Department of the Navy

Imperial Navy of the Dominion of the Cev Empire, officially the Department of the Navy, was the deep-space exploratory and defense service maintained by the Imperial Dominion of the Cev Empire. Its principal functions included the advancement of Imperial knowledge about the universe and its inhabitants, the advancement of Imperial science and technology, the military defense of the Empire, and the practice of Imperial diplomacy.

Organization
Direct commanding authority over the Imperial Navy was a power of the Imperial Monarch. In addition, the Imperial Senate, the Empire's legislature, often directly influenced the service's operations and even issued orders on occasion, through Defense Command and the Secretary of Defense. The day-to-day operations of the service were managed by Naval Fleet Command, under the Admiral of the Imperial Fleet.

Admiral of the Imperial Fleet
The Admiral oversaw the operations of the entire service, and reported directly to the Monarch.

Naval Fleet Command
This was the service's operational authority. Senior positions included the Admiral of the Imperial Fleet, the Chief of Staff and the Chief of Naval Operations.

Sector Command
These oversaw operations of the service within sectors of Dominion space. Sector Commanders reported to Naval Fleet Command, and commanding officers of service vessels operating within these sectors reported to them.

Joint Naval Academy
The Joint Naval Academy was a facility maintained by the service for the training of its officers. Prospective officers received extensive training at this facility, for a period of four years. Successful graduates were commissioned as Imperial naval officers.

Branches and Agencies
There were a number of branches and agencies that assisted Naval Fleet Command in the running of the service.

Imperial Marine Corps
The Imperial Marine Corps is made up of sixteen companies commanded by the Warmaster.

Personnel
Naval personnel were organized, using a military rank structure, into a chain of command. Personnel were in one of three groups: Flag Officers, Senior Officers, or Junior Officers. Graduates of the Joint Naval Academy were commissioned to the rank of Ensign, the most junior senior officers rank, and were promoted to higher ranks over the courses of their time in the service.

Flag Officers
Flag Officers functioned at the highest levels of command in the service. Flag officer ranks, in descending order of the chain of command, are as follows:
 * Admiral of the Imperial Fleet (Fleet Admiral)
 * High Admiral
 * Admiral
 * Vice Admiral
 * Rear Admiral

Sector Commanders, the Director of the Joint Naval Academy, the Naval Chief of Staff and the Chief of Naval Operations were all flag officers.

Senior Officers
Below flag officer ranks were senior officer ranks. Officers holding these ranks usually served in field command positions, such as commanding officers and senior staff on the service's vessels. These ranks, in descending order of the chain of command, were as follows:
 * Captain
 * Colonel
 * Commander
 * Major
 * Lieutenant
 * Ensign

Junior Officers
Junior Officers are the backbone of the service filling the spaces that Terran traditions would assign to enlisted personnel. These ranks, in descending order of the chain of command, were as follows:
 * First Sergeant
 * Master Sergeant
 * Sergeant
 * Master Chief Warrant Officer
 * Chief Warrant Officer
 * Warrant Officer

Fleet
A Fleet is made up of twelve Sector Forces, and normally lead by a High Admiral.

Sector Force
A Sector Force is made up of ten Battlegroups, and normally lead by an Admiral.

Battlegroup
A Battlegroup is made up of eight Task Forces, and normally lead by an Vice Admiral.

Task Force
A Task Force is made up of twenty Squadrons, and normally lead by an Rear Admiral.

Squadron
A Squadron is made up of two hundred warships, and normally lead by an Rear Admiral.

Patrol
Normally a patrol is made up of a Light Cruiser/Heavy Frigate escorted by several lighter ships up to six, commanded by a Commodore.