Ranks

Well if it's stupid now, then why aren't they changing it now?

Our rank structure has changed mainly because our military got larger. The first Commandant of the Marine Corps was a Captain (1775). But that doesn't mean that Generals didn't exist in the world, and that Lt. Generals didn't have one more star than Major Generals.
 
Originally posted by Ridgerunner
Well if it's stupid now, then why aren't they changing it now?
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Because nobody wants to... it doesn't mean someone couldn't do it in 600 years... I'm not quite sure what you're actually trying to argue... Also, you'll notice I didn't say I thought it was stupid, nor that it is stupid. I couldn't care less what ranks the military decides to use, personally. Calling someone an Captain instead of a Lt. or a Sgt. instead of a Colonel doesn't matter as long as the actual organizational structure works.

Our rank structure has changed mainly because our military got larger. The first Commandant of the Marine Corps was a Captain (1775). But that doesn't mean that Generals didn't exist in the world, and that Lt. Generals didn't have one more star than Major Generals.
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And that doesn't mean that roles can't change... When the highest rank in the US Navy was captain it wasn't because they didn't need flag ranks, they just didn't want to call them that. They had captains that filled odd roles and then got renamed when they decided they didn't mind the whole Admiral thing after all. It was just a matter of renaming things. Suddenly the rank of Captain meant something else. Someone could quite easily just decide that the Wing Commander way made sense and just change what the ranks mean.
 
Originally posted by Ridgerunner
Yeah, our rank structure isn't a copy of the Brits' or anything.
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Not really...actually....we use English terms yes, but if you look at them the ranks are in fact different...

Take a look at this site...it compares the RN, USN, USA, RA, RAF, USAF, RMC and USMC...

http://www.helsinki.fi/~degroot/anglomil.html

It's certaintly possible for the rank to have changed around alittle a bit....it's actually surprising how little it changed....
 
We now turn to the future. The year, is 2202. The United States has finally got off it's lazy butt and stopped marking time in the space program and set up a moon base and a Mars colony. Civilian space travel has exploded as entrepeneurs and pirates go for the gusto. As result, the U.S. Air Force is renamed U.S. Aerospace Force, and given enforcement duties. The invasion by Canada and it's tank is still a few years in the future....

The Secretary of Defense is looking over the new military organizations and structures, and issues the following directive:

Secretary of Defense 19 June 2202
The Pentagon
Wash. DC
USA, Earth


From: Secretary Of Defense
To: The Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff

It has come to my attention that Majors outrank Lieutenants. So as not to confuse the civilian population, the following changes to the rank structure are to take effect immediately.

There are to be no changes to the Navy designations at this time.

The Army, Marine Corps, and Aerospace Force two star general rank will be redesignated Lieutenant General. The three star rank will be redesignated Major general.

The Field Grade designations will not be changed at this time, but are being studied for any impact on civilian self esteem.

The Company Grade rank O-3 will be redesignated Lieutenant First Class to avoid any confusion with the Navy rank of Captain, which is considerably higher.

Secretary of Defense
Ronald Dumsfeldt



Now in the event that anyone doubts the above, my time machine is on display at Exotic Car World in Irving, Texas. Check ExoticCarWorld.com.
 
But we're not talking about the United States one day deciding their ranks should change. We're talking about a system changing at some point in the next six hundred years after going through multiple world governments, expanding to space and uniting with six-or-so completely alien cultures.
 
Right. The argument that since Majors outrank Lieutenants the General ranks should be re-designated makes perfect sense.
 
Hey! I got promoted! HAHAHA! The power! The absolute power! The universe is mine! To control! To dominate! To... oops! HeHe. Sorry. Don't mind me.
 
Originally posted by Ridgerunner



It has come to my attention that Majors outrank Lieutenants. So as not to confuse the civilian population, the following changes to the rank structure are to take effect immediately.
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But....Majors outrank Lieutenants NOW....it seems they finally figured out at some point in the 600 year span that since Majors outrank Lieutenants, they should make it so that Major Generals outrank Lieutenant Generals....

I dunno, but to me it makes perfect sense....
 
Originally posted by Ladiesman^


But....Majors outrank Lieutenants NOW....it seems they finally figured out at some point in the 600 year span that since Majors outrank Lieutenants, they should make it so that Major Generals outrank Lieutenant Generals....

I dunno, but to me it makes perfect sense....
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I know. The whole point was to not confuse the civilian population. You must have missed the part about the Captains.
 
Yes, except nobody's talking about your rather pointless post. The concept is as follows:

  • Maj. Gen. is, in the modern US armed forces, ranked lower than Lt. Gen.
  • In the 27th century, Lt. Gen. is lower than Maj. Gen.
Therefore, in the next 600-odd years, Lt. Gen. and Maj. Gen. change for some reason.

That is all.

Any point that you're trying to make to the contrary, isn't clear at all.
 
The point is, that the directive states when and the specific reason why the change was made. Your arguments are that sometime in the next 600 years, for some vague reason that you can only guess at, the designations were changed just because.

The point is, you think your vague just because reason is O.K., but a specific one is not O.K.

I think that the directive should be put in the timeline, because it is the only reason in existance why an asinine change in the rank structure was made. It's an excellent example of what happens when rock painters get in a position of authority.
 
Originally posted by Ridgerunner
The point is, that the directive states when and the specific reason why the change was made. Your arguments are that sometime in the next 600 years, for some vague reason that you can only guess at, the designations were changed just because.

The point is, you think your vague just because reason is O.K., but a specific one is not O.K.

I think that the directive should be put in the timeline, because it is the only reason in existance why an asinine change in the rank structure was made. It's an excellent example of what happens when rock painters get in a position of authority.
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Um...nobody here's just puts things in the timeline....it doesn't work like that....

Anyway, your simply not getting the point that there may have been NO REASON AT ALL to change, but REALLY DID JUST HAPPEN...there are hundreds of militaries right now, each with their own ranking structure. At some point, these militaries merged into one uber-military. This new military does NOT have to be the same as the US military....it just so happens that MOST of the ranks are similar. That DOES NOT MEAN they have to be exactly the same. Over 600 years time, it is possible that it simply did just change...FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN SIMPLY MERGING WITH OTHER MILITARIES, or something of the sort.
 
Originally posted by Ridgerunner
The point is, that the directive states when and the specific reason why the change was made. Your arguments are that sometime in the next 600 years, for some vague reason that you can only guess at, the designations were changed just because.

The point is, you think your vague just because reason is O.K., but a specific one is not O.K.
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Yes, basically... We know that the ranking system is different. Therefore something changed. We do not know why, when, or how. You can't just make random stuff up and say it happened.

I think that the directive should be put in the timeline, because it is the only reason in existance why an asinine change in the rank structure was made. It's an excellent example of what happens when rock painters get in a position of authority.
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Except you can't just go and add things to Wing Commander continuity. Because you make something up doesn't mean it happened in the universe. You can make up as much fan fiction as you want, it doesn't make it Wing Commander :)
 
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