Military ranks of Cape Verde

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
Cape Verdean National Guard[5] v t e
							Major-general		Brigadeiro-general		Coronel		Tenente-coronel		Major		Capitão		Primeiro tenente		Tenente		Subtenente
Cape Verdean Coast Guard[6] v t e
							Contra-almirante		Comodoro		Capitão–de–mar		Capitão–de–navio		Capitão-de–patrulha		Capitão-tenente		Primeiro-tenente		Tenente		Guarda-marinha

Rank group	Student officer
Cape Verdean National Guard[5]
	Aspirante
Cape Verdean Coast Guard[6]
	Aspirante à oficial