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			Officer cadet
Ethiopian Ground Forces^[3] v t e
	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
	Field marshal general	General	Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier general	Colonel	Lieutenant colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second lieutenant
Ethiopian Navy v t e
		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
		Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Commodore	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant (junior grade)	Sub-lieutenant
Ethiopian Air Force v t e
		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			Officer cadet

Other ranks

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

Rank group	Senior NCOs							Junior NCOs			Enlisted
Ethiopian Ground Forces^[3] v t e													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
				Command sergeant major	Staff sergeant major	First sergeant	Master sergeant	Sergeant		Corporal	Lance corporal		Private
Ethiopian Navy v t e
	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
	Chief warrant officer		Master chief	Senior chief	Chief	Petty officer first class	Petty officer second class	Petty officer third class	Petty officer fourth class	Leading seaman	Able seaman	Ordinary seaman	Seaman recruit
Ethiopian Air Force v t e													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

Historic ranks

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet
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			Officer cadet

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