Rear Admiral is a U.S. Navy flag officer rank that exists in two grades: Rear Admiral (Lower Half), a one-star rank at pay grade O-7, and Rear Admiral (Upper Half), a two-star rank at pay grade O-8. Both grades carry the same title, but they are distinct ranks with different seniority.
Rear Admiral Lower Half vs. Upper Half
The two-tier structure is unusual, and it’s the single most confusing part of this rank for anyone outside the Navy. Both grades are called “Rear Admiral,” but they are not the same rank.
The Two Grades
Rear Admiral (Lower Half), abbreviated RDML, is a one-star flag officer at pay grade O-7.
Rear Admiral (Upper Half), commonly abbreviated RADM, is a two-star flag officer at pay grade O-8. Upper Half ranks above Lower Half and below Vice Admiral.
Why the Split Exists
The distinction exists because, unlike most other nations’ navies, the U.S. Navy (along with the Coast Guard, the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and NOAA’s Commissioned Officer Corps) splits what other countries treat as a single rank into two separate grades. In most other navies, “rear admiral” refers only to a two-star rank.
The split has a relatively recent origin. For most of the Navy’s history, Rear Admiral was a single rank. A one-star “Commodore” rank briefly existed during World War II, but was abolished afterward, leaving one-star officers wearing two-star insignia while paid at the one-star rate, a mismatch that frustrated the other services.
Congress formally separated the grades in the early 1980s, giving the Navy a cleaner one-star equivalent to the Army and Air Force’s Brigadier General.
How to Tell Them Apart
The easiest way to tell them apart is by the stars: one star means Lower Half, O-7; two stars means Upper Half, O-8. All services officially list the two-star grade simply as “Rear Admiral,” though “Rear Admiral (Upper Half)” is commonly used to help distinguish the two in everyday reference.
What Are the Navy Flag Officer Ranks?
The Navy’s flag officer ranks, in order, are:
- Rear Admiral (Lower Half) – one star, O-7
- Rear Admiral (Upper Half) – two stars, O-8
- Vice Admiral – three stars, O-9
- Admiral – four stars, O-10
These ranks have direct equivalents in the U.S. Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps: Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is equivalent to Brigadier General, Rear Admiral (Upper Half) is equivalent to Major General, Vice Admiral is equivalent to Lieutenant General, and Admiral is equivalent to General.
What Does a Rear Admiral Do?
A Rear Admiral may command a fleet of Navy ships, submarines, or air wings, directing the overall planning and movement of that fleet. Rear Admirals also assist Vice Admirals in performing their duties.
The two-star grade, Rear Admiral (Upper Half), carries a notable distinction: it is the highest permanent rank during peacetime in the uniformed services. Every rank above it, Vice Admiral and Admiral, is tied to a specific command or position and considered a temporary rank tied to that assignment, expiring when the officer leaves the role.
In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral, from the French contre-amiral. The specific star-count and seniority of a counter admiral varies by country, but the rank generally sits at or near the entry point to flag officer status, much like Rear Admiral does in the U.S. Navy.
What Is a Flag Officer Coin?
A flag officer coin is a personal coin carried and presented by an admiral or general, distinct from a unit or command coin issued to an entire crew or organization.
Flag officers give their personal coin to individuals for exceptional performance, as a mark of direct recognition from that officer. It’s a different tradition from the Navy Chief coins presented within the Chief’s Mess, though both share the same underlying purpose of marking recognition within a rank.
Flag officer coins differ from standard unit coins in a few ways. They’re typically produced in much smaller runs, since only one officer is presenting them. The finishes tend to be more elaborate, and the design often incorporates the officer’s own insignia or personal symbolism rather than a unit’s collective identity.
Because of the scale and the source, these coins are also genuinely collected. Flag officer coins get catalogued by collectors, tracked by rank and command, and traded in a documented aftermarket, in a way most unit coins never are. Someone who receives a flag officer’s personal coin tends to keep it for life, and it’s the kind of coin other collectors seek out specifically.
If you’re planning one, request free coin artwork and we’ll help you get started.
About This Rear Admiral Coin
This coin was designed for a Rear Admiral with the U.S. Navy Office of Information, the Navy’s public affairs organization. It’s one entry in a long history of custom Navy challenge coins we’ve built for officers and commands across the fleet.
The Office of Information is headed by the Chief of Information, commonly known by the acronym CHINFO, who serves as the Navy’s principal spokesperson and provides communication counsel to the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations.
The design took a traditional Navy coin approach, executed with modern manufacturing techniques. One side carries a single, relatively large star, sculpted directly into the coin’s surface. The other side carries the Office of Information’s own insignia.
The base metal was finished in a dark brass color, with painted shadow rendering used to add depth to the engraved elements and inscriptions.
Restraint suits a flag officer’s coin. Where a unit coin often carries a dense mix of symbols representing everyone in a command, a personal coin like this one can afford to say less: a single star, a single insignia, rendered with enough craft that neither needs anything else around it.
Design a Flag Officer or Presentation Coin
If you’re placing an order on behalf of an admiral or general, whether for a personal coin, a change-of-command presentation, or another special occasion, we can help you design it.
We’ve designed everything from Navy officer coins to Coast Guard challenge coins for USCG flag officers, and every design starts with your specific rank, post, or story rather than a template.
- Free professional artwork with Unlimited design revisions
- Premium finishes, edges, metals and specialty options
- Rush production available for change-of-command dates
Flag officer coins are inherently smaller runs than most unit orders, and we’re happy to talk through what quantity makes sense for your specific presentation. Tell us about your coin, and request free coin artwork to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a rear admiral in the Navy?
A rear admiral is a U.S. Navy flag officer rank, existing in two grades: Rear Admiral (Lower Half), one star, and Rear Admiral (Upper Half), two stars.
What is the difference between rear admiral lower half and upper half?
Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is a one-star rank at pay grade O-7. Rear Admiral (Upper Half) is a two-star rank at pay grade O-8, ranking above Lower Half.
Is a rear admiral a one-star or two-star?
It depends on the grade. Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is one star. Rear Admiral (Upper Half), often just called Rear Admiral, is two stars.
What pay grade is a rear admiral?
Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is pay grade O-7. Rear Admiral (Upper Half) is pay grade O-8.
What Army rank is equivalent to a rear admiral?
Rear Admiral (Lower Half) is equivalent to Brigadier General. Rear Admiral (Upper Half) is equivalent to Major General.
What ranks are above rear admiral?
Vice Admiral, a three-star rank, and Admiral, a four-star rank, both rank above Rear Admiral (Upper Half).
What is a flag officer?
A flag officer is a senior military officer of admiral or general rank, entitled to fly a personal flag denoting their rank and command.
What is an admiral’s challenge coin?
An admiral’s challenge coin, or flag officer coin, is a personal coin an admiral carries and presents directly to individuals for exceptional performance, distinct from a unit-issued coin.
Who orders flag officer coins?
Flag officer coins are typically ordered by the admiral’s staff, such as an aide or executive assistant, on the officer’s behalf.
Can we order a small quantity of presentation coins?
Flag officer and presentation coins are often smaller runs than standard unit orders. Reach out with your specific quantity and we can discuss what’s possible for your order.
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