Commandant (rank)
Encyclopedia
Commandant is a military or police rank. In the French, Spanish and Irish armed forces it is a rank equivalent to major
. In South Africa for most of the second half of the 20th century, commandant was a rank equivalent to lieutenant-colonel in other countries.
) is a military rank in both the Irish Army
and Irish Air Corps
. It is equivalent to major
or squadron leader
in other armed forces
. In the Irish Naval Service
, the equivalent rank is lieutenant commander
.
, specifically the French Army and the French Air Force
, which equals to major
.
The commandant is also styled chef de bataillon (Battalion Head) in the Infantry
, chef d'escadrons (Squadrons Head) in the armored Cavalry
and chef d'escadron (Squadron Head - note the lack of s) in the Artillery
and the Gendarmerie
.
Commandant is also the style, but not the rank, of the senior officers of the French Navy (capitaine de corvette, capitaine de frégate and capitaine de vaisseau).
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.
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.
n countries. 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
organizations, such as the Sandinistas.
The rank Comandante en Jefe, (Commandant-in-Chief or Commander-in-Chief) may be found in the nation of Cuba
as a supreme military rank held by Raúl Castro
. Translated as "Commander in Chief", the rank of Comandante en Jefe is the equivalent of a Field Marshal
or General of the Army
.
, South African Air Force
, and South African Medical Service. Prior to this in 19th and early 20th centuries it was the title of the commanding officer of a commando (militia) unit.
(ATS) ranks equivalent to Major and Lieutenant-Colonel respectively used between 1939 and May 1941, when they were replaced by Senior and Chief Commander. 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.
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. In South Africa for most of the second half of the 20th century, commandant was a rank equivalent to lieutenant-colonel in other countries.
Ireland
Commandant (Comdt) (Ceannfort in IrishIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
) is a military rank in both the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
and Irish Air Corps
Irish Air Corps
The Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces of Ireland providing support to the Army and Naval Service, together with non-military air services such as search and rescue and the Ministerial Air Transport Service...
. It is equivalent to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
or squadron leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in other armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
. In the Irish Naval Service
Irish Naval Service
The Naval Service is the navy of Ireland and is one of the three standing branches of the Irish Defence Forces. Its main base is in Haulbowline, County Cork....
, the equivalent rank is lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
.
France
Commandant (shortened from Capitaine-commandant, i.e. a "captain commanding" (a battalion)), is an officer-grade rank of the Military of FranceMilitary of France
The French Armed Forces encompass the French Army, the French Navy, the French Air Force and the National Gendarmerie. The President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "chef des armées" . The President is the supreme authority for military matters and is the sole official who...
, specifically the French Army and the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
, which equals to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
The commandant is also styled chef de bataillon (Battalion Head) in the Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, chef d'escadrons (Squadrons Head) in the armored Cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
and chef d'escadron (Squadron Head - note the lack of s) in the Artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and the Gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
.
Commandant is also the style, but not the rank, of the senior officers of the French Navy (capitaine de corvette, capitaine de frégate and capitaine de vaisseau).
French infantry |
 French cavalry |
Prior to the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, 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
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
rank, above Adjudant-chef.
Spain
In the Spanish ArmySpanish Army
The Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
and Spanish Air Force
Spanish Air Force
-The early stages:Hot air balloons had been used with military purposes in Spain as far back as 1896. In 1905, with the help of Alfredo Kindelán, Leonardo Torres y Quevedo directed the construction of the first Spanish dirigible in the Army Military Aerostatics Service, created in 1896 and located...
, 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
Commandant, in Spanish Comandante, is a military officer rank used in some Latin AmericaLatin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n countries. The Chilean Air Force
Chilean Air Force
The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Chilean military.-History:The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France...
uses the rank of Comandante de Escuadrilla (Squadron Commandant) as a rank equivalent to the British rank of Squadron Leader. The Peruvian Air Force
Peruvian Air Force
The Peruvian Air Force is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power...
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
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
organizations, such as the Sandinistas.
The rank Comandante en Jefe, (Commandant-in-Chief or Commander-in-Chief) may be found in the nation of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
as a supreme military rank held by Raúl Castro
Raúl Castro
Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz is a Cuban politician and revolutionary who has been President of the Council of State of Cuba and the President of the Council of Ministers of Cuba since 2008; he previously exercised presidential powers in an acting capacity from 2006 to 2008...
. Translated as "Commander in Chief", the rank of Comandante en Jefe is the equivalent of a Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
or General of the Army
General of the Army
General of the Army is a military rank used in some countries to denote a senior military leader, usually a General in command of a nation's Army. It may also be the title given to a General who commands an Army in the field....
.
South Africa
In South Africa, from 1950 to 1994 commandant was the official designation of the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the South African ArmySouth African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
, South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
, and South African Medical Service. Prior to this in 19th and early 20th centuries it was the title of the commanding officer of a commando (militia) unit.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom the term commandant usually refers to an appointment not a rank. However, Senior Commandant and Chief Commandant were Auxiliary Territorial ServiceAuxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
(ATS) ranks equivalent to Major and Lieutenant-Colonel respectively used between 1939 and May 1941, when they were replaced by Senior and Chief Commander. These ranks were also used in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
until December 1939, when they were replaced by Squadron Officer and Wing Officer (equating to Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
and Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
) respectively.
See also
- Captain-CommandantCaptain-CommandantCaptain-Commandant is a subaltern commissioned officer rank in the Air component, Land component, the old Belgian Gendarmerie and Medical component of the Belgian Armed Forces. A Kapitein-Commandant or Capitaine-Commandant ranks directly above a Captain and immediately under a Major...
, in the Belgian Army, the highest rank of subaltern officer, ranking above Captain and below Major - Commandant of the Marine CorpsCommandant of the Marine CorpsThe Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...