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

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

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

Flag Officers (United Earth Starfleet)

• Commodore: heads up a component of Starfleet (ex: Security, Engineering, Research & Development)
• Admiral: commander of Starfleet

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)
• 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 fleets, 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 Starfleet (ex: Security, Engineering, Research & Development)
• Fleet Admiral: most senior admiral of Starfleet

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 Starfleet (ex: Security, Engineering, Research & Development)
• Fleet Admiral: most senior admiral of Starfleet

Marine Corps Personnel

Enlisted Personnel

Apprentice Levels

• Marine Recruit: rank held for basic-level training and as a low point when demotions are used
• Private: usually lowest rank held onboard a ship
• Lance Corporal: average rank of enlisted crew, learning a specialty

Journeyman Levels

• Corporal: recognized as trained in specialty, but most junior of specialists
• Sergeant: specialist most called upon to perform duties
• Staff Sergeant: oversees training and efforts of junior enlisted within division

Tradesman Levels

• Gunnery Sergeant: most senior enlisted within the division
• First Sergeant: most senior enlisted within the department
• Sergeant Major: most senior enlisted onboard the ship, advisor to the command staff