Systems Alliance Navy

The **Alliance Navy** is the branch of the Systems Alliance military responsible for naval operations. The Systems Alliance Marine Corps, the ground operations branch of the Alliance military, are a specialized branch of the Navy.

The Alliance Navy is one of the greater naval forces in Citadel space as of 2183. It is known to number at least several thousand ships. Its military prowess has drawn the attention of the Citadel Council. While the Council is concerned about the possible outcome of another war between humans and turians, they are also keen to harness the Alliance Navy's peacekeeping potential, especially in unstable regions like the Skyllian Verge and the Attican Traverse. The Navy also makes humans an attractive prospect as the newest Council species.

## Ranking Structure

### Commissioned Officers

Officers are personnel who attend the Systems Alliance Naval Academy or one of the officer training schools for graduates of higher education. Programs do exist to promote enlisted personnel to commissioned personnel, however, they are extremely selective and rare.

* **Fleet Admiral** - Fleet Admiral is the highest rank achievable in the Systems Alliance armed forces. It is only granted during wartime or in ceremonial circumstances.
* **Admiral** - In most instances, Admiral is the highest achievable rank. Admirals typically are in command of entire fleets, and as such they are few and far between.
* **Rear Admiral** - Still referred to as "Admiral" though they are one paygrade below the official title, Rear Admirals are part politician, part military officer, typically given command of entire bases, large vessels, or oversight of an armada of vessels within the larger fleet.
* **Captain** - The rank most closely associated with the Navy, Captains command everything from vessels to bases and all in-betweens.
* **Staff Commander** - Commonly referred to as "Commander", Staff Commanders traditionally serve as Executive Officers, and senior officers within departments on vessels, bases or stations.
* **Lieutenant-Commander** - Lieutenant-Commanders can serve in many of the same roles as their higher-paygrade rank with the exception of, on larger vessels, the role of Executive Officer.
* **Staff Lieutenant** - Staff Lieutenant is the last step of a junior officer's career, and typically where most one-tour officers end their service. As such, they serve in the widest variety of officer's roles across the entire navy.
* **1st Lieutenant** - Though technically the second rank in an officer's career, 1st Lieutenant is typically the stepping-off point, where people consider the "training wheels" taken off. They serve a wide variety of roles across the entire navy.
* **2nd Lieutenant** - The rank every newly-minted officer receives fresh out of training, 2nd Lieutenant is where the on-the-job training for an officer begins. Hazing, grunt work, nonsensical orders and no-win scenario training exercises are all common for the lowest tier of commissioned officers.

### Non-Commissioned Officers

The highest-ranking enlisted personnel in the Navy, NCO's are "lifers", having dedicated a significant portion of their young life to achieve their ranks and respect entitled to them. They command those below with the confidence and experience of senior officers, but are commanded from above with the stricture of enlisted personnel. While technically it is not the case, most NCOs and Junior Officers see the Chief ranks as a higher authority than the Lieutenant ranks.

* **Operations Chief** - The highest rank an enlisted serviceman can attain without transferring somehow to the Commissioned Officer's pathway, Operations Chiefs serve as the overall leaders of the enlisted forces, commanding entire departments of vessels, bases and stations under the watchful eye of their superior officers.
* **Gunnery Chief** - A smaller-scale version of their superiors, Gunnery Chiefs command smaller departments, squads and cohorts of a variety of jobs across the navy.

* **Service Chief** - Continuing the trend, a Service Chief commands even smaller detachments of enlisted personnel.

### Enlisted Servicemen

The lowest ranks attainable in the Systems Alliance Navy, Servicemen make up the vast majority of the staff. Serving the widest variety of roles all across the fleets, without these masses there would be no navy to command.

* **Servicemen 1st Class** - The highest ranking servicemen, 1st Classes are typically veteran workers who know their jobs extremely well and can maintain a high-level of excellence at all times. Traditionally, a promotion to 1st Class from 2nd Class can come within 6-10 years of enlistment with wide variation.
* **Servicemen 2nd Class** - The average rank of all Alliance naval personnel, 2nd Classes are everywhere across the fleets. The average time to be promoted to 2nd Class from 3rd Class is within 4-6 years of enlistment with little variation.
* **Servicemen 3rd Class** - The baseline rank that all enlisting personnel achieve after graduating from Naval Boot Camp, 3rd Classes are the second most common rank within the Alliance navy. Much like their commissioned counterparts, their initial days are filled with hazing, grunt work, nonsensical orders and no-win scenario training exercises.

## Vocational Codes

The Alliance Military Vocational Code system classifies the career path of all serving personnel. The MVC consists of one letter and one number. A soldier's MVC indicates proficiency, not rank. The letter notes career path; the number indicates level of experience, as indicated by service record, technical scores, and commendations. All 26 letters are used, and numbers run from 1 to 7. The MVCs are as follows:

* A - Administrative Services (Ex: yeoman, financial secretaries)
* B - Infantry (All marines and combat certified personnel)
* C - Communications (Ex: Combat radioman, shipboard comms specialist)
* D - Hazmat Handling and Disposal (Ex: Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Chemical Weapons Disposal)
* E - Systems Engineering (Ex: Computer systems, combat engineers)
* F - Facilities Personnel (Ex: Shipboard and basewide maintenance, culinary specialists)
* G - Naval Weapons Staff (Shipboard weapons techs on larger vessels)
* H - Armor Certified (Ex: Certified ground vehicle drivers and crewmen, artillery)
* I - Command (NCOs, high-ranking Officers)
* J - Arsenal Personnel (Ex: Weapons, ammunition, armor and vehicle maintenance and upkeep)
* K - Mechanical Engineering (Ex: Reactor specialists, non-CPU engineers)
* L - Logistics (Ex: Air traffic controllers, freight management specialists)
* M - Medical (Ex: Doctors, combat medics)
* N - Special Forces (ICT School)
* O - Biotic Combatants
* P - Public Relations (Ex: Media liaisons, recruiters, advertisers and marketers)
* Q - Security (Military Police)
* R - Emergency Services (Ex: Damage control, atmosphere, radiation specialists)
* S - Special Forces (Non-ICT School)
* T - Musicians
* U - Research and Development (Rated based upon level of classification, not proficiency)
* V - Rated Naval Bridge Crew (Ex: Navigators, helmsman)
* W - Air Wing Crew (Ex: Pilots, gunners, onboard engineers)
* X - Xenology Specialists (Ex: Xeno-tactical specialists, xeno-weaponry specialists)
* Y - Social Support Staff (Ex: Psychologists, religious personnel)
* Z - Military Intelligence

Alliance personnel may have more than one vocational code, though on official forms only the one with the highest proficiency will be recognized in most cases. For example, if Combat Engineer Tom Jones had vocational codes B5 and E3, he would be referred to on official documents as B5 Jones, Tom. The only exceptions to this rule are the I, S and U designations. In each of those instances, regardless of which vocational code has the higher proficiency, those codes will always be utilized on official documentation. Unlike the other vocational codes, N1-6 are only used internally within the Interplanetary Combatives Academy. Unless a graduate has earned the vaunted N7 status, they are not officially considered to be under the N Vocational Code even though the honor of being chosen to attend does come through the grapevine.

While proficiency ratings do not directly affect the pay scale, they do come into play when promotions are on the line. Typically, a commanding officer reviews both the personnel's service file and proficiency attained when considering a promotion, as well as an interview with their direct superior.

Proficiency exams are scheduled every year around the same time, with every base in the Alliance completing the exams sometime in the March-August period. Results are typically given out within two months of completion, and put on the records at the same time. Although you can choose to take the exam for whatever vocation you would like to improve in, you are only allowed to test one vocation per year.

## Vessel Naming Conventions

### Prefix

All vessels owned and serving under the banner of the Systems Alliance are labeled with the prefix "SSV", which stands for **S**ystems Alliance **S**pacefaring **V**essel.

### Dreadnoughts

Dreadnoughts are named after major mountains on Earth. As of 2183, the Systems Alliance had 6 completed with another under construction. An additional two were completed by 2186.

* *SSV Anconagua* (Completed in 2185)
* *SSV Everest*
* *SSV Elbrus*
* *SSV Fuji*
* *SSV Kilimanjaro*
* *SSV Logan* (Completed in 2186)
* *SSV Orizaba* (Completed in 2184)
* *SSV Tai Shan*
* *SSV Shasta*

### Carriers

Carriers are named for both notable scientists and notable soldiers from human history. Examples include the *SSV Benjamin Davis*, *SSV Hawking*, and the *SSV Henry Johnson*.

### Cruisers

Cruisers are named after major cities on Earth. Examples include the *SSV Emden*, *SSV Cape Town,* and the *SSV Cairo*.

### Frigates

Frigates are named after historical human battles. Examples include the *SSV Normandy*, *SSV Heartbreak Ridge* and the *SSV Trafalgar*.

### Freighters

Freighters are named for notable rivers and landmarks on Earth excluding mountains. Examples include the *SSV Danube*, *SSV Mississippi*, and the *SSV Uluru.*

### Corvettes

Corvettes utilized in survey and exploration missions are named for famous human explorers, examples include the *SSV Ibn Battuta*, *SSV Kupe* and *SSV Francis Drake*. Corvettes utilized in combat roles are named for famous human authors, some examples include the *SSV Ernest Hemingway*, *SSV Jane Austen* and the *SSV Isaac Asimov*.

### Combat Support Craft

Shuttles, Fighters and Interceptors - together referred to as combat support craft - are named for their respective squadrons. For example, an interceptor which flies the first position within Eagle Squadron's first wing would be known by its callsign Eagle 1-1. A shuttle flying third position within Pelican Squadron's second wing would be referred to by its callsign of Pelican 2-3.

## Fleets

The Systems Alliance Navy is broken down into several large fleets, each flagshiped by a Dreadnought and stationed in a different location across Alliance space.

* Systems Alliance First Fleet
* Systems Alliance Second Fleet
* Systems Alliance Third Fleet
* Systems Alliance Fourth Fleet
* Systems Alliance Fifth Fleet
* Systems Alliance Sixth Fleet
* Systems Alliance Seventh Fleet
* Systems Alliance Eighth Fleet