As we continue our "Soldiers of War" series, I think it is important to look at not only the "ground troopers" but the ones who led them as well. Therefore, we must dive into a fairly broad topic as we begin discussing the Imperial Officers. From Army to Navy and even political figures as well, the Empire had a vast array of officers who help to lead them during their rise to power. Basic FactsThe Empire's might and power was held together by the Emperor at the top and then a large amount of ruthless leadership on down. From Admirals and Generals to Directors and Moffs, there were so many different officers and ranks to help hold together the Empire and make sure it stayed in power.Key Imperial OfficersInstead of going through an entire list of all the ranks and officers, I thought it would be better to highlight a few key officers, their rank and how their position worked in the Empire.Grand Moff Tarkin

Wilhuff Tarkin held the rank of Grand Moff in the Empire. Tarkin had risen through the ranks after attending an Imperial Academy, serving as both Captain and Admiral. However, Grand Moff was a political position and not a military one. It was a position that could be considered "leader of leaders" as he helped over see sector governors and other Moffs. He was also charged with overseeing the production of the first Death Star which he served on until his death with the foramen's destruction.Grand Admiral Thrawn

We of course known Thrawn from the Legends universe and from Star Wars Rebels. Thrawn was a ruthless leader who was actually a rarity in the Empire, being an alien who served as a high ranking official. Grand Admiral was a position in the Imperial Navy which was second only to political figures such as the ruling council and the Emperor himself. The Grand Admiral would be in charge of the entire Imperial Navy, using their resources to carry out the Empire's will.Captain Firmus Piett

Captain Piett was the first officer aboard the Executor, which was the flagship for Darth Vader. He served under Admiral Ozzel, until Lord Vader killed Ozzel and promoted Piett to Admiral. A Captain would have been a high ranking official with leadership responsibilities under the command of a higher ranking official. General Veers

General Veers was in charge of the ground assault on the planet Hoth. He helped to take out the power generators which powered the shields for the Rebels. A General would have been a high ranking official in the Imperial Army, helping in ground attacks and hand to hand combat. NOTE: This rank is carried over into the Rebel Alliance (Gen. Dodonna) and the First Order (Gen. Hux).Notable MentionsSome people that helped lead the Empire are worth noting here, even if they are not included in the official ranks or if we aren't sure who they are quite yet.Darth Vader - Our favorite villain was an interesting case as he did not hold an official rank in the Imperial military, yet could and would command the troops as he saw fit. He had respect from people like Grand Moff Tarkin and was seen as a force to be reckoned with.Gallius Rex - This character appears in the "Aftermath" series of books that take place after the Battle of Endor. He is listed as a Fleet Admiral, which is a very high official in the Empire. However, he is apparently much for than that as he was an adviser to the emperor and even promoted Rae Clone to the rank of Grand Admiral, which would out rank him.Director Orson Krennic - At the time of this episode, we do not know a ton about Director Krennic. We know he is the Director of Weapons Research for the Imperial Military, but the rank insignia he wears appears to be that of a Fleet Admiral in the Imperial Navy. It will be interesting to see how he shapes up.The Might of ManyThe Empire was made up of so many different sects of leadership that it is hard to name...