Creating an NCO

[JALU3]

I am interested in playing a HM or MA 1 in a game, and have never used CODA before. How would I create one, who is ready to go to the 'board' for Chief HM or MA?

HM being the rate of Hospital Corpsman
MA being the rate of Master of Arms

[Tobian]

if you look around, I think there are a couple of fan-made solutions for such things, but the simplest option woud be to simply give them the 'Starship officer' template, but put them on a non commissioned officer rank structure, as there is no real reson that a seasoned medic, or armsman could not have the same kinds of skills as a regular officer: Even NCo's recieve training and constantly improve themselves and their skills, as any other Officer would. The Clasic example is *Chief* Orien (if you ignore the fact he was a lieutenant in TNG ), who was a non commissioned officer, but who was regarded as being skilled as any other Starfleet engineer. The only thing he didn't have was the rank.

[RaconteurX]

I direct you to Sea Tyger's Enlisted Personnel House Rules, which are the only fleshed out write-up that I have seen. Here is my personal take on the Promotion equivalents for non-commisioned officers, though:

1. Petty Officer
2. Chief Petty Officer
3. Senior Chief Petty Officer
4. Master Chief Officer
5. Warrant Officer

For our Anasazi campaign, use the guidelines for the equivalent officer rank to determine time in service. Miles O'Brien, having 22 years in service as stated in the DS9 episode 'The Wounded', would be a Warrant Officer (which I believe is supported in canon).

[Sea Tyger]

Navy enlisted time in rate requirements:

Seaman Recruit 9 months
Seaman Apprentice 9 months
Seaman 6 months
Petty Officer, 3rd Class 1 year
Petty Officer, 2nd Class 2 years
Petty Officer, 1st Class 3 years
Chief Petty Officer 3 years
Senior Chief Petty Officer 3 years
Master Chief Petty Officer 3 years

Chief Warrant Officer 2 "board-eligible" for promotion to Chief Petty Officer, or x years
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Senior Chief Petty Officer or above, or x years
Chief Warrant Officer 4

Okay, for chief, senior chief and master chief, the enlist must be selected by a board, who uses much of the same criteria as is used in officer boards.

To be promoted to chief warrant officer (we don't use the Warrant Officer, W-1, rank in the Navy), the enlist must be at least board eligible (meaning that the petty officer has passed the chief petty officer written exam for his rating) or already a chief, senior chief or master chief. PO1s and CPOs selected for CWO are promoted to chief warrant officer (W-2), SCPOs and MCPOs are promoted to chief warrant officer (W-3).

Unfortunately, I don't remember what the time in rank is for CWO2 and CWO3 (more accurately, I don't think I ever knew ). CWO4 is the highest warrant officer rank, and is the highest the chief warrant officer can go without entering another commissioning program (like the limited duty officer program). In other words, there is no natural progression from Chief Warrant Officer to Ensign.

So, to follow R-X's enlisted promotion eqivalents, I'd use the following times-in-rate:

Crewman 2 years
Petty Officer 7 years
Chief Petty Officer 3 years
Senior Chief Petty Officer 3 years
Master Chief Petty Officer 3 years
Warrant Officer Must be commissioned an officer to continue higher

[JALU3]

[COLOR=Wheat]Navy enlisted time in rate requirements:

Seaman Recruit 9 months
Seaman Apprentice 9 months
Seaman 6 months
Petty Officer, 3rd Class 1 year
Petty Officer, 2nd Class 2 years
Petty Officer, 1st Class 3 years
Chief Petty Officer 3 years
Senior Chief Petty Officer 3 years
Master Chief Petty Officer 3 years

So if I were to create a 'high speed' NCO, with a couple bumps on the way, the MA or HM 1 should have about 7-8 years in service? For my experience is most E-7s (SFC (Sergeant First Class)) have more then ten years time time in service, if not thirteen. Especially for the medical field, where the Promotion points required to get to E-6 is 780 (usually, if not higher) out of 800.

Now, what should I do since I don't have any CODA books, could I create the character using my ICON books, and then do a character transfer/conversion?

And another question is, what is the promotion rate for MAs? Cause I can imagine the HM promotion rate is similar to my beloved Army Medical Branch?

[Sea Tyger]

1. I know chiefs who made rank within 8 years of entering the Navy. So, you can do it. Most, however, have 10-15 years in before they make chief. Of course, it depends heavily on the rating of the enlist, since some ratings have very little upward mobility, and others can't get enough people to stay.

2. In the Navy, Masters-at-Arms are a small community, so promotions are generally a little slower. Also, there are no MASNs or lower; MA's, like medical officers, must have authority over non-rates. Hospital Corpsman is a popular rating, and corpsmen tend to stay in the service longer, so promotions are a little slower.

3. If you like, you can PM me with your character's priorities and goals and I can create him for you (right after I finish my characters).

[JALU3]

1. I know chiefs who made rank within 8 years of entering the Navy. So, you can do it. Most, however, have 10-15 years in before they make chief. Of course, it depends heavily on the rating of the enlist, since some ratings have very little upward mobility, and others can't get enough people to stay.

2. In the Navy, Masters-at-Arms are a small community, so promotions are generally a little slower. Also, there are no MASNs or lower; MA's, like medical officers, must have authority over non-rates. Hospital Corpsman is a popular rating, and corpsmen tend to stay in the service longer, so promotions are a little slower.

3. If you like, you can PM me with your character's priorities and goals and I can create him for you (right after I finish my characters).

Thank you for the offer for assitance. Having you do it, may be far easier for me then for me to create it using ICON then making the conversion. However, I don't really want to burden you . . . I more then likely will take you upon your offer.

And maybe sometime, I shall buy you an It's-It Ice Cream :-D

[Sea Tyger]

JALU3 --

No burdern here. I can put the character together (I'm done with mine, anyway).

[Ergi]

It is a really strange coincidence that so many people seem to have noticed within the last few weeks that there is so little (CODA) information on creating enlisted personnel. I am one of them, and I have been thinking about writing a small document on the topic, based mainly on information from the ICON Trek Player's Guide. The other major source of information would have been the information shared here, mainly posted by Sea Tyger. So, instead of me writing it and crediting Sea Tyger and the others for almost everything, maybe one of the experts could take care of such a project.
I know, I am asking for much, but such a document would be really helpful and the author would earn the gratitude of the whole community.

Any volunteers?

[RaconteurX]

Maybe one of the experts could take care of such a project. Any volunteers?

Had I a copy of the Player's Guide for ICON still, I might be tempted to take up the challenge. Sadly, I do not.

[Sea Tyger]

Give me a bit of time, and I might be able to accomplish something along those lines. However, I have some other priorities at the moment...

[Ergi]

Give me a bit of time, and I might be able to accomplish something along those lines. However, I have some other priorities at the moment...

I'm in no hurry.

[Doug Burke]

BTW, Just to throw another monkey wrench into the works, I wrote up an article about Enlisted personnel creation for GOB's "Beyond the Final Frontier" e-zine ("But to Serve" waaaay back in issue #2). I've used that process for the enlisted NPCs in my game for quite a while...

[Ergi]

Hmm, I thought enlisted personnel were supposed to get only 15 skill picks, not 20. Since officers get 27 picks, 15 picks sounds okay to me. Besides, this would be closer to the relation between the respective ICON templates.
An other point we should consider is the 3-year training difference between officers and enlisted crew.
But as you said, Doug, the packages are not set in stone.
Thank you.

[Sea Tyger]

I had an epiphany today...so, bear with me.

As I was working on JALU's character today, I was thinking about a way to simulate enlisted rates without actually adding any new edges (and making enlisted advancements different from officer promotions).

One idea sprang to mind: enlisted promotions aren't promotions per se (since naval enlists don't "increase in rank," but "advance in rate"); they are "commendations" (in the CODA sense of the word).

I've attached my new enlisted crewmember rules for perusal and comments.

[i]Editor's Note: I forgot to add one thing to the Commissioning Rules on the attachment. It's fixed and uploaded now.