Starfleet Ranks

Ranks

Starfleet uses a system of ranks and appointments that indicate a person's relative authority. In general, a person with higher rank has greater experience and expertise, at least within their field, and is expected to be able to supervise and direct personnel of lower rank. Each rank fits within a hierarchical scale, with the three scales being Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted. All Commissioned Officers outrank all Warrant Officers, who outrank all Enlisted.

Rank should not be confused with an appointed position in the chain of command. While an individual may have higher rank and deserve due respect, that does not guarantee them the right to issue orders to anyone of lower rank, especially if those orders contradict those of the subordinate's direct superiors. The chain of command may be permanent, such as the structure of departments and their associated heads and chiefs, or temporary, such as for landing parties that gather personnel from several divisions. In the absence of previous instructions, command devolves to the highest-ranking qualified person. Legal and moral authority are not always one in the same, either; even the freshest ensign can legally override a master chief petty officer, but doing so without justification would inevitably result in dire consequences once the captain or executive officer found out.

Commissioned Officers

Starfleet commissioned officers fill the primary leadership and policy-making role. They are responsible for deciding what the mission is and how best to successfully accomplish it. Starfleet officers are held to high standards of training and education, as they must be sufficiently familiar with all aspects of Starfleet's operations to direct personnel in dealing with situations outside their own speciality. Most Starfleet officers enter through Starfleet Academy, which combines training in Starfleet operations with a comprehensive tertiary education. However, Starfleet also offers officer training courses at many peer educational institutions, as well as an Officer Candidate School for those who have already completed their education or are enlisted personnel seeking to become officers. These secondary accession streams ensure that Starfleet includes outside points of view.

Commissioned officers are divided into Line and Staff roles. Line officers are fully qualified for service aboard a starship or starbase, and are able to hold authority as division or department heads, as well as lead away teams. Because of the nature of shipboard operations, a Line officer must have considerable cross-training as they may be required to take charge in emergencies and handle situations outside their immediate area of expertise.

There is an additional Command Training Course required to qualify as a watch officer, which allows an officer to take command of a ship or base during routine operations. This course can be taken at any stage of an officer's career, either at a training facility or under the supervision of the ship's executive officer, and is the first step toward an independent command. A qualified watch officer always takes priority over unqualified ones, even of higher rank, when determining who is in command of a ship or starbase.

Staff officers are limited to support roles, and many types are only found on starbases and other headquarters installations. They cannot command a ship or starbase, but may hold authority over an installation or facility (ie the Starfleet Communications hub in Nairobi). Common staff roles include JAG, medical, science, finance, construction, and personnel management. They often enter Starfleet to fill necessary professional roles.

Officer ranks run from O-1, Ensign, to O-10, Admiral. Traditionally ranks are divided between junior officers, O-1 to O-3, who lead divisions and small departments; senior officers of O-4 to O-6, who are eligible for command positions or department heads on major vessels; and flag officers, O-7 to O-10, who lead task groups or fill headquarters roles. In addition there are cadets, who have not yet received commissions, and midshipmen, who are cadets granted temporary commissions for field training purposes.

Warrant Officers

Warrant officers are individuals who have specialized and expert knowledge in one field. They rank above enlisted but below commissioned officers. Their rank grants them greater authority within their specialty, without subjecting them to the same generalist requirements of line officers. Most often they are promoted from non-commissioned officers who have shown high aptitude for their field; however, many also come from science backgrounds and enter Starfleet directly as warrants. Warrant officers are expected to receive similar deference and respect as chief petty officers or senior officers.

Enlisted Personnel

Enlisted personnel take care of most of the day-to-day physical operations of Starfleet. When an officer orders something done, the enlisted are the ones likely carrying out that order. While still well-trained and in senior cases experts in their fields, enlisted personnel are not expected to have the same breadth of knowledge as officers.

Traditionally, the enlisted community is divided into three groups by grade. Junior Enlisted are individuals who are in or have completed basic Starfleet training necessary to serve on a starship or starbase, but have not yet received advanced technical and leadership training. They work under close supervision. They generally only have a few years of experience.

Petty Officers, or non-commissioned officers, have completed additional training and gained experience to qualify for a rating in a particular field of work. This affords them a greater degree of trust for independent work or supervising other enlisted personnel in day-to-day activities. They are often addressed by their specialty, such as Boatswain's Mate, Electrician's Mate, or Medical Corpsman.

Chief Petty Officers manage the enlisted personnel of their departments and advise officers. They are often among the most skilled and experienced individuals within a unit and are essential to its operation. In addition to meeting requirements for time in grade and passing technical exams, CPO candidates must pass a peer review panel. One CPO, typically the most senior for a ship or base, is appointed as Command Senior Chief or Command Master Chief by the unit's commanding officer.

Rank Insignia

Rank is indicated by a set of stripes, typically worn on the sleeve with duty uniforms but found other places as appropriate with different styles of clothing.

Rating	Enlisted/NCOs		Warrant Officers		Commissioned Officers
1	Crewman Recruit		Warrant Officer		Ensign
2	Crewman Apprentice		Staff Warrant		Lieutenant (jg)
3	Crewman		Master Warrant		Lieutenant
4	Petty Officer 3rd		Chief Warrant		Lieutenant Commander
5	Petty Officer 2nd				Commander
6	Petty Officer 1st				Captain
7	Chief Petty Officer				Commodore
8	Senior Chief Petty Officer				Rear Admiral
9	Master Chief Petty Officer				Vice Admiral
10					Admiral

Fleet Admiral is a temporary appointment for Commander-in-Chief, Starfleet, and not a permanent rank.