I feel that the tier system for FUs isn't an issue, and it's actually quite a bit better than simply starting out (or advancing suddenly) to having everything at your fingertips whenever you want (at least from the psychology of the writer). What should be done, in the case of evening out NFUs with FUs and give NFUs more notoriety that gives them a sense of ability or skill that those who don't write NFUs or don't write with them on a personal basis (as in private threads, i.e; don't really know the other character from any point of view, IC or OOC) is that factions should be more promotional and restricting on their NFU ranks. As I've seen as of the last 6 months (using that as a sample size, I could go further back, but it wasn't until recent that I've noticed more NFU fleeters) it really only takes what amounts to a resume of past RP to earn an NFU rank, even if it is at the top of the tree, so to speak. While it will never be something controlled by admins, it should be something factions step up and take the initiative on because it is certainly in their best interests.
As for non-affiliated NFUs, you'll have to deal with things like unaffiliated FUs deal with when trying to write/train/etc for their promotions: Make yourself known and famous/infamous with good writing. You'll be even more 'dangerous' than those who run the fleets of major factions like the Republic and One Sith. Look at [member="Fatty"]'s character, whom has clashed with [member="Ashin Varanin"] - that is the same sort of struggle that you'll have to endure, which is pretty much the same struggle that a master-less and unaffiliated force user will have to face. It may seem daunting, but it's just writing. The more you write, relevantly at least, the more pronounced your character's actions are not only in how you should restrict yourself but in how other writers/characters perceive your actions.
