Dear Avengers and Iron Man movieverse fandom,
I’ve noticed there’s fanfic in which poor Rhodey has been demoted three whole ranks. Here are some facts that may prove helpful when writing:
1) He is Lieutenant COLONEL James Rhodes.
2) He is addressed as “Colonel” or “Lieutenant Colonel” in conversation.
3) His pay grade is O-5.
4) Lieutenant Colonel is ranked above a Major (O-4) and below a full-bird Colonel (O-6).
5) Steve would salute Rhodey and Rhodey would return the salute, not the other way around. A Captain (O-3) is two ranks below a Lt Col.
5a) But Rhodey MAY salute Steve first, out of respect.
6) Rhodey is NOT a Lieutenant, which is one of the two LOWEST commissioned officer ranks in the Air Force, 2nd LT (O-1) and 1st LT (O-2).
7) His insignia is a silver oak leaf (or a black oak leaf if wearing desert cammo).
8) Based on his rank, he’s served approximately 10 to 16 years in the Air Force.
9) He was Air Force ROTC at MIT. (It’s implied, anyway, since Tony talks about them going on Spring Break together.)
Thanks,
ScrollHandy stuff to know!
And Carol Danvers /is/ a full-bird Colonel, so she ranks both Steve /and/ Rhodey.
An addendum: one of the only legit and proper ways Rhodey would salute Steve first is if Steve is a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor. While it is not required by law or military regulation, there is a very strong cultural tradition in the services of rendering a salute to a CMOH winner as a sign of respect.
(I don’t know if Steve is a CMOH recipient in the MCU, – I’d consider it fairly likely, though, given the events at the end of First Avenger. A lot of CMOH awards are posthumous.)
I have reblogged all this before, but I have been told that Rhodey is full-bird Colonel by the end of IM3. I do not have the canon source for this, but he rescued the goddamned President with a 45, I’m shocked he’s not Secretary of fucking Defense by the end of IM3.
Suddenly, fic thoughts of Rhodey being presented the CMOH (because let’s be honest, if there’s valor, it’s rescuing the President with a .45 and a polo shirt) and Steve being at the ceremony and possibly getting the privilege of putting it on him.
