Military rank

Within a military's established hierarchy, a military rank represents the title given to a military officer, indicating their position. Military ranks were categorized into army and navy designations. However, entities like the Galactic Empire extended the use of military ranks to other agencies, for instance, the Imperial Security Bureau.

Ranks were utilized by the Republic's law enforcement bodies, including the Republic Defense Coalition and the Judicial Department. The RDC utilized ranks such as admiral, naval captain, ensign, and petty officer. The provost marshal rank was used in the Judicial Department by both the leader of the department and the leader of the Judicial Academy. Judicials also utilized the naval captain and lieutenant ranks.

The Republic Military was comprised of multiple cadres of officers within at least two branches: the Grand Army of the Republic and the Republic Navy. The Armed Forces of the Galactic Republic included clone trooper officers in army and naval capacities, Jedi officers, and non-clone, non-Jedi Republic officers. Jedi officers held ranks like High Jedi General, Jedi General, and Jedi Commander. These ranks enabled Jedi officers to command forces on the ground and in space.

Clone officers had their own system of ranking. A clone trooper could achieve the corps-level rank of Clone Marshal Commander, followed by Clone ARC Commander and Clone Commander. The ranks of Clone Captain and Clone major were next, followed by Clone Lieutenant, Clone Sergeant, Clone Corporal, and Clone Private. Clone Private was the Republic Army's lowest rank. Before completing training, clones held the rank of clone cadet. Clone Commander, Clone Captain, and Clone Corporal were also used as naval ranks.

Non-clone and non-Jedi Republic officers held several military ranks. The rank of Governor-General was both a military and political position within the Republic when a galaxy sector was under a state of emergency. Adjutant General was a senior military rank in both the Grand Army of the Republic and the Republic Navy. Flag officer ranks in the Republic Navy included Admiral and Rear Admiral. Following flag ranks was naval Captain and Lieutenant Commander. Lieutenant was a subordinate junior officer rank. The rank of midshipman was also used in the Republic. The Grand Army of the Republic used the rank of General, as well as Brigadier General and the subordinate rank of colonel. The rank of captain was also utilized in the military's Republic Intelligence branch. The rank of Master Chief was additionally used.

The military forces of the Chiss Ascendancy included the Chiss Defense Force and the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. Upon a Chiss officer's promotion to flag officer, they were required to renounce all familial ties and pledge their complete allegiance to the military. The military ranks, in descending order, were Supreme Admiral and Supreme General, Fleet Admiral and Senior General, Admiral and General, Mid Admiral and Mid General, and Commodore. Subsequently, senior officers were ranked at Senior Captain, Mid Captain, Junior Captain, Senior Commander, Mid Commander, Junior Commander, and Lieutenant Commander. Junior officers were given the rank of lieutenant, followed by Senior Warrior, Mid Warrior, and Junior Warrior. Personnel in Chiss Academies could hold the rank of colonel. Older cadets of the Chiss Ascendancy held the rank of Senior Cadet.

The armed forces of the Confederacy of Independent Systems were composed of Separatist officers and droid officers. Senior Separatist officers held ranks including General and colonel in the Separatist Army. Subordinate to those ranks were commandant, commander, and Captain. In the Separatist Navy, the flag officer rank of Admiral was used, as was captain.

Droid officers, including ST-series military strategic analysis and tactics droids, T-series military strategic analysis and tactics droids, OOM command battle droids, and standard B1-series battle droids, held a variety of ranks in army and naval roles. ST-series droids could use the ranks of general and commander, while T-series droids utilized commander, as did OOM command battle droids. The commander rank was used in both army and naval capacities. B1-series battle droids used the ranks of captain, lieutenant, sergeant, and corporal.

The Imperial Military, which succeeded the Republic Military, adopted the use of rank insignia plaques and certain military ranks. Imperial military ranks were used in the Imperial Army, the Imperial Navy, the Imperial Starfighter Corps, and certain COMPNOR agencies such as the Imperial Security Bureau. Darth Vader, a Sith Lord, did not have a formal rank in the Imperial Military. Instead of holding a direct rank, he was regarded as a "lord." However, Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine imbued him with power, leading to his recognition as the informal Commander-in-Chief of the military. Following the Cylo Hijacking, Palpatine named Vader the supreme commander of the Imperial fleet, formally investing him with the powers of the Supreme Commander. Despite this, Vader continued to consider his rank to be "lord" and maintained that title.

The Imperial Army and the Imperial Starfighter Corps used ground-based military ranks, despite the Imperial Starfighter Corps being a part of the Imperial Navy. The Imperial Security Bureau used both ground-based and naval ranks. These ranks included general officer ranks such as Grand General, General, vice general, and brigadier general. Subordinate ranks included colonel and lieutenant colonel, as well as major, which was inferior to the colonel-level ranks.

More junior ground-based ranks in the Galactic Empire included commander, captain, and the lesser rank of lieutenant. Subsequent ground-based military ranks included staff sergeant, first sergeant, Sergeant major, and sergeant. The rank of corporal was followed by specialist and private.

The Imperial Navy's officer corps was structured with a variety of naval military ranks. Flag officers used Admiral of the Navy, grand admiral, fleet admiral, admiral, vice admiral, rear admiral, and commodore. The navy also included sector admirals. Academies trained Imperial officers to become captains of the line, and flag captains also existed. The Imperial Navy additionally used commander, lieutenant commander, captain, and gunnery captain. Subsequent naval ranks were senior lieutenant, lieutenant, second lieutenant, junior lieutenant, and ensign. Warrant Officer was another military rank used in the navy. Before graduating, Imperial cadets could be given the rank of Cadet First Class, as well as yeoman.

Despite being part of the navy, the Imperial Starfighter Corps used several ground-based military ranks. These included colonel and major, as well as second lieutenant commander, subordinate to major. The Imperial Starfighter Corps also utilized senior lieutenant, lieutenant, and flight officer.

The Galactic Empire used joint political and military titles, allowing individuals to both govern an area and command military forces. Grand Moffs were at the top, governing oversectors and the military assets within them. Moffs followed, each governing a galactic sector. Subsequent were star system and planetary governors, including Lieutenant Governors and Acting Governors.

The Imperial Academy system utilized the rank of commandant, while Captain-Inspector, Inspector, and Lieutenant-Inspector were used by the Empire's Inspectorate agency. The rank of sublieutenant was also used in the Empire's armed forces.

The Alliance Armed Forces had multiple branches, each using military ranks within their organization. The Alliance Army, Ordnance and Supply, Rebel Alliance Intelligence Service, Rebel Alliance Starfighter Corps, Support Services, and Sector Command all used the rank of general. Subordinate ranks included colonel, major, commander, captain, lieutenant, First Sergeant, sergeant major, logistics sergeant, sergeant, corporal, and private.

The Rebel Alliance Navy used naval ranks such as admiral, commodore, naval captain, commander, lieutenant commander, lieutenant, and ensign.

The New Republic Defense Force shared many ranks with the Rebel Alliance. Naval ranks included Fleet Admiral, admiral, commodore, naval captain, commander, lieutenant commander, lieutenant, and ensign. Ground-based ranks included general, Lieutenant General, major, commander, captain, lieutenant, Staff Sergeant, sergeant major, sergeant, corporal, and private.

The First Order was a military junta whose military ranks were displayed on rank insignia on their military uniforms. The military ranks of Allegiant General and Grand Marshal allowed the holder to command both ground and space forces. First Order Army ranks included general, colonel, major, commander, captain, first lieutenant, lieutenant, and sergeant. The Order also used the rank of high colonel.

First Order Navy ranks included admiral, naval captain, commander, lieutenant, ensign, Chief Petty Officer, Warrant Officer, and Petty Officer. The First Order starfighter corps used major, commander, and lieutenant. The First Order Security Bureau also used colonel, commander, and lieutenant.

The Resistance was led by a general, although there were other generals within the organization. There were also multiple flag officer ranks, including admiral, vice admiral, and commodore. The Resistance navy also used naval captain and commander. The Resistance Starfighter Corps used the colonel rank, and also commander, lieutenant commander, fighter captain, and lieutenant. The ground forces used major, captain, lieutenant, and sergeant. Ensign was also used. Resistance military ranks were displayed on rank badges, with red indicating army ranks and blue indicating naval ranks.

The Sith Eternal used ranks within their military, including admiral, naval captain, Sith trooper commander, petty officer, lance corporal, and corporal. Allegiant General carried over from the First Order.

Various factions used standard military ranks for their armed forces. Planetary defense forces and local planetary armed forces used ranks such as general, admiral, captain, and others. The Mon Cala planetary defense services and Mon Calamari monarchy used Grand Admiral, Admiral, Commander, Captain of the Guard, Fleet Captain, and Captain Third Class. The Gungan Grand Army used general and captain, as well as Bombad General.

The Kilji Illumine, a zealous Unknown Regions faction, was led by a Generalirius, similar to Generalissimo. The Illumine Kilhorde consisted of general and colonel. The Nikardun Destiny, an Unknown Regions expansionist empire, was led by General Yiv the Benevolent, and the military ranks consisted of generals and tactical commanders. The leader of the Utapau Skyforce utilized the military rank of Air Commodore. Prince-Admiral was a royal and military rank, used by Jonashe Solo of ancient Corellian royalty.