A Guide to Trek, from the RPGs: Part 2 - Ranks

[eleanorjane]

A Guide to Trek, from the RPGs: 2. Ranks

Before I go on to the big info dump about the Academy, let's have a quick look at ranks in Star Trek.


Part 2: Ranks in Starfleet

Trainees

Details are scarce, but during the TOS era, Starfleet Academy students were separated into 'Cadet' and 'Midshipman' ranks, plus a 'Midshipman First Class' rank. It's never been quite clear what was what during this era, although non-canon books explain that 'Cadet' was the standard rank for Academy students and Midshipman was a rank held by students in advanced leadership classes, or fifth-year cadets. This was standardised to 'Cadet' by TNG era.

Enlisted Personnel

Entering Starfleet/the Academy as enlisted personnel will lead to a position as a Crewman, or a non-commissioned officer (NCO) position such as Yeoman or Chief. There are very few enlisted Starfleet personnel shown in the movies/TV; Chief O'Brien from TNG/DS9 is a rare example (as is Yeoman Janice Rand from TOS).

Note that although enlisted personnel historically haven't received signficant academic training, Starfleet Academy does have an enlisted personnel campus. Also, in a TNG episode it's implied that NCOs are graduates of the Starfleet Technical Services Academy on Mars.

Enlisted ranks during TOS era are as follows:

* Chief Petty Officer (abbreviated CPO or Chief)
* Petty Officer
* Crewman

Pre-TOS-era, non-officer enlisted personnel were distinguished as Crewman 1st/2nd/3rd class, but by the mid-2250s this had been streamlined to just 'enlisted personnel'.

Then by the TOS movie era, ie late 23rd C. to mid-24th C., NCO ranks were expanded to Petty Officer 1st/2nd Class, CPO, Senior CPO and Master CPO.

Note that enlisted personnel can later receive officer training and receive a commission; Janice Rand is the perfect example of this (in TOS-era Trek she started as a Yeoman, was promoted to Chief, then undertook officer training, and ended up as a Commander, serving as Captain Sulu's communications officer on the Excelsior.

Also note that 'yeoman' referred to a position with administrative responsibilities rather than command responsibilities, so a yeoman could be enlisted or a commissioned officer.

Commissioned Officers

Entering Starfleet Academy for officer training will lead to a commission as an officer, at Ensign level, with a career path leading up to Captain or beyond.

The officer rank structure is:

* Fleet Admiral
* Admiral
* Vice Admiral [addressed as Admiral]
* Rear Admiral [addressed as Admiral]
* Commodore

* Captain
* Commander
* Lieutenant Commander [addressed as Commander]
* Lieutenant
* Lieutenant (junior grade) [addressed as Lieutenant]
* Ensign

(The ranks above Captain are known as 'flag ranks' and collectively 'the admiralty'.)