Rank insignia in the French Army are worn on the sleeve or on shoulder marks of uniforms, and range up to the highest rank of Marshal of France, a state honour denoted with a seven-star insignia that was last conferred posthumously on Marie Pierre Koenig in 1984.
Rank insignia in the French army depend on whether the soldier belongs to an infantry or cavalry unit. The infantry arms () include normal infantry, naval troops, the Foreign Legion and engineers; cavalry arms () include armoured cavalry, artillery, maintenance and logistics. Sleeves are emblazoned with marks denoting either gold insignia for the infantry or silver/white for the cavalry. However, the artillery uses gold as the main colour, despite being a cavalry branch, and spahis use gold as the main colour despite being part of the cavalry, a distinction representing the armoured cavalry.
The title of "Marshal of France" () is awarded as a distinction, rather than a rank. A Marshal wears seven stars and carries a baton.
Since 1916, as a distinction rather than a rank, the title of Marshal has been granted through special laws voted by the National Assembly. For this reason, it is impossible to demote a Marshal. The most famous example of this was Marshal Philippe Pétain, notorious as "chief of state" of the Vichy France regime. When he was convicted for high treason, the judges were empowered to demote his other ranks and titles. But due to the principle of separation of powers, the judges had no authority to cancel the law that had made Pétain a Marshal. It remained the only title he kept after being sentenced.
Six Marshals of France have been given the even more exalted title of "Marshal General of France" (): Biron, Lesdiguières, Turenne, Villars, Saxe, and Soult.
Although they all wear the same insignia and titles, officers are divided into:
There is no distinction between infantry and cavalry generals, since they are all supposed to be able to command any type of unit. The rank was formerly designated as Lieutenant-General of the Armies until 1791. The official historic succession of the "Lieutenant-General of France" corresponded to Général de division for the French Army, and Vice-Amiral (Vice-Admiral) for the French Navy. The rank of Général de corps d'armée wasn't officially adopted until 1939, along with five other French Armed Forces ranks. It must also be noted that Army corps general and Army general are not really ranks, but styles and positions (Rang et appellation in French) bestowed upon a Divisional general, which is the highest substantive rank in the French Army.
Junior enlisted grades have different cloth stripe and beret colors depending on the service they are assigned to. ("from the French mainland") wear blue, (the former ) wear red, and the (Foreign Legion) wear green.
A red beret indicates a paratrooper, whether from the troupes de marine or not. A legionnaire paratrooper wears a green beret with the general parachutist badge on it, the same badge used by all French Army paratroopers who have completed their training.
Senior grades' lace stripe metal depends on their arm of service, just like the officiers. Infantry and support units wear gold stripes and cavalry and technical services units wear silver stripes.
There are also distinctions to distinguish volunteers and conscripts, and bars for experience (one for five years; up to four can be obtained).
The combat engineer officers are using normal military rank designations, but the Armament Engineers and the Armament Design and Technology Engineers have special rank titles signifying them as members of a technological auxiliary corps.
The branch specific commissariat services have been replaced by an Armed Forces Commissariat Service common for Armed Forces of France.
The French Armed Forces Health Service (Service de Santé des Armées) SSA is responsible for medical and sanitary support of the French Armed Forces and of all institutions placed under the authority of the French Ministry of Armed Forces. It is a joint service, and its central administration is under the direct control of the Chief of the French Defence Staff.
Armed Forces practitioners are divided into five corps of career officers: Physicians, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians and hospital interns. Below is the ranks and rank insignia for surgeons (physicians); they have a crimson velvet backing for their rank insignia. Pharmacists have green velvet, dentists have plum velvet and veterinarians have garnet velvet. Officer cadets and hospital interns wear the backing of their corps; although veterinarians do not serve as hospital interns and hence lack the rank of Interne.
Military nurses and technicians of army hospitals (MITHA) are paramedic and medical support personnel whose status is modelled on that of the hospital public service, but simultaneously falls under the general status of military personnel. The particular hierarchy of MITHA does not have relative rank with the general military hierarchy; but wear insignia of the appearance of a general military rank, in order to have their position recognized for the application of the obligations, rights and prerogatives of military personnel.