^^ Command School ^^

[Dr_Sage]

I have aways being confused by this.

How do you guys deal with Command School? There are official answers? House rules?

1) Its simpli a part of the Starfleet Academy with deals with everyone that graduates using red uniforms? In this case would be like an Military Administrative School?

2) Its inside Starfleet Academy, but works like a extra course to be taken after you graduate?

2a) In this case what are the prerequisites? Do you automaticaly advance in rank after it?

2b) No prerequesites, can be done by any ensign?


My impressions so far:

* Its a 2 year course after graduation;
* Its automaticaly raises rank(s);
* You must be at least Liutenant to enter (I believe that is whats Data did);

Any thoughts?

PS: I am not talking about RPG rules systems, I am refering to how do you think its works, no matter the system.

[LUGTrekGM]

This is a school inside the academy grounds, but not part of the academy.

An XO of typically LCDR or CDR rank takes this school prior to taking command of vessel on active duty.

It would be rare to see a LT go to this school, he'd have to be some really high initiative type or on the verge of promo to LCDR.

An ensign going? Not very likely, in fact this would be exceptional in the extreme, as a lot of the concepts there need a base of experience, skills, and tactics, that an ensign is just not going to have, along with disemmination of classified info that ensigns are not typically cleared for.

In LUG, we just make sure an XO, or CO has gone to the school.

A very talented LCDR, with long years as a dept head (line) would do this prior to assuming XO (as when the CO retires, XO dies, etc.

[JALU3]

I think you should first start off with a basis. That is Starfleet is a quazi-military organization, much like the Coast Guard . . . during peace time . . . and like the Coast Guard . . . can operate as a Navy during wartime . . . or better yet they are like the Japanese Maritime Defense Force. Sure they are defensive . . . but that doesn't keep them from having some of the best warships in the Western Pacific . . . *cough* . . . through deck destroyer . . . *cough*.

And as such like other officers . . . they are divided base on their jobs . . . and following a tradition laid down from modern day navies there are three types of officers: Unrestricted Line Officers, Restricted Line Officers, and Staff Officers.

There are other officer's such as Limted Duty Officers and Warrant Officers . . . but that's a different subject for a different day . . . these people are your "Mustangs"

Now if you read into the differences in these catagories of officers you will see that their training differs. Therefore, officers outside line officers do not have within that training sufficient to meet "Command at Sea" requirements.

In Star Trek they have allowed non-line officers to fulfill that requirement by taking certain courses and schools. These can be found in the Players Guide and Fragile Peace Sourcebook of LUG. These were derived from the episode Thine Own Self.

All officers are trained to command . . . but how they are trained to command differes from Branch to Branch . . . in their officer basic courses.

-----

Would this be similar to the Army Command and General Staff College?

Or did I bark up the wrong tree?

[Dr_Sage]

Thanks guys, but I still a bit lost.

I like to run my campaigns is a vivid manner to let my players "feel" their carreer growing. I like to create a "real", vivid enviroment, so I have many doubts.

I am ok with command school now, but still confused by the color of the uniforms.

Do you guys think it makes sense that Command Personel (red uniforms) are equivalent of Unrestricted Line Officers? If that is the case does make sense what most RPGs says that they are "Administrative Personel"? Seems wrong to me.

Its very important to me as the character basic conncept. Every red uniform ensign is suposed receive command positio someday? Did Riker and Picard used red uniforms as cadets? Janeway was a science officer for shure.

If Sulo was on the ST:TNG Era I think he would use yellow uniform, but Tom Paris uses red.... confusing.

[Doug Burke]

I use Command School as a requirement for taking command of a starship. I look at it as the training that culminates in the "Commander's test" Deanna Troi took in "Thine own Self".

I wrote up how I handle it in my post-academy advancement article in BTFF #7, if you'd like to check it out. It's a one-time, single-advancement training course...

[JALU3]

OK . . . first thing . . . you have to understand how to "read a uniform". As with all things uniforms have changed as the years have gone by. There are simple to understand guides on the internet on what uniforms in what era mean what. A great example is the color of the undershirts and shoulder strap on the Movie Era Uniforms.

Spikes Star Trek page . . . is one of the better ones . . . but there are others.

As for the Command Division . . . I think it is fair to say that those who graduate Starfleet Acadamy . . . or similiar Officer producing programs . . . as Command Division officers can be seen as Unrestricted Line Officers, as I believe that Restricted Line Officers would fall under Operations Division . . . IMHO.

Other officers can become Command Division Officers . . . but for the most part . . . I see them as Limited Duty Officers . . . unless they enter something similar to"green to gold".

But remember, just because someone is slotted by training to command doesn't mean that all those officers will have a change to command a major unit . . . some may wash out early, others may not make the cut to become "field officers", and some of those won't become "flag officers".

That's why there are so many Lieutenants around . . . for if it is similar to real life . . . as Specialist (E-4) is in the US Army . . . so is Captain (O-3) . . . for these are the highest ranks that one can achieve without passing a board, as long as one is good conduct.