Ranks in the French Navy
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The rank insignia of the French Navy (French: Marine Nationale) are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets, and on sleeves for navy jackets and mantels.
Until 2005, only commissioned officers had an anchor on their insignia, but warrant officers are now receiving them as well.
Unlike in the French Army (Armée de Terre) and French Air Force (Armée de l'Air), one does not prefix mon to the name of the rank when addressing an officer (for example, capitaine instead of mon capitaine). [1] This custom is sometimes said to date back to the Battle of Trafalgar, when Napoleon decided that French Navy officers did not deserve to be called "monsieur" (mon being here elliptical for monsieur, "sir").
Commanding officers have titles of capitaine, but are called commandant (in the army, both capitaine and commandant are ranks, which tends to stir some confusion among the public). The two highest ranks, vice-amiral d'escadre and amiral (admiral), are functions, rather than ranks. They are assumed by officers ranking vice-amiral (vice admiral).
The only amiral de la flotte (Admiral of the Fleet) was François Darlan after he was refused the dignity of Admiral of France. Equivalent to the dignity of Marshal of France, the rank of Admiral of the Fleet remains theoretical in the Fifth Republic; it was last granted in 1869, during the Second Empire, but retained during the Third Republic until the death of its bearer in 1873. The title of amiral de la flotte was created so that Darlan would not have an inferior rank than his counterpart in the British Royal Navy, who had the rank of Admiral of the Fleet.
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[edit] Insignia
[edit] Officers
[edit] Officiers généraux — General officers
 Contre-Amiral |
 Vice-Amiral |
 Vice-Amiral d'escadre |
 Amiral |
[edit] Officiers supérieurs — Senior officers
 Capitaine de corvette |
 Capitaine de frégate |
 Capitaine de vaisseau |
[edit] Officiers subalternes — Junior officers
 Aspirant |
 Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe |
 Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe |
 Lieutenant de vaisseau |
[edit] Petty officers and enlisted personnel
[edit] Officiers mariniers — Petty Officers
 Second-maître |
 Maître |
 Premier-maître |
 Maître-principal |
 Major |
[edit] Matelots et quartiers-maîtres — Sailors and quarter-masters
 Matelot |
 Matelot breveté |
 Quartier-maître de 2ème classe |
 Quartier-maître de 1ère classe |
[edit] Attributions
Personnel with a particular attribution may wear distinctive features on their rank insignia. For instance, medical officers bear two red stripes on their insignia.
Peintres de la Marine, who are not employed by the Navy but have a special status, wear a uniform and officier straps with rank insignia replaced with the words "Peintre officiel".
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Captain |
 Doctor |
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