An officer of The Salvation Army is a Salvationist who is an ordained minister of the Christian denomination, having been trained and commissioned to service and leadership and given a quasi-military rank.
While attending a College for Officer Training, which is equivalent to a seminary, the trainees or students are called cadets. Once initial training is complete, the cadets are commissioned. The commissioning ceremony is equivalent to a graduation and ordination. At the commissioning, they are promoted to the rank of captain and given their marching orders (assignments to various posts).
Until 2000, cadets were commissioned as lieutenants. The rank of lieutenant is now given to those individuals who are employed with The Salvation Army in a ministry position, but are noncommissioned officers.
Officers can be posted at a corps as a corps officer, which is equivalent to a minister of a church, but not all officers are corps officers. A majority of officers are assigned to other jobs within The Salvation Army, such as at Headquarters, the Training College, Trade (a supply store), et cetera.
The uniform of an officer has red patches on the shoulders of the tunic (or coat) with metal emblems to designate rank, e.g., stars for captains and crests for majors.
Usually, officers are given new marching orders every two to five years and reassigned to different posts, sometimes moving great distances.
After 15 years service, a captain is promoted to the rank of major. When an officer is promoted above major, such as lieutenant-colonel, colonel, commissioner, et cetera, it is called a 'special assignment.' Most officers retire as a major, unless they are promoted to a special assignment.
Chief of the Staff is not formerly a rank, but a position held by a commissioner. As of October 1, 1997, 'Mrs. General' holds a rank in her own right and is known as 'Commissioner.'
Rank system of The Salvation Army
- Rank - Adopted - Current Status
- General - 1878 - active
- Chief of the Staff - 1880 - active
- Commissioner - 1880 - active
- Lieutenant-Commissioner - 1920 - discontinued 1973
- Colonel - 1880 - active
- Lieutenant-Colonel - 1896 - active
- Brigadier - 1889 - discontinued 1973
- Senior-Major - 1948 - discontinued 1959
- Major - 1879 - active
- Staff-Captain - 1881 - discontinued 1931
- Field-Major - 1921 - discontinued 1931
- Commandant - 1916 - discontinued 1931
- Adjutant - 1888 - discontinued 1948
- Ensign - 1888 - discontinued 1931
- Senior-Captain - 1948 - discontinued 1959
- Captain - 1877 - active
- Lieutenant - 1879 - active
- First Lieutenant - 1948 - discontinued 1959
- Second Lieutenant - 1948 - discontinued 1959
- Probationary Lieutenant - 1917 - discontinued 1973
- Cadet - 1880 - active