Starfleet Rank Structure

The following Departments Correspond with the following colors:


Command JAG Flight Control	Operations Engineering Security/Tactical	Medical Sciences Counseling

Intelligence	Diplomatic Corp.	Marines

Temporal Investigations/Security	S-SEALS

Officer Rates

Starfleet follows a simple system. All department are equal in authority, and the only characteristic difference is the Rank of the individuals in each department, even if those Ranks are named differently.

Medical, Engineering, Science, Diplomatic, and Command, inherited the use of the original Earth Naval Rank system, while the Marines and S-SEALS (Space-Sea, Air, and Land Specialiists) have adopted the old Earth Army Ranks. But needless to say, the Marine Ranks, whilst different in name and design, hold the same weight as there corresponding Naval Rank.

e.g. A Naval Cdr. has the same authority as the corresponding Marine Rank, in this case Lt. Colonel. As such a Naval Cdr. can give orders to a Marine Major, because the Naval rank of Cdr. is higher than the Marine Rank of Major. This system works both ways, a Marine Lt. Colonel can give orders to a Naval Lt. Cdr.

This is a good point to note that Naval ranks are used in all of the following departments:

Command

Conseling

Diplomatic Corp

Engineering

Flight Control

Judge Advocate General

Intelligence

Medical

Science

Security/Tactical

Temporal Affairs

Comparison Of Naval and Marine Ranks
Naval Rank	Insignia	Abbreviation	Marine Rank	Insignia	Abbreviation
Fleet Admiral		FAdm.	Field Marshal		FMar.
Admiral		Adm.	General		Gen.
Vice Admiral		VAdm.	Lt. General		Lt. Gen.
Rear Admiral		RAdm.	Major General		MGen.
Commodore		Comdor.	Brigadier General		BGen.
Captain		Capt.	Colonel		Col.
Commander		Cdr.	Lt. Colonel		Lt. Col.
Lt. Commander		Lt. Cdr.	Major		Maj.
Lt.		Lt.	Marine Captain		MCapt.
Lt. Junior Grade		Lt. (jg).	1st Lt.		1Lt.
Ensign		Ens.	2nd Lt.		2Lt.
Cadet 4th Year		C4	Cadet 4th Year		C4
Cadet 3rd Year		C3	Cadet 3rd Year		C3
Cadet 2nd Year		C2	Cadet 2nd Year		C2
Cadet 1st Year		C1	Cadet 1st Year		C1

Enlisted Rates

Enlisted Officers are the main back bone to any organisation. Starfleet is no different...

Enlisting allows individuals who do not wish to take a 4 year training course at the Academy and a years tour of duty, to join up and become a member of Starfleet. There training is more specific and shorter, lasting but one year allowing for a continued training that takes place in the field.

This continued training means that upon reaching a high Rate a NCO may become an officer. (See the Bureau for Enlisted Affairs for more detailed information on this).

Below you can find a list of Rates (the term used to describe the Insignia used by NCOs), and pips, for Naval and Marine Enlisted Officers, or more simply called Non-Com's (non-commissioned officers).

Also provided hear is a comparison of the "experience chain of command " between the Officer and Warrant Officers Ranks and NCO Rates.

NCO Rates
Naval Rate	Insignia	Abbreviation	Marine Rate	Insignia	Abbreviation
Master Chief Petty Officer of Starfleet		MCPOSF	Sergeant Major of Starfleet		SMaj. SF
Master Chief Petty Officer		MCPO	Sergeant Major		SMaj.
Senior Chief Petty Officer		SCPO	Master Sergeant		MSgt.
Chief Petty Officer		CPO	Gunnery Sergeant		GSgt.
Petty Officer 1st Class		PO1	Staff Sergeant		SSgt.
Petty Officer 2nd Class		PO2	Sergeant		Sgt.
Petty Officer 3rd Class		PO3	Corporal		Cpl.
Crewman		CM	Lance Corporal		LCpl.
Crewman Apprentice		CMA	Private 1st Class		Pvt 1.
Crewman Recruit		CMR	Private		Pvt.

Warrant Officer Ranks

At a high rate NCOs are deemed trained sufficiently to achieve an Commissioned Rank and become a Warrant Officer. On reaching the Rate of Chief Petty Officer/Gunnery Sergeant the NCO can apply for Officer Training. At the next Promotion the NCO is promoted to Warrant Officer, and may hold any Junior Officer position (i.e. Asst. Chief Engineer)or any specific Warrant Officer position.

On the next promotion the NCO may can be promoted to CWO and may hold any Senior Officer position (i.e. Chief Engineer), or any specific Warrant Officer position. A Chief Warrant Officer who wishes to become an Starfleet Officer, rather than a Warrant Officer should inform his/her CO, at which point the CO may promote at his/her discretion the CWO to the rank of Lt./Marine Captain.

Warrant Officers Ranks
Insignia	Rank	Abbreviation
	Chief Warrant Officer 3	CWO3
	Chief Warrant Officer 2	CWO2
	Chief Warrant Officer 1	CWO1
	Warrant Officer	WO

Important: In the chain of command, all commissioned officers (by rank) outrank all warrant officers (by rank) who in turn outrank all non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel (by rate). Thus, the lowliest Ensign has more official authority than the most experienced Chief Warrant Officer or Master Chief Petty Officer. However, Starfleet does not operate by the chain of command alone and experience is often more valued by Commanding and Flag Officers when it comes to getting the job done. Below is a chart which approximates the levels of experience-based authority that warrant and non-commissioned officers earn as compared to commissioned officers.

Note: Below the Officer rank of Lt./Marine Captain is marked against a number of different Enlisted Rates. This is not a mistake. This is because the Enlisted Rate, whilst assumed to have greater experience than the NCO bellow him/her, s/he is not assumed to have more experience than an officer at the rank of Lt./Marine Captain.

Experience Chain Of Command for Officers, Warrant and NCO
Officer Insignia	Warrant Insignia	NCO Insignia