Begleiter (rank)

A Begleiter (ベグライター, Beguraita) is generally a rank a cadet Begleiter obtains when he/she completes his/her internship.

Begleiters are not necessarily new recruits. More importantly, they are given the role of a begleiter so that they can assist an officer of higher rank. They can be high-ranking officers, as seen in the case of Katsuragi, who is a colonel but was also Ayanami's Begleiter.

Etymology
"Begleiter" is a German word, meaning "companion", "accompanist", "escort" or "tutor".

Becoming a Begleiter
Upon passing the Begleiter Exam and graduating, a newly fledged cadet Begleiter is randomly assigned under a superior officer and undergoes an internship- where he/she acts as a Begleiter to that officer. They are assessed by their officer, and if they complete their internship to a standard deemed satisfactory, they advance to Begleiter level.

A newly fledged Begleiter then has the option of continuing to work under the officer they did their internship with, or they can choose a new officer.

It is possible, though uncommon, for a new graduate of the military academy to skip becoming a cadet Begleiter and be promoted directly to Begleiter if their skills and grades are high enough.

Duties
A Begleiter's primary job is to assist and takes care of his/her direct superior, hence the function is similar to that of an adjutant in the military. Their day to day duties mainly revolve around lightening the workload of their superior officer.

They are in charge of their superior's schedule, and as a result they are often required to accompany their superior wherever they go. They serve tea and food to their superior, bring and take away paperwork and are expected to do paperwork themselves.

Hyuuga says that a Begleiter should to comply with his commanding officer's whims, but Ayanami disputes this, saying that only a superior who is fair to his begleiter is worthy of such a privilege.

Begleiters are encouraged to develop a close relationship with their superiors. They are expected to take care of the health of their superior, and likewise their superior is expected to take care of them. Some Begleiters live in the same house as their superiors.

They are expected to protect or assist their superior in battle, even at the cost of their own lives.

The Clergy equivalent of a begleiter is an apprentice bishop.