There are, as of the current time period, four branches to the Federation armed forces: The Aerospace Corps, the Planetfall Corps, the Planetside Defense Force, and the Peacekeepers. They also have an unofficial fifth branch in the form of the State Intelligence Control and Dispersal, which works closely with the military for economic and electronic warfare.
- Aerospace Corps: The branch devoted to all operations in the air and in the void. Technically speaking, all Frames are part of the Aerospace Corps - even those involved in ground combat. All combat starships and planes are owned by this Corps, working closely with the Planetfall Corps during invasions and operations in enemy territory. They make use of US Air Force rankings, but have 'Admirals' instead of Generals. The Aces (Autonomous Critical Engagement Service, although whether the name came first or the acronym is debatable) are a subsection of this branch. They operate semi-independently from the rest of the military, but are still expected to obey orders and use their best judgement in combat.
- A note on the Aces: Just getting five kills is not the only criteria for joining the Aces as a unit. The pilot must show skill beyond the average, with a good head for combat and psychological profiling; due to their inherently special-ops nature, the Aces need to be reliably competant in their missions. As such there are a number of Aces who transfer from fleet to fleet, keeping their eyes open for any potential recruits - these individuals are often colloquially known as 'Talent Scouts'. It's even possible for a new recruit to be taken by the Aces, although this has only happened once or twice.
- Planetary Assault Corps: The branch devoted to all operations on hostile planets and stations. While it is mainly infantry and mechanized warfare, it also controls all of the troopships, transport cruisers and dropships used by the Federation in invasions. They are the ones dropped onto enemy worlds to take out surface-to-orbit weaponry, to take cities and destroy factories; in operation they fight half like a traditional army and half like a terrorist force, depending on the location. This also includes boarding operations, meaning that almost every Aerospace Corps ship has at least a squad of Planetfall men stationed aboard. They use US Army rankings.
- PDF: The flipside of the Assault Corps, the Planetside Defense Force is the military branch devoted to the protection and defense of Federation planets. They're composed of infantry, mechanized units, helicopters and similar terrestrial technology, relying on the Aerospace Corps for air support. They are the only force, however, trained and authorized to make use of surface-to-orbit weaponry, and occasionally their engineers are deployed alongside Planetfall Corps to make use of enemy gun emplacements. Use the same rankings at the Planetfall Corps. What remains of the terrestrial navy also falls under this branch, but that is primarily restricted to submarine warfare and the like.
- Peacekeepers: A militarized police force on the decline. Often called Linebacks due to their uniform (A black outfit with a single white line encircling them diagonally), they have changed greatly over the years. Initially they were the only police, deployed on every planet, but as government funds have been siphoned away and diverted to the war effort they have often fallen away in favor of private security firms - The megacorps like when they own the police. Currently they serve as a more elite police - Suppressing riots, raiding powerful criminals, and most importantly working alongside SICanD to crack down on corruption. Use ranks similar to police forces.
- SICanD: A somewhat unusual addition to this list; SICanD isn't military at all, officially. But the State Information Control and Dispersal center works closely with the military in almost every way, relying on Peacekeepers for muscle and often hitchhiking on starships belonging to the other branches. More or less a hybrid spy agency / propaganda center / criminal science division, SICanD is either romanticized or feared depending on the world and individual. What's not debated is that they seek out corruption and enemy infiltration, no matter where they hide. They don't have ranks... That are public, anyways.
As such, the rankings:
- AEROSPACE
- Airman / Spaceman / Pilot / Gunner
- Airman / etc First Class
- Staff Sergeant
- Technical Sergeant
- Master Sergeant
- 2nd Lieutenant
- Lieutenant
- Lieutenant Commander
- Commander
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Colonel
- Captain (Commands a ship)
- Rear Admiral (Commands a large ship or a patrol group)
- Vice Admiral (Commands a Battle Group)
- Fleet Admiral (Commands a fleet)
- ASSAULT / PDF
- Private
- Private First Class
- Specialist
- Corporal
- Sergeant
- Staff Sergeant
- Master Sergeant
- Sergeant Major
- Warrant Officer
- Lieutenant
- Captain
- Major
- Lieutenant Colonel
- Colonel
- Brigadier General
- Major General
- Lieutenant General
- General
- PEACEKEEPERS
- Deputy
- Officer
- Lieutenant
- Captain
- Deputy Inspector
- Inspector
- Deputy Commissioner
- Commissioner