Major

The first field grade commissioned officer of the US Army, O-4 and NATO OF-3, a staff leader between company and battalion command.

Overview

Major wears a gold oak leaf and crosses from leading soldiers directly to orchestrating battalions: the typical major serves as a battalion executive officer or operations officer, translating a colonel intent into orders that companies execute. The rank descends from Latin maior, greater, used since the seventeenth century for officers senior to captains below the colonelcy. Promotion is selective, boards weigh a decade of records, and majors who excel compete for battalion command as lieutenant colonels. Field grade brings institutional duty: schools, doctrine writing, Pentagon and joint assignments.