Change U.S. Army Rank Insignia

[NJSMITTY]

Now this will never happen there is too much history and tradition with the present insignia.
I'm not a good artist and my computer can't do it for me so I'll have to write them out.
The U.S. Army has recently decided to return to blue as the service uniform colour. This is a return to the frontier period and I for one like the idea. Another point that occurs to me is that almost every other english speaking country uses the British system for rank insignia. The U.S.Army in the nineteenth century itself used a similar system at least for NCO's. So here goes!!!

For E-1,E-2, and E-3, Specialist-4 - no insignia all level 1 soldiers
For E-5 - one chevron - level two soldier
For E-6 - two chevrons - level three soldier
For E- 7 - three chevrons - level four soldier
For E - 8 - three chevrons under or over the first sergeant's losenge
For E - 8 - Three chevrons with arc or tie Staff Sergeant
Both E-8's level five soldiers
For E - 9 - Three chevrons over or under a five pointed star
For E - 9 - Three chevrons over or under a star within wreath Command Sergeant Major
For E - 9 - Three chevrons over or under the American Eagle Crest
All E - 9's level six soldiers
Now I know that three chevrons under the star used to be either ordnance sergeant or colour sergeant but today we're using it for Sergeant Major.
I also considered using the thirteen star thirteen stripe shield to use as the British system uses the crown but that may be too much.
Use the shield as the crown for E-8 and the whole Eagle crest For E-9 , within a wreath for Command Sergeant Major,within a wreath over a star for Sergeant Major of the Army.

now officers.
O-1 -second lieutenant - 0ne five pointed star
O-2 -first lieutenant - two five pointed stars
O-3 - Captain - three stars
O-4 - Major - star on American Eagle (similar to General Staff Corps Insignia)
O- 5 - Lieutenant Colonel - star on Eagle plus one plain star
O- 6 - Colonel - star on Eagle plus two stars

General Officers
O-7 - Brigadier General crossed sword and baton
O-8 - Major General crossed baton and sword plus star
O-9 - Lieutenant General crossed baton and sword plus two stars
O-10 - General crossed baton and sword plus three stars

Please don't think I thought this out all by myself. I got most of my presentation here from a web site explaining the correct use of the British ranks system for police and the military. I liked the site and wanted to show it here as a hypothetical suggestion.

[ChrisWI]

I have almost the same idea copied from the same website as well! I do have a chart and ill try and post it later if I can get it to upload to my Webshots page.

Here's mine:

[img]http://image64.webshots.com/664/9/19/22/2035919220068395278TUqytt_fs.jpg[/img]

I also have hypothetical British style rank insignia charts for the US Navy, US Air Force, US Customs and Border Protection, and a hypothetical US Federal Constabulary.

[sketor7558]

[img]http://image64.webshots.com/664/9/19/22/2035919220068395278TUqytt_ph.jpg[/img]

[Erskine Calderon]

I suggest making the stars gold, the eagles silver.

I would use crossed olive branches and arrows instead of the sword and baton (keep them silver as well).

The UK is beginning to match other NATO countries with their number of stars/pips, so up the number of stars for the general officers.

Otherwise, very nice.

[general_tiu]

Can't see the insignia. Can you upload it again?

[Nila MadhaVa]

i cant see the images either...can you post a url or upload again...they sound very interesting

[ChrisWI]

Here's the link to the image:
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2035919220068395278TUqytt

[NJSMITTY]

Thats a great link. A question does occur though, why change the officer insignia and not change the other ranks insignia?
If we're going to change one why not the other? I like the idea of using the old specialist insignia as the insignia for warrant class two and also for class one with some sort of embellishment. There are just too many grades of sergeant to retain the U.S. chevrons. in my humble opinion.

[ChrisWI]

Thanks Smitty, to put it simply; I couldent come up with any ideas for a new rank insignia style for NCOs and enlisted ranks. I had thought about using a system of simple bars but I rejected that for being too bland and basic.

[Lee Ragan]

Here is an idea that would greatly simplify the Army's rank structure and save a lot of money. Since the Army seems to allways refer to ones pay grade instead of using the tradition name of a rank, they could just issue little pins with ones pay grade on it. E-1 thru E-9 for the enlisted, WO-1 thru CWO-5 for the Warrant Officers and O-1 thru O-10 for officers. These would be brass for wear on the dress uniforms and black for field, utility uniforms. Just pin on your little pay grade pin above your name tag and your good to go. No more fuss with cutting off old cloth insignia and sewing on the new insignia. Only one small pin for each type of uniform. They could be made as sewn-on insignia and worn in place of the old rank patches. The government would save millions of dollars in buying all those pesky different rank insignia and the soldier would save too. If they are going to always refer to themselves by pay grade, why not just eliminate those combersome traditional rank titles and insignia?

[ChrisWI]

HEy Chris great work on a Hypothetical, mayb e if the US had remained in the Commonwelth that may have been something they could adopt

HAve you consdered doing the USN and USAF as well?

Anychance I maybe able to recieve a copy

Hi Tony, I am glad to hear that people on here like my idea! As for the US joining the Commonwealth, I think it's a great idea but I recall reading somewhere that only the original 13 states would be eligible for membership and under the US Constitution; individual states cannot deal with foreign nations and that would rule out Commonwealth membership. Is it true or not, I am not sure.

As for USN and USAF versions, they are currently in production but will take a bit longer.

[ChrisWI]

we recognse HM The Queen as Head of the Commonwelth no offence I dont think there would be too many people in the US that would liek to see someone above HE The President.

Another excellent point. Though judging by the last few presidents we have had it appears that just about anyone would be an improvement.

May I please get a good copy of your Army one?

Post your email address and I will be more then happy to send the actual .bmp image from Microsoft Paint as soon as I get home from Puerto Rico on Monday.