Lieutenant Commander was a naval and army rank used through galactic history. It ranked between the lower lieutenant and higher commander ranks.
Ezra Bridger, a member of the early rebellion against the Galactic Empire, held the rank during the mission to Reklam Station before having his command temporarily suspended. After the Death Star's destruction during the Battle of Yavin, Lieutenant Ciena Ree of the Imperial Navy was promoted to lieutenant commander. During the Cold War, Nien Nunb held the rank in the Starfighter Corps of the Resistance.
The military rank of Lieutenant Commander was a naval and army rank utilized by various militaries throughout the galaxy and its history. The rank was subordinate to that of commander but senior to the rank of lieutenant.
Ezra Bridger during his time as a Lieutenant Commander
The Phoenix Cell, a resistance group that was part of a network of rebel cells known as "the Alliance," which later grew into the formal Alliance to Restore the Republic, utilized the rank of Lieutenant Commander. An individual who held the rank had authority over conducting their own missions. The rank continued to be used by the formal Rebel Alliance after its establishment in 2 BBY.
In the Chiss Defense Force, Lieutenant Commander was below Junior Commander and above Lieutenant. By the time of the Nikardun campaigns, the rank had become associated with Chiss officers from Great or Ruling families who were deemed not good enough to advance higher in the command hierarchy. The practice of giving mediocre officers the rank of Lieutenant Commander so as not to offend them or their families was widely known in the Chiss Ascendancy but rarely discussed, rendering it as somewhat an open secret.
Ciena Ree served as a Lieutenant Commander.
The Galactic Empire continued use of the rank of lieutenant commander within the Imperial Military. Notably, the rank was used in the Imperial Navy and its Imperial Starfighter Corps. The chief engineer of a Star Destroyer could hold the rank of Lieutenant Commander, as could a weapons officer of a light cruiser.
The Galactic Republic included the rank of Lieutenant Commander within several organizations of the Republic Military during the Clone Wars. The Republic Navy maintained the rank and could be used by the commanding officer of a sub-capital ship battle group that consisted of a Dreadnought-class heavy cruiser and a number of Carrack-class light cruisers. A lieutenant commander could also use a Carrack as their flagship. The Republic Special Weapons Group also used the rank of lieutenant commander within its structure, and was subordinate to the rank of commander.
The New Republic utilized lieutenant commander within their New Republic Defense Fleet rank structure during the Galactic Civil War, with individuals who held the could serve aboard Republic starships. The Resistance, a private military force born from the New Republic, utilized the rank within its Resistance Starfighter Corps. Nien Nunb held the rank during the Cold War.
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