Military ranks of Bolivia

The Armed Forces of Bolivia has four main branches: Army, Navy, Air Force and the National Police Force. Each of the four branches has a similar structure,^[1] each having four pay grades: non-commissioned officers, senior non-commissioned officers, commissioned officers and general staff. However, the SNCO roles vary depending on the branch; some of these hold specialisations.

Army

The Army trains all its personnel in the following:

• Army NCO School, Sucre
• Military College of Bolivia, La Paz

Non-Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Army
Spanish title	Sub-Oficial 2°	Sub-Oficial Inicial	Sergento 1°	Sargento 2°	Cabo
Western Version	Sergeant First Class	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant	Corporal	Lance Corporal

Senior Non-Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Army
Spanish title	Sub-Oficial Maestre	Sub-Oficial Mayor	Sub-Oficial 1°
Western Version	Command Sergeant Major	Sergeant Major	Master Sergeant

Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Army
Spanish title	Coronel	Teniente Coronel	Mayor	Captáin	Teniente	Subteniente
Western Version	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	First Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant

General officers

Unlike most armed forces, generals in the Bolivian Army are selected from the most distinguished cadets of the Military College during their 4-year tour of study.

Bolivian Army
Spanish title	General De Ejercito	General De División	General De Brigada
Western Version	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General

Navy

Despite being a landlocked country, Bolivia has a large quantity of rivers and lakes which the majority of their naval operations take place on, one example of this is Lake Titicaca,^[2] which is shared between Bolivia and Peru.

The Navy, unlike the other three branches, has different specialisations for the NCOs and SNCOs once they reach the rank of 'seaman'. Once a specialisation has been achieved, the sailors' insignia will be adjusted slightly, to make his/her profession more visible. Those corps are as follows:

• Machinist Corps
• Medical Corps
• Divers Corps
• Logistics Corps
• Quartermasters Corps
• Signals Corps

Insignia
Paygrade	NCO	SNCO	Both	Both	Both	Both	Both
Corps	Machinist		Medical	Divers	Logistics	Quartermasters	Signals

Any rank between Seaman and Master Chief Petty Officer can have a specialisation as part of their regular rank insignia, the only corps where the insignia varies is within the Machinist Corps, where both NCO and SNCO have a different insignia, this also helps determine their qualifications and what they are responsible for.

The most Senior Non-Commissioned Officer, Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer, holds no specific specialisation but once would of as he/she would have had to work their way up through the NCO and SNCO ranks of the Navy itself. This sailor would also be the overseer of each of the Corps, ensuring that this branch's members are fully trained and equipped.

Non-Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Navy
Spanish title	Sub-Oficial Inicial	Sargento Primero	Sargento Segundo	Marinero	Marinero De Primero	Marinero De Segunda
Western Version	Petty Officer 1st Class	Petty Officer 2nd Class	Petty Officer 3rd Class	Seaman	Seaman Apprentice	Seaman Recruit

Senior Non-Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Navy
Spanish title	Sub-Oficial Maestre	Sub-Oficial Mayor	Sub-Oficial Primero	Sub-Oficial Segundo
Western Version	Fleet Master Chief Petty Officer	Master Chief Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Chief Petty Officer

Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Navy
Spanish title	Capitán De Navio	Capitán De Fragata	Capitán De Corbeta	Teniente De Navio	Teniente De Fragata	Teniente De Corbeta	Alferez
Western Version	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant Commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant Junior Grade	Probationary Lieutenant	Ensign

Admiralty

Bolivian Navy
Spanish title	Almirante	Vice Almirante	Contralmirante
Western Version	Admiral	Vice Admiral	Rear Admiral

Air Force

Non-Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Air Force
Spanish title	Sub-Oficial Inicial	Sergento 1°	Sargento 2°	Cabo	Dragoneante
Western Version	Technical Sergeant	Staff Sergeant	Sergeant	Airman First Class	Airman

Senior Non-Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Air Force
Spanish title	Sub-Oficial Maestre	Sub-Oficial Mayor	Sub-Oficial 1°	Sub-Oficial 2°
Western Version	Command Chief Master Sergeant	Chief Master Sergeant	Senior Master Sergeant	Master Sergeant

Commissioned Officers'

Bolivian Air Force
Spanish title	Coronel Aviador	Teniente Coronel Aviador	Mayor Aviador	Captáin Aviador	Teniente Aviador	Subteniente Aviador
Western Version	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	First Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant

General Staff

Bolivian Air Force
Spanish title	General De Fuerza Aeréa	General De División Aeréa	General De Brigada Aeréa
Western Version	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General

References

1. Pike, John. "Bolivian Uniforms and Insignia". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2016-08-20.
2. "Bolivia04-05 - Picture Pages". www.steiner7.com. Retrieved 2016-08-20.