Military ranks of Ethiopia

The military ranks of Ethiopia are the military insignia used by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF). While Ethiopia is a landlocked country, it is in the process of reestablishing a Blue-water navy.[1] On 8 January 2022, the rank of field marshal general was awarded for the first time to Birhanu Jula.[2] At the same time, new ranks were introduced to the ENDF.[3]

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Ethiopian Ground Forces[3]
የፊልድ ማርሻል ጄኔራል
Yefīlidi marishali jēnērali
ጄነራል
Jēnerali
ሌተናል ጄነራል
Lētenali jēnerali
ሜጀር ጄነራል
Mējeri jēnerali
ብርጋዴር ጄነራል
Birigadēri jēnerali
ኮሎኔል
Kolonēli
ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli
ሻለቃ
Shalek’a
ሻምበል
Shamibeli
የመቶ ዓለቃ
Yemeto ‘alek’a
ምክትል የመቶ ዓለቃ
Mikitili yemeto ‘alek’a
 Ethiopian Navy
አድሚራል
Ādimīrali
ቫይስ አድሚራል
Vayisi ādimīrali
ሬር አድሚራል
Rēri ādimīrali
ኮሞዶር
Komodori
ካፒቴን
Kapītēni
ኮማንደር
Komanideri
ሌፍተናንት ኮማንደር
Lēfitenaniti komanideri
ሌፍተናንት
Lēfitenaniti
ሌፍተናንት ጁኒየር ግሬድ
Lēfitenaniti junīyeri girēdi
ሰብ ሌፍተናንት
Sebi lēfitenaniti
 Ethiopian Air Force
ጄነራል
Jēnerali
ሌተናል ጄነራል
Lētenali jēnerali
ሜጀር ጄነራል
Mējeri jēnerali
ብርጋዴር ጄነራል
Birigadēri jēnerali
ኮሎኔል
Kolonēli
ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli
ሻለቃ
Shalek’a
ሻምበል
Shamibeli
የመቶ ዓለቃ
Yemeto ‘alek’a
ምክትል የመቶ ዓለቃ
Mikitili yemeto ‘alek’a
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Ethiopian Ground Forces[3]
No insignia
ሻለቃ ባሻ
Shalek’a basha
ሻለቃ መጋቢ ባሻ
Shalek’a megabī basha
ሻምበል ባሻ
Shamibeli basha
መጋቢ ሀምሳ ዓለቃ
Megabī hāmisa ‘alek’a
ሀምሳ ዓለቃ
Hāmisa ‘alek’a
አስር ዓለቃ
Āsiri ‘alek’a
ምክትል አስር ዓለቃ
Mikitili āsiri ‘alek’a
መሠረታዊ ወታዯር
Mešeretawī wetaderi
 Ethiopian Navy
ቺፍ ዋረንት ኦፊሰር
Chīfi wareniti ofīseri
ማስተር ቺፍ
Masiteri chīfi
ሲኒየር ቺፍ
Sīnīyeri chīfi
ቺፍ
Chīfi
ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 1ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri ānidenya kilasi
ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 2ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri huletenya kilasi
ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 3ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri sositenya kilasi
ፒቲ ኦፊሰር 4ኛ ክላስ
Pītī ofīseri āratenya kilasi
ሊዲንግ ሲማን
Līdīnigi sīmani
ኤብል ሲማን
Ēbili sīmani
ኦርድናሪ ሲማን
Oridinarī sīmani
ሲማን ሪኩሩት
Sīmani rīkuruti
 Ethiopian Air Force
No insignia
ሲ ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Sī waraniti ofīseri
ጁኝር ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Junyiri waraniti ofīseri
ሻለቃ ባሻ
Shalek’a basha
ሻለቃ መጋቢ ባሻ
Shalek’a megabī basha
ሻምበል ባሻ
Shamibeli basha
መጋቢ ሃምሳ አለቃ
Megabī hamisa ālek’a
ሃምሳ አለቃ
Hamisa ālek’a
አስር አለቃ
Āsiri ālek’a
ምክትል አስር አለቃ
Mikitili āsiri ālek’a
መሠረታዊ ወታዯር
Mešeretawī wetaderi
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted

Historic ranks

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Ethiopian Ground Forces[4]
(–2022)
ጄነራል
Jēnerali
ሌተናንት ጄነራል
Lētenaniti jēnerali
ሜጄር ጄነራል
Mējēri jēnerali
ብርጋዴር ጄነራል
Birigadēri jēnerali
ኮሌኔል
Kolēnēli
ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli
ሻለቃ
Shalek’a
ሻምበል
Shamibeli
መቶ አለቃ
Meto ālek’a
ምክትል መቶ አለቃ
Mikitili meto ālek’a
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
 Ethiopian Air Force[4]
(–2022)
ጄኔራል
Jēnērali
ሌተናንት ጄኔራል
Lētenaniti jēnērali
ሜጄር ጄኔራል
Mējēri jēnērali
ብርጋዴር ጄኔራል
Birigadēri jēnērali
ኮሌኔል
Kolēnēli
ሌተናንት ኮሎኔል
Lētenaniti kolonēli
ሻለቃ
Shalek’a
ሻምበል
Shamibeli
መቶ አለቃ
Meto ālek’a
ምክትል መቶ አለቃ
Mikitili meto ālek’a
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Ethiopian Ground Forces[4]
(–2022)
No insignia
ሲ ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Sī waraniti ofīseri
ጁኝር ዋራንት ኦፊሰር
Junyiri waraniti ofīseri
ሻለቃ ባሻ
Shalek’a basha
ሻለቃ መጋቢ ባሻ
Shalek’a megabī basha
ሻምበል ባሻ
Shamibeli basha
መጋቢ ሃምሳ አለቃ
Megabī hamisa ālek’a
ሃምሳ አለቃ
Hamisa ālek’a
አስር አለቃ
Āsiri ālek’a
ምክትል አስር አለቃ
Mikitili āsiri ālek’a
Senior warrant officer Junior warrant officer Command sergeant major Staff sergeant major First sergeant Master sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted

References

  1. ^ "Ethiopia: Naval Ambitions, New logo & Uniform". Geeska Afrika Online. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  2. ^ Office of the Prime Minister [@PMEthiopia] (8 January 2022). "PM @AbiyAhmedAli presided over the ENDF rank promotion ceremony" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 January 2022 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b c "Ethiopia introduces its first Field Marshal rank amid changes to insignia". ethiopiancitizen.com. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Wetaderawī ma‘iregochi # fana k’elemati ወታደራዊ ማዕረጎች # ፋና ቀለማት [Military titles #Fana Colors] (in Amharic). YouTube: Fana Television. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  • "Ethiopia". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 19 September 2021.