Definition

Noun: A commissioned officer in the United States Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps holding a rank of major, lieutenant colonel, or colonel. This term categorizes officers who typically command units of battalion or brigade size and serve in senior staff positions.

Usage

The term "field-grade officer" is used to collectively refer to the middle tier of commissioned officers, above company-grade officers (captains and below) and below general officers. - After ten years of service, she was promoted to the rank of major, becoming a field-grade officer. - The planning meeting included all field-grade officers from the brigade.

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in organizational, doctrinal, and force structure contexts within the U.S. military.
• It denotes a level of responsibility involving the planning and execution of operations for units typically consisting of several hundred to a few thousand personnel.

Variants and Related Words

• Field officer: A synonym commonly used, especially in British and Commonwealth militaries.
• Company-grade officer: The officer tier below field-grade, including ranks from second lieutenant to captain.
• General officer: The officer tier above field-grade, including ranks from brigadier general and above.

Synonyms

• Field officer
• Senior officer (in a specific, contextual sense referring to this tier)

Notes

• The specific duties and command authority of a field-grade officer can vary by service branch and the specific unit of assignment.
• The term is a compound noun; its meaning is specific to the military rank structure and is not typically broken down or used metaphorically.

Noun

1. an officer holding the rank of major or lieutenant colonel or colonel