Major (French pronunciation:[maʒɔʁ]) in France, is a senior superior military rank (French: grade militaire) across various military and security institutions with history dating back well beyond the 18th century.
The official rank and designation of major of France (French: Major de France) is unique.
While the rank functions of major (Major) in France, can be similarly compared to that of a sergeant major,[lower-alpha 3] it is higher (rank of major) than a chief warrant officer (Adjudant-Chef), and similar to a master chief (depending on the service branch of the respective country); the rank of major (Major) is still different.
Major was a senior superior officerrank first, with a history of various military traditions in various corps, then recently in time became attached to the sub-officer (non-commissioned) corps as of 2009.
The rank of major[lower-alpha 4] (Major) of the French Armed Forces can be the closest equivalent in terms of authenticity, and even still different, to the American referral of mustang officers, since the rank of "major" was already a superior Officer (Officier Supérieur) (a superior combat military officer rank ascended through the enlisted corps by service or promotions in combat units until 2009)[lower-alpha 5] which was part of the "Corps of Majors", situated between the French Officer Corps and the French Non-Commissioned Officer Corps. However, the history rank of the Majors of France (Les Majors de France) is still very different.
In the Armies of France of the Ancien Régime, the Major (Major) was the second of the colonel charged with the administrative works of the regiment, as well as the commandment of a strong influential position after the Governor (Gouverneur) and the Lieutenant of the King (Lieutenant du Roi).
During the Napoleonic Period, the rank of lieutenant-colonel was replaced with the rank of Major (Major). The designation of Major or Medical Major (Médecin-Major), with category rank sub-classes (1st Class Major (Major de première classe), 2nd Class Major (Major de seconde classe), Aide-Major (Aide-Major), Deputy Aide-Major (Sous-Aide-Major)) designated until 1928 a MilitaryMedic.
In the French War Navy (Marine de Guerre Française) of the 18th century, a rank of Major of the Vessel (Major de Vaisseau) existed briefly and was situated between the rank of Ship-of-the-line lieutenant (Lieutenant de Vaisseau) and Ship-of-the-line captain (capitaine de vaisseau). The position rank of Major also designated the general officer (officier general) in charge of maintaining the materials and security of a port or naval base, the position was known as the "Major" General of the Arsenals (Major Général de l'arsenal). In a squadron, the Squadron Major (Major d'Escadre), was a general officer as Ship-of-the-line captain, and upheld the function of the general staff headquarters of the squadron.
Equally, exposed here forth in the Sous-Officiers section, the rank of Major (Major), is heir to the former rank of Major-Adjudant (Adjudant-Major), is the most elevated rank in the non-commissioned officers (Sous-Officiers) of the French Army, the French Air Force, French Navy, and Gendarmerie Nationale. Until 2009, there existed the Corps of Majors (Corps des Majors) which was situated between the French Officers Corps (Corps des Officiers) and the French Non-Commissioned Officer Corps (Sous-Officiers ou Officiers-Mariniers). In the French Navy, this was related to the Corps of Majors of the Equipment of the Fleet (Corps des Majors des Equipages de la Flotte), since the demotion (following a national political policy to reduce the number of corps in the public function...), a Major (Major) in the French Navy is no longer a Major of the Equipment of the Fleet, but became a Major in the Petty Officer Corps of the French Navy (Major du corps des Officiers-Mariniers). However, the insignia of the Major was kept and is represented by 2 crossed anchors, symbols of equipments of the Fleet.
Sous-Officers, Sub-Officers
The actual designation of "Major" (Major) in the French Armed Forces (l'Armée française) corresponds to a contraction of the composed term "Adjudant-Major": the rank is the most elevated rank in the Sub-officer corps; which existed since 1972. A rank of "Sergeant Major" (Sergent-Major) existed until 1971, under various form designations, and in certain cases, that rank could come close to the actual rank of Major. The first Major of France (Major de France) was Raymond Delaveau and the youngest Major of France would become his son, Thierry Delaveau.
Major of France
In 1972, simultaneously at the creation of the rank, was created the Corps of Majors in order to enable non-commissioned officers to occupy the equivalent posts of Officers (Officiers subalterns) (An Officer Corps below the rank of Commandant or equivalent across the member armed forces). This intermediary corps between the officers and that of the non-commissioned officers, actually included only one rank: that rank function was dissolved in 2009.
To ascend to the rank of Major (Major), the Chief warrant officer (Adjudant-Chef) or the Principal Master (Maître principal)[lower-alpha 10] must pass a series of professional selection tests dites "de sélection professionnelle", ESP in abbreviation. Based on the rule and regulations of the Armies, it is possible for them to apply for the recruitment dits "au choix" (at choice), on the condition of having sufficient years of senior service in their designated rank.
The rank insignia (le gallon) for the French Army, the National Gendarmerie, the French Air Force feature a red border joined by a braid. For the arms dites à pied (on foot), the rank insignia and braid is yellow (accordingly retaking the insignia of Adjudant-Chef) as portrayed. For the mounted arms, heir to the cavalry corps, they are white. For the French Navy, the rank insignia is that of a Principal Master surmounted by two golden anchors.
Majors of France
The Majors of France are officially addressed and designated as follows:
An official French rank designation– equivalent to major in most English-speaking nations. The French rank is also referred to as Chef de bataillon in the infantry, and Chef d'escadrons in the Cavalry Corps.
In reference to the French personnel that have served an entire career in the French Army.
In reference to the few foreign (Non-French), eventually probably naturalized, and mainly Frenchmen that served an entire life career exclusively in the French Foreign Legion.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Chef_de_bataillon, and is written by contributors.
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