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Brigadier




Brigadiers generally command Brigade s. Before 1922 the term "brigadier" was often used to refer to brigade commanders, and hence referred to brigadier-generals.

Brigadier is the most senior field rank and is therefore basically a senior Colonel, very much as a Commodore is to a Captain in the Navy . Until shortly after the Second World War , it was only an appointment conferred on Colonels (as Commodore was an appointment conferred on naval Captains) and not a substantive rank. Although it is not a General officer rank, it is equivalent to Brigadier General in services which use that rank.

In Commonwealth and most Arabic -speaking countries (in which the rank is called ''Amid'') the rank insignia comprises a crown (or national/presidential emblem in republics) with three stars (sometimes called "pips"), which are in Britain arranged in a triangle. A Brigadier's uniform is otherwise identical to that of a Colonel (Colonels have a crown/emblem with two stars).

In many French-speaking countries, some branches of the army (such as Logistics or former Cavalry units) and the Gendarmerie use ''Brigadier'' for a rank equivalent to ''Caporal'' ( Corporal ), and '''''Brigadier-chef''''' for a rank equivalent to ''Caporal-chef''. In the ''Police Nationale'' , variations ('''''Sous-brigadier''''', '''''Brigadier-chef''''' and '''''Brigadier-major''''') are used for all Non-commissioned Officer s. Until 1788, a rank of '''''Brigadier des armées''''' ("Brigadier of the Armies") existed in the French Army , which was roughly the equivalent of a British Brigadier.

The Argentine Air Force uses the rank of ''Brigadier'' to denote flag/general-rank equivalent officers in much the same manner as the Army uses the term 'general' and the Navy 'admiral'. These ranks are in order of seniority: ''Brigadier General'' (4 star, equivalent to an Army Lieutenant General and a Navy Admiral), '''''Brigadier Mayor''''' (3-star, equivalent to a Division General and a Vice Admiral), and '''''Brigadier''''' (2-star, equivalent to a Brigade General and a Rear Admiral).

The Brazilian Air Force also uses Brigadier to denote flag/general-rank equivalent officer ranks. ''Brigadeiro'' is equivalent to '''''Contra-Almirante''''' (Rear Admiral) and '''''General de Brigada''''' (Brigadier-General), '''''Major-Brigadeiro''''' to '''''Vice-Almirante''''' (Vice-Admiral) and '''''General de Divisão''''' (Major-General), and '''''Tenente-Brigadeiro''''' to '''''Almirante-de-Esquadra''''' (Admiral) and '''''General de Exército''''' (Lieutenant-General).

Until 1973, the rank of Brigadier was also used in the Salvation Army . It ranked between Major and Lieutenant-Colonel .


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