General Questions About Things.

[Atrocities]

Thanks PvK.

[geoschmo]

U.S. Navy Rates (Ranks) and Insignia

[Atrocities]

Thanks Geo.

[Atrocities]

* The rank of Fleet Admiral has been reserved for war time use only. The Last Fleet Admirals were in World War II. Fleet Admirals during that war were Chester W. Nimitz, William D. Leahy, Ernest J. King, and William F. Halsey.

Very Interesting.

I wonder how much Pay Rate grade 011 is?

[President_Elect_Shang]

O11 pay: A lot I assure you, but it also depends on time in service.

Don’t take this wrong PvK but military nomenclature never pretends to be authoritative and meaningful. It IS authoritative and meaningful. The terms used by one branch may be different than that used by another but this same trend can be seen in spoken language. A fag as opposed to a fag for example, both are English but have very different meanings.

Most all military language is derived from tradition or acronyms that are or where in use. Even the simplest of commands that you see on TV have roots that can extend back to the days of pre-gun powder combat. By way of comparison is the classical wedding, it is steeped in tradition and very meaningful.

In short your observation that “A lot of military culture and language has to do with insisting on something absurd and inconsistent, and insisting it go unquestioned.” Could not be any further from the truth.

[Parasite]

In the US Navy, Commadoore is not a rank as such, it is a title. Any Captain placed in charge of a group of ships (a task force, destroyer squadron, ect.) is is called Commadoore to differentate from the run of the mill Captains in charge of each ship.

The person in charge of a ship is called a Captain even if his rank is not "Captain". He could be an ensign, or even an enlisted man. (as an asside, Dry services also have a rank of captain. If on a ship they get a brevit promotion to major (or whatever) while on the ship. There can only be one Captain.)

Any Multiple named rank will be called by the highest rank included. A Lieutenant Commander is called "Commander", a Rear Admiral is called "Admiral" when talking about or to him.

[Yef]

Now I'm even more confused with those Naval ranks. Heck, why couldn't they have it like in the Army.
Army ranks are completely clear and in logical order (including Major General and Leutenant General ) but those guys in the Navy don't have their feet on the ground, literally.