History Main / UpThroughTheRanks

* Alexandre Bewcock of ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'' is a rare example of a flag officer that started his military career as an enlisted soldier. However, it is implied in the series that his enlisted background slowed down his rank promotion considerably, as compared to his Academy-trained counterparts, such that he was the oldest Alliance fleet commander at the age of 70 in the beginning of the series but holds only the rank of Vice Admiral.

* Alexandre Bewcock of ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'' is a rare example of a flag officer that started his military career as an enlisted soldier. However, it is implied in the series that his enlisted background slowed down his rank promotion considerably, as compared to his Academy-trained counterparts, such that he was the oldest Alliance fleet commander at the age of 70 in the beginning of the series but holds only the rank of Vice Admiral. * {{Implied|Trope}} in ''Manga/OnePiece''. In one colorspread page, there are a shot of many of the current (and some ex) high ranking Marines' younger selves as foot soldiers.

* {{Implied|Trope}} in ''Manga/OnePiece''. In one colorspread page, there are a shot of many of the current (and some ex) high ranking Marines' younger selves as foot soldiers.

* Alexandre Bewcock of ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'' is a rare example of a flag officer that started his military career as an enlisted soldier. However, it is implied in the series that his enlisted background slowed down his rank promotion considerably, as compared to his Academy-trained counterparts, such that he was the oldest Alliance fleet commander at the age of 70 in the beginning of the series but holds only the rank of Vice Admiral.

* The title character of the ''Literature/{{Sharpe}}'' novels enlisted as a 16 year old Private in 1794, rising to [[SergeantRock Sergeant]]. The Duke of Wellington gave him a field commission in return for saving his life at the Battle of Assaye in 1803. Richard Sharpe is a commoner and is a lot more coarse than the otherwise mostly aristocratic officer corps, but he makes up for it with sheer skill - though [[RealityEnsues his background and inability to buy a commission]] mean that for much of the series, he struggles to get a full promotion beyond Lieutenant, rather than being brevetted as a Captain (hell, even Wellington, who finds Sharpe useful and respects both his abilities and the debt he owes, is infuriated by his inability to have Sharpe's promotion beyond Lieutenant stick). By the end of the series, set in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, Sharpe had been promoted all the way up to Lieutenant-Colonel.

* The title character of the ''Literature/{{Sharpe}}'' novels enlisted as a Private in 1799. The Duke of Wellington gave him a field commission in return for saving his life. Richard Sharpe is a commoner and is a lot more coarse than the otherwise mostly aristocratic officer corps, but he makes up for it with sheer skill. By the end of the series, set in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, Sharpe had been promoted all the way up to Lieutenant-Colonel.

* James McGraw/Captain Flint in ''Series/BlackSails'' is from a working class fishing village, and works his way up through the British Navy from childhood to the rank of Lieutenant by determination and skill rather than connections.

* US Navy Admiral Jeremy Boorda was the first enlisted man to rise all the way up to Chief of Naval Operations (head of the US Navy and one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff).

** [[''VideoGame/MassEffectAndromeda'' Alec Ryder]] started out as an enlisted crewman onboard Jon Grissom’s seminal flight through the Charon Relay to Arcturus. It is implied that he earned a commission later, as his last duty station before his CourtMartial and dismissal was as the human military attaché on the Citadel - the same role Captain Anderson holds after giving up command of the Normandy.

* In ''Literature/TheDevilIsAPartTimer'', [[AllThereInTheManual supplemental material]] states that Satan started his career as a common foot soldier. By the start of the series, he's the supreme commander of the LegionsOfHell.

* Clumsily used in [[BattleTech]]. The Star League Defense Forces had every officer spend a term as a Sergeant before commissioning.

* Antin M'Lewis, from ''Literature/TheGeneral'' series, begins as a private soldier with a bad reputation, but wins an officer's commission by helping to put down a coup against the Governor.

* In Terry Pratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' books, Commander Vimes insists that all members of the City Watch start in the lowest rank and work their way up to officership. He started that way and so, eventually, do pretty much all of the watch captains under him.

** No need for NCO or Reserve Officer Academy in Estonia but you must be a reservist (done your conscrirption time).

* In ''Film/StarshipTroopers'' Johnny Rico, then a sergeant assigned as a Mobile Infantry squad leader, is given a field commission so he can take command of the Roughnecks after Lieutenant Raczak is killed.

* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': Rukia was a lieutenant-class shinigami who spent decades as a [[{{Mook}} seatless]] soldier because her brother had quietly made sure she could never be promoted in an [[KnightTemplarBigBrother attempt]] to keep her safe from harm. This changes during the seventeen-month time-skip where she is finally promoted to lieutenant.

* In ''Literature/StarshipTroopers'' the Terran Federation military ''only'' has these. Everyone starts as a grunt or crewman and if they do well, they're allowed to apply to officer candidate school, as protagonist Johnny Rico eventually does. The sky marshal, the overall commander of the military, is required to start at the bottom rank in both the Army ''and'' the Navy and work his way up to the top rank of both services.

* In the [[UsefulNotes/SingaporeansWithStealthFrigates Singaporean military]], this is how one makes it as an commissioned officer since they have no officer's school and potential candidates are sent off to Officer Candidate School on the recommendation of their commanding officers.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Infinity}}}'', Admiral Lindy mentions that she used to be a [[MilitaryMage support mage]] before becoming an officer (whether or not this is true in canon is unknown).

In the U.S. military, officers from the rank of 2nd Lieutenant through Captain[[note]]Ensign through Lieutenant in the Navy and Coast Guard[[/note]] who have prior enlisted experience even have a different pay scale and are paid more than other officers of equal rank who do not have prior service. While there is a low-level rivalry between mustangs, officers who are commissioned through the service academies, and officers who attend Office Training School, there is no doubt that mustangs generally receive more respect sooner from their enlisted subordinates (who appreciate that the mustang understands their perspective) as well as from their commanding officers, who know that the mustang needs ''much'' less supervision and training.

In the U.S. military, officers from the rank of 2nd Lieutenant through Captain who have prior enlisted experience even have a different pay scale and are paid more than other officers of equal rank who do not have prior service. While there is a low-level rivalry between mustangs, officers who are commissioned through the service academies, and officers who attend Office Training School, there is no doubt that mustangs generally receive more respect sooner from their enlisted subordinates (who appreciate that the mustang understands their perspective) as well as from their commanding officers, who know that the mustang needs ''much'' less supervision and training.