Show OFFICER Describes How Military Rank Bank May be Recognized by Citizens New York Tribune Last week while the military tourist tournament meat ment was in progress at the Madison Square Gardens said a retired officer 01 ot the army I was asked dozens of ques questions as to what this that bat or the other marking or insignia on the uniforms meant It may therefore not be without interest to describe the difference In the various uniforms and what those differ differences differences signify To begin with an officer may be distinguished by his bis straps and the marking within that shoulder strap tell you what ran he is A general has an eagle between two stars lieuten lieutenant ant general one large star flanked by two smaller ones major general two stars brigadier general one star colonel a sit sil silver ver eagle lieutenant two silver oak leaves major two golden oak leaves captain two bars at either end of ot the shoulder straps first lieutenant a single bar at either end of the shoulder strap second lieutenant the plain shoulder strap without marking Then comes the non ion noncommissioned commissioned officers or the noncoms as they are generally termed Their rani is designated by the chevrons on their metr sleeves as follows Sergeant major of a regiment three bars and an arc 01 oi three bars regimental or battalion quartermaster ter sergeant three bars end and a tie of three bars commissary sergeant three bars and a crescent hospital steward three bars and an arc of one bar inclosing ing a red cross company quartermaster sergeant three bars and md a tie of one oar sergeant three bars corporal two bar bari barThe The different branches of the service to o which the men belong continued the officer fleer are shown by v the Insignia on the headgear and an collars and by the relieving colors of heir unIforms uniform The artillery Is red which in the case cade f the officer shows in the of the shoulder traps in the stripe on the trousers and he the lining of the cloak their insignia ts Is he the crossed cannons the cavalry is yel yellow low ow and their insignia the crossed swords s the he white the insignia cas caste castie tie te the signal corps orange the Uie ala the crossed nags flags and the medical corps green the insignia the Maltese cross Chaplains wear shoulder straps showing a cross on a black field These and insignia refer only to what is known as 5 the line In the staff the prevailing color olor is dark blue no stripes are worn on he the trousers and the field of the shoulder traps straps is dark blue The departments to which the various staff officers belong are indicated by the markings on the collars of their coats In addition to these va various various rious means of distinguishing oia en which apply principally 10 to unarms uniforms there are differences in the ar arrangement arrangement of the buttons on their coats he the braiding on their sleeves and the style of their headgear and the color and um umer her er of plumes worn upon them But if you will follow what I have told you you youcan youcan can tell the rank and to what branch of he the service almost any officer you may run across belongs S |