Argentine Army officer rank insignia Argentine Army officer rank insignia Argentine Army officers wear their rank insignia in shoulderboards. Generals and Senior Colonels may be distinguished for the red trim of their shoulderboards and around the suns denoting their rank; they also wear golden wreath leaves in their coat lapels. The suns for officers below the rank of Senior Colonel are metallic; Senior Colonels and Generals have gold-braid suns. The highest rank an Army officer may reach is "Teniente General" (Lieutenant General(Argentine Army)). This rank is held only by the Chief of the General Staff of the Army. The only exception is the Chief of
United States Army officer rank insignia In 1851, it was decided to use only silver eagles for colonels, as a matter of economy. The silver eagle was selected based on the fact that there were more colonels with the silver eagle that those with gold, primarily in the cavalry and artillery, hence it was cheaper to replace the numerically fewer gold ones in the infantry. At that time on the shoulder straps, lieutenant colonels wore an embroidered silver leaf; majors wore a gold embroidered leaf; and captains and first lieutenants wore gold bars. The second lieutenant had no grade insignia, but the presence of an epaulette