Grade Abbreviations

The following guidance is taken from the Air University Style and Author Guide, Second Edition

When you are preparing CAP documents, abbreviate civilian and military titles or ranks that precede a person’s full name.  Do not use periods with these abbreviations.  Spell out titles or ranks that precede a person’s last name only. 

Abbreviations: CAP Grade Abbreviations & AP Style

CAP Senior Member and CAP Cadet Grade Abbreviations

Grade                                              Abbrev               Grade                                                                Abbrev

Staff Sergeant.................. SSgt            Cadet Airman Basic...................... C/AB

Technical Sergeant.......... TSgt             Cadet Airman................................ C/Amn

Master Sergeant............... MSgt           Cadet Airman First Class.............. C/A1C

Senior Master Sergeant... SMSgt         Cadet Senior Airman..................... C/SrA

Chief Master Sergeant..... CMSgt         Cadet Staff Sergeant..................... C/SSgt

Second Lieutenant........... 2d Lt            Cadet Technical Sergeant..............C/TSgt

First Lieutenant................ 1st Lt           Cadet Master Sergeant.................. C/MSgt

Captain............................. Capt            Cadet Senior Master Sergeant.....  C/SMSgt

Major................................. Maj             Cadet Chief Master Sergeant........ C/CMSgt

Lieutenant Colonel........... Lt Col           Cadet Second Lieutenant.............. C/2d Lt

Colonel.............................. Col              Cadet First Lieutenant................... C/1st Lt

Brigadier General............. Brig Gen      Cadet Captain................................ C/Capt

Major General................... Maj Gen      Cadet Major................................... C/Maj

                                                                              Cadet Lieutenant Colonel........... C/Lt Col

                                                                              Cadet Colonel............................. C/Col

 Every Civil Air Patrol member should read this. Please share!

Which is correct?

A) LtCol                     Hint:

B) Lt.Col.                   It depends on whether it is written for internal or external purposes.

C) Lt Col

D) Lt. Col.                  Did you know we do not use superscript for grades with '1st' '2nd'?

The Correct Answers are:

C) Lt Col is correct for Internal CAP correspondence & memos

D) Lt. Col. is correct for use in Public Affairs products, (i.e., external published content)

For Facebook, WAWG leans toward using Air Force (CAP) Grades as per the AP Style Guide