The highest position is lieutenant general (rav aluf or ra'al or aluf), which is the chief of staff. This is followed by, in descending order:
Major general is a commanding general (tat aluf or ta'al) with command of the Corps and the Branch of Arms.
Brigadier general (aluf mishne or alam) is also a commanding general with command of the Service of Arms and the levels of corps, division and brigade.
Colonel (sgan aluf or sa'al) commands a regiment and brigade.
Lieutenant colonel (rav seren or rasan) is in charge of a battalion.
Major (seren) is an executive officer in charge of a battalion and battery company.
A captain (segen), a company commander, is a position established in 1951.
Lieutenant (segen mishne or sagam) is a company executive officer over a platoon.
Second lieutenant (memale makom katsín or mamak) commands a platoon.
The senior academic professional officer (katsín miktsoí akademai or kama) is a captain-level classification for individuals with an academic education. They don't have military officer training because they completed their education in an academic area such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, religion or law.
The academic professional officer is the first lieutenant (rav nagad or ranag) position. This is for the same academic areas as the senior academic professional.
When enlisted military personnel are put into authority positions over other enlisted personnel, they are referred to as non-commissioned officers. They are given warrants, not commissions.
Chief warrant officer (rav samal bakhír or rasab)
Warrant officer (rav samal mitkadem or rasam)
Sergeant major (rav samal rishon or rasar)
Master sergeant (rav samal or rasal)
First sergeant (samal rishon or samar)
Staff sergeant (samal rishon)
Sergeant (rav turái rishón or ratár)
Corporal (rurai rishon or tarash)
Private or private E-2 (tirón)
Personnel in initial training are classified as private E1-recruit, which is not considered an actual rank within the military.