What is up with the Ranks?

Question

I was doing a project on the Military for School, and I came across the Rank structures of each branch, the Army and the Marines are mostly the same, with just a few differences, but the Air Force seems to be the complete opposite, and the Navy and Coast Guard are the same, but completely different than any thing else. Why is that?

I mean aren't the Marines part of the Navy, and didn't the Air Force used to be part of the Army Air Corps?

Then the Navy's officer ranks all look the same as the rest of the branches, but have different names. If we are a united Military, why aren't our Ranks?

Answer 1

Okay, I think the biggest problem, is that you want it to make sense. Which, if you follow any sort of Military History, it never will.

The Army and the Marines are very similar, and do make the most sense, it is very obvious how important you are based upon how big your rank is, for the most part. The only really stupid thing about the Army’s is that ugly Specialist Rank; it makes no sense, and doesn’t follow the general pattern of the standardized rank structure.

Then the Air Force, yes they were part of the Army at one time, but decided that there was no good reason for them to do Army Style Jobs (Dirty Work, you know, not sleeping, lifting heavy things, getting shot at), so they went and made themselves as different as possible, by turning the Rank upside down, and making it blue. They needed a way to put themselves apart from there older Brother (The Army), you know like Jan Brady did when she wore that Black Afro Wig, so people would remember her, and not as Marsha’s little sister. It was just to be different, besides, I guess if I was in a Fire Fight, I would like to know if the person next to me was going to fight, or take flight.

Next, the Navy, years upon years of tradition, that just looks stupid, and is almost impossible to make any sense of, it is like they are in there own secret club, I won’t make a bunch of swab the deck, or hoist the mast jokes here, but just say that the rank is stupid.

Coast Guard, not a Military Branch, don’t forget that.

And the Navy’s Officers vs. Everyone Else, once again, just to be different, and yes it would be stupid to have an Admiral in the Marines, but I think having the rank Admiral is a dumb idea anyway. Stupid Navy.

CPL / US ARMY

Answer 2

They all have different traditions. The Marine Corps was never the same as the Navy, they served as boarding parties on ships and as the men who would land on an island, thus they did not serve as sailors, but as a unique breed, more like soldiers (Army) than sailors. Traditionally, Marines since their ealriest times have fought alongside armies, so they shaer many traidtions, like rank sturcture.
The Navy took most of its traditions from the Royal Navy, that's Britain's Navy. The Coast Guard took it from the Navy. The Navy has always been very distinct from countries' land forces and have developed their ownstructure that suits their mission.

Answer 3

Army, AF, and Marines all use the exact same Officer Ranks.

The Navy uses the same symbol, but calls them different. Like a Captain in the Navy is equivalent to an Army Col (O-6). Where as a Captain in the Army is only an O-3.

The Army, AF, and Marines pretty much call their SGTs the same. A little different in each, but they are all like that Army's. ( I say Army, because it's the most basic one)

The way the ranks look is trivial. The AF's is almost exactly like the Army and Marines but their's is upside down.

Answer 4

this comming from a navy guy. the basic part of the rank structure is all identical. and so is the pay for all branches. there is NO difference in basic pay. The only difference is in the name of the particular rank. it looks odd.. but its mainly cause all of us are seperate from each other. with the exception of the fact that marines are a part of the navy. but you wont be able to find a marine who would admit it. so that is why they call there ranks something different.

Answer 5

All the branches of the military have long histories and traditions that account for their unique rank structures - except for the Air Force which refuses to stick with anything long enough for it to become an established tradition.

Answer 6

I thoroughly accept as true with you, even with the actual undeniable actuality that i imagine that's no longer in straightforward words an unfair income that USC replaced into ranked #a million, yet i imagine that's unfair to at least one yet another crew to boot. Preseason score are not any more beneficial than the pollsters guessing who they imagine could have a sturdy crew the upcoming 365 days. that's extra of a acceptance contest than any actual score device. till branch 1A football has a playoff, there'll continuously be a debate on who's the "genuine" nationwide Champion.

Answer 7

the setup up of the ranks are from long traditions the u.s. military took its ranks from the british military then changed it over time the only ranks that have not changed much are the navy and marines

Answer 8

1.) There is always competition between branches.

2.) it would be stupid for there to be an admiral in the Marines, it just doesn't make sense

Answer 9

Because the General eats in the private mess, and the private eats in the General mess. Seriously, it is tradition. If you want uniformity, move to Canada.