KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Most government-hired civilians have pay grades equivalent to that of U.S. military ranks.
Most common are General Schedule, or GS, grades one through 15, which are equivalent to the ranks of enlisted, non-commissioned officers, company and field grade officers.
So what's equivalent to the ranks of flag and general officers?
The answer is Senior Executive Service.
According to the official U.S. Office of Personnel Management website, members of the SES serve in the key positions just below the top Presidential appointees. SES members are the major link between these appointees and the rest of the Federal work force.
Examples of SES positions include the deputy assistant secretary of defense, the assistant secretary of state, the undersecretary of defense, the undersecretary of state, the undersecretary of agriculture, etc.
An SES on Kandahar Airfield is the Senior Civilian Representative to Regional Command - South, Mr. Frank Ruggiero.
As an SES, Mr. Ruggiero receives logistical support equivalent to that of a two-star general.
"If he were to come to your headquarters, you would give him the same treatment as you would a two-star general," said Army Maj. Robert Stanton, military assistant to Mr. Ruggiero. "He would be escorted and he usually receives a briefing commiserate with that rank, however, you wouldn't call the headquarters to attention since he's not an actual two-star general."
Mr. Ruggiero coordinates and directs all U.S. Government civilians under Chief of Mission authority in Southern Afghanistan, or RC-South.
Government employed civilians who are in Afghanistan fall underneath Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, who is the Chief of Mission authority over all civilians in Afghanistan, said Major Stanton. Equivalent to military terms, he is like General Stanley McChrystal, who is the top military ranking official in Afghanistan.
Traditionally, there would not be anyone in between Ambassador Eikenberry and all the civilians in RC-South, explained Major Stanton. Mr. Ruggiero has become like a deputy ambassador, for lack of a better term, and he manages all the civilians who work for the embassy and works underneath what's called the Chief of Mission authority in RC-South.
Mr. Ruggiero has been the Senior Civilian Representative to RC-South since July 2009.
He was the Acting Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs from January through June 2009 and previously as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the PM Bureau and PM Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense Trade and Regional Security.
Mr. Ruggiero played a leading role in the negotiation of Defense Trade Treaties with the United Kingdom and Australia and has also played a leading role in the Department on U.S. security strategy in the Persian Gulf and on political-military issues in the Middle East.
He is a career civil servant and has served in several positions in the Departments of State and Commerce.