Commissioned Officer
All officers hold a commission from the Colonial government. They receive the authority of their offices from this source and through that authority they command.
The following list includes: Rank (Designation) - age requirement - years in service brief description of standard posting. These numbers are a guideline. Also, keep in mind that the military promotes on ability, not merely seniority. Just because one has time in service it does not mean that a promotion is deserved.
Most officers first attend a four year institution (either a military academy or ROTC program through a college). Others are "mustangs" who started as enlisted and quickly worked their way through the ranks and earned a merit-based commission. Others still merely attend a brief Officer Candidate School before being commissioned. How one became an officer is not terribly important in the low ranks but it does become more important for higher rank promotions.
The base age number below assumes an officer that either went to an academy or through an ROTC program, starting their education and military service at the age of eighteen. The "standard posting" example if for a Battlestar. Those officers aboard a Gunstar will generally be a rank below (e.g. the ship will be commanded by a Colonel not a Commander), and a Patrolstar might be a rank below that (i.e. commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel). Department heads will thus be relatively lower as well. A major on a large Battlestar will generally command the same number of people as a major on a small Patrolstar. However, the Patrolstar has fewer people overall and thus fewer majors overall.
Fleet Admiral of the Colonial Navy - currently inactive position. Has not been held since the end of the Cylon War.
Fleet Admiral (O-10) - 47–25 Commands all Battlestar groups.
Vice Admiral (O-9) - 42–20 Commands a Battlestar group and related vessels.
Commander (O-8) - 37–15 Commands a Battlestar.
Colonel (O-7) - 34–12 Second in command.
Lieutenant Colonel (O-6) - 31–9 Senior department head.
Major (O-5)- 29–7 Junior department head.
Captain (O-4) - 26–4 Senior frontline commander.
Lieutenant (Senior Grade) (O-3) - 24–2 Most common officer rank – mid level.
Lieutenant (Junior Grade) (O-2) - 23-0.5 Low level officer
Ensign (O-1)- 22–0 Freshly minted officer
Cadet (O-0) - 18-N/A Officer in training*
Non-Commissioned Officer
NCOs are enlisted personnel that have been promoted to positions of increased authority and responsibility but lack an actual commission. They do not have "command" but merely have a "charge."
Again, the following list includes: Fleet Rank/Marine Rank (Designation) - age requirement - years in service brief description of standard posting/marine posting. These numbers are a guideline. Also, keep in mind that the military promotes on ability, not merely seniority. Just because one has time in service it does not mean that a promotion is deserved.
All NCOs start in the list below with 18 as the assumed starting age (straight out of high school/upon reaching adulthood) but of course not all careers begin at that age.
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (E-9) (officially abbreviated to SMMC) is a billet, as well as a unique enlisted grade of rank, with a unique non-commissioned grade of rank insignia. In the Colonial Marines, sergeant major is the ninth and highest enlisted rank, just above first sergeant, and equal in grade to master gunnery sergeant, although the two have different responsibilities. A sergeant major typically serves as the unit commander's senior enlisted adviser and to handle matters of discipline and morale among the enlisted Marines. The Sergeant Major of the Colonial Marines is chosen by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to serve as his adviser and is the preeminent and highest ranking enlisted Marine with an order of precedence of a lieutenant general
Sergeant Major (E-9) In the Colonial Marines, sergeant major is the ninth and highest enlisted rank, just above first sergeant, and equal in grade to master gunnery sergeant, although the two have different responsibilities. Sergeant major is both a rank and a military billet. Marine Corps sergeants major serve as the senior enlisted marine in the Corps' units of battalion, squadron or higher echelon, as the unit commander's senior enlisted advisor and to handle matters of discipline and morale among the enlisted marines.
Master Gunnery Sergeant (E-9) - Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) is the 9th and highest enlisted rank (along with the grade-equivalent ranks of Sergeant Major and Sergeant Major of the Colonial Marines). One of the major differences between the two E-9 grades is that Master Gunnery Sergeants retain an occupational field-related MOS, while Sergeants Major are given a new MOS to reflect their general command focus. This reinforces the Master Gunnery Sergeant's role as a provider of military leadership, technical acumen, and mastery of their MOS. It is also important to note that while a Sergeant Major and a Master Gunnery Sergeant have different duties and responsibilities, a Master Gunnery Sergeant can (and often does) assume the duties of a Sergeant Major. The reverse is not possible.
First Sergeant (E-8)
Master Chief Petty Officer/Master Sergeant (E-7) - 33-15 Uncommon rank, senior NCO
Chief Petty Officer/Gunnery Sergeant (E-6) - 28–10 NCO head of a department/Company sergeant
Petty Officer First Class/Sergeant First Class (E-5) - 25–7 NCO team leader/Platoon sergeant
Petty Officer Second Class/Crew Sergeant (E-4) - 22–3.5 NCO assistant team leader/Squad leader
Enlisted Personnel
Those who have "enlisted" with the military. They hold no commission nor have they been given a charge through promotion to NCO.
Specialist/Corporal (E-3) - 20–1.5 Senior and typically skilled enlisted/Fireteam leader
Crewman/Private First Class (E-2) - 19–0.5 Standard enlisted
Crewman Apprentice/Private (E-1) - 18–0 Brand new enlisted
Crewman Recruit/Recruit (E-0) - New recruits still in training
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:46, Mon 14 Jan 2019.
