Vietnamese military ranks and insignia

Vietnamese military ranks and insignia are specified by the National Assembly of Vietnam through Law on Vietnam People's Army Officer (No: 6-LCT/HĐNN7) on December 30, 1981.^[1][2]

The Vietnam People's Army distinguishes three careerpaths: Officers (sĩ quan), non-commissioned officers (hạ sĩ quan), and enlisted members (chiến sĩ).

Because the shoulder insignia of all ranks are represented by an elongated pentagonal epaulette, they are, hence, either detailed or colour-coded to indicate rank, branch, as well as unit.

The shoulder epaulettes from those of enlisted soldiers to field officers are detailed with a silver crest with an encircled silver star. Those of generals and admirals have fully golden epaulettes with corresponding golden crests and encircled stars.

Ranks can show information about branches of military personnel.

Hem Color of the ranks can show branches:

• Army (ground forces): red

• Air Force/ Air defence: azure

• Navy: dark-purple

• Border Defence: green

• Coast Guard: blue.

Army-Air Force-Navy ranks have background are yellow.

Border Defense Force's ranks have background is dark-green and hem color is red.

Coast Guard's ranks have background is blue and hem color is yellow.

Table of Ranks

Level	Ranks	Translation	Ground Forces	Air Force/Air Defence	Navy	Border Defense	Coast Guard
General Officers Sĩ quan cấp Tướng	Đại tướng (reserved by law for the Minister of National Defence and, on occasion, the Chief of the General Staff and the head of the General Political Department)	General (literally "grand general")
	Thượng tướng/ Đô đốc (usually held by the Chief of the General Staff, the head of the General Political Department, and deputy ministers of national defence)	Colonel General (literally "upper general") / Admiral (Navy)
	Trung tướng/ Phó Đô đốc (usually held by military district commanders and political commissars, commandant and political commissar of the navy, commandant and political commissar of the air force, commandant and political commissar of the Border Defence Force)	Lieutenant General (literally "middle general") / Vice Admiral (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Thiếu tướng/ Chuẩn Đô đốc	Major General (literally "lesser general") / Rear Admiral (Navy, Coast Guard)
Field Grade Officers Sĩ quan cấp Tá	Đại tá	Senior Colonel/ Commodore (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Thượng tá	Colonel/ Captain (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Trung tá	Lieutenant Colonel/ Commander (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Thiếu tá	Major/ Lieutenant Commander (Navy, Coast Guard)
Company Grade Officers Sĩ quan cấp Úy	Đại úy	Captain/ Lieutenant (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Thượng úy	Senior Lieutenant/ Sub-lieutenant (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Trung úy	Lieutenant/ Lieutenant junior grade (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Thiếu úy	Junior Lieutenant/ Ensign (Navy, Coast Guard)
Officer cadets Học viên Sĩ quan	Học viên Sĩ quan	Officer Cadet
Non-Commissioned Officers Hạ sĩ quan	Thượng sĩ	Sergeant major/ Master sergeant/ Chief petty officer (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Trung sĩ	Sergeant/ Petty officer 1st class (Navy, Coast Guard)
	Hạ sĩ	Corporal/ Petty officer 2nd class (Navy, Coast Guard)
Soldiers Airmen Seamen Chiến sĩ	Binh nhất	Private 1st class, Airman 1st class, Seaman 1st class
	Binh nhì	Private, Airman, Seaman

Lapels

Level	Ground Forces	Air Force	Navy	Border Defense	Coast Guard
General Officers
Field Grade Officers Company Grade Officers

See also

• History of Vietnamese military ranks
• Comparative military ranks
• Military rank
• Vietnam People's Army (Military of Vietnam)
• Vietnam

References

1. ^ http://laws.dongnai.gov.vn/1991_to_2000/1999/199912/199912210006
2. ^ http://www.vanbanphapluat.com/danh-muc-van-ban-phap-luat.html?view=doc&id=83282

External links

• (Vietnamese military and police ranks)