The Star Legion

The Star Legion is the main military of the Grand Human Union. It is a combined force under a single general staff. The head of the General Staff is the only serving officer holding the rank of Marshal. The marshal reports directly to the Defense Committee of parliament.
The General Staff itself is made up of the heads of the Directorates who hold the rank of Vice-Marshal. Each Directorate is made up of a combined force of fleet and planetary combat units with associated support.
Star Legion officers attend the Legion Academy at New Chicago and graduate with the rank of midshipman, which is a rank equivalent to a warrant officer.

Ranks
	Marshal
	Vice-Marshal
	Admiral
	Vice-Admiral
	Commodore
	Senior Captain
	Captain
	Commander
	Major
	Senior Lieutenant
	Lieutenant
	Ensign
	Midshipman
	Chief Warrant Officer
	Sergeant Major
	Master Chief Sergeant
	Chief Sergeant
	Sergeant
	Corporal
	Legionnaire

Because it is a combine force officers are expected to be proficient in many forms of warfare. Because it is a space force most officers have at least some proficiency in space craft operation, especially including piloting and subspace navigation. Many also have extensive knowledge of planetary ground combat and even such specialized fields as wet naval warfare and hostile environment combat.
Uniforms of the Legion are primarily black with silver trim. Various uniform types, excluding high tech field dress, include service dress, ceremonial dress and full dress. Officers also have a number of mess dress uniforms, which may be proscribed for formal occasions.
The Legion's insignia is a six point silver star on a white shield.

Service in the Legion often runs in families, especially among the officer corps. Many members of the Legion eventually move into positions in the bureaucracy.

In some ways the Legion tends to be more lax than many of the traditional militaries of the past. While cadets at New Chicago and in the recruit training commands are kept under strict military discipline, in the fleet itself it is neither uncommon nor against regulations for legionnaires and sous officier, that is, non-commissioned officers to be on a first name basis. The same is true within the warrant and commissioned officer ranks. Off duty fraternization is allowed, even between disparate ranks, as long as there is no direct line of command relationship.  Of course the general mood of public morality itself imposes a certain formality on individuals. 

The highly technical nature of modern warfare requires a very well educated and highly trained force. This is as true for the individual legionnaire as for the officer corps.

Religious orthodoxy tend to be especially strong among the officer's corps. Under the Great Compromise Muslim units are separate and do not have women serving with them, not even in a subordinate role. The General Staff tends to assign minority religious units to areas where they will be in an environment which does not conflict with their religious sensibilities.

Conflicts in which the Legion is engaged tend to be small scale, occurring mostly in the areas of the Midland/Highland border region, where  the expansion of civilization is most likely to run up against those who have a strong inclination to resist its expansion. The Highland government tends to bypass worlds which do not seek entrance to the Grand Union, but does not brook aggression against those who have sought union.