Order of Precedence

Determining precedence order

1. This chapter contains some general rules that should be followed when determining precedence order.
2. In unofficial life, precedence is determined according to age, friendship, and the prominence of the guests. Age naturally receives deference, as do clergymen and persons of scholastic distinction, unless there is a noticeable difference in age.
3. In a private home, a foreign guest is always given the place of honor unless someone of advanced age is present. A stranger (such as a house guest brought by a friend), an out-of-town guest, or a guest invited for the first time has precedence over frequent guests or relatives.
4. In official life, protocol governs the precedence of government, ecclesiastical, and diplomatic personnel. Age is not honored in itself. A young official precedes an older one if the office of the younger one is higher. There is only one official precedence list, and it is the responsibility of the Chief of Protocol in the State Department.
5. Unlike other countries with “official” lists of precedence, custom and tradition have established the order of precedence in the United States (see app D).
6. In the United States, official position is determined by election or appointment to office or by promotion within the military establishment. The relative importance of different offices is weighed. The date an office was established determines its seniority.
7. Military rank takes precedence over the principle of “courtesy to the stranger.” For example, a visiting foreign officer at an American dinner given in his honor may not be seated in the guest of honor’s seat if another foreign dignitary or foreign officer of higher rank is a guest also. When it is impossible to avoid inviting someone of higher rank other than the guest of honor, the host must decide whether to -
   1. Ask the ranking guest to waive his right for the occasion in favor of the guest of honor.
   2. Seat the guests strictly according to precedence, even if it places the guest of honor well down the table (when ambassadors and very high ranking guests are present, this plan must be followed).
   3. Make the senior guest the co-host.
8. A visiting foreign officer is given precedence over an American officer of a slightly higher rank. But, a foreign officer is only seated ahead of the Chief of Staff of the Army if the foreign officer is of the same rank or greater position in his own country.
9. A hierarchy of the church determines protocol within ecclesiastical circles.
10. Diplomatic precedence has been established by international agreement dating from the Regulation of Vienna of 19 March 1815. The precedence of the various Chiefs of Mission is decided by their length of service in the receiving country. The sending country’s size, date of independence, and importance in international affairs usually are not considered when establishing precedence..
    1. An ambassador accredited in May 1976 precedes another accredited in January 1977. An ambassador, however, always precedes a minister.
    2. Below the rank of charge d’affaire, precedence is established according to the position in the mission. For example, when the British Ambassador ranks the Danish Ambassador, the British First Secretary precedes the Danish First Secretary at dinners. A change of ambassador or ministers alters the relative positions of the entire staff. An ambassador traveling on leave or visiting his or her home country does not have the same status as when “on post.”
    3. Although other officials may concede their positions on certain occasions, the Chief of the Mission, as the representative of his or her government, never yields his or her place.
11. When persons without protocol ranking are included at an official dinner, age, local prominence, and mutual interests are considered when seating unofficial guests. Linguistic ability may also be a deciding factor when foreign guests are present. After the guest of honor and second ranking official have been seated, non-ranking guests may be placed between those of official rank in the most congenial arrangement.
12. At times it may not be possible to give a dignitary the seat that is due by protocol. The host should express his regrets to the guest as soon as he or she arrives and explain the reason for the breach of protocol.
13. In spite of all these established rules, protocol does not cover some unforeseen situations, such as a newly created official position, or the appointment of a female to a diplomatic or Cabinet post where her official position may far outrank that of her husband. Common sense and discretion usually resolve problems such as these.
14. Protocol and precedence vary from country to country. For the proper protocol to observe in a foreign country, contact the protocol service in that country’s ministry of foreign affairs or equivalent department. The highest ranking local official sometimes determines protocol.

Individuals frocked to a higher grade

These individuals are entitled to all honors, courtesies, and benefits of the higher grade except for pay and allowances. They are, therefore, seated ahead of others in their actual pay grade but behind all individuals actually holding the rank to which frocked. When more than one frocked person is present (frocked to the same rank), effective date of frocking will dictate precedence.

Individuals on approved promotion lists

Such individuals differ from those who are frocked to the next higher grade in that they continue to wear the insignia of rank of the current pay grade. There is no requirement to allow their seating above others in the same rank and grade.

Sergeant Major of the Army

At Army official and social functions, conferences, meetings, and ceremonies, the Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) is accorded protocol ranking equivalent to a general officer. He or she should be ranked behind the last four star general officer or civilian equivalent. However, if the Director of the Army Staff is present, the Sergeant Major of the Army is ranked immediately following the Director of the Army Staff. These courtesies should, in addition to seating, include billeting, transportation, and parking consistent with existing Army regulations. Among the senior enlisted representatives of each Service, precedence is determined by Service seniority when at Army events. When the SMA is visiting a command or installation, that command’s command sergeant major should be consulted on protocol issues involving the SMA. A former SMA retains the rank of Sergeant Major of the Army and should be afforded similar courtesies as the SMA. When the SMA and one or more former SMAs are present, the serving SMA takes precedence, and the former SMAs are ranked by date of rank as SMA. In the case of a SMA who held the rank of CSM, use the date of appointment as SMA.

Retired Army officers

Retired officers are ranked following active duty officers of the same grade. They are ranked in order of recency of retirement, not by age. Former Chiefs of Staff of the Army are ranked immediately following the current CSA and in order of recency of retirement. For example, the last CSA to retire will be ranked first after the current CSA. Retired Army officers are authorized to wear the uniform of the highest grade held during their active service on ceremonial occasions such as military funerals, memorial services, inaugurals, patriotic parades, national holidays, or other military parades or ceremonies in which any Active Army or Reserve unit is taking part (see AR 670–1, para 29–3). Retired general officers of the Regular Army, ARNG, and USAR may display their individual flags privately in their homes. Public display of individual flags is prohibited except when the officer is being honored at an official military ceremony or the officer is in attendance on the reviewing stand in an official military ceremony and another flag depicting his or her rank is not already displayed.