SAF Ranks

The SAF uses the same rank insignia and titles across the Army, Navy, and Air Force since 1982. The tables below use Army rank titles. Navy equivalents are noted where they differ (generals and officer cadets). The Air Force uses identical titles to the Army.

For current monthly allowance figures by rank and vocation, see NSF pay and allowance.

Enlistees

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.	Min. Allowance (S$)
	Recruit	REC	790
	Private	PTE	790
	Lance Corporal	LCP	815
	Corporal	CPL	865
	Corporal First Class	CFC	910

Specialists

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.	Min. Allowance (S$)
	Specialist Cadet	SCT	885
	Third Sergeant	3SG	1130
	Second Sergeant	2SG	1235
	First Sergeant	1SG
	Staff Sergeant	SSG
	Master Sergeant	MSG

Address all sergeants as Sergeant, with the exception of SSGs as Staff and MSGs as Master.

Sir, Sergeant, or Encik?

This is a question most BMT recruits have:

• arrows pointing down: sergeant (see 3SG)
• horizontal lines: sir (see 2LT)
• arrows pointing up: encik (see 3WO)

This isn't a "one rule fits all", but in BMT the ranks you usually see are 3SG/2SG (sergeant), WOs (encik), 2LT/CPT (sir).

Warrant Officers

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.
	Third Warrant Officer	3WO
	Second Warrant Officer	2WO
	First Warrant Officer	1WO
	Master Warrant Officer	MWO
	Senior Warrant Officer	SWO
	Chief Warrant Officer	CWO

Refer to all warrant officers as Encik. CWOs may be addressed as Sir too.

Junior Officers

Refer to all Officers and Generals as Sir.

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.	Min. Allowance (S$)
	Officer Cadet, Common Leadership Term	OCT	1085
	Officer Cadet, Service Term	OCT	1085
	Officer Cadet, Professional Term	OCT	1085
	Second Lieutenant	2LT	1340
	Lieutenant	LTA	1530
	Captain	CPT

In the Navy, officer cadets are called Midshipmen (MID) and have two training terms (Naval Foundation Term, Naval Advance Term/Internship Term) instead of the three above.

Senior Officers

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.
	Major	MAJ
	Lieutenant Colonel	LTC
	Senior Lieutenant Colonel	SLTC
	Colonel	COL

Generals

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.	Navy equivalent
	Brigadier General	BG	Rear Admiral (1-star) (RADM(1))
	Major General	MG	Rear Admiral (2-star) (RADM(2))
	Lieutenant General	LG	Vice Admiral (VADM)

ME / MDES Rank Equivalents

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.	Equivalent rank
	Military Expert 1 Trainee	ME1(T)	SCT
	Military Expert 4 Trainee	ME4(T)	OCT
	Military Expert 4 Apprentice	ME4(A)	2SG
	Military Expert 1	ME1	2SG
	Military Expert 2	ME2	MSG
	Military Expert 3	ME3	1WO
	Military Expert 4	ME4	CPT
	Military Expert 5	ME5	MAJ
	Military Expert 6	ME6	LTC
	Military Expert 7	ME7	COL
	Military Expert 8	ME8	BG

SAFVC Volunteers

Symbol	Rank	Abbr.
	SAFVC Volunteer (Trainee)	SV(T)
	SAFVC Volunteer 1	SV1
	SAFVC Volunteer 2	SV2
	SAFVC Volunteer 3	SV3
	SAFVC Volunteer 4	SV4

SAFVC volunteers are not paid a monthly salary. They receive a per-day SV Allowance during call-ups, pro-rated from the NSF rank allowance. If call-up causes civilian income loss, employed volunteers can claim Make-Up Pay (the difference). Uniform, lodging, food, and medical are provided during training. There is no eMart, IPPT incentive, or tax relief. "Volunteer" here means the scheme is not mandatory, not that it's unpaid.

Vocation allowance

Tier	Examples	Allowance (S$)
Service / technical	clerk, storeman, technician	75
General combat	most combat vocations	225
Higher-risk combat	infantry, armour, guards, aircrew, combat medics in MRF/SCDF ambulances, seagoing	300
Specialised high-risk	commando, naval diver, CBRD, EOD	500

Example: A general combat PTE gets $790 + $150 = $940. The $75 service minimum is already in the $790, so combat adds the $150 difference.