Spartan Operations

: "Spartans, like Navy, or Army, or Marines, are UNSC. Spartans are humanity's first line of defense, against threats from within and without. Spartans are what will see us through the darkness ahead and into the dawn beyond."
: — Commander Musa Ghanem, to a board of UNSC Navy officers
== Background ==
Spartan Operations, also referred to as the Spartan branch or simply the Spartans, is the fifth and newest branch of the United Nations Space Command's Armed Forces, organized under both UNSC Naval Command and the Unified Ground Command. Although Spartan Operations has autonomy from the other four branches of the Armed Forces, the Spartans closely collaborate with the UNSC Navy and share assets with the Marine Corps and Army.
The branch was established in 2553, and ensured all future Spartans would be consenting adults either veterans or exemplary young servicemembers. 
==== Known Detachments & Garrisons ====
* Earth: Unknown Number 
* UNSC Infinity: 300+ 
* UNSC Deliverance: 42
== Positional Ranks ==
While technically the Spartan Branch, officially Spartan Operations, does not utilize a rank hierarchy it is abundantly clear that titles exist within Spartan Ops that garner greater authority and responsibilities over and towards fellow Spartans and outside officials from various other branches of the UNSC. Based on the level of authority and responsibilities endowed a Spartans pay adjust accordingly as a compensatory measure. This pay scale is influenced by whether the Spartan was recruited with no prior service, prior enlisted service, or prior commissioned officer service. In conjunction with titles, Spartans are also given a Spartan 'Rank' designation based on an alphanumeric number ranging from SR1 through SR130. 
Titles held by Spartan Operations equate to authority earned through experience and review by peers and superiors which go towards the requisition of armor permutations, applicability for certain commands, and leadership opportunities. 
=== Spartan ===
The title of Spartan is the initial title given to members of Spartan Operations, it is applicable from SR1-130 and will always preface any additional title add on as it is the base value title given to all Spartans of Spartan Operations. 
I.E. Spartan Chandler
=== Spartan Specialist ===
Specialist is a title add-on achieved at SR-50, at this point the Spartan has a in depth understanding of their specific combat focus. There are eight recognized specializations for a spartan to choose from once reaching SR50. A spartan is able to transfer between specializations with the permission of anyone above them in their respective detachment. 
==== Specializations ====
* Engineer (EN) 
* Operator (OP) 
* Pathfinder (PT) 
* Pioneer (PR)
* Rogue (RG)
* Stalker (SK)
* Tracker (TK) 
* Wetwork (WK) 
I.E. Spartan Specialist Chandler 
=== Spartan Fireteam Leader ===
After demonstrating competency in specializations a Spartan Specialist will reach SR-80 and be qualified to request or be appointed as a leader for a Spartan Fireteam. At this point the Spartan will gain considerable authority and responsibilities as he must manage and coordinate the effectiveness of a team which ultimately will reflect its leadership. Spartan Fireteam Leaders often directly oversee 3-10 other Spartans depending on the fireteam and its strategic mission. 
I.E. Spartan Fireteam Leader Chandler 
=== Spartan Mission Handler / Spartan Councilor ===
While equal in authority and within the chain of command Mission Handlers and Councilors represent two different positions within Spartan Operations. Both have either elected or been forced to serve in less combative roles but are still functioning and formidable Spartan soldiers. 
==== Mission Handler ====
Intelligence experts who assist one or more fireteams with in-mission data and coordinate with Spartan Commanders, A.I., and data gathering agents to offer live, relevant, and objective based intelligence to fireteams in the field. 
==== Councilor ====
Councilors are seasoned and knowledgeable Spartans who perform recruiting duties, career counseling for Spartans, and act as liaisons for other branches and public entities. 
=== Spartan Commander ===
Most notably Sarah Palmer and Edward Buck are Spartan Commanders, they oversee entire Spartan detachments whom are stationed in a given space such as the UNSC Infinity or UNSC Meriwether Lewis. Spartan Commanders are not necessarily restricted in the number of fireteams and Spartans under their command and can range from two fireteams, to over five hundred Spartan forces. These Spartans garner a great deal of respect and authority while being held to a greater standard and having to employ macro-strategic planning to accomplish military campaigns and administratively manage potentially thousands of Spartans careers. 
== Pay scale ==
Original 	NCO Veteran	Commissioned Veteran
SR1-5/E-1 	E-1 None 	O-1 None
SR6-10/E-2 	E-2 None 	O-2 None
SR11-15/E-3 	E-3 None 	O-2 None
SR16-20/E-4 	E-4 +3% 	O-3 +3%
SR21-30/E-5 	E-5 +5% 	O-3 +5%
SR31-50/E-6 	E-6 +8% 	O-3 +8%
SR51-70/E-7 	E-7 +10% 	O-4 +10%
SR71-90/E-8 	E-8 +15% 	O-5 +15%
SR91-130/E-9	E-9 +20% 	O-6 and up +20%
*SRn: Spartan Rank *E-n: Enlisted Rank *O-n: Officer Rank
*Relative to the United Nations Space Command Navy Officer and Enlisted Ranks. Not including incentivized pay and bonuses such as (+Hazop) and specialization quota bonuses.