Rank Structures

[Davy, aka GM]

Late 23rd Century Starfleet Rank Structure

Flag Officers
Fleet Admiral
Admiral
Vice Admiral
Rear Admiral
Commodore

Line & Staff Officers
(Fleet Captain)
Captain
Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant
Lieutenant, junior grade
Ensign

Academy
Cadet, 1st Class
Cadet, 2nd Class
Cadet, 3rd Class
Cadet, 4th Class

Enlisted
Master Chief Petty Officer
Senior Chief Petty Officer
Chief Petty Officer
Petty Officer, 1st Class
Petty Officer, 2nd Class
Petty Officer, 3rd Class
Crewman, 1st Class
Crewman, 2nd Class
Crewman, 3rd Class

A Note on Fleet Captains
The rank of fleet captain is a rare meritorious appointment for a senior captain with shipboard command experience, and is the senior-most line/staff officer rank. Although subordinate to the rank of commodore, fleet captains have commodore-level access to classified and restricted information. Considered expert advisors and troubleshooters, fleet captains are command officers-at-large on a senior flag officer's staff, sent on missions of high importance where a flag presence would be too conspicuous.

Starfleet Uniforms
The current Starfleet officer uniform is affectionately called the "Monster Maroons." The main feature is a maroon overtunic, fastened at the right shoulder by a department-colored rank strap. Time in service is noted on a department-colored strap on the left sleeve cuff, just below the officer's rank insignia. A department-colored turtleneck undertunic is worn underneath, and black trousers with a department-colored stripe tucked into black, low-cut boots. Female officers are authorized to wear a skirt instead of trousers.

Enlisted uniforms consist of a maroon and tan jumpsuit with black boots.

The maroon uniform was phased in between 2276 and 2277, with full implementation completed the following year. This was due to widespread dissatisfaction with the uniform scheme that was introduced in 2270 (and mandated Starfleet-wide in 2272); one officer described it as, "The whole thing went from practical and simple to oddly flowing, like a fashion designer drew them up to be 'striking.'" By 2274, Starfleet began to redesign the uniform, which resulted in a radically different scheme that has been widely praised.

Timeline of Starfleet Uniforms
The first two decades of Starfleet saw individual member worlds maintain their national uniforms, even as the fledgling organization quickly adopted a uniform rank scale, based on Earth's Starfleet ranks (including the pip system).

The first true Starfleet uniform was adopted in 2183 (which we'll say is somewhat similar to the Kelvin-era uniforms, but with the Cage-style rank stripes...1 for most officers, 2 for commanding officers, and 3 for fleet captains and commodores, and a broad band for flag officers...and a filled in arrowhead, instead of the outline); this uniform remained in use until the 2245 scheme was adopted.

The Cage-era uniforms were adopted in 2245, created to coincide with the fleet exploration directive and the launching of the highly-anticipated Constitution-class cruiser.

TOS uniforms were introduced in the late 2250s, as a slight redesign of the popular uniforms that were originally introduced in 2245. It is also at this time when individual ship insignias were introduced, replacing the traditional Starfleet arrowhead (which was granted to Christopher Pike and the Enterprise). This practice ended with the adoption of the new 2270 uniform scheme.

TMP uniforms were introduced in 2270, but crews on 5-year missions were allowed to wear the TOS-style uniforms until the end of their missions; however, in 2272, Starfleet mandated the new uniform scheme for all officers and enlists. Dissatisfaction was expressed immediately by officers and enlists alike, with every aspect of the uniform (and the alternate styles) widely panned -- the notable exception to this was the introduction of radiation suits for engineers working near the warp core; that one article would be the only part of the early-70s scheme that would survive redesign.

TWOK and beyond uniforms began to be authorized in 2276, and the majority of units were wearing it by the end of 2277. All units were mandated to switch to the new uniform in 2278 (incidentally, just before USS Bozeman disappeared that year).

[Davy, aka GM]

Federation Merchant Marine

I. Overview

The Federation Merchant Marine is an independent and mostly-autonomous arm of the Federation, directed with providing materiel support to Federation member worlds, colonies and protectorates.

The Merchant Marine is subordinate to the Star Fleet and can be absorbed into the Star Fleet chain of command in times of war, or when directed by the Office of the Federation President or the Federation Council. At all other times, however, the Merchant Marine operates independent of Star Fleet and maintains its own administrative structure.

II. Organization and Structure

A. Merchant Marine

The organization of the Merchant Marine is relatively flat, as most ships operate independently and in their own interests, except when they are on a mission for the Federation.

The head of the Merchant Marine is the Commodore of the Federation Merchant Marine, with headquarters at the Presidio of Monterey, just south of San Francisco, Earth. Merchant Marine Headquarters is staffed by dozens of administrative and logistics personnel, tracking the movements of every Federation-ordered transport mission and liaising with Star Fleet and Federation officials to schedule cargoes.

During peacetime, the Commodore of the Federation Merchant Marine has equivalent authority to a Star Fleet rear admiral. When absorbed into Star Fleet during times of crisis, the commodore is given the Star Fleet rank of Rear Admiral, with all rights, privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto. (Traditionally, a CFMM who has been appointed as a Star Fleet rear admiral continues to be addressed as "admiral" (as a term of respect) for the remainder of their service in the Merchant Marine.)

Below the Commodore, "several" Vice Commodores administer the merchant ships in their sectors and manage the logistics of all cargoes traveling through their jurisdiction. The number of vice commodores is not explicitly set, but is generally no fewer than four nor greater than nine. Vice commodores are headquartered in forward areas, often on Federation starbases; they and their staffs work closely with local portmasters to ensure Federation-ordered transport missions are carried out in a timely fashion.

During peacetime, vice commodores have no equivalent Star Fleet authority. When absorbed into Star Fleet during times of crisis, vice commodores are given the Star Fleet rank of Commodore, with all rights, privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto.

The next and lowest level of organization in the Merchant Marine is the individual merchant ship. These vessels are privately owned, but must be maintained at a certain level to qualify for registration with the Merchant Marine. Such registered ships are authorized to use "S.S." before their ship's name.

Ships operate independently and in their own interest most of the time; however, each ship must be available to take Federation-ordered cargoes when requested, and, in times of crisis, accept orders from Star Fleet Command.

B. Shipboard

Aboard a Merchant Marine vessel, the Ship's Master is the ultimate authority, reporting to the appropriate vice commodore for the region in which the ship is operating. The Chief Officer and Chief Engineer are his primary assistants over shipboard operations and engineering, respectively, with the Chief Steward (2nd Officer in rank) overseeing cargo operations and ship support requirements.

Other licensed officers are ranked mostly by longevity, but are otherwise equivalent in authority under the aforementioned officers. Unlicensed officers, as trainees, have no authority, but mess with their fellow officers. All other crewmembers are "hands," and are given titles based on their longevity.

In peacetime, the ship's master has no equivalent rank, and has authority only over his vessel. When absorbed by Star Fleet in times of crisis, a ship's master has the equivalent authority of the rank of Captain, though he is not granted the rank or any of its privileges.

III. Ranks, Uniforms and Insignia

A. Ranks

Fleet Officers
Commodore of the Federation Merchant Marine
Vice Commodore

Shipboard Officers
Ship's Master
Chief Officer, Chief Engineer, Chief Steward
2nd Officer, 3rd Officer, 4th Officer, 2nd Engineer, 3rd Engineer, 4th Engineer
Licensed Junior Officer, Licensed Junior Engineer
Junior Officer, Junior Engineer

Shipboard Rates
Boatswain, Technician, Steward, Cook-Steward
Boatswain's Mate, Technician's Mate, Assistant Steward, Cook's Assistant
Able Spacehand, Junior Technical Assistant
Ordinary Spacehand

B. Uniforms

The Federation Merchant Marine has no proscribed uniform. All licensed officers and above are authorized, but not required, to wear a bomber jacket styled similarly to the Starfleet bomber jacket from the 2280s. The Merchant Marine jacket is copper in color, and does not include rank straps on the left shoulder or left cuff. Commodores and vice commodores wear the jacket only when aboard a Merchant Marine-registered ship.

When absorbed by Starfleet in times of crisis, the Commodore and all Vice Commodores wear the full Starfleet uniform proscribed for their wartime rank. The Merchant Marine sextant sits above the rank on the shoulder strap, and forward of the rank on the left sleeve cuff.

C. Insignia

All licensed officers and above are authorized to wear the Merchant Marine sextant pin over the left breast, in the black oval section designated for the service pin. Ship's Masters are authorized to add a single gold horizontal bar (with four vertical hashes) under the sextant to denote their command status; the Commodore and all Vice Commodores are authorized to wear two parallel gold horizontal bars (with six vertical hashes each) under the sextant to denote their flag-equivalent status.

The Ship's Master is authorized to create a unique ship's patch for all officers and hands to wear on their outerwear, as desired.

[Davy, aka GM]

Royal Defense Force (Cait)

The Caitian RDF is a mostly-ceremonial remnant of the world's pre-Federation military, drawing from the traditions of the combined-arms military of Vastayn; however, it still retains functional ground and air/space defense arms (though not as beefy as the Andorian Defense Force).

The sovereign is the titular head of the RDF, holding the rank of Marshal-General. In theory, she could take control of RDF operations in times of crisis; in practice, this role is filled by the minister-general.

The immediate royal family (as opposed to the whole of Clan Arkhantseriss) also holds military rank (which, since 2260, includes the option of holding Starfleet rank). RDF rank is mostly meritoriously earned when the family member is young, but, once they have stepped away from their formal military duties, they are often ceremonially promoted to the rank of colonel and above. Most end at the rank of Lieutenant-General; however, the Crown Prince/Princess and the consort to the monarch eventually achieve the rank of Colonel-General. This rank is also superior to Minister-General, and they may, at the monarch's discretion, take command of RDF operations, as needed (again, this is not something that is ever done in practice).

The Minster of State and Defense is the operational head of the RDF, given the rank of Minister-General to reflect his dual political-military role. Ministers-general are always drawn from the ranks of career RDF officers (and may not be members of the royal family).

Below the Minister-General are the professional officers of the force.

Lieutenant-General, of which there are two (outside members of the royal family): the Lieutenant-General of Ground and the Lieutenant-General of Air/Space Defense
Brigadier, of which there are several, commanding individual ground brigades and air/space defense squadrons. The Household Guard is commanded by a brigadier who holds the title Colonel-in-Chief
Colonel (ground), commander of a regiment, or Flight Commander (air/space defense), commander of a defense craft
Major (ground) or Deck Commander (air/space defense)
Captain (ground) or Post Officer (air/space defense), the latter are titled by their shipboard position (engineer, pilot, comms officer, weapons officer, sensors officer)
Lieutenant (ground) or Watch Officer (air/space defense)

Enlisted ranks include:
Sergeant Major or Chief Technical Specialist
Sergeant or Technical Specialist
Corporal or Apprentice Technician
Trooper or Crewman

[Davy, aka GM]

Andorian Defense Force Ranks

These ranks are extrapolated from the known ranks of the Andorian Imperial Guard, which was disbanded and reorganized into the ADF following the foundation of the Federation.

General Officers
Chief of the General Staff and Senior Commanding General of the ADF (only one at this rank)
Commanding General
Senior General
General

Field and Fleet Officers
Captain (shipboard appointment)
Commander

Lieutenants
First Lieutenant (only one at this rank for each command)
Flight Lieutenant (shipboard appointment)
Senior Lieutenant
Lieutenant

Non-Commissioned Officers
First Sergeant (only one at this rank for each command)
Flight Sergeant (shipboard appointment)
Senior Sergeant
Sergeant

Enlists
Carabinier or Crewman (shipboard appointment)

Shipboard appointment ranks are for only those ADF personnel permanently assigned to starship duty. Commanders can command ships, but captains are senior to them, as they are dedicated to shipboard duty. A flight lieutenant is always superior to a senior lieutenant, and a flight sergeant is always superior to senior sergeant.

The ranks of first lieutenant and first sergeant are appointments, called first-rank billets, and only apply as long as those personnel remain in such a billet. If they are not promoted to the next higher rank, or transferred to another first-rank billet, they revert to their previous rank. Flight lieutenants and Flight sergeants promoted to a first-rank billet are titled flight first lieutenant and flight first sergeant, respectively.

[Patrick Goodman]

Star Fleet Rank Insignia
Here are images of the rank insignia used by Star Fleet in the period we're gaming in. They can be saved and used as icons/avatars here on the forums if you're so inclined.

This can be expanded later, if anyone really desires it, to include enlisted and flag ranks. I just kept it to the line ranks because that's what we're likely to encounter at any given time (and also what we're likely to play).

Ensign
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Lieutenant
Lieutenant Commander
Commander
Captain

[Davy, aka GM]

Vulcan Security Services

Vulcan Security Directorate
(Also called the Ministry of Security)
The Security Directorate of the Vulcan High Command/Vulcan Council is headed by the First Minister of Security, a senior career specialist who has served at least one term as head of either the V'Shar, V'Kor, or the Intelligence Service.

The Intelligence Service
(Also called the Department of Extraplanetary Investigations and Intelligence)
The Intelligence Service is headed by the Director of Intelligence, and is responsible for investigating external threats to Vulcan state interests. It works closely with the V'Shar, often conducting joint investigations both on and off-world.

V'Shar, the State Security and Intelligence Agency
V'Shar is responsible for investigating internal threats to Vulcan state interests, and is headed by the Minister of State Security and Intelligence. This agency was severely reduced in scope and size after Vulcan joined the Federation in 2161, and now focuses on monitoring planetary communications and data transmission for potential security threats. It's small cadre of field agents often operate jointly with Intelligence Service and V'Kor investigators.

V'Kor, the Public Safety and Security Agency
Where the other agencies within the directorate are intelligence and counterintelligence services, V'Kor is the combination police, fire, and medical rescue department. Headed by the Minister of Public Safety, V'Kor is responsible for public safety on Vulcan and its colonies, with duties that include fire and medical rescue services, health and safety inspections, uniformed protection and enforcement, criminal investigations, and correction and rehabilitation services.

While operating independently of the intelligence services, V'Kor will often serve as an augmentation force for large intelligence operations and investigations.

Ranks within the Intelligence and Safety Services
In general, agents and officers within the Directorate are appointed to ranks equivalent to their VDF counterparts; however, the services also maintain separate ranks that are tied to their specific duties. In V'Kor, officers and administrators almost exclusively use their unique rank structure (even as their equivalent defense rank remains active).

Defense Force Ranks
Commander (while there is only one rank, each position has a precedence within the Vulcan High Command which determines seniority)
Captain (individual large asset commander)
Subcommander (senior executive to a captain or individual small asset commander)
Major (senior executive to a subcommander or senior department executive within a large asset)
Lieutenant (department executive within an asset)
Subaltern (junior officer with subdepartment responsibility)

Intelligence Service-specific Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Director of Intelligence (Commander)
Sector Group Subdirector (Commander) - responsible for all assets & operations within an assigned group of sectors
Senior Operations Chief (Commander) - responsible for all assets & operations within a single assigned sector where there is a high concentration of permanent assets
Station Chief (Captain) - responsible for all temporarily assigned assets & operations in a single system; an IS officer of any rank must check in with the local station chief prior to conducting operations within the chief's jurisdiction; also called a senior agent-in-charge
Principal Investigator (Subcommander) - responsible for a single operation and all assets assigned to the operation; also called a senior agent
Field Investigator (Major) - an individual agent assigned to an operation; also called an agent
Senior Analyst (Lieutenant) - the lead of a station's analysis and support staff
Analyst (Subaltern) - a non-agent intelligence analyst or technical support specialist

V'Shar-specific Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Minister of State Security and Intelligence (Commander)
Director (Commander) - senior executive responsible overall operations within V'Shar
Senior Operations Chief (Commander) - head of the reconnaissance department and determining which cases should be sent to the investigations department
Chief Investigator (Captain) - head of the investigations department within V'Shar
Principal Investigator (Subcommander) - senior investigator who serves as a lead for a team of field investigators
Field Investigator (Major) - investigator assigned to investigate cases sent up from the reconnaissance office
Reconnaissance Officer (Major) - supervisory investigator in charge of a single signals collection and analysis office
Signals Analyst (Lieutenant) - junior investigator determining which signals and data that deserves deeper consideration
Signals Technician (Subaltern) - probationary investigator serving as an operations and technical support specialist, with primary responsibilities for retrieving signals and data for analysis

V'Kor Senior Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Minister of Public Safety (Commander)
Chief of (Branch) (Commander) - senior-most officer in one of the primary branches of V'Kor; seniority between these officers is based solely on length of service as a branch chief

V'Kor Fire & Medical Rescue Branch Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Chief of Rescue (Commander)
Chief of Department (Commander) - responsible for all provinces on a single continent
Provincial Commander (Commander) - responsible for all districts within a province
District Commander (Commander) - responsible for a district, the smallest administrative division above the city level
Municipal Captain (Captain) - senior station chief of a small municipal region or a subregion within a metropolitan administrative region
Station Chief (Subcommander) - senior officer of a fire/rescue station, also serving as on site commander for most incidents
Squad Leader (Major) - senior crewmember of a fire/rescue squad
Senior Firefighter/Paramedic (Lieutenant) - all personnel (incl. pilots) who operate heavy equipment on site must be at this rank
Junior Firefighter/Paramedic (Subaltern)

V'Kor Health & Safety Enforcement Branch Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Chief of Safety (Commander)
Chief Regulator (Commander) - former provincial regulator responsible for all provinces on a continent
Provincial Regulator (Commander) - former chief inspector responsible for all districts within a province
Chief Inspector (Captain) - senior inspector of a district
Principal Inspector (Subcommander) - senior inspector who manages all inspectors in a municipal region
Inspector, Grade 1 (Major) - experienced inspector who ensures health and safety codes are followed by all public and private interests, and provides guidance to correct violations of code
Inspector, Grade 2 (Lieutenant) - junior inspector, paired with a senior inspector
Technical Specialist (Subaltern) - responsible for assisting an inspector as an equipment operator and technician

V'Kor Uniformed Protection & Enforcement Branch Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Provost Commander (Commander)
Department Commander (Commander) - each department has one department commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Provincial Commander (Commander) -  each province region has one provincial commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
District Commander (Commander) - each district has one district commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Municipal Commander (Commander) - each municipality has one municipal commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Precinct Captain (Captain) - senior officer of a precinct within a municipality; each precinct has one precinct captain, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Senior Watch Officer (Subcommander) - senior executive of all uniformed officers within a precinct
Officer, Grade 1 (Major) - senior uniformed officer, often leading a shift within a precinct; larger precincts may have two or more grade 1 officers on a shift
Officer, Grade 2 (Lieutenant) - uniformed officer with 2 or more years of experience who has passed a competency and ethics exam
Subofficer (Subaltern) - officer with less than 3 years experience; officers that cannot pass their grade 2 exam before the end of their 3rd year are expelled from the service (this is very rare)

V'Kor Criminal Investigations Branch Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Chief of Investigators (Commander)
Department Commander (Commander) - each department has one department commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Provincial Commander (Commander) -  each province region has one provincial commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
District Commander (Commander) - each district has one district commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Municipal Commander (Commander) - each municipality has one municipal commander, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Precinct Captain (Captain) - senior officer of a precinct within a municipality; each precinct has one precinct captain, who will either be from UP&E or CI
Principal Investigator (Subcommander) - senior detective within a precinct, equivalent to a uniformed senior watch officer
Investigator, Grade 1 (Major)
Investigator, Grade 2 (Lieutenant)
Investigator, Grade 3 (Subaltern)

V'Kor Corrections & Rehabilitation Branch Ranks (VDF Equivalency)
Chief Warden (Commander)
Warden (Captain) - senior corrections officer of an individual penal center
Senior Ward Officer (Subcommander) - senior executive of all uniformed officers within a penal center
Ward Officer, Grade 1 (Major) - senior corrections officer, often leading a shift within a penal center
Ward Officer, Grade 2 (Lieutenant) - corrections officer with 2 or more years of experience who has passed a competency and ethics exam
Subofficer (Subaltern) - officer with less than 3 years experience; officers that cannot pass their grade 2 exam before the end of their 3rd year are expelled from the service (this is very rare)

[Davy, aka GM]

Federation Diplomatic Ranks

Diplomatic ranks for all Federation members (and for the Federation Diplomatic Corps) were standardized in 2218.

Ambassador - head of mission to a Federation member world, sovereign independent world, or sovereign interstellar nation-state capital world.
In a Federation Council delegation, the Ambassador is always the first seated delegate of the member world's delegation.

Minister - head of mission to a Federation colony, a consulate on a world, or subordinate member world for an interstellar nation-state.
In a Federation Council delegation, the Minister is always the second seated delegate of the member world's delegation.

First Secretary or Chargee d'affaires - senior career diplomat for a mission.
In a Federation Council delegation, the First Secretary is the third seated delegate of the member world's delegation.

Second Secretary, Third Secretary, Fourth Secretary, et al. - for larger missions, these subordinate secretaries are junior to the First Secretary, but carry certain levels of authority within the mission.
In a Federation council delegation, all unseated delegates are listed ordinally, starting with Second Secretary. Junior secretaries may only be seated in the Council if a senior delegate is unavailable to attend a session.