Uniform Insignia Forum

hello,
does anyone know if an officer in the during f.i. the second world war American army ,who held a " brevet " rank, had any insignia poiting out that he was not yet promoted to the rank he temporarily held ?Or that he only had a " brevet " rank?
And the same for "acting " officers ?
Thanks in advance.
Tiaan25 from Belgium

During the Civil war you had as many brevet ranks as peranent, among the names are Major General’s Custer and Donaldson.
I believe that during the second world war, Eisenhower’s permanent rank was that of Brigadier, his rank of General of the Army wasn’t confirmed until the end of the war.

Spanish Republican Army had a habit to give Brevet ranks, imagine a Major equalent was in charge of the entire devision!

Zibster!

P.S. Not sure, but I think similar practice was in Browncoats in the sci-fi Serenity!

Brevet rank was used extensively in most armies to promote regular officers to higher rank due to wartime expansion, allowing conscripts/volunteers to fill the junior posts.
This meant after hostilities most officers could revert back to original rank in the downsized peacetime army.
The UK and USA have used brevet rank extensively in the past.
The cynic could say it was a means of keeping the wages bill down, especially if you had a couple of Lt Colonels acting as Lt Generals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brevet_(military)

That link explains "brevveting" fairly well.


As for acting ranks, at least in the British Forces, anyone who has an acting rank has the lowest pay band of the rank they're currently acting, and they also wear the rank insignia of that rank. However, slight differences may occur, where someone holds an acting rank of, say, Staff Sergeant (three chevrons surmounted by a crown), but wears the insignia of his last substantiative rank (i.e. that of a full Sergeant [three chevrons]); the person in question would be addressed as Staff Sergeant, and would have all the authority and responsibility of the rank they're holding, be it only acting.

There is also something called Part 1, and Part 2 Orders which are circulated within the Army and each Regiment. The Regimental Part 1 Orders generally have a list of all personnel who have been promoted within the Regiment in the last month - it will also include those who hold acting ranks. The Army Part 1 Orders will list everyone who's been promoted in the last six months (I think [it's been a while since I saw a copy])

thanks very much for all your comments,
but that's not what i was looking for.
I only wanhted to know if there are SPECIAL ( as in : beeing different from the normal rank insignia ) rank insignia for brevet or acting officers, that make it clear that it is only that ?
Thanks in advance.
Tiaan 25 from Belgium

I believe the Italian military have coloured backing for brevet/acting rank.
I don’t know of any other military that do the same.
As for the British army, brevet rank only applied to commissioned rank.
OR’s were acting unpaid, wearing the acting badge of rank {acting corporal would have two chevrons, acting sergeant three}, below sergeant could be by the authority of the commanding officer I believe.
Also acting rank could be allowed use the mess facilities of that rank.