▁inf antry , ▁chef ▁d ' esc adr ons ▁(" s quad rons ▁head ") ▁in ▁the ▁arm oured ▁caval ry ▁and ▁chef ▁d ' esc ad ron ▁(" s quad ron ▁head ") ▁in ▁the ▁art illery ▁and ▁the ▁G endar mer ie . ▁ ▁Command ant ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁style , ▁but ▁not ▁the ▁rank , ▁of ▁the ▁senior ▁officers ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Navy ▁( cap itaine ▁de ▁cor v ette , ▁cap itaine ▁de ▁fr ég ate ▁and ▁cap itaine ▁de ▁v ais seau ). ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁French ▁Revolution , ▁the ▁major ▁was ▁the ▁officer ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁King ▁to ▁keep ▁track ▁of ▁the ▁exp end it ures ▁and ▁read iness ▁of ▁a ▁regiment . ▁He ▁could ▁have ▁a ▁deput y ▁( an ▁a ide - major ) ▁and ▁could ▁be ▁either ▁a ▁common er ▁or ▁a ▁no blem an . ▁ ▁A ▁major ▁was ▁grad ed ▁as ▁a ▁comm iss ar , ▁not ▁an ▁officer . ▁The ▁officer ▁at ▁command ant ▁rank ▁level ▁was ▁the ▁chef ▁de ▁bata illon ▁or ▁chef ▁d ' esc ad ron . ▁ ▁Major ▁is ▁now , ▁however , ▁the ▁most ▁senior ▁war rant ▁officer ▁rank , ▁above ▁adj ud ant - che f . ▁ ▁Spain ▁In ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Army ▁and ▁Spanish ▁Air ▁Force , ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁comand ante ▁is ▁senior ▁to ▁a ▁captain ▁and ▁junior ▁to ▁a ▁lieutenant ▁colon el , ▁making ▁it ▁equivalent ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁major ▁or ▁squad ron ▁leader ▁in ▁English - spe aking ▁countries