Nebraska Admiral

The award certificate describes the honor in a deliberately tongue-in-cheek fashion: And I [the Governor of Nebraska] do strictly charge and require all officers, seamen, tadpoles and goldfish under your command to be obedient to your orders as Admiral—and you are to observe and follow, from time to time, such directions you shall receive, according to the rules and discipline of the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska.The use of the title of admiral, instead of some other high-ranking military title, is a humorous reference to the fact that Nebraska has no navy; only 0.68% of the state is water, the fifth-lowest percentage in the nation.

However, anyone can request or be nominated for an admiralship as long as he or she has "contributed in some way to the state, promote the Good Life in Nebraska, and warrant recognition as determined by the Governor".

As of January 2015, Governor Pete Ricketts requires the following criteria for awarding an Admiralship: Notable admirals include:[2] Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo[11] and former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh[12] were both reportedly granted a Nebraska Admiralship.

[15] Governor Pete Ricketts revoked admiralship from two women, Amanda Gailey and Courtney Lawton, in January 2018, less than a month after the award.

The honor was revoked, according to the governor's spokesman, because the two had protested the appearance of Turning Point USA, a conservative group that maintains a Professor Watchlist, on the campus of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.