናንት
Lēfitenaniti | ሌፍተናንት ጁኒየር ግሬድ
Lēfitenaniti junīyeri girēdi | ሰብ ሌፍተናንት
Sebi lēfitenaniti
Ethiopian Air Force

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ጄነራል
Jēnerali | ሌተናል ጄነራል
Lētenali jēnerali | ሜጀር ጄነራል
Mējeri jēnerali | ብርጋዴር ጄነራል
Birigadēri jēnerali | ኮሎኔል
Kolonēli | ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli | ሻለቃ
Shalek’a | ሻምበል
Shamibeli | የመቶ ዓለቃ
Yemeto ‘alek’a | ምክትል የመቶ ዓለቃ
Mikitili yemeto ‘alek’a
Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

## Other ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Ethiopian Army[4]

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
ሻለቃ ባሻ
Shalek’a basha | ሻለቃ መጋቢ ባሻ
Shalek’a megabī basha | ሻምበል ባሻ
Shamibeli basha | መጋቢ ሀምሳ ዓለቃ
Megabī hāmisa ‘alek’a | ሀምሳ ዓለቃ
Hāmisa ‘alek’a | አስር ዓለቃ
Āsiri ‘alek’a | ምክትል አስር ዓለቃ
Mikitili āsiri ‘alek’a | መሠረታዊ ወታዯር
Mešeretawī wetaderi
Ethiopian Navy

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ቺፍ ዋረንት ኦፊሰር
Chīfi wareniti ofīseri | ማስተር ቺፍ
Masiteri chīfi | ሲኒየር ቺፍ
Sīnīyeri chīfi | ቺፍ
Chīfi | ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 1ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri ānidenya kilasi | ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 2ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri huletenya kilasi | ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 3ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri sositenya kilasi | ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 4ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri āratenya kilasi | ሊዲንግ ሲማን
Līdīnigi sīmani | ኤብል ሲማን
Ēbili sīmani | ኦርድናሪ ሲማን
Oridinarī sīmani | ሲማን ሪኩሩት
Sīmani rīkuruti
Ethiopian Air Force

* v
* t
* e

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
ሲ ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Sī waraniti ofīseri | ጁኝር ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Junyiri waraniti ofīseri | ሻለቃ ባሻ
Shalek’a basha | ሻለቃ መጋቢ ባሻ
Shalek’a megabī basha | ሻምበል ባሻ
Shamibeli basha | መጋቢ ሃምሳ አለቃ
Megabī hamisa ālek’a | ሃምሳ አለቃ
Hamisa ālek’a | አስር አለቃ
Āsiri ālek’a | ምክትል አስር አለቃ
Mikitili āsiri ālek’a | መሠረታዊ ወታዯር
Mešeretawī wetaderi
Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

## Historic ranks

[edit]

### Commissioned officer ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

|
|
|

Ethiopian Army[5]
(–2022) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ጄነራል
Jēnerali | ሌተናንት ጄነራል
Lētenaniti jēnerali | ሜጄር ጄነራል
Mējēri jēnerali | ብርጋዴር ጄነራል
Birigadēri jēnerali | ኮሌኔል
Kolēnēli | ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli | ሻለቃ
Shalek’a | ሻምበል
Shamibeli | መቶ አለቃ
Meto ālek’a | ምክትል መቶ አለቃ
Mikitili meto ālek’a |
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
Ethiopian Air Force[5]
(–2022) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
ጄኔራል
Jēnērali | ሌተናንት ጄኔራል
Lētenaniti jēnērali | ሜጄር ጄኔራል
Mējēri jēnērali | ብርጋዴር ጄኔራል
Birigadēri jēnērali | ኮሌኔል
Kolēnēli | ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli | ሻለቃ
Shalek’a | ሻምበል
Shamibeli | መቶ አለቃ
Meto ālek’a | ምክትል መቶ አለቃ
Mikitili meto ālek’a |
General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier general | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant |
Rank group  | General / flag officers  | Senior officers  | Junior officers

### Other ranks

[edit]

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

|
|
|

Ethiopian Army[5]
(–2022) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia
ሲ ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Sī waraniti ofīseri | ጁኝር ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Junyiri waraniti ofīseri | ሻለቃ ባሻ
Shalek’a basha | ሻለቃ መጋቢ ባሻ
Shalek’a megabī basha | ሻምበል ባሻ
Shamibeli basha | መጋቢ ሃምሳ አለቃ
Megabī hamisa ālek’a | ሃምሳ አለቃ
Hamisa ālek’a | አስር አለቃ
Āsiri ālek’a | ምክትል አስር አለቃ
Mikitili āsiri ālek’a |
Senior warrant officer | Junior warrant officer | Command sergeant major | Staff sergeant major | First sergeant | Master sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private
Rank group  | Senior NCOs  | Junior NCOs  | Enlisted

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Ethiopia: Naval Ambitions, New logo & Uniform". Geeska Afrika Online. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
2. ^ Office of the Prime Minister [@PMEthiopia] (8 January 2022). "PM @AbiyAhmedAli presided over the ENDF rank promotion ceremony" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via Twitter.
3. ^ "Ethiopia introduces its first Field Marshal rank amid changes to insignia". ethiopiancitizen.com. 8 January 2022. Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
4. ^ a b "Ethiopia introduces its first Field Marshal rank amid changes to insignia". ethiopiancitizen.com. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
5. ^ a b c Wetaderawī ma‘iregochi # fana k’elemati ወታደራዊ ማዕረጎች # ፋና ቀለማት [Military titles #Fana Colors] (in Amharic). YouTube: Fana Television. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* "Ethiopia". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 19 September 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Military ranks and insignia by country

* List of comparative military ranks

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with
limited recognition|

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Former|

* People's Republic of Angola
* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* Kingdom of Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Katanga
* People's Republic of Mozambique
* Rhodesia
* South West Africa
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Apartheid States in Southern Africa

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Enlisted:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Other:
* Marine Corps
* Space Force
* Warrant officer
* Opposing forces
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Canada (pre-Unification)
* Confederate States of America
* Union
* Army
* Navy
* Costa Rica
* Republic of Cuba
* Empire of Brazil
* Panama
* Republic of Texas
* Army
* Navy
* United States Army enlisted
* World War I
* World War II

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* PR of China
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Rocket Force
* Armed Police
* India
* Army
* Air Force
* Navy
* Coast Guard
* Border Roads Organisation
* Paramilitary forces
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Korea
* North
* South
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Marines
* Civil Armed Forces
* Maritime Security Agency
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Coast Guard
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan (Republic of China)

Former|

* Artsakh
* China
* Empire
* Republic (1912–1949)
* Dutch East Indies
* East Turkestan (Second Republic)
* People's Republic of Kampuchea
* Imperial Iran
* Imperial Japan
* Army
* Navy
* Korea
* Empire
* Liberation Army
* Kingdom of Laos
* Manchukuo
* Mengjiang
* Mongolian People's Republic
* Vietnam
* State
* South
* South Yemen
* Tibet
* Tuva

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Europe|

* Albania
* Armenia
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Home Guard
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Army
* Navy
* Gendarmerie
* Air and Space Force
* Foresters
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Land Forces
* Coast Guard
* Ireland
* Italy
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Carabinieri
* Finance Guard
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* North Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Cossacks
* Between 1994 and 2010
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Officers:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Other:
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* Vatican

States with
limited recognition|

* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus
* Transnistria

Former|

* Albania
* Kingdom
* People's Socialist Republic
* Austria–Hungary
* Army
* Navy
* Bulgaria
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* German Empire
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* East Germany
* Kingdom of Greece
* Army
* Navy
* Air Force
* France
* Napoleonic Grand Army
* Hungary
* Kingdom
* People's Republic
* Italy
* Kingdom
* Social Republic
* Ottoman Empire
* Polish People's Republic
* Republika Srpska
* Romania
* Kingdom
* Socialist Republic
* Russian Empire
* White Movement
* Slovakia (First Republic)
* Soviet Union
* 1918–35
* 1935–40
* 1940–43
* 1943–55
* 1955–91
* Spain
* 2nd Republic
* State
* Yugoslavia
* Kingdom
* Socialist Federal Republic
* Federal Republic

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Comparative|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Language|

| Anglophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

|

Arabophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Francophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Gendarmerie
* Officers
* Enlisted

Hispanophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Lusophone|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Military police
* Officers
* Enlisted

Post-Soviet states|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Commonwealth of Nations|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

European Union|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air force
* Officers
* Enlisted

NATO|

* Army
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Navy
* Officers
* Enlisted
* Air Force
* Officers
* Enlisted

Comparative ranks of

* Star ranking
* WWI
* Officers
* WWII
* Officers
* Women's services
* Marine forces
* Space forces
* Gendarmeries
* UK and US

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template