Barfleet Protocols - Rank Structure
When we first declared our ill-advised independence from Starfleet, we were unsure as to the value of a rank structure at all aboard a floating expression of anarchy. After several hours of spirited discussion, followed by a long period of sleeping in wildly distorted positions in conference room chairs, we decided to keep a rank structure. Not because we wanted to give people rewards and responsibility, but because deep down we all wanted people to know who the cool guys were.
The resulting rank structure was little different on the surface from that used by Starfleet. Most of the names remained the same, and we even kept the same insignia so that our guests would not have to think too hard about it. The primary difference is in the meaning of those ranks.
In Starfleet, as in most military organizations, rank is a reward for performance, an automatic dividend of long and faithful service, and an indicator of the amount of responsibility and respect a given member may command. Within Barfleet, increasing in rank is a punishment for excessive displays of competence by staff, or by dangerous levels of boredom in a Senior Officer.
That being said, there is a pecking order within the rank structure that we try to keep in mind when it becomes relevant. It goes like this:
| Rank | Description |
|---|---|
| Cadet (CDT) | All members of Barfleet start out as a Cadet, represented by a silver dog tag with the UBS Abandon logo on it. This silver tag is a siren call to any and all Senior Officers that you are an individual who has not yet found their home department. |
| Ensign (ENS) | Once you have found a department to call your own and have shown you are able to do at least a slightly more than adequate job performing those duties, Ensign is the next rank you will achieve. You will also trade in your silver dog tag for one in your new department’s color. You will be among the first called upon to work shifts or otherwise perform duties related to your new department. |
| Lieutenant, Junior Grade (LTJG) | An officer who continues to show both competency and the ability to work well with others can be bestowed the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Officers at this rank tend to have a lot of experience and tribal knowledge for their department and its operation, and typically can be expected to perform their duties unattended. |
| Lieutenant (LT) | Officers who demonstrate the ability to train and guide others using the skills and knowledge they have learned in their Barfleet career often find themselves elevated to the rank of Lieutenant. This is the tipping point where some of your fellow officers start vocalizing their dutiful respect and not just the usual well-hidden contempt. Folks at this rank are the future leaders of departments and projects. |
| Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) | By the time an officer reaches the rank of Lieutenant Commander, they are either the defacto department’s second officer or they have been recently promoted to the department head officer. Lieutenant Commanders are expected to handle the operations and planning for their given department and are frequently involved in Command discussions and decision making. |
| Commander (CDR) | A Senior Officer who has worked for the organization for years eventually reaches the rank of Commander. These individuals are considered experts in one or more of the departments they have served under and lead and are valuable resources to Command. They are also some of the most dangerous people to be around when they’re bored. |
| Captain (CAPT) | We have only one Captain on the ship (you’re welcome), and they’re the leader of the chapter. Besides taking extreme pleasure in personally driving the rest of Command crazy, their responsibility is the management of the Senior Officers and the underlying corporation. They also represent our chapter to Barfleet Command. It is the responsibility of all crew to entertain this person within their parameters, because the only thing that scares a bored Commander is a bored Captain. |
Additionally, several ranks are bestowed by Barfleet Command that are useful to be aware of:
| Rank | Description |
|---|---|
| Commodore (CDRE) | Individuals with the rank of Commodore are the leaders of Barfleet Command itself. They come with years of incredible knowledge of the organization by way of extreme inebriation and risky behavior. |
| Admiral (ADM) | Admirals are members (often honorary) of Barfleet who have contributed to either Star Trek in some meaningful fashion (such as actors, writers, etc.) or Barfleet itself. Admiralships are bestowed by a Commodore at an event where they both appear. |
