Precedence
As of:
1
Overview
 What is precedence
 Determining precedence
 Categories of precedence
 Resources
2
What is Precedence?
Precedence is…
“The practice of precedence in
official life is conducive to smooth
relations because it provides
simple answers to what might
otherwise be difficult questions of
rank and formality”
- McCaffrey, Innis and Sand
Precedence
 Precedence is the foundation of protocol
rules and is the common language of
protocol
 The practice of precedence provides
simple answers to complex issues of rank
and formality
 Recognized system of international
courtesy
Determining Precedence
 Keys to the system:
◆ Seniority, age, position, wealth, tradition
and regulation
◆ All can be used to determine precedence
 Establishing the “pecking” order – no
“equals” among “equals”
 Mixing and matching
 Consistency and predictability
 Flexibility in the system
Categories of Consideration
Each category has structure
 Government
 International
 Business
 Community
 Family
Government Precedence
 Custom and tradition have established the official
order of precedence in the United States
◆ Generally based on position, rank, or length of
service
 General hierarchy:
◆ Elected
◆ Appointed
◆ Government service employees
Government Precedence
 Precedence is determined at the
discretion of the Current Administration
 Statute
 Creation of New Positions
 Abolishment/Reclassification
U.S. Government:
Establishment of Department
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Members of the Cabinet (other than the Secretary of State) according to date of
establishment of the department, and as added by The President, as follows:
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
U.S. Government:
Establishment of Department
Continuation:
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Homeland Security
Chief of Staff to the President
Director, Office of Management and Budget
United States Trade Representative
Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Director of National Intelligence
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President Pro Tempore of the Senate
Senators (by length of service; when the same, by State's date of admission in the Union, or
alphabetically by State)
Order – within government
departments:
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Secretary
Deputy Secretary
Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Deputy Assistant Secretaries
Multiple International/Visiting
Delegations:
 Heads of State ranked by date of office
 Heads of Government ranked by date of
office
 Ambassadors ranked by date of arrival and
presentation of credentials (senior person is
Dean of the Corps)
 Chargés ranked by date of assumption of
office
Single Foreign/Visiting
Delegation:
 Order determined by head of delegation
 Ambassador always senior, but can yield
position to Minister/Secretary
 Ask for delegation list in protocol order!
Precedence Practices –
Civilian Leadership
 Senate Confirmed Positions (PAS)
◆ Senior civilian leadership
◆ Precedence established by date of
appointment
◆ “The Honorable”
 Senior Executive Service (SES) Civilians
◆ Precedence determined based on
position held, not the SES pay grade
The Honorable
 Once The Honorable, always The Honorable
 Appointed by the President and confirmed
by the Senate
 Elected officials
 Full time members of boards and some
commissions
 Assistants, Deputy Assistants and Special
Assistants to the President
Military Precedence
 Determined by date of promotion within
the ranks
 Position can take precedence over rank
◆ Example: The Chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff
Inter-Service Precedence
 Precedence is the same for all services
◆ Active duty precedes Guard, Reserves,
and retired of the same rank
 Each Service has it’s own precedence list
 The Department of Defense (DoD)
precedence list is used for joint events
Service Precedence
 Army
 Marines
 Navy
 Air Force
 Coast Guard
International
May include officials from:
 Government (all levels)
 International trade organizations
 Non-governmental organizations
 Corporate
 Academia
 Clergy
Community
May include officials from:
 Academia
 Local government officials
 Ecclesiastical
 Philanthropical organizations
 Local citizens
Business
 Determine the structure of the business
 An example:
◆ Chairman of the Board
◆ Company President
◆ CEO
◆ Executive Vice President
◆ Senior Vice President
◆ Regional Vice President
◆ Director
Family
 VIP without official rank
 Spouses generally afforded the same
precedence as their spouse at official
functions
 Widows are accorded same rank as the
principals at official functions
Common Practices
 Military Retirees
– Follow active duty military of the same
rank
 “Formers”
– Follow the rule of seniority
• Present followed by the person that service “first”
and coming forward
• Example: US Presidents. President Obama is first
followed by Carter, Bush, Clinton, Bush
• Look at the two next examples – which is correct?
Dignitaries at Coretta Scott King Funeral
Precedence of States
 State precedence determined by date
admitted to the Union
◆ Establishes State flag precedence
◆ Establishes State officials precedence
 Only two States admitted on same date
◆ North and South Dakota
◆Alphabetically
3-Step Formula for Success
 Determine which category the individual
belongs
 Place individuals w/in each category in
rank or precedence order
 Apply situational consideration (purpose of
event and special needs) and desires of the
host
Mixing and Matching:
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Federal Government
Congress
Military
Clergy
Judiciary
State and local government officials
Foreign government officials
Family members
Precedence
“Failure to recognize the proper rank
and precedence is an insult not only to
individuals and their positions, but to the
countries they represent.”
- Protocol, 25th Anniversary Edition,
The Complete Handbook of Diplomatic, Official and Social Usage
by Mary Jane McCaffree,
Pauline Innis, Richard M. Sand
Resources
Honor & Respect:
The Official Guide to
Names, Titles, and
Forms of Address
By:
Robert Hickey
Resources
United States Protocol:
The Guide to Official
Diplomatic Etiquette
By:
Ambassador Mary Mel
French
Resources
Protocol: The
Authoritative Source,
35th Anniversary Edition
Mary Jane McCaffree
Pauline Innis, Richard
M. Sand
Knowing Precedence is the Foundation to
Piecing together the Puzzle
Representatives
Military
Ambassadors
Senators
Family
Cabinet
Members
City Mayor
Heads of
State
Business
Leaders