Military ranks of Burkina Faso

The Military ranks of Burkina Faso are the military insignia used by the Burkina Faso Armed Forces. Burkina Faso is a landlocked country, and does therefore not possess a navy. Being a former colony of France, Burkina Faso shares a rank structure similar to that of France.[1]

Current ranks

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso Ground Forces[2]
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel-major Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant
Burkina Faso Air Force[2]
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel-major Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant
Burkina Faso Burkinabè National Gendarmerie
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel-major Colonel Lieutenant-colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-lieutenant
Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers

Student officer ranks

Rank group Student officer
[2]
Aspirant

Other ranks

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

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso Ground Forces[2][3]
Adjudant-chef major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef/
Maréchal-des-logis-chef 		Sergent/
Maréchal-des-logis 		Caporal-chef/
Brigadier-chef 		Caporal/
Brigadier 		Soldat de première classe Soldat de deuxeme classe
Burkina Faso Air Force[2][3]
 No insignia
Adjudant-chef major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Sergent-chef Sergent Caporal-chef Caporal Soldat de première classe Soldat de deuxeme classe
Burkina Faso Burkinabè National Gendarmerie
Adjudant major Adjudant-chef Adjudant Maréchal-des-logis-chef Maréchal-des-logis Gendarme
Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted

Historic ranks

During the regime of Thomas Sankara, Burkina Faso briefly introduced Soviet-style rank insignia,[a] which were reverted to the French-style when he was overthrown.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso Ground Forces
(1983–1987)
Général d'armée Général de corps d'armée Général de division Général de brigade Colonel Major Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant Capitaine Lieutenant Sous-Lieutenant Aspirant

Notes

  1. ^ They are visible on multiple photos from the period.[4]

References

  1. ^ Mathews, L. L. (1979). "Upper Volta". In Keegan, John (ed.). World armies. Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy. pp. 781–782. LCCN 79-9217. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "LOI N° 037-2016/AN PORTANT CONDITIONS D'AVANCEMENT DES PERSONNELS D'ACTIVE DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2015. pp. 17–21. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b "LOI N° 019-2015/CNT PORTANT STATUT GENERAL DES PERSONNELS DES FORCES ARMEES NATIONALES" (PDF) (in French). 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. ^ Iqbal, Yanis (16 October 2020). "Thomas Sankara: An Icon Of Revolution". Counter Currents.
  • "Burkina Faso". uniforminsignia.org. The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia. Retrieved 31 January 2022.