Official Entertainment
Members of the naval service will find that at all points in their careers they can expect to be involved to some extent in the planning and execution official ceremonies and social events. Protocol is a code of established guidelines on proper etiquette and precedence which, when followed, lays the foundation for a successful event.
From this foundation, the host should consider the facets which make a particular situation unique, and fi-om there, use imagination to design a memorable occasion. The most important consideration in planning should always be the comfort of one’s guests. A clever host / hostess is able to reach a proper mixture of protocol and common sense that will enable guests to enjoy themselves completely. If this is accomplished, an event is truly successful.
PRECEDENCE
Precedence is defined as priority in place, time, or rank. In the government, military and diplomatic corps, precedence among individuals’ positions plays a substantial role. That is, in day-to-day business, ceremonial occasions, and social functions, we respect the office that the individual represents, by ranking that individual according to our perception of the importance of his/her position.
Office position in the United States government is determined by election or appointment to office or promotion within the military structure. The relative importance of different positions is weighed, and even the date of the promotion’s establishment is frequently
considered.
Military rank constitutes a clear basis for determining seniority among military personnel. Comparable rank and the date of its attainment will decide the precedence among officers from the different services, both United States and foreign.
By custom, reserve officers are ranked with, but after active duty officers of that same grade.
Retired officers are ranked similarly with their precedence following reserve officers of that same grade.
Diplomatic precedence is the result of international agreement. The precedence of chiefs of missions rests upon the length of their service in that country. An ambassador who arrives is accredited in April and precedes another who arrives and is accredited in November of that same year. An ambassador will always precede a minister who heads a legation. Below the post of Charge d’Affaires (the officer in charge of diplomatic business in the absence of the ambassador or minister), precedence is based upon the position of the mission, which in turn is determined by the ranking of its ambassador. For example, suppose the British Ambassador arrives and is accredited in April 1980. This becomes his/her date of precedence. When the Danish Ambassador arrives six months later and is accredited in October 1980, he/she succeeds the British Ambassador in precedence. Because in this case, the British Ambassador outranks the Danish Ambassador, the British First Secretary will outrank the Danish First Secretary.
Precedence does not always follow the individual. When the ambassador is on leave, or visiting his/her home country, he/she does not hold the same status as when “on post.” When an individual who was invited to attend a function is unable to go and sends a representative, the latter is not accorded the former’s place of precedence.
We often consider precedence when we plan for seating at dinners, meetings or ceremonies. The list which follows gives general guidelines for determining precedence among civil officials and Department of Defense personnel. When individuals do not hold such official positions, consider their prominence within their own career areas.
This is the Precedence Listing from Chapter 1 OPNAVINST 1710.7A