While working on my book, I came up with a rank structure and I'd like some feedback on it.?

2016-02-22T21:53:13-05:00

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 10:16 PM

2016-02-22T22:16:50-05:00

Why?

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 22 at 2016 10:22 PM

2016-02-22T22:22:22-05:00

I'll bite. I guess I need more information.
Why ten enlisted grades, but only five officer? Aesthetically the enlisted ranks look great. I would be concerned about the major rank. If the bars are modeled and sized the same as the real life counterparts that major rank would be huge.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 22 at 2016 10:23 PM

2016-02-22T22:23:38-05:00

Interesting, but why? Is it a picture book?

Response by SPC Adriel Martinez made Feb 22 at 2016 10:32 PM

2016-02-22T22:32:46-05:00

This just for a novel I'm writing mind you-
Once a TCN a member can be selected to run a high responsibility, little to no leadership billet for a preset amount of time then be put back into the regular rank structure. TCNs outrank Specialists

Then when at the junction of what i call the "Three Choices" a proven served Sgt has to choose between applying for a commission into the officer ranks as a commander, a board process for a senior NCO leadership/advisory slot as a Sergeant Major or serve as a trainer/SME in the Master Sergeant paths.

M1 Recruit=basic entry status for USMC,USA,and USAF
M2 Private (has three grades, no insignia for any)=PVts,PV2s,Pfcs,Airmen
M3 Technician=LCpls, Specialists,Senior As
MJ Specialist Junior Grade=modern day Specialist mafioso's and Terminal lances
MS Specialist Senior Grade=NCOs in jobs that require no leadership abilities/ lower enlisted cant do
M4 Corporal=Team Leaders regardless of rank in either branch
M5 Sergeant=Squad Leader/Platoon NCOs
M6 Company Sgt Maj/Master Sergeant=1SG,1st Sgt/SSG, SSgts,
M7 Battalion Sgt Maj/Senior Master Sergeant=SGM, Sgt Maj/SFC,MSG,Gy Sgts,Mstr Sgt, WO1
M8 Regimental Sgt Maj/Chief Master Sergeant=CSM, Ops SGM, Sgt Maj/Master Gy Sgt, CWOs
M9 Lieutenant Junior Grade=2Lt,1Lt aka PLs
M10 Lieutenant Senior Grade=1LT aka senior PLs, Co XOs
M11 Captain (Captain Minor)=O3s aka Co Commanders, BN Xos
M12 Major (Captain Major)=Majors or "Lite" Colonels aka BN Cmdrs, RGT XOs
M13 Colonel=Col or B Gen aka Brig Cmdrs

Response by MAJ Bryan Zeski made Feb 22 at 2016 10:33 PM

2016-02-22T22:33:43-05:00

On the enlisted side, I think it'd be good to differentiate between your regular Sergeants Major and your ones who are actually in Charge (Command).

Also, I think too many symbols will be confusing. The point of rank structure is to be recognizable at a glance and preferably at a distance.

I agree with the other comments about the officer side - Just adding bars clutters things up and makes it unwieldy.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Feb 22 at 2016 10:42 PM

2016-02-22T22:42:40-05:00

3 Points:

1. Simplicity is best in invention.
2. Unless the story clearly calls for it otherwise borrowing existing rank structures improves realism and readability.
3. Read Starship Troopers for an example of invented rank structure that has been done very well.

Response by SFC Tyrone Almendarez made Feb 22 at 2016 10:49 PM

2016-02-22T22:49:07-05:00

I think you should stick to Black Ops on PlayStation. Can we get a taste of the book? Your rank structure is too similar to the real rank structure. Change it up.

Response by SSG Jeremy Jennings made Feb 23 at 2016 12:02 AM

2016-02-23T00:02:44-05:00

You can use any rank structure; ideally the reader will be filling in such mundane details with their own experience and imagine it in a way that enhances what's happening in the narratived. Read Evelyn Waugh's Black Mischief for hilarious descriptions of a fictional African country's military rank and order, inspired by Ethiopia's military under Haile Selassie, or The Good Soldier Schweik by Jaroslav Hasek for the utter absurdity of rank and order in the face of complete ignorance.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 23 at 2016 5:56 AM

2016-02-23T05:56:13-05:00

The officer ranks are relatively simple, and it is nice not to have to distinguish colors at a distance, but the 4-bar Major is kind of huge. Why not just use a different symbol for Major - like the oak leaf, but not necessarily an oak leaf? Where are the Generals? It seems as though it needs at least one level of General. It also seems as though promotion times would be incredibly long ion the officer side with so few ranks, unless life expectancy happens to be very short for officers in your world. ;-) On the enlisted side, I find it confusing that a recruit has an insignia and a Private does not, if these are each considered separate ranks. The two specialists and the three Master Sergeants are hard to distinguish at a distance. Functionally, it is also hard to imagine why a system would have two Specialists and a Corporal. The Master Sergeants' insignia seem out of place relative to the Sergeants Major in that the insignia do not progressively build upon the prior ranks. I would suggest instituting rockers earlier, with fewer levels of Master Sergeants, and then perhaps adding another rocker and/or one of the tiny symbols in the center for Sergeants Major. I like how the existing structure you have created explicitly designates the level of the command structure at which each level of Sergeant Major serves. It may or may not be relevant to your structure, but I wonder if you would need a way to differentiate staff NCOs from direct leadership respensibilities, like the SGM/CSM differentiation in the real Army.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2016 12:18 PM

2016-06-24T12:18:36-04:00

Reminds me of how the air force enlisted ranks (and several other nation's ranks) work enough to be believable. Beyond that, it's all preference and flavor.