Military ranks of Barrayar
As a modern, structured and complex military, the Imperial Service maintains a fixed rank structure, in order to easily assign tasks, duties and responsibilities within its organization. Being a combined service since 2904-2906 great reforms, the Barrayaran rank structure has some its own particularities. Barrayar retains all the names of the various ranks when it went to a combined service: the name of the rank interchanges depending on his assignment of the moment: however, some departments merge the ground ranks and the spaceborne ones, such as ImpSec or Ops.
It is keen to note that the shape or placement of the functional designator is more important than the rank denomination. So an junior officer could be rather more prestigious than a senior officer, if that is assigned to a low level service, although this occurrence is very rare and ranks tend to coincide with the importance of the tasks assigned.
By definition, the Imperial Service is under the overall command of the reigning Emperor or Regent as commander-in-chief. Consequently, in his role as the Emperor's Voice, any Imperial Auditor can command military forces as he sees fit. Only the Emperor (or Regent) could override him.
All the ranks are gridded to a strict numerical ranking with seniority rates factored in. The rank insignia (collar tabs) reflect the equivalence between various ranks. The military hierarchy was reformed several times: the last reform was conducted by the Military Hierarchy Reform Act, of 2999.
History
Before the Imperial military: Dorcas' militias
The green jacketed soldiers of the Imperial Service gradually come into being within the Dorcas' militias beginning in 2800s. By 2821, Emperor Dorcas had taken his burly bodyguards and had formed the first elite storm troopers. At the start of the Imperial era, and of the army's existence, the "military" had four primary titles:
- Supreme Commander;
- Commander;
- Leader;
- Trooper.
While Troopers and Leaders were plebeians (although young Vor knights and warriors often started their careers as Leaders), Commanders and the Supreme Commander were strictly Vor warriors. When local units began to be grouped into larger regiments, each regiment was commanded by a senior officer called a Regiment Commander, intermediate between Leader and Commander; senior officers began to wear oak leaves on their collars to signify their authority. The lower ranks of Leader and Trooper still wore no insignia. In 2827, a higher officer rank known as "Host Leader" was created to be held by battalion-sized formation commanders directly subordinate to the Regiment Commander. A further change, in 2828, was the creation of the rank of Group Commander. This rank used the insignia previously reserved for the Supreme Commander and the rank was held by the senior most commanders who led division sized formations of several Regiments.
- Supreme Commander (Vor);
- Group Commander (2828, Vor);
- Commander (Vor);
- Regiment Commander (2825, Vor);
- Host Leader (2827, Vor);
- Leader (also known as "Harrow Leader" in remaining feudal infantry units);
- Trooper.
In the late 28th/early 29th century Barrayar, the most influential Vor Houses (Vorkosigans, Vorrutyers, Vorpatrils) had the highest command posts, according to a consolidated tradition that transferred the lineage hierarchy into military organization. Behind them, however, is the varied world of the lower nobility that provides the cadres of all the officers coprs, both of the professional troops and of the militias: they are the rural Lesser Vors, who, in the continuation of the exercise of the military function, find a guarantee for their own class existence. As military commanders of the villagers, the nobles guarantee the tranquility of the territory and at the same time receive an investment that confirms the ancient attributes.
By this time, the Dorcas' military had also begun to use unit insignia for its junior members which consisted of a numbered collar patch, showing both battalion and regimental affiliation, worn opposite the badge of rank. This unit insignia patch was worn by those holding the rank of Host Leader and below; the higher officer ranks wore rank insignia on both collars. By the close of the 2820s, the Dorcas' military rank system had solidified into the following titles:
- Supreme Commander (Vor);
- Group Commander (Vor);
- Senior Commander (Vor);
- Regiment Commander (Vor, styled "Field Master" when in command of regimental-level units outside cavalry and infantry);
- Host Leader (Vor, styled "Castellan" when in command of imperial fortresses);
- Company Leader (Vor);
- Deputy Leader;
- Troops Leader;
- Band Leader (also known as "Harrow Leader" in some garrison units);
- Soldier.
The next major change in Dorcas' military uniforms and insignia occurred in 2830 when Sergeij Vorrinski was appointed as Quartermaster General. Lavrinski's appointment was as the result of Dorcas Vorbarra personally assuming command of his military. Dorcas would hold the title of Supreme Imperial Commander until the establishment of the Imperial Army (when the title was merged again with the title of Emperor) and, after 2830, it was the Quartermaster General who was the effective leader of the organization.
Vorrinski undertook several changes to the uniform and insignia design, the first being to invent several new ranks in order for the rank system to mirror that of the Nexus militaries. The rank expansion took place gradually between 2830 and 2832, with the final addition being the creation of a rank of Senior Group Commander which Lavrinski appointed to himself as well as senior generals of the command staff. The new ranks used the same collar pip system as before, but with the addition of corded shoulder boards. Further, the officers wore shoulder cord of either gold or silver. It was also during the 2830s, i.e. the very final years before the establishment of the Imperial Army, that the Dorcas' militia began using uniform colours to denote a member's Group (i.e. Division) to which the member belonged. Troopers' insignia consisted in silver pips and Commanders' ones in golden leaves.
- Red and Blue: Supreme Command
- Red and Green: Chief of Staff
- Red: Group (Division) Staff
- Yellow, Green, Blue, Brown, Light Blue, Orange, Pink, Light Green and Black: Territorial Groups (Division)
Just before the establishment of the Imperial Armed Forces, in 2831, the Dorcas' militia had a complex, uniformed, and structured system of ranks:
- Group Commander (Vor);
- Brigade Commander (Vor);
- Regiment Commander (Vor; some units retained the rank title of "Field Master");
- Senior Host Leader (Vor);
- Host Leader (Vor);
- Company Leader (Vor);
- Senior Deputy Leader (Vor);
- Deputy Leader (Vor);
- Chief Troops Leader (Vor);
- Senior Troops Leader;
- Troops Leader;
- Senior Squad Leader;
- Squad Leader;
- Team Leader;
- Senior Trooper;
- Trooper.
Imperial Army (2832-2856)
The end of the Time of Isolation marked the beginning of the efforts to organize a military in line with the Nexus standards. This goal was strongly pursued by Emperor Dorca, fearful of threatening warnings which friendly powers sent him about the Cetagandan Empire. In 2832, Imperial hosts and militias were consolidated into the Imperial Army. The newborn Army had a Nexus-standard system of ranks, with some customization in rank titles:
- General (Vor);
- Brigade General (Vor);
- Colonel (Vor);
- Major (Vor);
- Major-Lieutenant (Vor);
- Captain (Vor);
- Senior Lieutenant (Vor);
- Lieutenant (Vor);
- Sergeant Major;
- Sergeant;
- Corporal;
- Senior Soldier;
- Soldier.
Officerdom was strictly restricted to the Vor class and the purchase of officer commissions was a common practice. Formally, the commission purchase price was a cash bond for good behaviour, forfeited to the Army's cashiers in the event of cowardice, desertion or gross misbehaviour. Only commissions in cavalry and infantry regiments, and therefore only those up to the rank of colonel, could be purchased. The official values of commissions varied by regiment, usually in line with the differing levels of social prestige of different regiments; desirable commissions in fashionable regiments were often sold to the highest bidder after an unseemly auction.
A certain degree of preservation of former regional identities was ensured as regimental colonels were permitted to, and often did, refuse to allow the purchase of a commission in their regiment by anyone who had the necessary money but was not from a social background to their liking.
Such arrangements were wiped out from the Cetagandan invasion and from immediately subsequent campaigns, when a large part of Vor officers was killed in action or forced to retire due to their uncertain loyalty, being their territories and lands in Cetagandan hands. During the Resistance period the Barrayaran military was broken down into several guerilla forces, forced to engage the enemy at a low level; only in rare cases and in the late period larger formations were used. Alongside almost every other aspect of the Imperial Army, also the rank system was heavily reformed by General Pjotr Vorkosigan. The main change was to expand officers ranks to include platoon leaders, in order to allow initiative even by a bunch of isolated men. During this period, rank titles (also reformed, introducing the idea of "command" even at squad level) were very different across the various regiments, albeit in unofficial ways. Under Emperor Dorcas, who remained the commander-in-chief, military ranks were:
- General;
- Divisional General (from 2854);
- Regional Leader (Brigade General from 2854);
- Host Commander (Colonel from 2854);
- Squadron Commander (Major from 2854);
- Town Commander (Captain from 2854);
- Platoon Commander;
- Senior Squad Commander;
- Squad Commander;
- Team Leader;
- Senior Soldier;
- Soldier.
Until mid-2840s, the officer corps was accessible only to Vor warriors. After the heavy deleption of Vor reserves, and in order to mobilize all best energies available, in 2844 General Pjotr Vorkosigan introduced the so-called Opening of Ranks, permitting non-Vor military to climb the ranks up to Host Commander. In 2853, also general ranks were open to non-Vor people.
Imperial Armed Forces (2856-2901)
Immediately after the Cetagandan Wars, a part of Barrayaran troops of the Barrayaran Provisional Government, the Cetagandan-backed puppet state, were maintained in arms due to the manpower shortage and to the fact that they were relatively highly trained, at least in comparison to the largely guerilla force led by Emperor Yuri and General Vorkosigan. Vor officers and commanders who did not flee with Cetagandans were systematically purged and in some circumstances executed. These units were maintained up to the regimental level and dispersed throught the ranks of the Imperial Army.
- Kompol (equivalent to Colonel, until 2876);
- Zamepol (deputy to Kompol, until 2876);
- Kombat (equivalent to Major, until 2872);
- Rukokom (equivalent to Captain, until 2870);
- Sokom 1 (equivalent to Lieutenant, until 2868);
- Sokom 2 (equivalent to Ensign, until 2868);
- Warrant Officer 1 (until 2876);
- Warrant Officer 2 (until 2876);
- Leading Sergeant (until 2876);
- Sergeant (until 2876);
- Leading Corporal (until 2876);
- Corporal (until 2876);
- Private (until 2876).
Such "Provos" units, however, were progressively got rid of, and their constituent units were separated and progressively integrated with newly raised regular troops.
Military rank
The legal status and the employment relationship of the military personnel are two distinct concepts. However, the two concepts are closely related and the same ratio of use of the military is not conceivable outside the concept of legal status. While the termination of employment does not negate the legal status, the causes which terminate the legal status interrupt the employment relationship.
There is no uniform legal status for all categories of military personnel, but it differs according the category: officers, non-commissioned officers or enlisted men. It is therefore necessary to distinguish the status of Officer, the status of NCO and the status of enlisted man.
Together with the notion of legal status, there is the concept of employment relationship, which is called "permanent service" within the military. The permanent service implies a legal position that is not found in all the military, but it has a beginning, a middle and an end. These circumstances usually do not coincide with the principal moments of the legal status. The legal status is acquired or because there are restrictions or obligations to the provision of military service or because the subject chooses to pursue a particular occupation and career. Permanent service is accessed only by voluntary act. As for access to the permanent service is relevant entry in the role, for the acquisition of legal status conferral of the military rank is relevant, that is, the placement of the subject in a precise position in the hierarchy.
Access to permanent service necessarily involves the award of the initial rank; for the legal status is essential the moment of the transfer of military rank. Therefore, events connected with the rank (the conferment, loss, reintegration) affect the events relating to the legal status.
The acquisition of legal status as an officer, non-commissioned officer and enlisted man takes place with the legitimate contribution of the initial rank of their careers. In order for the conferment of the rank is legitimate, an oath before assuming the service is to be taken. The rank, once conferred, places the serviceman in a precise position in the hierarchy that is natural is for the military, representing a level that allows you to determine with certainty the relationships essential to the Imperial Service.
Seniority in Rank
The rank sometimes it is not enough to solve the issues related to the hierarchical relationships, which in all circumstances must be certain and unambiguous. For this reason, even the seniority in rank is aimed precisely to settle any conflict. Seniority has a legal significance in the areas of discipline and promotion. The appointing instrument also marks the seniority in rank, which differs in absolute seniority and relative seniority.
The Seniority Absolute refers to the degree of the grant date; this length varies with successive promotions. The absolute seniority identifies the elapsed time from the military in rank held, duration which begins from the date of notice of the appointment or the promotion and may be made higher or may be reduced pursuant to the legislation. The relative seniority identifies the order of precedence among the same grade in the same role with the same absolute seniority: the order of precedence is determined by the place in the ranking list achieved at the end of the training courses, depending on the various provisions. With the same Seniority Absolute reference is made to Relative seniority.
Degradation and loss of the rank
The degradation is the end of the military legal status which the subject belonged to. The soldier who loses his position, losing the legal status of the category, is to miss an essential requirement for the continuation of the permanent service. The cases of degradation are strictly defined by law. The law includes the causes of loss of the rank in five groups: voluntary resignation, the mandatory resignation, cancellations form roles, disciplinary cases and criminal cases.
Voluntary resignations from the rank are admitted exclusively for officers with particular conditions. The officer can not resign from the rank until he turned 40. Similarly, the officer cannot resign from the rank if he has a retirement pension, as long as, even on leave, he keeps the fitness for reserve duty. The resignation is irrevocable from the moment the administration has accepted them. In addition, the faculty may be suspended in the event of mobilization. The law is without prejudice to exceptional circumstances or special derogations authorized by the Emperor. The mandatory resignation from the rank incur for judicial interdiction or civil incapacitation, permanent unavailability to serve, serious immorality, social dangerousness. Causes for a cancellation from roles consist in the loss of citizenship or taking service in the armed forces of foreign states. If the military is a Vor, in the latter case is also accused of high treason. The disciplinary loss the rank only incurs as a result of a disciplinary sanction of extreme gravity. The loss of the rank for criminal conviction is when the military criminal law also provides for the penalty of removal and for intentional crimes against the State, against the Empire or the Emperor.
Reduction in rank
A reduction in rank - or demotion - is a compulsory reduction in an soldier's rank within the hierarchy of the Imperial Service. A soldier can be demoted for violating military rules of the organization by a behaviour such as misconduct or negligence. A demotion falls in the middle range of severity. Minor violations of rules, or the first violation of a regulation results in a verbal or written warning or a suspension. At the other extreme, for severe violations of military regulations a soldier incurs in degradation and loss of the rank and dishonourably discharged with the loss of any pay or benefit.
Corps commanding officers, in addition to or in lieu of admonition or reprimand, can impose the reduction to the next inferior rank, if the grade from which demoted is within the promotion authority of the officer imposing the reduction or any officer subordinate to the him.
The most famous case of reduction in rank within the Barrayaran military is without any doubt the reduction from Admiral to Captain imposed to then-future Regent Aral Vorkosigan following the Solstice Massacre.
Promotion in Rank
In addition to professional development schooling and time in service, promotion gaining rank is dependent on a point system according to a serviceman's own specializations and skills and to the need of his branch to get new people in higher rank. A trooper (regardless the actual rank) must have the necessary points in order to be on the Promotion List of the year. While Officers have a reasonably homogenous point system, and follow their own rules, the system in force for Enlisted personnel is very complex and static, tending to strongly favour or disfavour certain jobs over others. Therefore, in order to be eligible for promotion, a serviceman might have to re-classify and acquire the quaification for another job to be included on the Promotion List. Being re-classed several times in the career is very common in the lower enlisted ranks, and it is not uncommon for senior enlisted ranks.
Honorary promotion
The officers, non-commissioned officers and troops of the Imperial Service placed on absolute retirement are granted a promotion to a higher rank, in an honorary capacity. They achieve the promotion to the next higher rank in an honorary capacity, provided that they have left the service for age reasons, they have been judged by the qualification of not less than "above average" in the last ten years of service and have never reported in all the years of service qualify as 'below average' or 'insufficient' or judgements of unfitness for career advancement, they have not been convicted by final judgement.
The promotion is required by the person concerned to the Minister of War, by means of a formal petition in which he declares the possession of requirements. The Minister by decree provides for the granting of promotion.
Posthumous promotion
The granting of posthumous military promotions in rank are very common for soldiers who are killed in combat. Barrayaran military personnel killed, died, or missing in action may be promoted in rank posthumously, if certain criteria are met:
- Military personnel that would have been promoted in rank in the month following their death or disappearance according to military regulations;
- Personnel that had been recommended for promotion in rank by the proper authorities before their death or disappearance;
- As a recognition for meritorious service by the Commander in Chief of the branches of service, on their recommendation, or with their approval;
- In those cases where the promotion was delayed for reasons not in the responsibility of the promotee.
In general, the posthumous promotion is active as of the first of the month of the death or disappearance, except in cases where the promotion would have been effective from an earlier date.
Ranks wages
The regular pay is known as Service Pay for professional soldiers and War Pay for non-professional soldiers; the war service pay is paid to all members of the Imperial Service, regardless of whether they receive regular pay or not. This is also tax free.
| Rank | Monthly pay (Imperial Marks) | Wartime additional monthly pay (Imperial Marks) |
|---|---|---|
| General/Admiral | 11200 | 5600 |
| Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral | 10080 | 5040 |
| Major General/Rear Admiral | 7720 | 3860 |
| Brigadier General/Commodore | 7060 | 3530 |
| Colonel/Captain (Naval) | 5600 | 2800 |
| Major/Commander | 4680 | 2340 |
| Ground Captain/Lieutenant Commander | 3720 | 1860 |
| Lieutenant | 2840 | 1420 |
| Warrant Officer 2 | 2380 | 1190 |
| Warrant Officer 1 | 1720 | 860 |
| Chief Petty Officer/Master Sergeant Major | 1100 | 550 |
| Petty Officer Ist Class/Sergeant Major | 800 | 400 |
| Petty Officer/Sergeant | 700 | 350 |
| Leading Spaceman/Corporal | 680 | 340 |
| Able Spaceman/Tech | 640 | 320 |
| Spaceman/Soldier | 640 | 320 |
Enlisted men
The enlisted men are the basic category of all military personnel. The mixed military instrument requires a partially voluntary component of enlisted men. The enlisted men on active duty performing clerical duties on the basis of the degree possessed, category, specification of belonging and engagement, and may also perform duties of command in respect of one or more soldiers. The conscripts are primarily employed in operational and training units. Enlisted ranks may be assigned to different branches of service during their career. The law distinguishes between hierarchical levels of conscripts from those of enlisted men on active duty. In particular, it is planned for the military troop the following sequence of ranks:
- Able Spaceman/Tech, which can be achieved by all the military, not before the end of the third month from the incorporation and is conferred by the corps commander;
- Leading Spaceman/Corporal, which cannot be achieved before the age of eighteen months from the incorporation and is conferred by the corps commander;
- Petty Officer/Sergeant, which can only be given to enlisted men on permanent active duty (i.e. after the conscription is ended);
- Petty Officer Ist Class/Sergeant Major;
- Chief Petty Officer/Master Sergeant Major.
Sergeants
In the Imperial Service, Sergeants are non-commissioned officers, who fill a number of roles. The strong backbone of the Imperial Service, Sergeants are in charge of the individual squads, and much of the day-to-day operations falls on their shoulders. These senior enlisted men typically have years of hard-earned combat and leadership experience, and tend to have a better grasp of tactics and the necessities of competent command under fire than many of their superior officers, especially those who have never served in actual combat. It is a wise officer who places his trust in his Sergeants, especially when new to a unit, as the Sergeants typically have the trust and respect of the men under them already.
Due to their role as most senior among enlisted troops, Sergeants in the Imperial Service are expected to lead from the front, and setting a strong example for junior enlisted men and junior officers alike. A good Sergeant can keep a squad together even under the most dire of circumstances, using his command skills, natural gravitas, and the earned trust of his men to quell fear and rally shaken Servicemen under their command.
Although there are three ranks of sergeant, only the lowest carries the title of Petty Officer/Sergeant. Sergeants in the infantry, for example, lead fire teams of four men. There are two fire teams in a 9-man rifle squad, which is led by a Sergeant Major. Drill sergeants are typically addressed as "drill sergeant" regardless of rank, although this term is used depending on post policy.
While more of an appointment than an actual rank, the title of Colour Sergeant is often bestowed upon ground-based Master Sergeants Major as a reward for years of loyal service in the Imperial Service. With the reward comes the responsibility of guarding the ensign or "colours" of the Colour Sergeant's parent Regiment. These sacred flags are carried into battle, and are a key source of the average soldier's morale and pride in his Regiment. The colours carry each regiments battle honours and are the embodiment of a regiment's soul. The loss of colours is not only considered to be bad luck for the regiment, but also a source of great shame, dishonour and an affront to the Emperor. Even dropping or allowing the colours to fall in battle is seen as a disgraceful act, so much so that soldiers are known to willingly lay down their lives in droves so that the colours never touch the ground in the heat of battle. So important are the colours to each individual soldier and the regiment as a whole, only Sergeants with the fiercest fighting reputations and unwavering loyalty to the Emperor are given the appointment of Colour Sergeant.
All ranks beyond the rank of Corporal must go through a series of professional development courses in order to be promotable; promotions beyond Corporal level are not related to service lenght; it is also mandatory to attend training courses in order to keep the gained rank.
Warrant Officers
The category of Warrant Officers have a legal status different from the enlisted men, which they all come from. The Warrant Officers is the stage of evolution of military systems and technological development of the armed forces, acquiring its own military-technical configuration: the category of warrant officers has no autonomous characteristics.
The oath is taken in solemn form, in the presence of the flag and the corps commander and the officers and warrant officers take the oath individually. The warrant officer who takes a command as the head of a service is presented to subordinates in the same way an Officer: the non commissioned officer destined for a unit, command, or a service, is normally presented to its subordinates by his direct superior. The disciplinary sanction of a written reprimand may also be imposed by the Warrant officer commander of a detachment, if he is also granted the powers of unit commander.
Warrant Officers have also certain functional characteristics that distinguish them from Sergeants.
- The tasks of direct collaboration with the officers, or with the direct superiors, with the consequent possibility of replacing them;
- The command of minor complex units;
- The tasks of training, education, supervision and guidance of subordinates;
- The specialized tasks in different fields of duty.
Warrant Officers and Officers cannot be assigned to different branches of service during their career.
Warrant and Commission
The technical difference between a commissioned officer and a warrant officer is that the former has been commissioned by the Emperor, i.e. he is charged with performing their duties of office. A Warrant Officer, by comparison, received a warrant issued by the Emperor authorizing him to perform their duties and not, technically, mandating.
Officers
Officers are the top category of the military personnel: they are the directive element of the Imperial Service, whose typical function is the actual exercise of command. Officers are also entrusted with complementary functions, directive powers in the technical, logistical and administrative support. Officers have the right to be blindly trusted and obeyed by the troops as actual bearers of the "Trascendent Right of Command" of the Emperor.
The role of Officers is operationally characterized by a wide freedom of action. According to the official doctrine, too wordy orders should be avoided in preparation for battle. The commander in chief has to explain in a few words what he wants and needs to allow his commanders to take sides as they see fit. The doctrine provides that the instructions should guide the commander in the process of his self-education, and should be a basic framework on which to build the decisions to be taken in individual autonomy. Therefore, the commonly used method is to impart "mission orders" extremely laced with the only indication of the objectives, the forces available and the time constraints, delegating to the entire chain of command up to the lower platoon commander concerning the manner of performance for each micro-objective. The higher commands only intervene when looming external factors that can not be aware of the subordinate commands This method assumes a spirit of initiative, decision-making autonomy for a great deal different from those assumed operational situations without waiting for orders above, collaboration between executives, mutual trust and high level of professional preparation. The diversity and complexity of military leadership in an organization the size of the Imperial Service requires the allocation of specific-types of tasks to various levels in the military hierarchy. A clear understanding of these responsibilities is essential to permit each leader to discharge his assigned tasks. Such an understanding is also crucial so that each leader can avoid interfering with the accomplishments, responsibilities, and duties of other leaders.
The feudal system of the Time of Isolation made officers the true expression and even identification of the Vor warrior hereditary caste. The traditional Vor officer figure is the faithful liege-man linked to his lord by ties of oaths of allegiance and fidelity. With the development of military science, the acquisition of new instruments of war, such as artillery and especially with the Cetagandan Invasion, the professionalism of the profession of arms was accentuated, and caste and aristocratic features of the officer figure were diminished. The Escobaran War, the Civil War of Vordarian the Pretender and the Regency reforms all represent the definitive watershed between the traditional, warrior and aristocratic conception of the officership and the modern conception of the officer as military commander who builds his fortune and his career exclusively on the battlefield. Nowadays Officers have a large social homogeneity: almost all are of town and a significant majority are of the middle and upper class, and their distinctive feature is their being imbued with the sense of honour and loyalty to the Emperor.
Officers hold almost exclusively the major sanctioning and awarding powers. In addition, only officers can be part of the councils or committees of discipline, formed by the competent military authorities, which express their opinion about the condition, if any military is worthy or not to retain the rank. On the occasion of this particular disciplinary proceedings, moreover, the accused can be defended only by an officer.
Although they have a responsibility positions and an higher pay than the troops, officers do not get compensations granted to the troops: for example, they do not get an uniform maintenance allowance, and they also have to pay for their own meals, whereas the enlisted sailors are fed on board their ships, or if they live ashore (i.e. on planet), are given a basic allowance for subsistence.
From a social point of view, the officers corps is a close-knit caste: most officers begin as student cadets in their early teens in preparatory schools, and essentially grow up together, live together, and know pretty much everything there is to know about their colleagues.
Officers' duties
The officer in the Imperial Services has three primary areas of duty he must fulfil: a duty to the Emperor and to his superiors, a duty to his subordinates, and a duty to himself. All three duties are equally important and the true measure of the successful officer lies in how well he manages to balance them and still meet his responsibilities as outlined above.
An officer’s duty to the Emperor and to his superiors are primarily to the Emperor, and his superiors are mere Emperor's deputies. The duty involves more than simply following orders and showing proper respect as required. The officer must also be ready to offer advice and suggestions if he sees a better of doing things or potential pitfalls in orders and objectives presented to the officer. This duty includes the questioning of any order the officer feels is treacherous, immoral or goes against the overall mission objective. The only time an Officer is free to disobey an order is when the order given is patently unlawful on its face and when it is not issued during a combat. If the Officer feels the need to disobey an order that is not obviously unlawful, he must contact higher headquarters, voice concern and then do as told by the higher headquarters staff.
An officer’s duty to his subordinates is possibly the simplest duty of the three aspects of duty. The duties owed by every officer to those entrusted to his command are to ensure they are trained to proper standards to meet whatever mission they may be given, that they understand their mission objectives and are given the tools to meet that objective. In essence, the duty of an officer to his subordinates is to give them the knowledge, training and tools needed to complete the mission and to survive.
One of the most important responsibilities shared by both Enlisted ranks and officers is the requirement to further the professional development of their subordinates. The execution of this responsibility varies as the officer rotates subordinates among different positions and assigns tasks which are themselves a growth experience; while the NCO participates in the development of subordinates through the actual accomplishment of training and direct supervision of the middle enlisted soldiers in the accomplishment of their tasks. This development is based on the logical requirement for investment in the future of the Service: such investment necessitates the provision to subordinates of opportunities for self-development, under conditions which allow them to learn by doing, without over supervision or the excessive restrictions which results when leaders are so overly fearful of mistakes that they in effect do the subordinate’s duty for him in order to attain higher quality short term results. Development of subordinates also entails the shared Warrant Officers and officer responsibility to set a proper example for subordinates in all aspects of leadership: ethics and self discipline, determination in their approach to mission accomplishment, and demonstrated concern for the dignity and welfare of the subordinate.
A caring and effective officer may very well subjugate his needs and health for the other duties and responsibilities he faces in carrying out his mission. This should be done only if it is the very only method possible, mainly because an officer serves as an example to those under his command.
Officers Ranks
In the Imperial Military Service, there are five ranks below flag/general officers. While rank titles can vary according the individual branch, career progression and duties are substantially identical for all corps.
Ensigns are the most junior of Commissioned Officers. Ensign is placed in the category of subaltern officers (lieutenants and Ensign) and is not associated with any particular level of command: the stay in this rank is, generally, the period of application school attendance, subsequent to the officer schools; however, Ensigns may serve as Flight Controller aboard starships, or operations officer on very small starships. Ensigns also serve in relief or assistant capacities to most other positions. Officers typically spend around 3 years as an Ensign.
The higher rank is Lieutenant. The first level of command corresponds to the rank of Lieutenant: the operational level is variously called the platoon, section, or commands that are called directly by that rank, such as the Lieutenancy, local command of the Imperial Security. If needed, they act also as cashiers.
Officer titles
Beyond the equivalence between space and ground ranks, similar positions have multiple titles: the lowest Commissioned officer rank is called "Ensign" if assigned to Ground forces or to Space forces, but it is called, for example, "Ops Analyst Grade 1" if in the Operations; a Barrayaran space Captain is titled "Orbital-Captain" for a Space Station command slot, or "Executive Officer" for a flagship's commanding officer, and "Sail-Captain" if he's the actual commander of an independent command.
| Insignia | Naval rank | Ground rank |
|---|---|---|
 Orange' |
Admiral Admiral |
General General |
 Yellow |
Vice-Admiral Vice-Admiral |
Lieutenant General Lieutenant General |
 Indigo |
Rear Admiral Rear Admiral |
Major General General Maĭor |
 Amethyst |
Commodore Commodore |
Brigadier General Brigadier General |
 Blue |
Captain Captain |
Colonel Colonel |
 Sangria |
Commander Commander |
Major Major |
 Pale Green |
Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Commander |
Ground-Captain Ground-Captain |
 Red |
Lieutenant Lieutenant |
Lieutenant Lieutenant |
 Pale Blue |
Ensign Ensign |
Ensign Ensign |
Emperor's Own Commission
An Emperor's Own Commission officer is a military officer who has received a commission without the standard prerequisites for achieving a commission, such as the Imperial Military Academy or one of the officer candidate school or officer training school programs.
Civilians who have special skills that are critical to sustaining military and security operations may receive what are called "Emperor's Own Commission". These officers usually occupy leadership positions in the following areas: law, medicine, state security, intelligence and others. Depending on the specialization and duty-status of the officer, officers having an Emperor's Own Commission attend some specific courses.
It is to note that Emperor's Own Commissions are very rare and usually are provided in order to appoint an Emperor's close confident in a responsibility position, and they are not used in order to "civilize" the Imperial Service.
General and Flag officers
A general/flag officer is a commissioned officer in a senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. In the Imperial Military Service, general/flag officers are commissioned officers above the field officer ranks, the highest of which is Captain/Colonel. It is to note that is only the Emperor who chooses and approves and promotions to/for general or flag officers. Therefore, the upper branches are politically encouraged to support the Emperor.
General officer ranks currently used are:
- Brigadier General and Commodore
- Major General and Rear Admiral
- Lieutenant General and Vice Admiral
- General and Admiral
Above these four general officer ranks is Chief of General Staff, but this rank is a positional one, and Commander-in-Chief, reserved for the Emperor or, in case of his minority, for the Regent. Among General ranks, Lieutenant Generals and Generals exercise specific command-and-control functions, senior management, coordination and control of the departments in their employment, with particular regard to those governed by officers with the rank of colonel and general, making sure that the activities are consistently oriented to institutional effectiveness and efficiency. They also ensure through inspections on the implementation of comprehensive guidelines and establish the criteria for the exercise of functions within the office spaces to their dependencies.
Officer rank/command post corrispondence
| Rank | Infantry | Cavalry and Air | Artillery | Space Forces | Imperial Security (Field Organization) | Imperial Security (Central Organization) | Other Noncombatant Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ensign | - | ||||||
| Lieutenant | Platoon | Troop | Section | Small crafts | Lieutenancy | Nucleus | Nucleus |
| Ground Captain/Lieutenant Commander | Company | Squadron | Battery | Minor vessels | Detachment | Unit | Detachment/Unit |
| Major/Commander | Battalion | Squadron Group | Group | Smaller ships-of-the-line | Territorial Command | Section | Section |
| Colonel/Captain (Naval) | Regiment / Imperial Service Station | Major ships-of-the-line | Commands Group | Office | Office | ||
| Brigadier General/Commodore | Brigade / Major Imperial Service Station | Battle Group / Sector | ImpSec Sector | Division | Division | ||
| Major General/Rear Admiral | Division / Imperial Service Base | Task Force / Segment | Major ImpSec Sector | Directorate | Inspectorate / Directorate | ||
| Lieutenant General/Vice Admiral | Corps | Numbered Fleet | Department | Overall Command and higher posts (minor commands) Department (major commands) | |||
| General/Admiral | Field Army and higher posts | Component Fleet and higher posts | Overall Command | Overall Command and higher posts (major commands) | |||
Ensigns are rarely given any leadership position, as they are still very much considered as having to learn the ropes
Officers forms of address
Space-related officers ranking as Rear-Admiral or higher are addressed as "Admiral". An Acting Ensign is addressed as "Ensign", and use of the "Acting" prefix is impolite except in formal communications. Lieutenant Commanders are addressed as "Commander", except in formal communications. Other naval officers and personnel are addressed simply by their literal rank. Commodores arguably could be addressed as "Admiral" and "General", but this is considered highly informal.
Ground-related officers ranking as Brigadier-General or above are verbally addressed as "General" A Lieutenant-Colonel is addressed as "Colonel"; a Ground Captain is addressed as "Captain", except in formal communications. Warrant Officers of first and second class are addressed as "Warrant Officer". Other ground officers and personnel are addressed according to their literal rank.
Occasionally the commander-in-chief of a facility or unit is colloquially addressed as "Commander".
Corps Commander and Unit Commander
The figure of the officer corps commander is particularly important and significant. The corps commander is at the centre of a complex system of formal information, he represents the main military authority.The powers of the corps commander consist of the direct disciplinary operational, organizational and training responsibilities, as well as the responsibility related to conservation of materials supplied and administrative management. Only the corps commander may impose the disciplinary penalty of delivery and only the corps commander can punish minor military crimes trough a disciplinary action.
Also the unit commander has his own importance, especially in the disciplinary matters. The institutional position of the unit commander has almost exclusively internal military importance, with minor powers in the fields of technical, logistical and administrative support.
The operational doctrine provides a method of command and control that is to receive "mission orders" extremely laced with the only indication of the objectives, the forces available and the time limits, delegating to the entire chain of command up to the lower commander platoon or even team how to perform.
The method assumes a great sense of initiative and decision-making autonomy also to cope with different operating conditions from those assumed without waiting for orders above, collaboration between the paintings, mutual trust and high level of professional preparation.
The higher commands only intervene when loomed external factors that could not be aware of the subordinate commands.
Medical officers
Military doctors usually do not hold a commission, unless explicitly stated or they held previous military rank. That means that while they hold the rank for the purpose of pay scale they do not in fact have the authority to order anyone to do anything outside of the authority granted by their position.
Since doctors are relatively rare, those who like the service generally end up getting regular promotions and serving almost as long as they like. Usually only doctors whose posts demand it (i.e. Commander of a major military hospital for example) will ever make general. However, all Barrayaran medicos are versed in combat, because they are required to assist fighting troops and may be involved in a fire or an other combat action.
Ranks restoration and new ranks
Among military policy makers and advisers is ongoing a vivid debate about some innovations to bring in the rank structure. The most famous of these debates is about the restoration of the sixth non-general/flag rank, i.e. about the restoration of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Both opponents and supporters have some strong reasons behind them; however, the Service reality has been showing, since a decade ago, that it is needed someone senior of Majors but junior of Colonels. The exact value (and title) of the rank is also matter of debate, but it is foreseeable that such a similar rank it is to be established in future.
Another debate about commissioned officers is the debate about the establishment of a fifth-level General/Admiral rank. In this case, the challenge is to determine whether the Imperial Service will grow up to the size in which the current Army Group will require a whole new rank in order to be handled without excessive problems. Looking to the current military build-up and the demographic growth, the moment is likely near.