Field Marshal (Alliance for the Survival of Humanity)

Field Marshal is the highest rank in the entire army of the Alliance for the Survival of Humanity. Almost no one has ever been promoted to it's rank & only the Alliance's top council, which is a ring of politicians from the Global State era, can promote anyone to that rank. The only times a person achieved the rank were in 2065, 2165 & 2185, in the death of Commander Jackson & the accepted plan of defeat that promoted Eddie Smith to the ranks even higher than Commander Jackson's. The third time was when Jack Anderson was one of the last fighters the Alliance had after his victory over James Anderson II in Troy II. The first time was at some point during the First Dark War, but historical records don't record the promotion system or who was promoted at that time.

Promotion
The promotion into the ranks of field marshal are usually during a critical power vacuum gap caused by the death of a very important commanding officer. Generally, the requirements to become the field marshal is to either be a marshal or a general. In some cases, the officer promoted to field marshal doesn't even have to be of these ranks, but can be promoted through the Alliance top council through a proposed & approved plan of defeat by a high ranking commanding officer, as was the case of Eddie Smith in 2165. Other times one is promoted is in a state of an emergency when the entire Alliance has nearly been destroyed, as was the case with Jack Anderson in 2185.

Overview
The field marshal automatically becomes the superior commanding officer of all Alliance forces, no matter where he is in the nation. Some officers can perform their own military objectives in his absence, as was the case of Marshal Harper in New Miami when Field Marshal Smith was not present in the vicinity as he was stationed in New York II. If the field marshal is present in a conference of the war leaders, then all marshals & generals must obey the orders of the field marshal, who has the final say. All infantry also must answer to the orders of the field marshal over their own officers if the orders conflict. The field marshal also is the top strategist for the defense of his territory, which the marshals & generals who are in place of him in his absence command.