Rank Question

[Megamanfan]

Why is it that I've never seen a Security Officer of any higher rank that Lieutenant? How come they aren't Commander or Captains? What about top Security brass at Starfleet Command? No Security Admirals? Do Command Admirals mock them for fun?

Seriously, what's the deal?

[Owen E Oulton]

The Security Chief of NCC-1701 was Lieutenant Commander Giotto (The Devil in the Dark).

Lieutenant Commander Chekov was Security Chief of NCC-1701-A (STV: The Final Frontier[/i] and STVI: The Undiscovered Country).

Worf was promoted to Lieutenant Commander while he was Security Chief (at the beginning of Generations).

Tuvok was also promoted to Lieutenant Commander while Security Chief (Revulsion).

In The Drumhead the chief of Starfleet Security was Admiral Thomas Henry.

I guess the deal is you need to watch more Star Trek...

[Sea Tyger]

Didn't Worf make the rank of lieutenant commander while still security chief of the E-D?

I don't think you can make anything of the lack of non-command-colored flag officers, or security officers of the rank commander and captain.

For one, you're dealing with a ship whose CO is a Captain, and whose XO was a Commander (in both series...in fact, Spock was a lieutenant commander for the first season). I would be irregular for the ship's security officer to be higher than lieutenant commander, and most department heads are lieutenants in rank.

Second, once they reach a flag rank, it's quite likely that even career security officers will switch over to a command-colored uniform, since they are now a part of the admiralty. By that logic, while a branch Chief of Starfleet Security (or whatever the title actually is) is still the "top cop," he's a command officer by virtue of his duties (administrative oversight).

[Dan Gurden]

Also of note was Lt. Commander Eddington, chief of security on DS9. This is worthy of note through the conversation between Eddington and Sisko *, where Eddington remarked that he did not wish to advance into the Command track and was happy being the protector, rather than having to make the tough calls.

This whole conversation implies that to get beyond Commander* you need to transfer into Cammand, where the rank holds more gravitas and responsibility.

But then again, Eddington was about to betray Starfleet, so take his remarks how you will, my theory is based more on Sisko's reaction, rather than what Eddington said.


*1 - I believe its in 'For the Uniform.

*2 - I use Commander as a maximum departmental rank, as we HAVE seen Science, Medical and Engineering officers hold the rank of Commander without being on the Command track.

[Sea Tyger]

Originally posted by Dan Gurden
*2 - I use Commander as a maximum departmental rank, as we HAVE seen Science, Medical and Engineering officers hold the rank of Commander without being on the Command track.

So, Scotty, as an engineering captain from 2285-2293, is an aberration in your opinion?

[Phantom]

Originally posted by Sea Tyger
So, Scotty, as an engineering captain from 2285-2293, is an aberration in your opinion?

Well, has anyone here ever heard of the position/rank of Captain of Engineering? Personally I think Jimmy Doohan just wanted more fluff his character so they made this up.

[Tas II]

Well, has anyone here ever heard of the position/rank of Captain of Engineering? Personally I think Jimmy Doohan just wanted more fluff his character so they made this up.

I personally think that Scotty's rank was more honourary than anything else. After all, he designed the Enterprise class (I think) the Excelsior Class (again, I think so) and was an all round miracle worker!

Spock also made Captain and although he was XO he never got a command (Again, not certain about that).

As an aside, Beverly Crusher in an alternate/possible future timeline was a captain of her own medical ship. Now she was not on the command track, but got her own ship anyways.

Cheers

Tas

[JonA]

Originally posted by Tas II
I personally think that Scotty's rank was more honourary than anything else. After all, he designed the Enterprise class (I think) the Excelsior Class (again, I think so) and was an all round miracle worker!

Not sure where it was established he designed the Constitution or Excelsior Class. Granted he was crucial to the onward development of the original Constitution Class and also oversaw the extensive refit after the 5 year mission. As for the Excelsior - he may have been briefly seconded to the USS Excelsior to oversee the engineering but he was only there long enough to foul up the Transwarp drive. I don't think he had anything to do with that class at all - note he was constantly dismissive of Excelsior herself in both Star Trek 2 and 4..

Spock also made Captain and although he was XO he never got a command (Again, not certain about that).

He was Captain of the Enterprise at the beginning of Star Trek 2. Admittedly the ship was being used for training purposes but even so, Captain Spock was the CO until Admiral Kirk assumed command in order to investigate the break down in communications at Regula 1.

As an aside, Beverly Crusher in an alternate/possible future timeline was a captain of her own medical ship. Now she was not on the command track, but got her own ship anyways.

But as you say - that was an alternate dimension created by Q. Doubtful its even a future timeline (in fact it's most definitely not a future timeline because the Enterprise-D still existed in that future when we know it was destroyed before then).