In the USAF and Army, it’s called grade. It is possible to have equivalent grades and different ranks. It also makes it easier to figure ranks structure between the services. Navy ranks confuse the rest of the world. :)
“In the USAF and Army, it’s called grade.”
It is ‘grade’ across the services as in E-6 pay grade. This is used so that no confusion exists in admin functions.
USAF and Army and Marine enlisted are ‘ranked’. USN enlisted are rated. However http://www.defense.gov/about/insignias/enlisted.aspx shows all under a page referring to ‘rank’.