Associated Press CAP and USAF Grades
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CAP Rank & Abbreviations Used in All External Communications (AP Stylebook) |
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| Rate | Cadet Rank | Abbrev. |
| C/E-1 | Cadet Airman Basic | Cadet Airman |
| C/E-2 | Cadet Airman | Cadet Airman |
| C/E-3 | Cadet Airman First Class | Cadet Airman 1st Class |
| C/E-4 | Cadet Senior Airman | Cadet Senior Airman |
| C/E-5 | Cadet Staff Sergeant | Cadet Staff Sgt. |
| C/E-6 | Cadet Technical Sergeant | Cadet Tech. Sgt. |
| C/E-7 | Cadet Master Sergeant | Cadet Master Sgt. |
| C/E-8 | Cadet Senior Master Sergeant | Cadet Senior Master Sgt. |
| C/E-9 | Cadet Chief Master Sergeant | Cadet Chief Master Sgt. |
| C/O-1 | Cadet Second Lieutenant | Cadet 2nd Lt. |
| C/O-2 | Cadet First Lieutenant | Cadet 1st Lt. |
| C/O-3 | Cadet Captain | Cadet Capt. |
| C/O-4 | Cadet Major | Cadet Maj. |
| C/O-5 | Cadet Lieutenant Colonel | Cadet Lt. Col. |
| C/O-6 | Cadet Col. | |
| Rate | Senior Member Enlisted Rank | Abbrev. |
| CAP E-1 | Airman Basic | Airman |
| CAP E-2 | Airman | Airman |
| CAP E-3 | Airman First Class | Airman 1st Class |
| CAP E-4 | Senior Airman | Senior Airman |
| CAP E-5 | Staff Sergeant | Staff Sgt. |
| CAP E-6 | Technical Sergeant | Tech. Sgt. |
| CAP E-7 | Master Sergeant | Master Sgt. |
| CAP E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant | Senior Master Sgt. |
| CAP E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant | Chief Master Sgt. |
| Rate | Senior Member Officer Rank | Abbrev. |
| CAP O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2nd Lt. |
| CAP O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1st Lt. |
| CAP O-3 | Captain | Capt. |
| CAP O-4 | Major | Maj. |
| CAP O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | Lt. Col. |
| CAP O-6 | Colonel | Col. |
| CAP O-7 | Brigadier General | Brig. Gen. |
| CAP O-8 | Major General | Maj. Gen. |
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Air Force Rank & Abbreviations |
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| Rate | Enlisted Rank | Abbrev. |
| E-1 | Airman Basic | AB |
| E-2 | Airman | Amn |
| E-3 | Airman First Class | A1C |
| E-4 | Senior Airman | SrA |
| E-5 | Staff Sergeant | SSgt |
| E-6 | Technical Sergeant | TSgt |
| E-7 | Master Sergeant | MSgt |
| First Sergeant | 1stSgt | |
| E-8 | Senior Master Sergeant | SMSgt |
| First Sergeant | 1stSgt | |
| E-9 | Chief Master Sergeant | CMSgt |
| First Sergeant | 1stSgt | |
| Command Chief Master Sergeant | CCMSgt | |
| Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force | CMSAF | |
| Rate | Commissioned Officer Rank | Abbrev. |
| O-1 | Second Lieutenant | 2d Lt |
| O-2 | First Lieutenant | 1st Lt |
| O-3 | Captain | Capt |
| O-4 | Major | Maj |
| O-5 | Lieutenant Colonel | LtCol |
| O-6 | Colonel | Col |
| O-7 | Brigadier General | BrigGen |
| O-8 | Major General | MajGen |
| O-9 | Lieutenant General | LtGen |
| O-10 | General | Gen |
| O-10 | General of the Air Force | |
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CAP Rank & Abbreviations (Cadet Enlisted – Cadet Basic through Cadet Chief Master Sergeant) |
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| Grade | Abbrev. | Term of Address (Cadet to Cadet) | Insignia | Corresponding Ribbon | |||||||||
| Cadet Airman Basic | C/AB | Airman Basic or Airman |  |
None | |||||||||
| Cadet Airman | C/Amn | Airman |  |
 Curry |
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| Cadet Airman First Class | C/A1C | Airman First Class or Airman |  |
 Arnold |
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| Cadet Senior Airman | C/SrA | Senior Airman or Airman |  |
 Mary Feik |
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| Cadet Staff Sergeant | C/SSgt | Staff Sergeant or Sergeant |  |
 Wright Brothers’ Award |
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| Cadet Technical Sergeant | C/TSgt | Technical Sergeant, Tech Sergeant or Sergeant |  |
 Rickenbacker |
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| Cadet Master Sergeant | C/MSgt | Master Sergeant or Sergeant |  |
 Lindberg |
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| Cadet Senior Master Sergeant | C/SMSgt | Senior Master Sergeant, or Sergeant |  |
 Doolittle |
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| Cadet Chief Master Sergeant | C/CMSgt | Chief Master Sergeant or Chief |  |
 Goddard  Armstrong |
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Note: Goddard and Armstrong ribbons are earned as two separate achievements |
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CAP Rank & Abbreviations (Cadet Officer – Cadet Second Lieutenant through Cadet Colonel) |
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| Grade | Abbrev. | Term of Address (Cadet to Cadet) | Insignia | Corresponding Ribbon | |||||||||
| Cadet Second Lieutenant | C/2d Lt | Lieutenant, Sir or Ma’am |  |
 Mitchell |
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| Cadet First Lieutenant | C/1st Lt | Lieutenant, Sir or Ma’am |  |
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| Cadet Captain | C/Capt | Captain, Sir or Ma’am |  |
 Earhart |
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| Cadet Major | C/Maj | Major, Sir or Ma’am |  |
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| Cadet Lieutenant Colonel | C/Lt Col | Colonel, Sir or Ma’am |  |
 Eaker |
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| Cadet Colonel | C/Col | Colonel, Sir or Ma’am |  |
 Spaatz |
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CAP Rank & Abbreviations (Transition Officer – Senior Member through Senior Flight Officer) |
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| Grade | Abbrev. | Term of Address | Insignia |
| Senior Member | SM | Mister, Mizz", Sir or Ma’am | |
| Flight Officer | FO | Mister, Mizz", Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Technical Flight Officer | TFO | Mister, Mizz", Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Senior Flight Officer | SFO | Mister, Mizz", Sir or Ma’am |  |
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CAP Rank & Abbreviations (Officer – Second Lieutenant through Major General) |
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| Grade | Abbrev. | Term of Address | Insignia |
| Second Lieutenant | 2d Lt | Lieutenant, Sir or Ma’am |  |
| First Lieutenant | 1st Lt | Lieutenant, Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Captain | Capt | Captain, Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Major | Maj | Major, Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Lt Col | Colonel, Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Colonel | Col | Colonel, Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Brigadier General | Brig Gen | General, Sir or Ma’am |  |
| Major General | Maj Gen | General, Sir or Ma’am |  |