Ensign

Ensign was a rank within most naval forces across, including the of the  and later the. Throughout their history, the Republic Marines also used this rank within their officer corps, as, being an outgrowth of the regular Navy, they were intrinsically tied to naval operations. Within military forces that used the title, ensign was typically the lowest rank within the commissioned officer corps, with newly-graduated cadets being given the rank immediately upon the beginning of their active service. Sometimes, enlisted personnel could be given a battlefield commission to ensign; this was typically done in light of exceptional leadership on the part of the honoree, or as a reward for long, productive service.