Commandant (rank)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2022) |
Commandant (/ˌkɒmənˈdɑːnt/, /ˌkɒmənˈdænt/, /ˈkʌmədənt/; French: [kɔmɑ̃dɑ̃]) is a military rank used in many - typically Francophone or Hispanophone - countries, where it is usually equivalent to the rank of major.
Canada
[edit]Commandant d'aviation was the Canadian French term for the air force rank of squadron leader (prior to the 2014 amendment of the National Defence Act).[citation needed] The rank of squadron leader itself had not been held by active duty personnel in the Canadian Forces since 1968 when it was replaced by major.
Ireland
[edit]Commandant (Comdt) (Irish: Ceannfort) is a military rank in both the Irish Army and Irish Air Corps.[1] It is equivalent to major and squadron leader. In the Irish Naval Service, the equivalent rank is lieutenant commander.
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Irish Army commandant's subdued rank slide -
Irish Air Corps rank insignia -
Irish Air Corps rank insignia (green)
India
[edit]Commandant is a rank in the Central Armed Police Forces of India (BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB). It is equivalent to the rank of Colonel/Captain/Group Captain. Commandant rank officers generally command battalions in the CAPFs. In the Indian Coast Guard, ranks of Commandant and Commandant (Junior grade) exist. While Commandant is equivalent to Colonel/Captain/Group Captain, Commandant (Junior grade) is equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel/Commander/Wing Commander.[2]
France
[edit] | This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2022) |
| Commandant Commandant | |
|---|---|
  Army and air force insignia | |
| Country |  France |
| Service branch | Army Air Force Gendarmerie |
| Abbreviation | CDT |
| Rank group | Senior officer |
| NATO rank code | OF-3 |
| Next higher rank | Lieutenant colonel |
| Next lower rank | Captain |
| Equivalent ranks | Corvette captain |
Commandant is an officer-grade rank of the Military of France,[3] specifically the French Army and the French Air and Space Force, in both of which it has NATO level OF-3: equivalent to major or lieutenant-commander. In this context, it is shortened form of the previous rank capitaine-commandant: i.e. a "captain commanding (a battalion)".
The commandant is also styled chef de bataillon ("battalion leader") in the infantry, chef d'escadrons ("squadrons leader") in the armoured cavalry and chef d'escadron ("squadron leader") in the artillery and the Gendarmerie.
In the French Navy, commandant is a appointment or operational command, rather than a rank, namely, the most senior officer of a ship, e.g. capitaine de vaisseau (vessel), capitaine de frégate (frigate), capitaine de corvette (corvette). As such, it can refer to the holders of several ranks.
Prior to the French Revolution, the major was the officer appointed by the King to keep track of the expenditures and readiness of a regiment. He could have a deputy (an aide-major) and could be either a commoner or a nobleman. A major was graded as a commissar, not an officer. The officer at commandant rank level was the chef de bataillon or chef d'escadron.
Major is now, however, the most senior warrant officer rank, above adjudant-chef.
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Commandant des Eaux et Forêts -
French Air and Space Force commandant -
French infantry -
French cavalry
Spain
[edit]In the Spanish Army and Spanish Air Force, the rank of comandante is senior to a captain and junior to a lieutenant colonel, making it equivalent to the rank of major or squadron leader in English-speaking countries.
Latin America
[edit]Comandante ("commandant") is a military officer rank used in some Latin American countries.[citation needed] The Chilean Air Force uses the rank of comandante de escuadrilla ("squadron commandant") as a rank equivalent to the British rank of squadron leader. The Peruvian Air Force uses the rank of comandante as an equivalent to lieutenant-colonel or wing commander.
Comandante can be translated into English either as "commandant" or as "commander". The rank may also be found in numerous paramilitary and guerrilla organizations, such as the Sandinistas and the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces.
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Chilean Air Force squadron commandant rank insignia (epaulette) -
Chilean Air Force squadron commandant rank insignia (sleeve)
.png)
South Africa
[edit]
1950-1994
In South Africa, commandant was the title of the commanding officer of a commando (militia) unit, initially in the Cape Colony and later also in the Boer republics.
From 1950 to 1994 commandant was the official designation of the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the South African Army, South African Air Force, and South African Medical Service.
From 1950 to 1957, the rank insignia for a commandant (Kommandant in Afrikaans) was a crown over a five-pointed star.[4][5] In 1957 the crown was replaced by a pentagonal castle device based on the floor plan of the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, South Africa's oldest military building.[5] In 1994, the rank of commandant / kommandant reverted to lieutenant colonel.[6]
From 1968 to 1970, a related rank, chief commandant (hoofkommandant), existed in the Commando Forces [the rural part-time, territorial reserve, roughly equivalent to a National Guard or Home Guard].[7] This rank of chief commandant existed purely in the army and slotted in between commandant and colonel. The rank was only used by officers commanding commando groups (i.e. a small formation consisting of two or more commando units).
United Kingdom
[edit]In the United Kingdom the term commandant usually refers to an appointment, not a rank. However, between 1922 and 1928 the rank of brigadier-general was replaced by colonel-commandant. This was not well received, and was replaced by brigadier.
Later, senior commandant and chief commandant were Auxiliary Territorial Service ranks equivalent to major and lieutenant-colonel respectively used between 1939 and May 1941, when they were replaced by senior and chief commander. The Commanding Officers of individual battalions of the Brigade of Gurkhas was designated a Commandant, rather than a commanding officer; and so with the Bermuda Militia Artillery (1895-1965). These ranks were also used in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force until December 1939, when they were replaced by squadron officer and wing officer (equating to squadron leader and wing commander) respectively. The rank was also used for senior commanders of the Ulster Special Constabulary (B Specials).
Gallery
[edit]Army insignia
[edit]![Commandant Arabic: رائد, romanized: Ra'id) (Algerian Land Forces)[8]](/wiki/File:10.AlgA-MAJ.svg)
![Commandant (Benin Army)[9]](/wiki/File:Benin_Army_OF-3.svg){kind=small}
![Commandant (Burkina Faso Ground Forces)[10]](/wiki/File:11._Burkina_Faso_Army_-_MAJ.svg)
![Commandant (Congolese Ground Forces)[11]](/wiki/File:11-ROCongo_Army-MAJ.svg)
![Commandant (Irish: Ceannfort) (Irish Army)[1]](/wiki/File:Ireland-Army-OF-3.svg){kind=small}
![Commandant (Ivory Coast Ground Forces)[12]](/wiki/File:Ivory_Coast-Army-OF-3.svg){kind=small}
![Commandant (Madagascar Ground Forces)[13]](/wiki/File:Madagascar-Army-OF-3.svg)
![Commandant (Mali Army)[14]](/wiki/File:09.Mali_Army-MAJ.svg)
![Commandant (Royal Moroccan Army)[15]](/wiki/File:13-Moroccan_Army-MAJ.svg)
![Commandant (Niger Army)[16]](/wiki/File:Blank.svg){kind=small}
![Comandante (Spanish Army)[17]](/wiki/File:Spain-Army-OF-3.svg){kind=small}
![Commandant (Togolese Army)[18]](/wiki/File:Togo-Army-OF-3.svg){kind=small}
![Commandant (Arabic: رائد, romanized: Ra'id) (Tunisian Army)[19]](/wiki/File:Grade_Terre_tunisienne_O4.png)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Army Rank Markings". military.ie. Defence Forces (Ireland). Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Rank Structure - Officers". joinindiancoastguard.cdac.in. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ^ a b Instruction N° 10300/DEF/EMAT/LOG/ASH (PDF) (in French). Staff of the French Army. 13 June 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ Jooste, L. (1996). "Die politieke koerswending van 1948 besorg 'n nuwe identiteit aan die Unieverdedigingsma" [The political turnaround of 1948 brings a new identity to the Union Defense Force]. Militaria (in Afrikaans). 26 (2): 113–128.
- ^ a b Radburn, A. (1990). "South African Army Ranks and Insignia". Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies. 20 (2).
- ^ Salut. 1 (1): 4. May 1994.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Retief, J.J. (December 1997). "Die rang van hoofkommandant in die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag". Military History Journal (in Afrikaans). 10 (6).
- ^ "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "LOI N° 2005-43 DU 26 JUIN 2006" (PDF). ilo.org (in French). National Assembly (Benin). 26 June 2006. pp. 19–20, 35–36. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
- ^ "LOI N° 037-2016/AN PORTANT CONDITIONS D'AVANCEMENT DES PERSONNELS D'ACTIVE DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2015. pp. 17–21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Grades appellations distinctions". defense.gouv.cg (in French). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of the Congo). Retrieved 7 June 2021.
- ^ "GRADES / APPELLATIONS / DISTINCTIONS". defense.gouv.ci (in French). Ministère de la Défense. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "LOI N° 96-029 portant Statut Général des Militaires" (PDF). defense.gov.mg (in French). Ministry of Defence (Madagascar). 15 November 1996. p. 2. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
- ^ "2011 - Plaquette sur les insignes et blasons des Forces Armées du Mali" (in French). 23 April 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- ^ Ehrenreich, Frederich (1985). "National Security". In Nelson, Harold D. (ed.). Morocco: a country study. Area Handbook (5th ed.). Washington, D.C. pp. 350–351. LCCN 85600265.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Bureau international des droits des enfants (December 2012). "État des Lieux: Formation des forces de défense et de sécurité sur les droit de l'enfant au Niger" (PDF) (in French). p. 34. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ "Army Ranks & Insignia". ejercito.defensa.gob.es. Ministry of Defence (Spain). Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ "Journal officiel de la république togolaise" (PDF) (in French). 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "Décret n° 72-380 du 6 décembre 1972, portant Statut particulier des militaires". legislation-securite.tn (in French). Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance. 6 December 1972. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
