Israel Defense Forces ranks

The ranks in the Israel Defense Forces reflect an individual's level in the military.
IDF ranks are divided into three groups: enlisted ranks, from Private to First Sergeant; non-commissioned officer ranks, from staff sergeant to chief warrant officer; and officer ranks, from second lieutenant to lieutenant general. The rank insignia for enlisted personnel are worn on the arm, between the elbow and the shoulder, while the ranks of NCOs and officers are worn on the shoulder epaulettes of the shirt.
Because the IDF is an integrated force, ranks are the same in all of its component branches. The ranks are derived from those in the paramilitary Haganah, which operated during the Mandate period in order to protect the Yishuv.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers are listed below, in descending order.
Officers : Volunteers who have completed the officer's course. Officers serve for at least 36 months for women in non-combat positions and 44 months for men. Positions in specialized units require their officers to serve for more than this. Promotions are based on ability and time served. It takes about a year to be promoted from 2nd lieutenant to lieutenant and three years to be promoted from lieutenant to captain. Officers without a university education can be promoted to a maximum of Rav Seren, with the IDF often sponsoring the studies for their majors.
Officer insignia varies by service: army officers have bronze-metal insignia ; navy officers gold-metal insignia or gold braid bars; and air force officers silver-metal insignia.

Student officer ranks

Academic officers : Special rank given to soldiers who have not completed officers' training after completing a professional education and returning to service. A kama is equivalent to a lieutenant, a ka'ab is equivalent to a captain, and kaam to major. Officers of these ranks are considered professional manpower and rarely take posts of command. Upon finally completing officers' training, an academic officer is immediately awarded the corresponding "real" rank due to their experience in grade. Their insignia bars are embossed with scrolls rather than laurel branches.

Enlisted ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel, in descending order.
Non-commissioned officers : The professional non-commissioned and warrant ranks, drawn from volunteers who signed on for military service after completing conscription. They usually are assigned to head-up the headquarters staff of a unit. Samal is a Hebrew abbreviation for segen mi-khutz la-minyan, which translates as "supernumerary lieutenant"; it is a Field NCO rank equivalent to a British or Commonwealth "Lance Corporal." Rav samal translates as "chief sergeant"; it is a career NCO rank equivalent to a British or Commonwealth "Corporal" with successive ranks moving up to "Warrant Officer." Nagad is a variant of the biblical word nagid, which means "ruler" or "leader". Rav nagad is a senior staff NCO rank equivalent to the American E-9 ranks of "Sergeant Major" or "Chief Master Sergeant" or "Master Chief Petty Officer."
Enlisted : The conscript and field NCO ranks. All Jewish, Druze and Circassian conscripts must start their compulsory service at 18 ; Christians, Muslims, and Circassians may volunteer at 17 or older. Enlisted male conscripts serve for 32 months and female conscripts serve for 24 months. In the IDF enlisted ranks are earned by means of time in service, rather than by a particular post or assignment. After 4 to 12 months the conscript is promoted to rav turai, after 18 to 20 months promoted to samal, and after 24 to 32 months is promoted to samal rishon.
Field NCOs who command sub-units are called mashak. This is an abbreviation that translates into English literally as "non-commissioned officer". It is a term of respect like the French Army's chef.
Recruits : Upon enlistment to military service in Israel, all soldiers begin a basic training course and undergo several weeks or months of 'integration' from citizens to soldiers. This course is called tironut and the soldier being trained on this course is called a tiron. This is often erroneously interpreted as a rank, similar to the US Army's private ; tironim are ranked as turai, the same rank and paygrade as newly trained conscripts.
Both officers and enlisted personnel have an obligation to serve in the Reserves after completing their active military service. Male personnel serve until 41–51 years old while female personnel serve until 24 years old.

Obsolete ranks

The rank of memale makom katzín, initials: Mamak or "substitute officer", was created in the 1960s. The rank was considered below a 2nd lieutenant. It indicated a cadet in the Israeli army who had finished the basic preparation for an officer rank, but for some reason abandoned their studies, failed to complete the professional officer preparation, or completed it with a minimal passing grade but was still found worthy of command. They occupied the lowest officer posts until a normal officer rank was found for the position. Those who finished the officer preparation with a minimal passing grade and were substituting in a command position were eligible for promotion to normal officer rank after a set period. It was discontinued in 1994.
The rank of Samal Bakhír, initials: Samab was used from 1948 to 1952. It was the equivalent of a US Army First Sergeant. It was replaced by the rank of Rav Samal Yekhidati, similar to a British or Commonwealth Army Warrant Officer II.
The rank of Master Corporal, initials: Ratash, or "chief private first class", was used from 1972 to 1982. There was an expansion of staff NCO ranks during this period and the higher rank was offered to conscripts who planned to enlist after completing their national service.
The rank of Private First Class, initials: Tarash, or "private first class", was disestablished in the Regular IDF in 1990. It still continued to be used in the Reserves until it was finally discontinued in 1999. Privates now retain their rank until promoted to corporal, usually after 10 months of peacetime service or 6 months for support roles or 4 months for combatants during hostilities. Corporals in combat units traditionally do not wear their rank insignia, remaining without insignia until they are promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Insignia

Aiguillettes, Srochim in Hebrew are worn on the left shoulder of the uniform to indicate a soldier's specific role in a unit:Azure: Ceremony Unit, Combat Hummer Operators, Military School student instructors in the Air ForceAzure/Green: Combat Hummer Operator instructorsAzure/Purple: Reserves CoordinatorsBlack: Instructors in Bahad 1 /Instructors in the Flight Academy/Instructors in the Naval Academy/Instructors in Paramedic courseBlack/Creme: Military Rabbinate attacheśBlack/Green: Commanders in the Squad Commanders’ Course in the Artillery Corps,, Combat Engineering Corps, Armored Aid, Infantry Corps, Reserves Instructors at, Commanders and Instructors in, Tank Commander course instructors, Instructors in, Platoon Sergeants in, Senior Instructors in Black/Orange: Combat Engineering course graduatesBlack/White: "Scientific Teaching" OfficersBlack/Yellow: Chemical Warfare officers, instructors and NCOsBlue/Red: Military PoliceBlue/White: Chief NCOs of a BaseBurgundy: Courseware DevelopersBurgundy/Grey: Special-needs inclusion tutors in the programBrown: Behavioral sciences diagnostics, "Return to regular service" diagnostics, Weekly trainee squad commanders, Quartermaster NCOs in the Combat Engineering Corps and BasesDark Blue: Air Force Intelligence Instructors, Psychotechnical diagnostics, Navy Instructors, Platoon Sergeants at.Green: Section/Squad CommandersGreen/Blue: Soldiers responsible for the recruitement processGreen/Purple: Service Rights Attaché instructorsGreen/Red: Emergency population instructorsGreen/White: Instructors in the Military Intelligence DirectorateGrey: Educators/Teachers Orange/Azure: Search and Rescue officers, instructors and NCOsPurple: Service Rights AttachéRed: IDF Orchestra, Navy Instructor, Apprentice-Responsible Red/White: NCOsWhite: Security Guards, Discipline Attaché Yellow/White: Field Intelligence InstructorsLight Blue: Commander of a class Dark Blue: Senior Commander of a class/Commander of a grade Grey: Private TeachersRed: Commander of a classGreen: Household officerRed/Yellow: Base ChiefRed/Black: Base Chief's right handRed/Green: AdjutantDark Blue: Class InstructorRed/White: head of the Cadet's councilDark Green/Black: Chief of security

History

When the IDF was created in 1948, there were 7 enlisted and NCO ranks, and 8 officer ranks. The ranks were as follows:

Enlisted	Insignia	Officer	Insignia
Rav samal Rav samal rishon	An oak leaf within a laurel wreath on a red cloth circle An oak leaf over a sword within a laurel wreath A vertical entwined sword and olive branch in a Star of David within a laurel wreath 2 chevrons	Rav aluf	An oak leaf within a laurel wreath An oak leaf over an oak leaf within a laurel wreath 2 oak leaves over a crossed sword and olive branch
Rav samal Rav Samal	An oak leaf within a laurel wreath An oak leaf in a Star of David within a laurel wreath 1 chevron	Aluf	1 oak leaf over a crossed sword and olive branch
Samal bakhír	A small oak leaf within a laurel wreath on 3 half chevrons	Aluf aluf-mishneh	3 oak leaves
Samal rishon	A small oak leaf on 3 half chevrons	Sgan aluf	2 oak leaves
Samal	3 half chevrons	Rav seren	1 oak leaf
Rav turai	2 half chevrons	Seren	3 bars
Turai rishon	1 half chevron	Segen rishon Segen	2 bars
Turai	No insignia	Segen Segen mishne	1 bar

IDF Ranks and their insignia were initially influenced by the British / Commonwealth model. This was due to the average Israeli servicemen's experience in the Commonwealth forces during World War Two. This was later reformed when the IDF started to adopt a rank system similar to the United States armed forces in 1973 and the 1990s.
Rank insignia were originally cut from cloth or embroidered onto cloth patches. Bronze-metal officer's rank insignia worn on a red cloth backing were introduced for the army in 1949. Enlisted stripes for all arms were originally individual white half-chevrons with space between them. In an economy move, senior NCOs were distinguished by using the same bronze insignia as senior officers pinned to their sleeve insignia. In 1951 the Navy adopted golden-yellow half-chevrons and the Air Force adopted blue half chevrons.
A samal rishon was equal to a British Army staff sergeant / colour sergeant or a US Army technical sergeant / platoon sergeant. For the other services, the bronze-metal oak-leaf on the army's samal rishon rank insignia was replaced with a yellow anchor in a white hexagon for the Navy and a blue Star of David on a white circle for the Air Force. This was later replaced in 1951 with a gold-metal oak leaf for the Navy and a silver-metal oak leaf for the Air Force.
A Samal Bakhír was equivalent to a US Army First Sergeant. The rank insignia was a small bronze oak leaf in a wreath on 3 white half-chevrons for the Army; a yellow anchor in a yellow-bordered or solid-yellow hexagon on 3 white half-chevrons for the Navy; and a blue Star of David in a blue-bordered circle on 3 white half-chevrons for the Air Force. It was replaced by the reorganized Rav Samal rank in 1951 and the new Rav Samal Yehidati rank by 1955.
A Rav Samal was equivalent to a British Army Warrant Officer II. The rank insignia was an Oak Leaf in a Laurel Wreath. It came in bronze-metal on a red enamel backing for the Army, gold-metal for the Navy, and silver-metal for the Air Force. It was worn on the lower right sleeve of the shirt or jacket or on a leather wrist strap when wearing short-sleeve order. It was divided into Rav-Samal Miktzoi and Rav Samal Yekhidati from 1955 to 1958.
A Rav Samal was equivalent to a US Army Master Sergeant or Sergeant Major. The rank insignia was originally an oak leaf in a laurel wreath for the Army, a large yellow anchor in a yellow-bordered or solid-yellow hexagon for the Navy, and a large blue Star of David in a bordered circle for the Air Force. The rank was renamed Rav Samal Rishon and was equivalent to a British Army Warrant Officer I. The new rank also received new insignia made of metal: an Oak Leaf over a vertical Sword in a Laurel Wreath. It came in bronze-metal on a red enamel backing for the Army, gold-metal for the Navy, and silver-metal for the Air Force. It was worn on the lower right sleeve of the shirt or jacket or on a leather wrist strap when wearing short-sleeve order. It was divided into Rav Samal Rishon Miktzoi and Rav Samal Rishon Yekhidati from 1955 to 1958.

Early ranks of the IDF (1948–1951)

From 1948 to 1951, IDF Ranks for each branch of service had unique titles and distinct insignia.

US Army Rank	IDF Army	IDF Navy	IDF Air Force
Private	Turai	Malakh	Avirai
Private First Class	Turai Rishon	Malakh Rishon	Avirai Rishon
Corporal	Rav Turai	Rav Malakh	Avirai Musmakh
Sergeant	Samal	Samal	Samal Avir
Staff Sergeant	Samal Rishon	Samal Rishon	Samal Tayas
Sergeant First Class	Rav-Samal	Rav-Samal	Samal Teufa
Master Sergeant	Rav-Samal Rishon	Rav-Samal Rishon	Katsin Avir
Officer Candidate	-	Meshit	-
Second Lieutenant	Segen	Sgan Khovel	Pakkad Avir
First Lieutenant	Segen Rishon	Sea captain	Pakkad Tayas
Captain	Seren	Khovel Rishon	Pakkad Teufa
Major	Rav Seren	Rav Khovel	Rosh Tayeset
Lieutenant-Colonel	Sgan aluf	Sgan Kabarnit	Rosh Kanaf
Colonel	Aluf / Aluf Mishne	Kabarnit	Rosh Lahak
General	Aluf	Aluf Yam	Aluf Avir
Chief of Staff	Rav Aluf	-	-