Ranks and insignia of the Central Galactic Union

Ranks and insignia are used by the branches of the uniformed services of the Central Galactic Union to indicate position, responsibility, privilege, and status within the respective hierarchy. These ranks are connected to a Rank Grade. These are divided into Officer ranks, abbreviated OF, designating commissioned officers, general officers, and flag officers; and Other ranks, abbreviated OR, designating enlisted persons, non-commissioned officers, and warrant officers. These rank grades evolved from a common scheme of rank grades used by NATO, a 20th and 21st century Earth military alliance; this rank structure was adopted by the UN Security Forces and subsequent Terran military establishments.
The Defense Forces use ranks and insignia specific to their branches of service. Non-military government service pay grades all have the same rank insignia, including all branches of State Security. However, while non-State Security civil service and magisterial offices use a compensation system modelled after the military and State Security pay grade systems, they have very different levels of responsibility and relative power. 
The various services of the Central Galactic Government can be categorized into basic civil services, uniformed services, and armed and uniformed services. This third type comprises any and all branch of federal service which mandates the wearing of uniforms and insignia, and also is authorized for the use of force through armaments, typically firearms. The Defense Forces are the most prominent grouping of these services, but many others exist. 
== Defense Forces ==
The Central Galactic Defense Forces comprise those uniformed services under the administration of the Ministry of Defense. Each branch of the military has its own structure of ranks and insignia, including corps colors, badges of rank, and symbols which are unique to each branch of service. The
The Central Galactic Union Army has largely inherited its rank structure, compensation system, and insignia from the Terran Imperial Army. This includes the use of an eagle symbol as national emblem, the use of corps-specific colored collars and jacket piping on dress uniforms, the use of twin-braid collar patches for enlisted and officers, and the use of oak-leaf collar emblems for general officers. The eagle symbol was changed from a double headed eagle to a single headed one with outstretched wings, and was normally reserved for ceremonial uniforms. The symbolism of the national emblem represents the unity of mankind under the Republic.
The Air Force is rooted in Terran air warfare traditions relating to the American, British, German, Russian, and Chinese air arms, which largely began as offshoots of their ground forces. As such, they tend to have similarities with Army insignia and rank structures in their enlisted personnel. However, officers and generals have rank titles similar to that of naval forces. Its Terran roots connect the CGAF to both ground- and sea-based aviation traditions, which had varying levels of presence in Earth national militaries. The Air Force largely has its own insignia for officers and generals, while its enlisted insignia are virtually identical to those of the Army. The Air Force use a modified national symbol, depicting a single-headed eagle with beveled wings as if in flight.
The Central Galactic Marine Corps are structurally similar to the Army and its rank system bears many similarities. It is rooted almost entirely in the traditions of American and British Marines, which operated as amphibious shock forces for Army units, and likewise are organized and administered as part of the Navy. The Terran Marines and current CGMC have a similar operational role, though they are divided into three components: Space Marines, Ground Marines, and Marine Aviation. The latter two operate from surface warfare installations, including land bases and sea ships. The former deploy from orbit, and receive special orbital warfare training. All subsets of the Marines, however, have the same rank and insignia. Its primary symbol is an eagle clutching a globe and anchor. 
The Central Galactic Navy descends from ocean-going armed forces on Earth, primarily drawing from the traditions of the ancient American, British, and Japanese navies. Its insignia are of great antiquity, little changed from British and American symbols and rank gradation. The primary changes in the Imperial Terran era were the expansion of the admiralty to higher grades, to indicate the levels of planetary responsibility for the defense of a world's waterways. Naval ranks and insignia are used also for the Public Health Corps.
The space forces are operationally a component of the Navy, and strategically the most important. This stems from the militarization of space in the late 21st century; it came to be dominated by American, British, and Chinese naval aviators. As a result, the Earth unified space forces primarily operated on Naval rank systems and jargon, which has continued under the CGN.
== State Security ==
The Ministry of State Security controls several armed and uniformed services, divided among three departments: Strategic Security, Internal Security, and National Police. Other ministries command their own armed and uniformed branches, typically police agencies; all police forces use the same rank titles, regardless of ministerial administration. 
The State Security Forces are a "second army" of "political soldiers" commanded by the Ministry of State Security's Strategic Security Department. The Security Forces operate several army groups of panzer troops and air assault infantry. It takes many of its traditions from the Army, but with ts own idiosyncrasies based largely in Earth's military antiquity, modelling many of its rank names and units after Latin or Greek words.
The Protection Service is a uniformed and armed service administered by Internal Security Department. It is a force responsible for the protection of high-ranking officials and magistrates of the CGU, as well as others persons deemed of national interest. It also deals with counter-terrorism, investigation of assassination plots, and domestic intelligence and counter-intelligence. Its units are organized similarly as the Security Forces, but are significantly smaller in number. It comprises many enlisted agents, deployed as personal security detail. However, only commissioned officers are certified as Special Agents, with investigative and command power.
The Internal Security Service is the chief directorate of the Republic Security Department, and includes the Secret Police, the Intelligence and Information Directorate, the Alien Crimes Directorate, and other policing agencies with federal jurisdiction and special investigative power over political crimes and alien affairs. Unlike other State Security armed and uniformed services, it does not operate tactical or strategic units. Its agents operate largely on their own. Like the Public Health Corps, it is composed almost entirely of officers, though many were enlisted men in other services before being recruited into the Security Service. It uses the same rank titles and insignia as the Security Forces.
The Interstellar Police, also called the Space Police, is the primary investigative agency for major, non-political crimes that cross planetary jurisdictions, including organized crime, financial crimes, terrorism, piracy, and substance control. Like the Security Service, it is largely composed of commissioned and warrant officers, given its very high level of authority. Its NCO-level ranks are considered Warrant Officers, as they are warranted for law enforcement and peacekeeping.
The Central State Police oversees all provincial and colonial police departments and directly polices federal territories. They include regular uniformed police, traffic and highway patrol, and investigative police. Like the Space Police, and most other localized police agencies, its NCO-level ranks are considered Warrant Officers.
== Other Services ==
All ministries, departments, and agencies have a special office for internal criminal investigation. These agents are police investigators of officer rank, bearing insignia and titles corresponding to police grades.
The Ministry of the Interior contains several law enforcement agencies, within the Parks and Wildlife Administration and the Customs Enforcement Administration. The PWA manages national parkland, wildlife, and natural habitats, and includes the National Park Service and the Fish and Game Service. The National Park Service has law enforcement jurisdiction over national parks, but also promote conservation and environmental stewardship, provide emergency services, conduct search and rescue operations in national parks, and act as guides, educators, and heritage interpreters. The Fish and Game Service also commissions game wardens and rangers to enforce laws on hunting, fishing, and animal control. PWA uniform design, insignia, and ranks correspond to Army models rather than those of State Security or ordinary police forces.
The Customs Enforcement Administration has jurisdiction over customs and excise, with separate offices for customs, surface border patrol, aviation patrol, maritime patrol, and orbital patrol. It operates in spaceports, border crossings, and weigh-stations to enforce customs and trade laws. Customs Police have the power to search, question, and inspect all traffic and to arrest and detain suspected smugglers.
While the Interior Ministry includes a bureau for managing all federal lands, Land Management Agency has no organic law enforcement and security forces, instead operating a liaison with State Security for these purposes.
The Ministry of Transportation contains the Interstellar Transit Authority, the Public Railway Administration, and the Air Traffic Control Administration, which are uniformed services. Each have special jurisdiction over their respective means of transport, with authority to destroy or disable aircraft, spacecraft, or rail vehicles suspected of endangering the public. Their officers utilize ordinary police ranks and insignia. In all cases, these officers typically rely on the armed capabilities of the Navy or the State Security for enforcement.
The Ministry of Justice primarily administers the judicial system, and operates few enforcement agencies; most internal security and police duties are handled by State Security. The primary enforcement arm of the Justice Ministry is the Galactic Marshal Service, one of two agencies empowered to deputize civilians to act as corsairs, privateers, and bounty agents through the issue of letters of marque and reprisal. The main duty of the Galactic Marshals is to pursue, capture, and remand fugitives. While holding police ranks and bearing arms, Galactic Marshals are not uniformed.
The Ministry of Social Services includes the Public Health Service, the galaxy-wide universal healthcare system. The PHS contains the Public Health Corps, a uniformed service whose chief of staff, the Surgeon-General, acts ex officio as head of the Ministry of War's Department of Military Health and is the Deputy Secretary for Health. The PHC is composed solely of commissioned officers, and wear Navy uniforms and use Navy ranks and insignia. The PHC does not have law enforcement capabilities, and instead acts as a body of leaders, advisers, and managers in both military and civilian healthcare service. While not often assigned to combat posts, all officers of the Public Health Corps are authorized to act as an armed service.
The Ministry of the Treasury operates investigative and enforcement police for financial crimes, specifically tax fraud, securities fraud, and counterfeiting. It usually cooperates with the Interstellar Police in investigating these crimes. These officers are usually plainclothes, but hold ranks and formal uniform insignia based on ordinary police grades.
The Ministry of Communications contains several regulatory bodies, but mostly devolves its enforcement to the Interstellar Police and other State Security agencies. However, the Central Galactic Post Office operates an inspection and enforcement service, utilizing State Security police ranks and insignia.
== Rank tables ==
The following tables display the rank names and insignia of the Army, Air Forces, Marines, Navy, State Security, and Police services, with their corresponding pay grades.
==== Enlisted ranks and insignia ====
The following table is of the enlisted ranks. Noncommissioned officers of pay grade OR-8 may be billeted as a First Sergeant, First Petty Officer, First Decurion, or First Watchmaster (depending on the service branch); this is a staff NCO position within the same pay grade, acting as the senior enlisted advisor to a company-level unit, including a police precinct or a Security Forces century, and entitles the holder to the aforementioned rank title. The pay grade OR-10 is for a special rank position; each branch of service has no more than one persons who hold the rank at any given time, acting as the senior enlisted advisor to the general staff of their branch of service.
Warrant Officers hold the same pay grade as Enlisted, but hold different responsibilities and often specialist or technical expertise. Their titles are the same, but they are coded as WO instead of OR. Due to being warranted with the authority to enforce the law, all enlisted civil and military police are considered Warrant Officers.
Pay Grade	Army rank 	Air Force rank 	Marines rank 	Navy rating 	State Security rank 	Police rank
OR-1 	Private 	Airman 	Private 	Seaman / Astronaut 	Legionary 	Watchman Apprentice
OR-2 	Private First Class 	Airman First Class 	Private First Class 	Seaman / Astronaut First Class 	Legionary First Class 	Watchman
OR-3 	Lance Corporal 	Leading Airman 	Lance Corporal 	Leading Seaman / Astronaut 	Lancer 	Senior Watchman
OR-4 	Corporal 	Senior Airman 	Corporal 	Petty Officer Third Class 	Corporal 	Constable
OR-5 	Sergeant 	Sergeant 	Sergeant 	Petty Officer Second Class 	Sergeant 	Sergeant
OR-6 	Staff Sergeant 	Technical Sergeant 	Staff Sergeant 	Petty Officer First Class 	Decurion 	Watchmaster
OR-7 	Sergeant First Class 	Senior Sergeant 	Gunnery Sergeant 	Chief Petty Officer 	Senior Decurion 	Senior Watchmaster
OR-8 	Master Sergeant 	Master Sergeant 	Master Gunnery Sergeant 	Senior Chief Petty Officer 	Master Decurion 	First Watchmaster
OR-9 	Sergeant Major 	Chief Master Sergeant 	Sergeant Major 	Master Chief Petty Officer 	First Spear 	Chief Watchmaster
OR-10 	Sergeant Major of the Army	Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force	Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps	Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy	First Spear of the Legion	Master of the Watch
==== Commissioned Officers ranks and insignia ====
The following table is of the officer ranks. These are sometimes classed as "field officers" and "staff officers" in some branches, such as the Army and the Marines, but other branches do not retain this classification. These such officers are appointed to their rank by a military commission.
Pay Grade	Army rank 	Air Force rank 	Marines rank 	Navy rank 	State Security rank	Police rank
OF-1 	Second Lieutenant 	Air Officer 	Second Lieutenant 	Ensign 	Optio 	Cadet
OF-2 	First Lieutenant 	Flight Lieutenant	First Lieutenant 	Lieutenant Junior Grade	Aquilifer 	Lieutenant
OF-3 	Captain 	Flight Captain 	Captain 	Lieutenant 	Centurion 	Captain
OF-4 	Major 	Squadron Major 	Major 	Lieutenant Commander 	Major 	Major
OF-5 	Lieutenant Colonel	Wing Commander 	Lieutenant Colonel	Commander 	Vexillarius 	Lieutenant Colonel
OF-6 	Colonel 	Colonel 	Colonel 	Captain 	Standardier 	Colonel
==== Flag Officers ranks and insignia ====
The following table include generals, admirals, and marshals, also referred to as "flag officers" due to their bearing of a specific flag of rank on their staff vehicles. These are upper-level leadership and management officers, as well as commanders of large operational and strategic units. Beyond OF-7, these ranks are held in relation to a specific command.
Pay Grade	Army rank 	Air Forces rank 	Marines rank 	Navy rank 	State Security rank	Police rank
OF-7 	Brigadier General 	Air Commodore 	Brigadier General 	Counter Admiral 	Brigadier 	Inspector
OF-8 	Major General 	Major General 	Major General 	Rear Admiral 	Quaestor 	Division Chief
OF-9 	Lieutenant General 	Lieutenant General	Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral 	Vice Prefect 	Corps Chief
OF-10 	General 	General 	General 	Admiral 	Prefect 	General
OF-11 	Colonel General 	Air Vice Marshal 	Colonel General 	Lieutenant Admiral	Legate 	Assistant Chief
OF-12 	General Field Marshal	Air Marshal 	Field Marshal 	Fleet Admiral 	Praetor 	Deputy Chief
OF-13 	Chief Marshal 	Air Chief Marshal 	Chief Marshal 	Chief Admiral 	Consul 	Chief of Police
OF-14 	Grand Marshal 	Air Grand Marshal 	Grand Marshal 	Grand Admiral 	Exarch 	Senior Chief of Police
==== Civil Service ranks ====
The following table is the rank and pay structure for the civil service. While they are comparable to the military and police pay grades in terms of pay and benefits, they are not necessarily comparable in terms of rank, authority, and power. The Central Galactic Union generally expresses the principle of civilian control over the military and security services, though there is overlap in practice. The civil service pay grades are in the General Schedule (GS) and Command Schedule (CS) brackets, roughly corresponding to the division between enlisted ranks and officers; civil servants of the Command Schedule grades have command authority over those below them.
Above the rank of State Secretary, roles in a government agency or department are generally considered political appointments rather than part of the civil service career track, and include Vice Ministers and Ministers of State, though their compensation is determined by the civil service Command Schedule.
Pay Grade	Rank title 	Military equivalent	Example
GS-1 	Apprentice/Trainee 	OR-1 	Trainee at any government office or political staff
GS-2 	Assistant/Technician 	OR-2 	Fully-trained entry-level staffer
GS-3 	Senior Assistant/Technician	OR-3 	Subject-matter expert or assistant-trainer
GS-4 	Section Leader 	OR-4 	Head of up to 5 other office workers in a work section
GS-5 	Team Leader 	OR-5+ 	Head of up to 10 other office workers in an work team
CS-1 	Officer Candidate 	OF-1 	Trainee officer at any government office
CS-2 	Supervising Officer 	OF-2 	Low-level supervisor of up to 40 workers in an office work detail
CS-3 	
* Assistant Manager
* Board Member
* Principal	OF-3 	
* Vice head of a local government office
* Member of a governing board (e.g. county school board)
* Administrator of a primary or secondary school
CS-4 	
* Office Manager
* Board Chairperson	OF-4 	
* Head of a local government office (e.g. county clerk)
* Chair of a county-level governing board (e.g. board of elections)
CS-5 	
* Senior Secretary (federal)
* County Councilor (local)
* Town magistrate (local)
* University academic officer	OF-5 	
* Vice head of a county-level federal office
* Member of a county administrative council
* Town-level judicial officer (e.g. marshal)
* Dean of a provincial university
CS-6 	
* Superintendent (federal)
* Town administrator (local)
* University chief executive
* Institute administrator	OF-6 	
* Head of a county-level federal office
* Mayor of a township or incorporated small city
* President or chancellor of a provincial university
* Administrator of a hospital or national laboratory/institute
CS-7 	
* Assistant Director (federal)
* Commissioner (federal)
* City administrator (local)	OF-7 	
* Head of a function within a Bureau (i.e. Budget, Investigation, etc.)
* Member of a federal commission
* Mayor of an incorporated city
CS-8 	
* Deputy Director (federal)
* County governor (local)
* Prefectural secretary (local)	OF-8 	
* Vice head of a federal Bureau
* Head of a county governing board
* Member of a prefectural governing council
CS-9 	
* Director/Chair (federal)
* Provincial governor (local)
* Vice Prefect (local)
* National university executive	OF-9 	
* Head of a federal Bureau or Commission
* Head of a provincial government
* Vice head of a prefecture
* President of a national academy or university
CS-10 	
* Director-General (federal)
* Prefecture governor (local)
* Planetary secretary (local)	OF-10 	
* Head of a federal Agency or Service
* Head of a prefectural governing council
* Member of a planetary governing council
CS-11 	
* Assistant Secretary (federal)
* Planetary governor (local)	OF-11 	
* Head of a department function or office
* Head of a planetary government
CS-12 	
* Undersecretary
* Deputy sector governor	OF-12 	
* Head of a departmental Administration
* Vice head of a federal Sector
CS-13 	
* Deputy Secretary
* Sector governor	OF-13 	
* Vice head of a federal Department
* Head of a federal Sector
CS-14 	
* Principal Secretary
* State Secretary
* Chairperson	OF-14 	
* Chief of staff to a federal Minister
* Head of a federal Department
* Chairperson of an executive committee