Patriarchs Militant

About Patriarchs Militant

The Patriarchs Militant is the uniformed branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the peak of the Odd Fellow degree structure. It was fully instituted into Sovereign Grand Lodge in 1886 after existing in various Grand Lodge jurisidictions the preceeding year. It is organized into Departments, Regiments, Battalions and Cantons with the Canton being the local level. Each Canton draws from the membership of one or more Encampments. One must be a member of an Encampment (being a Patriarch) in order to become a Patriarch Militant.

The Patriarchs Militant have one degree called the Chevalier Degree which was developed in 1885. Once admitted, members hold the title Chevalier. Above Chevalier are the ranks of Ensign, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lt. Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Major General, Lt. General and General. The head of a Canton is the Canton Commandant which holds the rank of Captain. Two or more Cantons are organized into Battalions commanded by a Major; two or more Battalions are organized into a Regiment and commanded by a Colonel; and two or more Regiments are organized into a Department and the rank of the Department Commander is determined by the number of Regiments commanded.