Space Force Rank Structure

[Ben]

This was kinda interesting to me. Apparently Space Force is delaying their official rank structure. I guess they wanted to use Air Force ranks, but Dan Crenshaw is holding them up because he wants them to use Naval ranks. My personal viewpoint is that I see both sides of the argument.

As Space Force is basically, kinda sorta, Space Command, it makes sense that they stick with Air Force ranks. On the other hand, the SciFi geek in me is thinking 100 years into the future when we'll have space fleets. Then sure, it seems logical to have the crews of military spaceSHIPS use Naval ranking. Or turn Space Force into something akin to the current Dept of Navy, with both sailors and space marines.

https://news.yahoo.com/space-force-set-announce-rank-202945425.html

[K Frame]

What? They should make whole new ranks...

Space Cadet
Space Cadet First Class
Rocketman
Orbiter

and so on for the enlisted...

[Brad Johnson]

What? They should make whole new ranks...

Space Cadet
Space Cadet First Class
Rocketman
Orbiter

and so on for the enlisted...

Would stepping from non-com to commissioned ranks be considered "Achieving Escape Velocity"?

Brad

[zxcvbob]

"Laika" (after the dog who died in Sputnik 2) would be a good name for the highest ranking NCO.

[Andiron]

Naval would make sense to me.  If we're going by scifi standards*,  spaceships are probably closer kin to to naval surface ships.  The mixed department model of the Navy would work,  as you could have Spacers and Marines.  The jobs remain similar,  the setting just changes.

And come on,  Friggin Space Marines!

*ala the Honor Harrington 'verse.

[Ben]

And come on,  Friggin Space Marines!

Those colonial Marines are tough hombres.



 

[Andiron]

Touche  

I was thinking more 40K UltraMarines but hey.  I also can't figure out how to make that smaller..

[zxcvbob]

Here's a smaller version :)

Touche  

I was thinking more 40K UltraMarines but hey.  I also can't figure out how to make that smaller..

[griz]

It should be modeled after Star Trek.  And all officers are addressed as Sir.  Eliminates the question of with which team they identify.

[TommyGunn]

It should be modeled after Star Trek.  And all officers are addressed as Sir.  Eliminates the question of with which team they identify.

A.  Commissioned officers are addressed as "sir."  Even in Star fleet it was "Captain Kirk"  or "Captain Picard."    Or "Lt. Uhuru."

B.  For Space Force rankings ....consult STARFLEET.      or maybe Colonel Steve Zodiac.          

[MikeB]

Yes Space Marines!!!! With Mechs!!!

Naval Makes more sense considering eventually there will be 'Ships'. Eventually, probably, long after I'm dead, but we can all dream.

Plus no offense to anyone, but Air Force ranks just are silly, I think Monty Python make up Air Force ranks and structure. :)

[BobR]

Plus no offense to anyone, but Air Force ranks just are silly, I think Monty Python make up Air Force ranks and structure. :)

I spent nearly 20 years going to Fairchild AFB at least weekly and I still don't understand the Air Force ranks!

All I know is I would like to think I singled handed caused them to change signage at the commissary and the Exchange. The signs used to say Chief parking and being a retired Navy Chief I parked in them. Who knew they thought a Chief was their version of an E9? I guess what we did as E7s in the Navy took them another two promotions to get there in the AF. :)

bob

[Ben]

I spent nearly 20 years going to Fairchild AFB at least weekly and I still don't understand the Air Force ranks!

When I worked on stuff with Vandenberg, their liaison to us was almost always a Technical Sergeant. I could never figure out how to address them. With like a Staff Sergeant, it's easy enough to just say, "Hey Staff Sergeant", but "Hey Technical Sergeant" is just clunky, and I think they may have thought "Tech Sergeant" was an insulting contraction.

Being a civilian, it was easier for me to just say, "Hey, Joe". 

[RoadKingLarry]

I spent nearly 20 years going to Fairchild AFB at least weekly and I still don't understand the Air Force ranks!

All I know is I would like to think I singled handed caused them to change signage at the commissary and the Exchange. The signs used to say Chief parking and being a retired Navy Chief I parked in them. Who knew they thought a Chief was their version of an E9? I guess what we did as E7s in the Navy took them another two promotions to get there in the AF. :)

bob

Slightly off topic but...

During some kind of big deal NRC/nuclear weapons inspection some of the inspectors were Air Force officers. One of them was kind of more of a prick than would be expected.
he was a Air Force Captain which is of course, and properly so, a Lieutenant in the Navy. Much mirth was generated out of his umbrage at being referred to as Lieutenant.  
During the inspection all of us lowly enlisted that were part of the PRP as well as the enlisted Torpedoman's Mates and Fire Control Technicians that actually had the responsibility of servicing and maintaining any hypothetical nuclear weapons and associated targeting systems that may or may not have ever been on board were treated to Captain Lieutenant's disdain for enlisted men actually having anything to do with nuclear weapons. Apparently in the USAF only officers can have anything to do with such weapons. After one of his rants about how enlisted shouldn't be involved the E-9 TM opined that since the Navy has never lost any nuclear weapons maybe the Air Force could learn something from us.

[zxcvbob]

When I worked on stuff with Vandenberg, their liaison to us was almost always a Technical Sergeant. I could never figure out how to address them. With like a Staff Sergeant, it's easy enough to just say, "Hey Staff Sergeant", but "Hey Technical Sergeant" is just clunky, and I think they may have thought "Tech Sergeant" was an insulting contraction.

Being a civilian, it was easier for me to just say, "Hey, Joe". 

I thought they were all just call "Sergeant".  (same with Colonel and General)

[Devonai]

Tech Sergeant is fine, it's even in the regs.

Source: Tech Sergeant

[kgbsquirrel]

Slightly off topic but...

During some kind of big deal NRC/nuclear weapons inspection some of the inspectors were Air Force officers. One of them was kind of more of a prick than would be expected.
he was a Air Force Captain which is of course, and properly so, a Lieutenant in the Navy. Much mirth was generated out of his umbrage at being referred to as Lieutenant.  
During the inspection all of us lowly enlisted that were part of the PRP as well as the enlisted Torpedoman's Mates and Fire Control Technicians that actually had the responsibility of servicing and maintaining any hypothetical nuclear weapons and associated targeting systems that may or may not have ever been on board were treated to Captain Lieutenant's disdain for enlisted men actually having anything to do with nuclear weapons. Apparently in the USAF only officers can have anything to do with such weapons. After one of his rants about how enlisted shouldn't be involved the E-9 TM opined that since the Navy has never lost any nuclear weapons maybe the Air Force could learn something from us.

Checkmate.   

[Andiron]

Slightly off topic but...

During some kind of big deal NRC/nuclear weapons inspection some of the inspectors were Air Force officers. One of them was kind of more of a prick than would be expected.
he was a Air Force Captain which is of course, and properly so, a Lieutenant in the Navy. Much mirth was generated out of his umbrage at being referred to as Lieutenant.  
During the inspection all of us lowly enlisted that were part of the PRP as well as the enlisted Torpedoman's Mates and Fire Control Technicians that actually had the responsibility of servicing and maintaining any hypothetical nuclear weapons and associated targeting systems that may or may not have ever been on board were treated to Captain Lieutenant's disdain for enlisted men actually having anything to do with nuclear weapons. Apparently in the USAF only officers can have anything to do with such weapons. After one of his rants about how enlisted shouldn't be involved the E-9 TM opined that since the Navy has never lost any nuclear weapons maybe the Air Force could learn something from us.

 

Take that,  chair force.

[French G.]

The recruiter promised me space shuttle door gunner.  

[French G.]

I had a similar run-in as with CAPT-LT. With a language barrier. The XO of a Russian destroyer has a hard time getting his head around the fact that a E-6(me) is as much authority as he is going to get on a Sunday because the CDO is busy.

[Ben]

Tech Sergeant is fine, it's even in the regs.

Source: Tech Sergeant

Where were you ten years ago?  

[MechAg94]

Surely they won't call enlisted Airmen will they? 

[RocketMan]

Tech Sergeant is fine, it's even in the regs.

Source: Tech Sergeant

"Fred Kwan as Tech Sergeant Chen."

[Angel Eyes]

since the Navy has never lost any nuclear weapons maybe the Air Force could learn something from us.

Didn't the Scorpion have nuclear-tipped torpedoes on board when she was lost in '68?

[kgbsquirrel]

Didn't the Scorpion have nuclear-tipped torpedoes on board when she was lost in '68?

The Navy can neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons on board its warships.


But seriously, only the air force has accidentally hauled nukes across the country.  We aren't going to count mission losses, those have happened to everyone, just actual dumbassery, like not checking to see if the cruise missiles on your wing are warshots.