Ranks & Uniforms

The rank structure within Starfleet (and its predecessor organizations) has appeared to favor the commissioned levels (i.e., officers) and that portion of the structure has been known to change over time. The enlisted ranks, however, have generally stood the test of time - at least as far as the overall structure. In the history of Earth's space travel, the earliest astronauts and cosmonauts tended to be officers in their host nations' militaries and, by default, the whole crew of a ship was comprised of officers. As the militaries developed their space capabilities into small fleets of offensive and defensive ships (rather than just focusing on exploration), the level of organization became more concrete and the enlisted ranks made their way into space.

The following sections provide the officer ranks for the relevant organizations (where applicable) and, when enlisted crews were present, the structure that generally prevailed.

Fleet Personnel

Flag Officers (United Earth Starfleet)

Commodore: heads up a component of Starfleet (ex: Security, Engineering, Research & Development)
Admiral: commander of Starfleet
As the UESF grew larger, the ranks of Vice Admiral and then Rear Admiral were added. The sole Admiral received a third tack first, and then finally the fourth.

Flag Officers (pre-2354)

Fleet Captain: administrative position for first post-tour captain; oversees fleet-wide requirements for one specific (primary) class of ship (ex: Ranger class) or leads a Manpower Training Group (a special team for training a pre-commissioning crew's Command Cadre).
Commodore: either a brevet rank for a ship captain temporarily in command of a small task force of ships or the commanding officer of a starbase (and the ships under its authority)
Rear Admiral: in command of a smaller fleet, usually mobile in nature (ex: exploration, colonization fleets)
Vice Admiral: in command of larger fleets, usually static in nature (ex: neutral zone border fleet)
Admiral: heads up a component of Star Fleet (ex: Security, Engineering, Research & Development)
Fleet Admiral: most senior admiral of Star Fleet

Flag Officers (post-2353)

Rear Admiral (Lower Half): authority for a new or less threatened/critical sector
Rear Admiral (Upper Half): authority for internal and/or critical sectors and 'mobile' fleets
Vice Admiral: in command of larger fleets, usually static in nature (ex: neutral zone border fleets)
Admiral: heads up a department of Star Fleet (ex: Security, Engineering, Research & Development)
Fleet Admiral: most senior admiral of Star Fleet

Line Officers

Junior Officers

Ensign: usually first tour officer, one of up to three others working under a division officer
Lieutenant (Junior Grade): senior first tour or second tour officer, assigned as a division officer
Lieutenant: Third tour officer, assigned as an assistant department officer
Lieutenant Commander: department officer on small ships and smaller departments on larger ships; executive officer on smaller ships

Senior Officers

Commander: department officer on larger ships or executive officer on line ships; commanding officer on smaller ships
Captain: commanding officer on line ships

Warrant Officers

Warrant Officer: First-tour warrant officer; generally in charge of a smaller technical division
Staff Warrant Officer: Second-tour warrant officer; generally in charge of a medium or small (but critical) technical division
Chief Warrant Officer: Third-tour (or more) warrant officer; generally in charge of a large or medium technical division
Master Warrant Officer: May lead a technical department; represents subordinate warrant officers to the command structure

Enlisted Personnel

Apprentice Levels

Fleet Recruit: rank held for basic-level training and as a low point when demotions are used
Crewman Second Class: usually lowest rank held onboard a ship
Crewman First Class: average rank of enlisted crew, learning a specialty

Journeyman Levels

Petty Officer Third Class: recognized as trained in specialty, but most junior of specialists
Petty Officer Second Class: specialist most called upon to perform duties
Petty Officer First Class: oversees training and efforts of junior enlisted within division

Tradesman Levels

Chief Petty Officer: most senior enlisted within the division
Senior Chief Petty Officer: most senior enlisted within the department
Master Chief Petty Officer: most senior enlisted onboard the ship, advisor to the command staff

Marine Corps Personnel

Enlisted Personnel

Riflemen

Marine Recruit: rank held for basic-level training and as a low point when demotions are used
Private: usually lowest rank in a combat unit
Lance Corporal: slightly more experienced riflemen

Team Leadership

Corporal: fire team leaders
Sergeant: squad leaders
Staff Sergeant: platoon advisers

Unit Leadership

Gunnery Sergeant: company advisers
First Sergeant: battalion advisers
Sergeant Major: regiment (and above) advisers

Company-grade Officers

Second Lieutenant: Platoon commanders
First Lieutenant: Company commanders
Captain: Battalion staff officers

Field-grade Officers

Major: Battalion executive officers
Lieutenant Colonel: Battalion commanders, Regimental executive officers
Colonel: Regimental commanders, Brigade executive officers

Flag Officers

Brigadier General: Brigade commanders, Division executive officers
Major General: Division commanders, Expeditionary force executive officers
Lieutenant General: Expeditionary force commanders, Assistant Commandant
General: Commandant of the Marine Corps

Note: since the establishment of the SFMC, the Commandant of the Marine Corps has always held the rank of General and the Assistant Commandant was a Lieutenant General, though the two lesser flag ranks were not necessarily established. As the Corps grew, the remaining flag ranks were added.

Gallery

Senior Ranks

Years	Captain	Fleet Captain (abolished in 2353)	Commodore Rear Admiral Lower Half (2354)	Rear Admiral Rear Admiral Upper Half (2354)	Vice Admiral	Admiral	Fleet Admiral
2069-2133 shoulder insignia			Commandant
2133-2161 chest tacks
2161-2230s sleeve stripes
2240s sleeve stripes
2250s sleeve stripes
2260s sleeve stripes
2270s sleeve stripes
2278-2350 epaulet insignia
2350-2366 collar pips		through 2353	through 2353 from 2354
2366-2373 collar pips
2373-2386 collar pips
2386-2410 collar pips