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Galactic Empire Ranks 101

By: Vance

Published: October 10, 2022 - Last updated: October 24, 2022

The Galactic Empire Military is made up of several different branches, each with
its own unique military or civilian ranks.

Some of these ranks are awarded based on merit, while others are achieved
through favoritism or political maneuvering.

This can include the assassination of your predecessor. 

Below is a detailed list of the ranks that each branch of the Imperial military uses.

Table of Contents [show]

Army Ranks
Let’s start by closely examining the ranking system the Army of the Galactic
Empire uses. We’ll list them from highest rank to lowest. 
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Rank Reports To Type Notable Fun Facts

Examples

Grand General Emperor Direct Cassio Tagge, This person is

Palpatine appointment Ormeddon, supreme
by the Emperor and Kenner commander of
Loring the entire
military and is
higher in rank
than Darth
Vader

Chief Emperor and Direct   This is a title

other Joint appointment that indicated
Chiefs by the Emperor a high-ranking
officer that
served on the
Joint Chiefs
Adviser
cabinet

Major General Joint Chiefs/ Commissioned Cassio Tagge This person is

Emperor officer the leader of
the army

Vice General Major General  Commissioned Adambo  

officer

Brigadier A higher Commissioned Nevar Rank used by

General general officer both Imperial
 and Republic
armies

General Varies Commissioned N/A Used as

officer shorthand for
all types of
general

Colonel Generals Commissioned   Rank first used

officer during the
Clone Wars

Lieutenant Colonel or a Commissioned Erle Hovlinn Each

Colonel General officer Lieutenant
Colonel had
direct control
of 2 battalions
worth of
troops.

Major  Colonel Commissioned Staz Rank was used

officer in nearly every
division of the
Imperial
military

Commander Major Commissioned   Commanders

officer were often in
charge of
specific
military
operations.

Captain Commander Commissioned   This is both a

officer, non- definitive rank
commissioned as well as a
officer, or generalized
civilian term for any
person
commanding a
starship

Lieutenant  Captain Commissioned    

officer

Staff Sergeant Lieutenant  Commissioned   Lowest

officer commissioned
officer rank

First Sergeant Any Non-   This person

commissioned commissioned helps to carry
officer officer out a
commissioned
officer’s orders

Sergeant First Sergeant Non- Myles Grint  

Major or a commissioned
commissioned officer
officer

Sergeant Sergeant Non- Crest Clone Sergeant

Major commissioned was an
 officer equivalent rank
given to clones
during the
Clone Wars

Corporal Sergeant Non- Han Solo This was the

commissioned highest
officer Imperial rank
achieved by
Han Solo
before he was
kicked out of
the Army

Specialist Any other Non- Odeffro Msern, Often given to

officer commissioned Gillen Finders those with
officer specialized
jobs, i.e.,
technicians

Private Any officer Regular soldier   Lowest rank

you could have
in the army

Cadet Any officer Soldier in   Unofficial rank

training given to all
future troops
undergoing
training

The Grand General Of The Imperial Army (Cassio Tagge): Star Wars lore

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 Han Solo - From Smuggler to General | Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures

Navy Ranks
The Imperial Navy, who fought most of their battles in the sky, used a completely
different rank structure than the Imperial Army. Below are the rankings they used
from the highest officer to the lowest recruit. All ranks in the Imperial Navy were
commissioned.

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Star Wars - Cadets Guide To The Imperial Navy - Part 1: Overview

Rank Reports To Type Notable Fun Facts

Examples

Admiral of the Joint Chiefs/ Direct Conan Antonio Conan Antonio

Navy (also Emperor appointment Motti Motti survived
referred to as by the Emperor a Force-choke
Admiral of the by Vader only
Fleet) to later die in
the explosion
 of the Death
Star

Naval Chief Emperor and Direct Tallatz This title

other Joint appointment indicated a
Chiefs by the Emperor high-ranking
officer who
served on the
Joint Chiefs
Advisory
cabinet

Grand Admiral Joint Chiefs/ Direct Thrawn, The Galactic

Emperor appointment  Balanhai Savit, Empire had a
by the Emperor Rae Sloane total of 12
Grand
Admirals
serving at one
time

Fleet Admiral Joint Chiefs/ Commissioned Kendal Ozzel, Kendal Ozzel

Emperor officer  Gallius Rax was famously
Force-Choked
to death by
Vader during
the Battle of
Hoth

Admiral Varies Commissioned N/A Used as

officer shorthand for
all types of
Admiral

Vice Admiral Higher ranked Commissioned Rampart  Rank was also

Admirals officer used in the
Naval
Intelligence
division

Rear Admiral Vice Admiral Commissioned Conan Antonio  

officer Motti and
Kendal Ozzel
before they
were promoted

Sector Admiral ? Commissioned   Little is known

officer about the
exact hierarchy
of this position

Commodore Admirals Commissioned Commodore Commodore

officer Idel, Almudin Idel committed
suicide when
he failed the
Emperor

Line Captain Commodore Commissioned Kendal Ozzel This position

(or Captain of officer when he was held by
the Line) graduated the whoever
naval controlled the
academy  frontline
Flag Captain The Admiral in Commissioned Albus Marinith, Rank was
charge officer Firmus Piett  given to the
individual who
captained the
flagship of an
admiral

Commander A higher officer Commissioned Eli N. Vanto  

officer

Lieutenant Commander Commissioned   Rank is a

Commander officer stepping stone
to full
Commander

Gunnery Commander or Commissioned Bolvan This rank was

Captain Lieutenant officer only available
Commander on select
warships

Chief Gunnery Gunnery Commissioned Hija  

Officer Captain officer

Senior Captain or Commissioned   Was

Lieutenant Commander officer considered a
junior officer
rank

Lieutenant Senior Commissioned   Rank is used in

Lieutenant or officer nearly all
Commander military
divisions

Second  Higher Commissioned Frobb  

Lieutenant lieutenant officer

Junior Higher Commissioned Jams   

Lieutenant lieutenant officer

Warrant Officer Any Commissioned   The lowest

commissioned officer officer rank in
officer the Navy

Ensign Any Commissioned   Lowest rank

commissioned you could
officer enter the
Imperial Navy
at

Cadet First Their Commissioned   Awarded to a

Class Instructor cadet who has
distinguished
themselves

Yeoman Their Commissioned    

Instructor

Cadet Their Commissioned   The most

Instructor basic rank in
the naval
academy
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Star Wars - The Imperial Navy Part 2: Organization

Why Admiral Motti Thought He Could Disrespect Vader Without Consequences! (Legends)

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Starfighter Corps
The Starfighter Corps was technically a division of the Navy, but they used a
slightly different hierarchy that is a mashup of the Navy and Army rankings. Below
are the Imperial Starfighter Corps ranks in order. 

1. Colonel

2. Major

3. Second Lieutenant Commander

4. Senior Lieutenant

5. Lieutenant

6. Flight Officer

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Understanding the Role of Each Imperial Starfighter

Political Ranks
In addition to the dedicated Military rankings, a handful of political-type rankings
were given to those with military training and civilians. Those given these ranks,
even the civilians, had power over elements of the Imperial Military. 

Rank Reports To Type Notable Fun Facts

Examples

Emperor No one Self-appointed Sheev The Emperor is

Palpatine essentially the
commander in
chief of all
military forces

Lord/Apprentic The Emperor Self- Darth Vader Darth Vader

e and Grand appointed/app was not part of
General ointed by the the military but
Emperor could still
command
 entire
battalions

Grand Vizier The Emperor Direct Mas Amedda Lead the

appointment Imperial Ruling
by the Emperor Council

Imperial Grand Vizier Direct Yupe Tashu Senior

Adviser and Emperor appointment Advisers
by the Emperor served on the
Imperial Ruling
Council and
wielded
considerable
power

Grand Moff The Emperor  Direct Wilhuff Tarkin, Tarkin was

appointment  Randd, Lozen appointed as
by the Emperor Tolruck, and the first ever
Valco Pandion Grand Moff

Moff Grand Moff, Direct Jerjerrod Moffs were

Emperor, or appointment essentially
Vader by the Emperor governors over
or an Adviser regions that
displayed
unrest. There
were a total of
20 Moffs. 

Governor Moff, Emperor, Direct Arihnda Pryce, Imperial

and Advisers appointment Ubrik Adelhard Governors
although many were in charge
planetary of maintaining
governors had imperial
their control over
predecessors their planetary
killed system

Lieutenant Governor Direct appoint   Assisted

Governor by governor Governor

Acting Moff Direct   Held the

Governor appointment position of
by the Imperial governor
Palace or a provisionally
Grand Moff until
instruction
could be
completed

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 ···

Other Ranks
There were many other military and pseudo-military institutions within the
Galactic Empire that used a set ranking system. Below are some of these groups. 

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Inquisitorius 
Origin of the Inquisitors | Jedi Hunters of the Galactic Empire

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 ···

These Force-sensitives trained in the dark side of the Force were in charge of
hunting down errant Jedi and kidnapping young Force-Sensitives. They could take
direct control of any military forces and reported only to Vader and the Emperor. 

Their ranks included Grand Inquisitor, who was in charge of all 12 Inquisitors, and
Brother/Sister, the title used among the male and female inquisitors, respectively. 

Inspectorate
This division was in charge of special investigations within the Galactic Empire.
One unfortunate Inspector uncovered Vader’s plot to overthrow the Emperor and
was subsequently killed by Vader. 

The ranking system the Inspectorate used is as follows:

Captain-Inspector

Lieutenant-Inspector

Inspector

Empire Officer: Inspector Thanoth - Imperial Inspectorate - Star Wars Imperial Lore Explained

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Imperial Intelligence
The Imperial Intelligence Services used a wide variety of rankings. As they were
originally 5 different institutions that merged, members of Military Intelligence
(MI) used navy rankings, army rankings, and even civilian rankings such as
Director. 

The leadership of the MI was the mysterious Ubiqtorate whose identities and
rankings are unknown. 

Imperial Security Bureau (ISB)

This was the law enforcement branch of the Galactic Empire, and they focused on
matters of state security, i.e., treason.

Their rankings followed the Army style, except that the top two ranked individuals
of the ISB were a Bureau Chief followed by the Deputy Director. 

ISB vs Imperial Intelligence What's the Difference?

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Imperial Academy
The various Imperial Academies scattered across the Stars Wars universe
primarily used the rankings for cadets and training officers that belonged to the
branch they served. For example, an Army school would use Army rankings. 

The exception is the rank of the leader of each academy. These academy leaders
were given the special rank of Commandant. 

Battle Station Operations

This division was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the First and
Second Death Star. Those that served in the BSO used an independent ranking
system as many members were technicians or engineers. 
 The whole BSO fell under the command of whichever Admiral or Moff was in
charge of the station.

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