The debate at Halopedia has become rather bitter, so I figured it was time for it to spill over here. Is there anyone here willing to argue that the UNSCDF rank system is not base on the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps rank systems? Here is the info I've collected thus far.

Marine Corps
Private: Halo: The Flood, page 49
Private First Class: Halo: The Flood, page 162
Lance Corporal: Halo: The Flood, page 156
Corporal: Halo: The Flood, page 109
Sergeant: Halo: The Flood, page 107
Staff Sergeant: Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 325
Gunnery Sergeant: Halo: The Flood, page 169
Master Sergeant: Halo: The Flood, page 115
First Sergeant: Unconfirmed
Master Gunnery Sergeant: Halo 2, The Armory
Sergeant Major: Halo 2, The Armory
Warrant Officer: Unconfirmed
Chief Warrant Officer: Unconfirmed
Second Lieutenant: Halo: The Flood, page 108
First Lieutenant: Halo: The Flood, page 58
Captain: Unconfirmed
Major: Halo: The Flood, page 33
Lieutenant Colonel: Unconfirmed
Colonel: Halo: First Strike, page 100
Brigadier General: Unconfirmed
Major General: Halo: First Strike, page 100
Lieutenant General: Unconfirmed
General: Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 160

Navy
Crewman Recruit: Unconfirmed
Crewman Apprentice: Unconfirmed
Crewman: Halo: The Flood, page 21
Petty Officer Third Class: Halo: The Flood, page 209
Petty Officer Second Class: Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 99
Petty Officer First Class: Halo: The Flood, page 208
Chief Petty Officer: Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 99
Senior Chief Petty Officer: Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 67
Master Chief Petty Officer: Halo: The Flood, page 19
Warrant Officer: Halo: First Strike, page 43
Chief Warrant Officer: Unconfirmed
Ensign: Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 159
Lieutenant Junior Grade: Halo: The Fall of Reach
Lieutenant: Halo: The Flood, page 11
Lieutenant Commander: Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 125
Commander: Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 126
Captain: Halo: The Flood, page 1
Rear Admiral Lower: Unconfirmed
Rear Admiral (Upper): Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, page 124
Vice Admiral: Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 159
Admiral: Halo: The Fall of Reach, page 99
Fleet Admiral: Halo: First Strike, page 100

If you have page numbers for any of the ranks currently marked as unconfirmed, please post.

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gunnery sergeant is a german or britsh rank i forgot i heard it on the military chanlle

I don't think that it is/should be based solely on the U.S. Navy or Marine Corp. because its the UNSC=United Nation Space Command, not the United States Space Command.

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Exitus acta probat.

crewman: pg 21, the flood "On the double, crewman," Keyes says it

Gunnery Sergeant is also an American rank.

Yes, but the US system is much more complex than most other nations, and Microsoft, Bungie, and Eric Nylund are all American.

Thankyou newguy

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np also congrats on over 1000 posts

First Strike page 43 for Warrant Officer

its confusing because he has warrant officer for both navy and marine as well as heaps of others

i think that maybe the warrant officer you found is a navy one(ship one) not marine corps.

the navy one has been found pg 43 first strike the marine one hasn't

 

I was going to mention that Nylund is American which would probably influence the book more than another nation, but I was in a rush

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Exitus acta probat.

Which brings me to my next point

Rotaretilbo to Eric Nylund:

I know this sounds a tad petty, but I was wondering if you could confirm for me a ranking system that the UNSC Navy and Marines follow. Thus far, they have both followed the American version to the letter, but there are some who need absolute proof. Thank you

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-Rotaretilbo aka Brandon Rebuga

Eric Nylund to Rotaretilbo:

I used the American system when I wrote the novels; however, there are anomalies like “Lord” Hood. (?)  Bungie will have to explain that one (and they after all have final say on what is canon in their universe).  Hope that helps.

All best wishes,

Eric Nylund

Rotaretilbo to Eric Nylund:

Thank you for the clarification. I always saw Lord Hood as an honorific, similar to how he is Fleet Admiral "Sir" Terrance Hood.

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-Rot

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greg:

gunnery sergeant is a german or britsh rank i forgot i heard it on the military chanlle

Sorry Greg.

Gunnery Sergeant is a USMC rank.

It was Clint Eastwood's rank in "Heartbreak Ridge".

It's the equivalent of Sergeant First Class.

Here's a link to a photo on the USMC web-site.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20051018184255

Later.

newguy2445:

its confusing because he has warrant officer for both navy and marine as well as heaps of others

i think that maybe the warrant officer you found is a navy one(ship one) not marine corps.

the navy one has been found pg 43 first strike the marine one hasn't

 

Sorry, but I can't find my copy of First Strike".

Is that Warrant Officer a pilot, by any chance?

If he is, that would explain why he's a WO.

They're NCM's that started their career as pilots.

Officer pilots had to go to Officer Candidate School before they got their commissions, and then they had to go to flight school, whereas Warrant Officers only had to pass flight school.

As an aside, the Navy does not have Warrant Officers, but the Marines do, as does the Army, and Air Force.

Here's a link to the Army page on Warrant Officer ranks.

http://www.army.mil/symbols/Warrantdescription.html

And one to a photo of a USMC CWO3.

Note the insignia on his collars, it's the same as for the Army.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2005107131536

Later.

Polaski (is a female, but beyond the point) is...how did Eric define this...both a Petty Officer Second Class and a Warrant Officer. He tried to explain this to me, but I didn't fully understand. That was why he accidentally called her a Petty Warrant Officer on page 49 of First Strike.

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Warrant officer is just an honorific for pilot...

That's basically what I got from his email.

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