Sub-Officer

Sub-Officer is a term used in many military forces used to indicate ranks below commissioned officers. Sub-Officer is equivalent to the term NCO in the Commonwealth and USA. Historically armed forces using the term sub-officer have used it to refer to more senior non-commissioned ranks, typically from sergeant upwards, but often the term now covers all non-commissioned ranks.

There is also a specific rank of "sub-officer" in some armed forces and in the UK Fire and Rescue Services.

Argentina

In Argentina the term sub-officer indicated only the more senior non-commissioned ranks. Now these ranks are known as "superior sub-officers" and lower ranks as "junior sub-officers". All the Argentine armed forces use Principal Sub-Officer ("suboficial principal") and Sub-Officer Major ("suboficial mayor", which can also translate as senior sub-officer) as the second highest and highest non-commissioned ranks. The Navy and Air Force also use other "superior sub-officer" ranks.

Argentine Superior Sub-Officer Ranks:

France

In France a sub-officer is sergeant (or equivalent) and above as well as the rank of student sub-officer. (The equivalents to sergeant are 2nd Master in the French navy, and Maréchal-des-logis in some army units (often abbreviated to "magie"), mostly cavalry and logistics arms, and most gendarmerie units.) Lower non-commissioned ranks, such as corporal and brigadier, are not considered sub-officers. Traditionally, French sub-officers are often recruited directly as sub-officers rather than rising from more junior ranks.

UK Fire and Rescue Services

Sub-Officer (usually addressed as "Sub") was a rank in the British fire services, between Leading Firefighter and Station Officer.

A Sub-Officer was usually in charge of a small one-pump fire station or a watch in a larger station. In some brigades they may be in charge of multi-pump stations.

The badge of rank is two white or silver bars on the epaulettes (or the collar of the firefighting uniform), the helmet was yellow with two 12.5mm bands on it.

With the transition from a rank based structure to a role based structure, the rank of Sub Officer has disappeared and is now replaced by the role of Watch Manager A. The role of Crew Commander / Crew Manager now wear the markings of two silver bars. [http://www.firesafe.org.uk/html/fire&resc/ranks.htm UK Firesafe Organisation]

The female equivalent in the days when women in the fire services performed administrative and control room roles only was Senior Leading Firewoman. With the advent of mixed sex control rooms, the title has now changed to Senior Fire Control Operator (SFCOp).

References