# Why is there a separate Navy Supply Corps? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 21, 2022, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-separate-navy-supply-corps/976900 "2022-12-21T12:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 11
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-separate-navy-supply-corps/976900/11 "2022-12-22T16:30:35Z")
These previous threads may also be of interest: > [@Military medics taking command?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/military-medics-taking-command/325537): > > Doctors get given officer ranks in the military. But these are really courtesy, not line, ranks. Have there been any cases of military doctors being caught in the field and taking proper command of regular troops? I’d exclude POWs. > [@What is the highest ranking officer in the US military likely to be in front-line combat?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-highest-ranking-officer-in-the-us-military-likely-to-be-in-front-line-combat/954548): > > I think I may have asked this before but I cannot find it. So… I was watching the Mel Gibson movie, “We Were Soldiers” which was based on an actual early battle when the US was entering Vietnam (I know…Hollywood). In the movie they note that losing Gibson’s character would be a disaster since he was a colonel. Whether that is true or not (from the movie) it made me wonder; what is the highest US military rank that is likely to be on the front lines fighting today? > [@Army and Air Force ranks (question raised by Good Morning Vietnam)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-and-air-force-ranks-question-raised-by-good-morning-vietnam/967033): > > In the movie Good Morning Vietnam, Robin Williams played an airman, JT Walsh played a sergeant major, Bruno Kirby played a lieutenant, and various other people were, I guess, privates? Here’s my understanding: Airman is like a private, sergeant major is a high ranking enlisted rank (the highest?), so all the radio folks were subordinate to him. Lieutenant is an officer, so the sergeant major was subordinate to him? Is that right? Sometimes, he seemed to have a direct line to the general. S… --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-separate-navy-supply-corps/976900)._