Republic Armed Forces Military Ranks

The Republic Armed Forces follows fairly closely the standards set by the Star League (both versions in its rank structure. This system is familiar both to Inner Sphere soldiers through their training, as well as to warriors of Clan origin through their society’s veneration of the original League.[1]

Commissioned[edit]

Commanding General[edit]

The commanding general is the supreme commander of the Republic’s military, whose authority is surpassed only by the Exarch. They are selected by the Exarch based on recommendations presented by the Council of Paladins, and there is no limit on the term of service.[1]

General / Admiral[edit]

Generals are in charge of the prefectural forces or administrative divisions within the RAF. These include Military Intelligence, the Special Forces Command, Requisitions and Replacement, or the Civilian Relations Bureau. The naval-equivalent rank of Admiral is the supreme commander of the Republic Navy.[1]

Lieutenant General / Vice Admiral[edit]

Lieutenant generals are placed in charge of sub-commands within the RAF’s administrative divisions or military forces on a planetary scale. The Vice Admiral rank is used for the commander of national level naval organizations such as the WarShip Command and the Border Fleet, as well as the heads of naval staff commands.[1]

Brigadier General / Rear Admiral[edit]

This rank is traditionally used for the commander of a prefecture’s Hastati Sentinels line unit or the CO of an independent brigade. The naval-equivalent rank of Rear Admiral is given to those who command either one of the Republic’s WarShips or a Prefecture flotilla within the Border Fleet.[1]

Colonel[edit]

Colonels are placed typically commanding the BattleMech forces of any size and armor or infantry brigades among the line units, as well as planetary militia forces.[1]

Lieutenant Colonel / Commodore[edit]

Lieutenant Colonel are Senior battalion commanders and regimental executive officers, in addition can be commanders of armor and infantry regiments among the line units. The rank of Commodore denotes the commander of a regular RAF line unit’s aerospace fighter support and transport assets. They are also commanders of a support squadrons attached to one of the Republic’s WarShips.[1]


Major / Captain[edit]

Majors command battalion-level units or field staff organizations, as well as backing regiment-level officers as XOs. Naval Captains command single JumpShips attached to an RAF line unit, individual vessels within a Border Fleet flotilla or part of the WarShip Command’s support squadrons.[1]

Captain / Commander[edit]

A Captain is the commanding officer of a company-level unit or executive officers for Majors. Commanders act as executive officers on individual vessels, DropShip commanders, and leaders of aerospace fighter wings.[1]

Lieutenant[edit]

Lieutenants command lance or squadron-size units. In the Navy, lieutenants fill positions as executive officers on DropShips or commanders of aerospace fighter squadrons.[1]

Lieutenant, junior grade / Ensign[edit]

Once they graduate from advanced training, newly commissioned officers are given the rank of junior lieutenant. In the Navy, Ensigns are newly commissioned naval officers on their first tour of duty.[1]

Noncommissioned[edit]

Master Sergeant[edit]

The senior NCO in a unit receives the rank of Master Sergeant.[1]

Staff Sergeant[edit]

Sergeants with at least five years of experience are given the rank of Staff Sergeant.[1]

Sergeant[edit]

Sergeants function as a bridge between the officer corps and the main body of enlisted soldiers. Graduates from a military academy and not undertaken the OCS training enter their service at the rank of Sergeant.[1]

Corporal[edit]

Enlisted personnel with experience and who have potential to command are promoted to Corporal.[1]

Private, First Class[edit]

Privates who have served at least one year in the field and demonstrate excellent ability and service receive an automatic promotion to Private, First Class.[1]

Private[edit]

Once a Recruit has completed basic training, they progress to the rank of Private.[1]

Recruit[edit]

Recruits are those who have newly enlisted in the RAF.[1]

References[edit]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Field Manual: 3085 ,p.167-170

Bibliography[edit]