Military Ranks (RDM)

BSG Military Rankings	U.S. Navy Equivalent	U.S. Army / Air Force Equivalent	BSG Examples
FLAG OFFICERS
Admiral	Fleet Admiral [O-11]	N/A	(Nagala (see Note #2))
Admiral	Admiral [O-10]	General (****)	Nagala (see Note #2)
Commander	Vice Admiral [O-9]	Lt. General (***)	(William Adama (see Note #3))
Commander	Rear Adm.(Up) [O-8]	Major General (**)	William Adama (see Note #3)
Unknown	Rear Adm.(Low) (O-7]	Brigadier General (*)
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Colonel	Captain (O-6)	Colonel	Colonel Tigh (see Note #4)
Commander Air Group	Commander (O-5)	Lt. Colonel	Lee Adama (see Note #5)
Major	Lt. Commander (0-4)	Major	Dr. Cottle (see Note #7)
Captain	Lt. Commander (O-4)	Major	(Lee Adama (see Note #5))
Lieutenant	Lieutenant (O-3)	Captain	Gaeta / Kara Thrace
Lieutenant (j.g.)	Lieutenant (j.g.) [O-2]	1st Lieutenant	Karl C. Agathon
Ensign	Ensign (O-1)	2nd Lieutenant	Davis
ENLISTED RANKS
Petty Officer	Senior Chief Petty Officer [E-8]	Master Sergeant / Senior Master Sergeant	CPO Tyrol
Sergeant	Chief Petty Officer [E-7]	Sergeant (!st Class) / Master Sergeant	Sergeant Hadrian
Petty Officer 2nd	Petty Officer 1st Class (E-6)	Staff Sergeant / Technical Sergeant	Dualla
Specialist	Petty Officer 2nd Class [E-5]	Sergeant / Staff Sergeant	Unknown
Specialist	Petty Officer 3rd Class (E-4)	Corporal / Senior Airman	Cally (assumed)
Specialist	Seaman (E-3)	Private 1st Class / Airman 1st Class	Socinus (assumed)
Deckhand	Seaman Apprentice (E-2)	Private / Airman	Prosna (assumed)

Notes

1. This listing has been compiled using current FAS rank comparison charts for US military ranks, and contrasting these ranks with the specific roles performed by individuals within the new series.
2. Admiral: It is assumed that Nagala's given rank of Admiral (Mini-Series) equates to that of Admiral in the US Navy. However, when he took personal command of the Colonial Fleet following the Cylon Attack (Mini-Series), it is assumed he adopted the (war time) role of Fleet Admiral.
3. Commander: The rank of Commander is somwhat unclear, and may in fact cover several rank positions within the Colonial Fleet.
   1. Given Adama's apparent seniority (his ability to assume full command of the fleet on hearing of the death of Nagala) it could be argued has been equated to that of Vice-Admiral - thus making him senior enough to take over the role of Fleet Admiral without objection from other Battlestar commanders.
   2. However, given he is the commanding officer of a vessel, it could also be argued that Adama's rank equates to that of a U.S. Navy Captain.
   3. Equally, Adama's rank could easily equate to that of Rear Admiral on the grounds that he was potentially the commander of the 75th Battlestar Group (assuming the Galactica was the flag ship for BSG 75). For the purposes of this rank table, therefore, it is assumed that "Commander" encompasses both the flag and commanding officer roles, giving Adama an equivalent rank of Rear Admiral (upper).
4. Colonel: The rank of Colonel is highly speculative. Colonel Tigh is referred to as Galactica's Executive Officer - which would nominally place him on a par with the US Navy rank of Commander or Captain (the latter being more likely, given the role of the Galactica as a capital ship). However, it might be argued the rank of Colonial Colonel might equate to that of a Rear Admiral (lower), alothugh this would severely limit the available range of ranks actually able to command Colonial warships.
5. CAG & Captain: An Air Group Commander would normally be placed at an equivalent rank of Colonel, with a Squadron Leader normally slotting into both the Lt. Colonel and Major-equivalent roles in the US Army. However, it is assumed that as CAG is nominally a title rather than rank, the position would normally be filled by a pilot with a rank of Captain (as with Lee Adama), who is then awarded an equivalent seniority within that rank (thus giveing the CAG the seniority of a Lt. Colonel, while still retaining the rank of Captain).
6. Enlisted Ranks: The enlisted ranks have been assigned on the basis of individual roles performed. For excample: Chief Tyrol's role equates to that of a Senior CPO (and borders that of a MAster CPO in some respects); while the role of the Master-at-Arms is generally awarded to a Chief Petty Officer (or possibly a Senior Chief Petty Officer), hence aligning Sergeant Hadrian with the rank of CPO.
7. Major: The rank of Major, such as (and in particular) the rank of Galactica's CMO Cottle, was given in "Bastille Day". There have been no indications as to whether or not Cottle outranks Lee Adama, or vice versa.

--Colonial Archivist 06:40, 11 Feb 2005 (EST)