Battlestar Galactica - Colonial ranks

[Azgulor]

Could someone please explain to me how Lee Adama went from being promoted to Commander (senior officer of the Pegaus) to being reduced back in rank to Major now that he's CAG on Galactica again?

I don't think I've missed an episode and I sure don't remember them addressing that. Barring a court martial, why the reduction in rank?

(I'm still trying to figure out why Lee Adama was promoted several ranks to Commander, bypassing Colonel Tigh in the process, but I can rationalize that away as Admiral Adama believing Lee would make a better commander of Pegasus than Tigh. Funny though, that Tigh, who gets pissed off at the drop of a hat, had no problems with Lee passing him by.)

Azgulor

 

[Mark CMG]

Tigh doesn't want the big chair.


Seemingly, there can be only one person with the rank of Commander and one with the rank of Colonel on any given (war) ship.

 

[Harmon]

Not exactly sure on the ranking system, but I think it you really can't look at the Earth's ranking system and do much comparing to the BSG universe.

Near as I can tell it goes-
Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Colonel
Lieutenant Commander
Commander
Admiral

Tigh had just screwed the pouch on the command of the Galactica and going all "military in charge now," on the fleet, so he might have understood- 'I suck at this being the boss thing, but I make a good XO,' and knew that Le would make a great leader like his old man.

 

[Azgulor]

Well, those opinions may be able to explain away Tigh, but why the hell did Lee get demoted?

Azgulor

 

[Agamon]

He no longer has a ship to command. Thus, he's no longer a commander.

 

[Joker]

I'm pretty sure he still holds the rank of major as I can recall him being called that several times in recent episodes since he became the Captain of the Air Group again.

Not that it really matters. The people on Galactica are the most disobediant and undisciplined soldiers I've ever seen on TV and only seem to follow orders and work together out of the deep respect that have for those in charge. Not for any rank they might hold.

Not that that really matters of course, as long as they get the job done and make for good TV.

 

[Joker]

Ranks in Galactica are so confusing because people get promoted and demoted at the drop of a hat.

Which would explain Aaron Dougles' blooper from BSG's Season three gagreel. (Not grandma Friendly language BTW)

Admrl Adama: "So, chief, I hear one of the planes is down."
Tyrol: "Yeah, I'll get to it after the fight Commander...or Admiral or whatever the fk you are now.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

First, it was likely a brevet (temporary) promotion ... when Lee lost Pegasus, he returned to his permanent rank (Major) and resumed duties as Commander of the Air Group (CAG -- a bit of a silly term in space terms).

Second, just as on Navy ships, there's only one Captain, no matter if there are multiple O6's aboard ... Commander may work like that.

Third -- Tigh clearly isn't the best choice; if you're going to make a new Commander, pick someone suitable. Tigh is a great #2 man; not the best point man. And Lee is probably better used as a direct combat leader than as the #2. staff guy, and damage control lead (XO).

Best I can tell, Colonial officer ranks are:

Lieutenant
Captain
Major
Colonel
Commander (*could be a title rather than rank, but not likely)
Admiral

Plus: Never expect military accuracy from TV. Even the best movies/TV shows screw up simple stuff -- and since this is Sci Fi, it doesn't really matter, does it?

 

[Volaran]

The Battlestar Wiki has a good article on this:
http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Military_Ranks_(RDM)

And a nice related one on the uniforms:
http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Uniforms_(RDM)

Also, to copy a bit from the Ronald D Moore entry there:

"What is the rank structure? It doesn't seem consistant with the Navy." "The rank structure is derived from the original series. I didn't want to change Commander Adama to Captain Adama or Colonel Tigh to Commander Tigh, so I elected to simply embrace the co-mingled nature of the original rank structure. For our internal purposes, we've decided that the ranks are indeed a mixture of naval and army nomenclature and are basically as follows: Officers:

* Admiral
* Commander
* Colonel
* Major
* Captain
* Lieutenant
* Lieutenant (junior grade)
* Ensign

Enlisted:

* Master Chief Petty Officer
* Chief Petty Officer
* Petty Officer (1st, 2nd Class)
* Specialist
* Deck Hand
* Recruit

Just to complicate matters further, there are also Marines aboard Galactica which conform more closely to the traditional enlisted Marine ranks, with Sergeants, Sergeant-Majors, etc. Unresolved is the question of whether the Marine officers would also adhere to the mixed rank structure (which sounds odd) or if they are strictly army equivalents (which makes no sense given that the "Navy" ranks seem oblivious to there being any such distinction). Aren't you glad you asked?

A few personal notes as well. The duties of a Commander seem to blur the lines between a captain and a flag officer, which might make them the rough equivilent of a Commodore as I think of it. Admiral Cain commanded the Pegasus directly, and it seems implied that there were colonial military vessles that weren't battlestars, so it is possible that a Commander might lead a Battlestar Group.

As for Lee, I tend to agree that his promotion to Commander was a brevet rank increase. As has been stated, Tigh is good in a miliary crisis (Cyclons on Galactica, New Caprica Resistance), but not good as a command officer in many other situations, especially since the military leader of the fleet certainly has a pronounced political bent.

It is also interesting to note (gleaned also from the Battlestar Wiki http://en.battlestarwiki.org/wiki/Hero) that at the end of Hero, when Adama tries to resign, the letter apparently names Lee Adama as his successor.