Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a senior military rank , the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services . The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel , and subordinate to major general . A Brigadier typically commands a Brigade consisting of three battalions ( approximately 3 , 000 troops ) . It is a flag rank in most military structures around the world . In some countries this rank is called Brigadier General . Officer rank . Countries in the British tradition . In many countries , especially those formerly part of the British Empire , a Brigadier is either the highest field rank or most junior General appointment , nominally commanding a brigade . It ranks above a full Colonel and below a Major General . The rank is used by the British Army , the Royal Marines , Australian Army , Sri Lankan Army , New Zealand Army , Pakistan Army , Indian Army and several others . Although it is not always considered a general officer rank , it is always considered equivalent to the Brigadier General or Brigade General of other countries . In NATO forces Brigadier is OF - 6 on the rank scale . The title is derived from the equivalent British rank of Brigadier - General , used until 1922 and still used in many countries . " Brigadier " was already in use as a generic term for a commander of a brigade irrespective of specific rank . Until the rank was dissolved in 1922 , Brigadier - Generals wore a crossed sword and baton symbol on its own . From 1922 to 1928 the British rank title used was that of Colonel - Commandant , with one crown and three ' pips ' , a rank which , although reflecting its modern role in the British Army as a senior colonel rather than a junior general , was not well received and was replaced with Brigadier after six years . Colonel - Commandant was only ever used for officers commanding brigades , depots or training establishments . Officers holding equivalent rank in administrative appointments were known as " Colonels on the Staff " , also replaced by Brigadier in 1928 . Colonel - Commandants and Colonels on the Staff wore the same rank badge later adopted by Brigadiers . Until shortly after World War II Brigadier was an appointment conferred on Colonels ( as Commodore was an appointment conferred on naval Captains ) rather than a substantive rank . In Commonwealth countries , and most Arabic - speaking countries ( in which the rank is called " Amid " ) , the rank insignia comprises a crown ( or some other national symbol ) with three stars , ( sometimes called " pips " ) , which are often arranged in a triangle . A Brigadier ' s uniform may also have red gorget patch es . It is otherwise similar to that of a Colonel . ( Colonel ' s rank insignia have a crown / emblem with two stars / " pips " . ) Pre - revolutionary France . Until 1788 a rank of " Brigadier des armées " ( " Brigadier of the Armies " ) , which could be described as a senior colonel or junior brigade commander , was used in the French Army . The normal brigade command rank was Field Marshal ( " Maréchal de camp " ) ( which elsewhere is a more senior rank ) . During the French Revolution the ranks of " Brigadier des armées " and " Maréchal de camp " were replaced by Brigade General ( " Général de Brigade " ) . In common with many countries , France now uses the officer rank of Brigade General instead of a " brigadier " rank ; this was the rank held by Charles de Gaulle . Former Spanish empire . The rank of a " brigadier " was established by Felipe V in 1702 as an intermediate rank between colonel and true general s . In some Iberoamerican republics ( " see below " ) the rank survived after independence . In Spain , it was not till 1871 when they were considered full generals , and in 1889 they were renamed general de brigada . The name has survived as a cadet rank at the Spanish Naval Academy . The historical rank is distinct from the current NCO rank of " brigada " , although common translation usage sometimes confuses the two . Latin America . Brigadier ( - General ) is used in Latin America , in the normal sense of brigade commander rank ( e . g . Colombia , Chile ) , although most Latin American nations instead use the rank of Brigade General . In Mexico , Brigadier General is the rank below Brigade General ( both ranks falling between Colonel and Divisional General . ) However , both the Argentine and Brazilian Air Force s use a curious system of variations on Brigadier for all ( Argentina ) or most ( Brazil ) general officers . The origin of this system is not entirely clear , but in the case of Argentina may be due to army air units being commanded by Brigade General s before the establishment of the Air Force as an independent armed force . In the Argentine Air Force these ranks are ( most senior first ) : In the Brazilian Air Force these ranks are ( most senior first ) : Above these is the highest Brazilian Air force rank of Marshal of the Air , used only in wartime . Non - commissioned rank . Brigadier also existed as a non - commissioned cavalry rank . Thus , a brigadier in the Napoleonic cavalry was equivalent to a corporal in the British cavalry . This usage derives from the use of " brigade " to denote a squad or team of cavalrymen , similar to the occasional English civilian usage " work brigade " . France . In France , and some countries whose forces were structured based on the method used in France , some branches of the army and the gendarmerie use " brigadier " for a rank equivalent to " caporal " ( Corporal ) , and " brigadier - chef " for a rank equivalent to " caporal - chef " . Brigadier is used by arms of the army which are by tradition considered " mounted " arms such as logistics or cavalry units . A similar usage exists elsewhere . In the French gendamerie , the brigadier ranks are used as in the army , i . e . as junior enlisted ranks ( " gradés " ) , while the French police use brigadier ranks as their sub - officer ( " sous - officier " ) ranks . Since all professional police and gendarmes have sub - officer status in France , the gendarmerie brigadier ranks are rarely used , since they are used only by auxiliaries . On the other hand the police brigadier ranks , used differently to indicate professional ranks , are common . In the French gendarmerie and in " mounted " arms of the French army the brigadier ranks are : In the French National Police , the sub - officer variations are used for non - commissioned officer s are : Spain . In Spain , a " Brigada " has a NATO rank code of OR - 8 ( and is thus a senior NCO ) . The Spanish rank " Brigada " is not to be confused with the Spanish " Brigadier ( General ) " used for officers in Latin America ( and historically in Spain ) . Italy . In the Italian Carabinier s and Guardia di Finanza , the ranks of vice - brigadier ( " vice brigadiere " ) , brigadier ( " brigadiere " ) , and chief brigadier ( " brigadiere capo " ) correspond roughly to the army ranks based on sergeant . The rank of Brigade General ( " Generale di Brigata " ) is used throughout the armed forces as the most junior general rank , and corresponds to the British rank title of brigadier .