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The structural vocabulary of rank: chevrons, stars, pips, crowns, bars, oak leaves, sleeve braid and service stripes. The group exists to make one point that a list of national rank charts cannot. These forms recur across the world's armed forces and they do not carry the same meaning: three stars is a captain in the British Army and a lieutenant general in the United States; a chevron points up on a US sleeve and down on a British one; a single silver bar outranks a single gold one, which is the reverse of what anyone expects. Every record names its country and service, because a rank device read without that context is unreadable. No national insignia artwork is reproduced here.
A V-shaped stripe worn on the sleeve to mark non-commissioned rank.
A star worn as a rank device, most familiar on general officers' insignia.
A small star-shaped device marking junior officer rank in British practice.
A crown worn as a rank device in British and Commonwealth services.
A plain rectangular bar worn as a junior officer rank device.
An oak leaf worn as a field officer rank device, above the collar or on a shoulder.
A diagonal or horizontal sleeve stripe marking completed years of service.
Rings of braid around the cuff marking commissioned naval rank.
A pair of outspread wings worn as a qualification badge by aircrew.
Two swords crossed in saltire, used as a branch and appointment device.
A ring of laurel leaves enclosing or framing another device.