Commandant (rank)

Commandant (, , ) is a military or police rank. In the French, Spanish, Irish and Monegasque armed forces it is a rank equivalent to major while in Belgium ''captain-commandant'' is a distinct rank, junior to major but sharing NATO rank-equivalence with it. In South Africa for most of the second half of the 20th century, commandant was a rank equivalent to lieutenant-colonel.

Canada

was the Canadian French term for the air force rank of squadron leader (prior to the 2014 amendment of the National Defence Act). 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

Commandant (Comdt) ( ga, Ceannfort) is a military rank in both the Irish Army and Irish Air Corps. It is equivalent to major and squadron leader. In the Irish Naval Service, the equivalent rank is lieutenant commander.

Image:IE-Army-OF3.png, Irish Army commandant's subdued rank slide
File:Ireland-AirForce-OF-3.svg, Irish Air Corps rank insignia
File:IE-Aircorps-OF3.png, Irish Air Corps rank insignia (green)

France

Commandant (shortened from , i.e. a "captain commanding" (a battalion)), is an officer-grade rank of the Military of France, specifically the French Army and the French Air and Space Force, which is equivalent to major.

The is also styled ("battalion leader") in the infantry, ("squadrons leader") in the armoured cavalry and ("squadron leader") in the artillery and the .

is also the style, but not the rank, of the senior officers of the French Navy (, and ).

Prior to the French Revolution, the was the officer appointed by the King to keep track of the expenditures and readiness of a regiment. He could have a deputy (an ) 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 or .

is now, however, the most senior warrant officer rank, above .

File:Ingénieur de l'AE 7-10e échelon.png , Commandant des Eaux et Forêts
File:French Air Force-commandant.svg , French Air and Space Force commandant
File:commandant.png , French infantry
File:Commandant des armes à cheval.png , French cavalry

Spain

In the Spanish Army and Spanish Air Force, the rank of 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") is a military officer rank used in some Latin American countries. The Chilean Air Force uses the rank of ("squadron commandant") as a rank equivalent to the British rank of squadron leader. The Peruvian Air Force uses the rank of as an equivalent to lieutenant-colonel or wing commander.

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.

File:Fach escu.gif, Chilean Air Force squadron commandant rank insignia (epaulette)
File:Comandante de Escuadrilla (FACH).png, Chilean Air Force squadron commandant rank insignia (sleeve)

South Africa

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 ( in Afrikaans) was a crown over a five-pointed star. 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. In 1994, the rank of commandant / reverted to lieutenant colonel.

From 1968 to 1970, a related rank, chief commandant (), existed in the Commando Forces he rural part-time, territorial reserve, roughly equivalent to a National Guard or Home Guard 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

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

Army insignia

File:10.AlgA-MAJ.svg,
)
(Algerian Land Forces)
File:Benin Army OF-3.svg,
( Benin Army)
File:11. Burkina Faso Army - MAJ.svg,
( Burkina Faso Ground Forces)
File:Cameroon-Army-OF-3.svg,
( Cameroon Ground Forces)
File:13.CAGF-MAJ.svg,
( Central African Ground Forces)
File:Chad-Army-OF-3.svg,
(Chadian Ground Forces)
File:Comoros-Army-OF-3.svg,
(Comorian Army)
File:11-ROCongo Army-MAJ.svg,
( Congolese Ground Forces)
File:Djibouti-Army-OF-3.svg,
(Djiboutian Army)
File:10. EGLF-MAJ.svg,
( Army of Equatorial Guinea)
File:Army-FRA-OF-03.svg,
(French Army)
File:14.GLF-MAJ.svg,
(Gabonese Army)
File:Mali-Army-OF-3.svg,
( Guinea Ground Forces)
File:Ireland-Army-OF-3.svg, Commandant
)
(Irish Army)
File:Ivory Coast-Army-OF-3.svg,
( Ivory Coast Ground Forces)
File:Madagascar-Army-OF-3.svg,
( Madagascar Ground Forces)
File:09.Mali Army-MAJ.svg,
(Mali Army)
File:13-Moroccan Army-MAJ.svg,
(Royal Moroccan Army)
File:Blank.svg,
(Niger Army)
File:Senegal-Army-OF-3.svg,
(Senegalese Army)
File:Spain-Army-OF-3.svg,
(Spanish Army)
File:Togo-Army-OF-3.svg,
( Togolese Army)
File:Grade Terre tunisienne O4.png,
)
(Tunisian Army)

References

{{reflist, 2

Military ranks
Military ranks of Ireland
Military ranks of France
Police ranks