Ace Status:

Keeping somewhat in step with the fighter pilot theme present in Macross, Ace Status is the point where a character has gone well past the normal gumby soldier stage and has come into their own as a role more akin to a main character you'd see in the canon series. OFCs and FCs are thus all aces by default, and typically established OCs fall into this group right away. Rookie OCs meanwhile make the transition to Ace Status once they have at least one of the primary skills related to them (ie. instruments/singing for a musician) and one stat in the 7 range. Typically by this point it is assumed they have also done enough ICly to be well-recognized as someone skilled at what they do.

Aces have access to higher profile elements. So singers would have better contracts, etc. (think Minmay after winning the Miss Macross contest). Pilots would have access to top tier aircraft (Isamu becoming the YF-19's test pilot). Bridge crew may be able to opt to take their own command of a ship (Misa taking command of the Macross near the end of the series).

Essentially Ace Status represents one of those major points where a character substantially comes into their own, even if it isn't their true defining moment.