ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Military rank

Military rank is a way to tell who is in charge within the military. Just like how you have different grades in school like kindergarten, first grade, second grade, etc., the military has ranks from the lowest to highest.

The people with the lowest rank are called privates. They are like the new kids in school who are just starting out. Above the privates are the sergeants who are a little bit older and have more responsibility. They help make sure the privates are doing what they are supposed to do.

Captain is a higher-up rank. They are in charge of a big group of soldiers, like a classroom teacher. Then there are colonels who are like principals. They look over all classrooms and make sure everything is running smoothly.

Generals are the highest rank in the military. They are like the superintendents of the school district. They give orders to everyone and make important decisions that affect the whole military.

So, military rank is like a big school where everyone has a role to play, and it helps the military to run smoothly even in difficult times.