Collar insignia for working uniforms are the same in all branches. Therefore, you would immediately recognize an officer rank or a higher officer ranking. The same principle is followed, as far as an nco's stripes. They have a grade equivalency: E-1, 2, 3, etc and O-1, 2, 3 etc..., which determines rank. Seniority is another matter, which is determined by the official date of rank. Now, where it can get confusing is in dress uniforms. The Navy uses sleeve braids and shoulder boards to signify rank, for officer. Navy enlisted dress uniforms are significantly different from officers and Chief Petty Officers that there is no way to confuse them. Officers and CPOs can be differentiated easily; CPOs will have their rank stripes on ther upper sleeve, while their service stripes (indicating years of service) will be at their cuffs. Officer ranks are designated by braids on the shoulderboards and the sleeves of their jackets. It's straightforward, for the most part, as each rank gets another braid. There is a wrinkle to that. Navy rank starts at ensign (O-1). You have one braid, with a star above it. When you are promoted to the next rank, lieutenant, junior grade (O-2), you get a second braid; but, it is a thinner braid, about half the width of your first. When you are promoted to full lieutenant (O-3), the thinner braid is replaced by a full size one, so you have two of the same size. When you make Lieutenant Commander (O-4), you get another half-braid, and when you are promoted to commander (O-5), it is replaced by a full braid (3 equal size braids). A captain (O-6) has four. Now, it changes again if you make admiral (O-7, for Rear Admiral, Lower Half). You get a nice fat braid. After that, you get another normal-size braid for each promotion to higher rank, but you retain that first fat braid. Shoulder boards are the little felt covered things worn on the shoulders and they appear the same as the sleeve braids.
In a joint service command, there may be a bit of confusion with a new person; but, they are usually straightened out by the senior enlisted person. Usually, the officers have a pretty thorough grounding in the insignia of the other branches.
When I was in NROTC, the Armory, where each of the ROTC programs were headquartered, had a big display with all of the service insignias, officer and enlisted. We had more confusion due to the ROTC rank insignias. Navy midshipman wear shoulder boards that designate what year of the program they are in, which gives them nominal rank superiority, in a wartime situation or on active duty training. However, as part of training, certain midshipmen are given officer roles and are given new shoulder boards to indicate that rank. The normal shoulder boards had a diagonal strip on them, while the officer ones had a horizontal one. However, that insignia was only worn within the confines of the ROTC activities. You did not wear that insignia when on summer training. You reverted to your class insignia. Meanwhile, Air Force ROTC cadet officers wore shoulder boards, with their rank insignia, but regular cadets wore no shoulder board. So, at the beginning of the year, you had a lot of Air Force Cadets saluting Freshman midshipmen, until they were educated. Army cadets wore rank insignia that consisted of circles and diamonds, which could cause confusion as to who outranked whom, between services.
Here is a chart to show the various service insignias:
http://www.deploymentpsych.org/system/files/member_resource/MCT_Provid er_Resources_Military_Rank_Chart.pdf
Usually, there is an indoctrination for joint service units to familiarize new people.
Fortunately, Ah keep mah feathers numbered for just such an emergency!
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