Military ranks of Cape Verde are the insignia used to denote rank in the Cape Verdean Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Coast Guard.
The Cape Verdean Armed Forces have existed since independence from Portugal in 1975. The currently comprise 1,200 personnel in the National Guard, plus 200 Coast Guard and 100 in the Air Force (which organisationally comes under the Coast Guard). The structure and organisation is defined by the Decree-Law no. 30/2007 of August 20. The National Guard and Coast Guard have their own headquarters which are responsible to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, a colonel. The Chief of Staff also has responsibility for the armed forces' Staff Command and Logistics Command.[1] The chief of staff is supported by a deputy, also a colonel. The Coast Guard use the same rank structure as the land forces and have been commanded by an officer with the rank of major (2013) or lieutenant-colonel (2011).[2][3]
The organisation is headed by a General Chief of Staff who, in 2015, held the rank of Major-General.[4] The armed forces as a whole come under the control of the civilian government.[1]
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Major-general | Brigadeiro-general | Coronel | Tenente-coronel | Major | Capitão | Primeiro tenente | Tenente | Subtenente | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Capitão–de–mar | Capitão–de–navio | Capitão-de–patrulha | Capitão-tenente | Primeiro-tenente | Tenente | Guarda-marinha |
Rank group | Student officer |
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Aspirante | |
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Aspirante à oficial |
This table illustrates the rank insignia of enlisted members of the national guard and coast guard.
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento-mor | Sargento-chefe | Sargento-principal | Primeiro-sargento | Segundo-sargento | Sargento | Furriel | Instruendo curso de sargento | Cabo-principal | Cabo de Secção | Cabo-adjunto | Primeiro-cabo | Segundo-cabo | Instruendo curso de cabo | Soldado
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Sargento-mor | Sargento-chefe | Sargento-principal | Primeiro-sargento | Segundo-sargento | Furriel | Segundo-furriel | Cabo-principal | Cabo de secção | Cabo-adjunto | Primeiro-cabo | Segundo-cabo |
Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() (1992–2012) |
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Colonel Coronel |
Lieutenant Colonel Tenente-coronel |
Major Major |
Captain Capitão |
First Lieutenant Primeiro tenente |
Lieutenant Tenente |
Second Lieutenant Subtenente |
Officer Cadet Aspirante | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() (1975–1992) |
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Brigade Commandant Comandante de brigada |
First Commandant Primeiro comandante |
Commandant Comandante |
Major Major |
Captain Capitão |
First Lieutenant Primeiro tenente |
Lieutenant Tenente |
Second Lieutenant Subtenente |
Officer Cadet Aspirante} |
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() (1992–2012) |
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sergeant-major Sargento-mor |
Chief sergeant Sargento-chefe |
Master sergeant Sargento-principal |
First sergeant Primeiro-sargento |
Second sergeant Segundo-sargento |
Sergeant Sargento |
Lance sergeant Furriel |
Master corporal Cabo-adjunto |
First corporal Primeiro-cabo |
Second corporal Segundo-cabo |
Soldado | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First sergeant Primeiro-sargento |
Second sergeant Segundo-sargento |
Lance sergeant Terceiro-sargento |
First soldier Primeiro-soldado |
Soldado |