In France, brevet is a word with a very broad meaning, which includes every document giving a capacity to a person.
The French military does not use brevets to give officers a higher standing, employing temporary commissions instead.
Nevertheless, during the Spanish Civil War the system was revived in the Nationalist side due to the lack of trained officers because of the enlargement of the army.
Originally the term designated a promotion given on such occasions as a coronation, or the termination of a great war, and had its origin during the reign of King James II (1685–1688); but it was abused so frequently and used to such an extent by the general award of brevet commissions that from 1854, during the Crimean War of 1853–1856 and subsequently, its bestowal was limited by the government strictly to cases of very distinguished service in the field and on the principle of seniority.
Advancement in the regiment could take place generally only by purchase until 1871 or by seniority, with the exception of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Royal Engineers where it has never been possible to buy commissions and promotion was based on merit, and when there was a suitable vacancy caused by the death, retirement or promotion of a more senior officer.
Appointment to a brevet also counted towards the requirement to have served for a sufficient time in a lower rank to be eligible for promotion (by purchase) to a more senior one.
The first U.S. brevet was given to Jacques Antoine de Franchessin on July 20, 1776, allowing him to hold the rank of lieutenant colonel within the Continental Army.
Franchessin and another 35 men of foreign birth would hold brevet commissions in the Army by the end of the war.
[9] Brevet rank in the Union Army, whether in the Regular Army or the United States Volunteers, during and at the conclusion of the American Civil War, may be regarded as an honorary title which conferred none of the authority, precedence, nor pay of real or full rank.
[10] The vast majority of the Union Army brevet ranks were awarded posthumously or on or as of March 13, 1865, as the war was coming to a close.
Some of them who stayed in the United States Regular Army after the war did achieve general officer rank in later years.
[11] At least one enlisted man, Private Frederick W. Stowe, was brevetted as a second lieutenant in the Union Army during the Civil War.
Although Article 61 was revised in 1862, it ultimately had no practical effect since the Confederate States Army did not use any brevet commissions or awards during its existence.
[14] The practice of brevetting disappeared from the (regular) U.S. military at the end of the 19th century; honors were bestowed instead with a series of medals.
Many states maintain a clause permitting the governor to confer any rank in its defense forces, including the militia and National Guards.
Kentucky is famous for its colonels, and so too is Tennessee, both of which make the appointment as an honorary member of the governor's staff.
Alabama, Kentucky, Texas and Nebraska also confer flag officer ranks within a symbolic navy.
In all cases these honorary titles may be considered effective brevets, equal to that of the National Guard, by being conferred by a sitting governor.
The 2019 John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) provided the Army with 770 brevet positions.
This program is one of the nine new authorities that provide the Army flexibility to determine the characteristics of a talent management system.