The raw recruits, those volunteering for duty and those drafted on their 16th birthdays, begin military life as Privates (PRV).  The symbol of their rank is called the Narrow Arrow (or, sometimes, the Blunt Point), represented by an arrow with a single black line dividing it.  Privates through the rank of sergeant wear their insignia on the shoulder of the uniform.  Narrow Arrows and other types of insignia stitched to uniforms are usually Steiner Blue against a black rectangle.  the colors are reversed for dress uniforms.

After about six months, the young soldier is promoted to Private First Class (PFC).  This signifies a degree of practical experience as well as the completion of any advanced training.  The symbol of this rank is called a Half Hunter's Point.

The next rank up, and the beginning of a soldier's introduction to leadership, is Corporal (CP).  The symbol is the full Hunter's Point, the razor-edge tip of the arrow that bow-hunters sometimes use in big game hunts.

The next advance in position is to the rank of Senior Corporal (SCP).  With it comes increased responsibilities and the beginning of intensive leadership training under the tutelage of a veteran Sergeant (SG) who tries to teach the critical importance of quick reactions.  The insignia of Senior Corporal is the Hunter's Point with a black triangle in its center.

The five grades of Sergeant (SG) form the backbone of the Commonwealth military.  These are the noncommissioned officers, experienced in leading men and fighting battles.  The unsung heroes of war, Sergeants are the glue that binds troops together and they also serve as the crucial link between officers and the common grunt.  Academy trained Mechwarriors usually start their career as Sergeants.  In the Steiner military, the rank symbol of Sergeant is the Hunter's Point with a single black circle in its center.

The next rank up is the Staff Sergeant (SSG).  Staff Sergeants typically have at least five years' experience in the military.  As a sign of his rank, he wears what is known as the Spear Point.  A large, downward-pointing triangle, it contains two other triangles, one fitting inside the other.  Both smaller triangles share a common edge along the upper side of the insignia.  Staff Sergeant officers up through Hauptmann-Kommandant rank wear their insignia on the upper arms of their uniform and a blue stripe down the outside of their trouser pants leg.

The next rank up, a Sergeant Major (SGM), is the highest NCO normally found on the battlefield.  Sergeant Majors form the bulk of instructors in the LAAF boot camps and oversee the first few weeks of training in many academies.  The Sergeant Major wears a short horizontal bar added above his Spear Point insignia.

The Staff Sergeant Major's (SSGM) Spear Point has two horizontal bars added above his Spear Point.  The Staff Sergeant Majors are battalion NCOs and usually have administrative rather than combative duties.  They are charged with ensuring the smooth running of the battalion, maintaining both order and morale.  They also serve as a conduit between the officers and enlisted troops, being respected by both groups for their experience.

Senior Sergeant Major (SenSGM) is the highest rank a noncommissioned officer can achieve in the Steiner military.  Only those soldiers who make a career of the military can advance from Private up to the rank of Senior Sergeant Major.  Most have at least 20 years of service with the military and are entitled to wear service braids on their dress uniform.  There is usually one Senior Sergeant Major per regiment, and his responsibility is to ensure the discipline and well-being of all recruits and other noncommissioned officers.  His rank insignia is known as the Tharkad Spear Point, and shows his special importance.  This insignia is similar to the Staff Sergeant Major's, with two horizontal bars added above the spear point.  It also includes an additional gold triangle across its center, which is the Tharkad Spear Point.

Warrant Officer (WO) is the lowest technical grade in the LAAF, comprising the technicians, engineers and computer operators found in every unit.  Their insignia is a blue and black Fletching bar.

Warrant Officer First Class (WO1) denotes a high degree of competence and seniority.  Personnel with this rank often command work details.  Their insignia is two Fletching bars.

Senior Warrant Officers (SWO) often command the technical detachments of a unit or a major noncombatant technical post.  They are regarded as masters in their field, though much of their time is spent on administrative duties.  A senior warrant officer wears three Fletching bars.

Chief Warrant Officers (CWO) are the most senior technical officers, often responsible for a major technical facility.  Administrative tasks dominate their routine, though they are expected to remain current in their fields.  Chief warrant officers wear four Fletching bars.

If the soldier shows the necessary leadership and tactical skills, he is then promoted to First Leutnant (LT1).  First Leutnants receive a commission in the LAAF plus a permanent command of a lance or equivalent combat unit.  The rise in rank is shown by a single horizontal blue bar above the Leutnant's spear point patch.

A Hauptmann (HPT), or Captain, as they are sometimes known to the public, is the commander of a company.  He is the last officer that will consistently see battle on a day-to-day basis.  As a result, he is accorded the greatest respect by enlisted and non-com officers.  His insignia is similar to the First Leutnant's, except both interior triangles are blackened to show his increased importance.

Kommandants (KM) are usually chosen from among battalion commanders for their mental skills in such areas as tactics or logistics.  They are accomplished tacticians and administrators, often with at least a decade of service in the military.  The grade is represented by a Hauptmann's spear point with a single horizontal bar above it.

The rank of Hauptmann-Kommandant (HPT-KM) is usually reserved for the senior battalion commander in a regiment.  This rank has no equivalent in other militaries.  This officer's responsibilities are to ensure that the regiment fully understands the orders of his Colonel and that the Colonel and his staff are fully aware of the situation on the battlefield.  Furthermore, they serve as an information conduit between the junior officers and the colonel, ensuring that the regimental commander has the information needed to make decisions.  The Hauptmann-Kommandant wears an all-black spear point on his sleeves.  This is the last rank that uses a sleeve insignia.

Leutnant-Colonel (LT-COL) is the lowest rank among senior officers.  As a regiment's second-in-command, he is in charge of the information-gathering as well as ensuring that the regiment is properly supplied and equipped.  If the battle is particularly difficult, the Leutnant-Colonel will sometimes be given the command of certain crucial regimental units, freeing the colonel to oversee the entire engagement.  The insignia of the Leutnant-Colonel is a single silver pip, an elongated diamond-shaped piece of metal worn on the collar of field uniforms.

As a commander of a regiment, the Colonel (COL) must be expert in both tactics and strategies, as well as seeing that his unit is fed, clothed and properly equipped.  Some colonels may also find themselves commanding a planetary garrison, a provincial militia or a sub-element of a Regimental Combat Team (RCT).  Colonels of a 'Mech regiment are often assigned command of a world's entire defense.  Though these combat officers can win great glory and public admiration when successful, their defeats can sometimes mean the loss of an entire Commonwealth planet, and so they also have the most to lose.  For many LAAF officers, the rank of colonel is the peak of their career.  Higher ranks are political as much as military postings, and many officers choose not to move into such areas.  Colonels wear two silver pips.

Leutnant-Generals (LT-GEN) act as aides to the commanders of the Commonwealth's four interior military districts and can serve in a wide range of posts.  They are responsible for marshaling all support units as well as commanding reserve and garrison units on planets in the district.  They can command Regimental Combat Teams (RCTs), act as deputy commanders for interior military regions or take command of an entire service branch.  Leutnant-General is the lowest rank at which an officer can assume command of an entire service branch, such as Military Intelligence or the Rep-Dep Corps.  A Leutnant-General wears an additional third pip placed point down beneath the other two pips, forming a "T" on the wearer's collar.

Hauptmann-Generals (HPT-GEN) command the five Kerngebiete (military districts) and are responsible for protecting the civil and military infrastructure on the worlds in their charge.  They must juggle the needs of dozens of units and liaison with planetary governments to ensure operations continue smoothly.  With military actions in their area of responsibility rare, hauptmann-generals must be as much diplomats as military commanders.  Their duty is to ensure the protection of civilian, industrial and military targets against an enemy attack.  It is also their responsibility to blunt enemy offensives long enough for the stronger Theater forces to regroup and counterattack.  These officers wear four pips, forming what has come to be known as the First Steiner Cross.

Kommandant-Generals (KM-GEN) serve as aides to the commanders of a combat theater, overseeing many of the operations within the region.  Indeed, with the general commanding the theater as much a military governor as LAAF commander, many of the day-to-day responsibilities fall to the kommandant-general.  Most notably among these is ensuring that the units remain in fighting trim.  Kommandant-Generals must see to it that all the units in the theater are well supplied.  They also command reserve and garrison units of every planet within the theater.  Kommandant-Generals wear the Second Steiner Cross, which differs from the first because of the addition of the Black Pearl.

LAAF Generals (GEN) wield immense power.  They command the front-line military theaters and serve as the heads of the most important military branches.  to allow them to react to enemy operations, the theater commanders are the only LAAF commanders allowed to instigate military operations without prior reference to the High Command, though they are subject to an after-action review.  Furthermore, these Generals have the title of Margrave, but this is a political title relating to function in the Theater and not one permanently bestowed on the officer.  They are de facto military governors of the all the worlds in their command.  As such, they wield immense political power, but both the JAG Corps and LIC maintain a close watch on their activities to limit any abuses.  Generals are usually the last officers that command specific combat units.  They wear the Third Steiner Cross, which differs from the second by the addition of an 'orbit', a disc of silver, beneath the cross's center.

Except for the Archon, General of the Armies (GEN-A) is the highest rank in the LAAF.  Unless overruled by the Archon, the General of the Armies has full command of the LAAF forces and is responsible for guiding and shaping its strategy.  The current General of the Armies, Nondi Steiner, also serves as the Commander Pro Tem of the LAAF and regent in the Lyran Alliance.  This rank is reserved for the core of the high command, who are the military's most senior and respected officers.  Under the Archon's leadership, Generals of the Armies shape and guide the Commonwealth's military strategy.  Their insignia is the Fourth Steiner Cross.  This is formed by adding a second orbit, made from Tharkan obsidian, beneath the Cross's center.