Military Style of the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army's military form of organization includes the following officer ranks:
- General - There is only one General, the international leader of The Salvation Army, who is elected by a High Council, composed of all active and retired Commissioners and Territorial Commanders.
- Commissioner - This rank is most commonly assigned to officers with the position of Territorial Commander or a department head at International Headquarters.
- Colonel - An officer who has served for a number of years as a Lieutenant Colonel and who has an appointment of unusual responsibility may be promoted to the rank of Colonel.
- Lieutenant Colonel - Officers who are appointed to assignments of greater responsibility may be promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel.
- Major - After fifteen years of service an officer is promoted to the rank of Major; this is the last promotion which is received automatically based on years of service.
- Captain - The first rank of an officer after completing training.
- Lieutenant - A Salvationist giving service to the Army for an agreed period of time without becoming a commissioned officer..
- Soldier - A member of The Salvation Army who has committed to a life of Christian faith and service. A person who is at least 14 years of age may become a Soldier.
- Envoy-A soldier who works full-time for The Salvation Army in a professional ministry role, usually in charge of a corps or as a department head at headquarters or other large unit.
- Auxiliary Captain -An individual, past the age to be accepted into the College for Officer Training, who offers themselves for full-time professional ministry in The Salvation Army. They are appointed to the same types of assignments and have the same authority as other officers. After five years of successful service as an Auxiliary Captain and completion of continuing education requirements, they are eligible to be accepted as a fully commissioned officer with the rank of Captain.
- Cadet - A Soldier who has made a commitment to full-time ministry as a Salvation Army officer holds the rank of Cadet during their two-year period of training at The Salvation Army College for Officer Training.
- Cadet Lieutenant - A Cadet who is appointed to service in the field following his first year of training and completes his second year of training by correspondence; usually limited to individuals with extensive prior education and Salvation Army service.
Uniform
The ideas of militant/aggressive Christianity believe in leadership and structure to spread evangelization to working class masses. Male evangelists wore modest frock coats, tall hats, and black ties. Women evangelists wore plain dresses, jackets, and plain Quaker-type bonnets. They also wore brooches imprinted with the letter S.
Flag
The first flag was designed by Catherine Booth in 1878. It was crimson with a navy-blue border (symbolizing holiness) and a yellow sun later replaced by a star (fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit). On the star, the motto "Blood and Fire" was written to stand for the blood of Christ and the Fire of the Holy Ghost.
For more information:
http://www.salvationarmytampa.org/uss/www_uss_tampa.nsf/vw-dynamic-arrays/2600E39C6917664C80257324006330CF?openDocument
Diniejko, Andrzej. "The Origin and Early Development of the Salvation Army in Victorian England." The Victorian Web. Nagoya University, Japan, 11 Apr 2013. Web. 11 Nov 2013. <http://www.victorianweb.org/religion/sa1.html>.
http://www.salvationarmytampa.org/uss/www_uss_tampa.nsf/vw-dynamic-arrays/2600E39C6917664C80257324006330CF?openDocument
Diniejko, Andrzej. "The Origin and Early Development of the Salvation Army in Victorian England." The Victorian Web. Nagoya University, Japan, 11 Apr 2013. Web. 11 Nov 2013. <http://www.victorianweb.org/religion/sa1.html>.