Officer Exchange Program Question

[Kosst Amojan]

I have a character in my game that is going to be playing a Bajoran security officer that is in the Officer Exchange Program and is serving on a Starfleet vessel. Timeframe would be around 1st season DS9 if that makes any difference. My question is this: would this officer be given a Starfleet uniform? Or would she wear her standard issue Bajoran uniform? Would she use her Bajoran phaser, or be issued a Starfleet one? What about rank? Would she have any authority, be issued an honorary rank, or what? Thanks for your help on this.

[Polanski]

Well for first the exchange officer such as the one you have mentioned was a rare around that time line.

Keeping that in mind please remember that all Starfleet Exchange Officers wear their uniforms when on board other vessels (see Next Gen Riker serving on Klingon ship) and vice versa, Klingon officers wore their uniforms.

When it comes to equipment usage, it would be Starfleet certified equipment (since he/she is serving on Starfleet turf).

As to ranking system, I would imagine he/she would keep their rank but would have a Chief of Security and XO explain to him/her where exacly do they fit in the ships structure. When Riker served onboard Klingon ship he was still commander and acted as 2nd Officer (I think)...

Then of course comes the Enterprise where our beloved Vulcan girl wears her own uniform and runs around with the rank of sub commander (neither uniform nor rank are Starfleet's)

Also remember it is rare for exhange officers to serve a long periods of time in other outfit, after all if they like it so much let them requalify and go to the Starfleet Academy. It really depends on the agenda of the officer in question. I would imagine if they are just visiting for the tour of duty, well that is fine as well.

Just because you a a commander in US Navy that does not make you a commander in Russian navy

Kind Regards
Daniel

[Ezri's Toy]

Originally posted by Kosst Amojan
I have a character in my game that is going to be playing a Bajoran security officer that is in the Officer Exchange Program and is serving on a Starfleet vessel. Timeframe would be around 1st season DS9 if that makes any difference. My question is this: would this officer be given a Starfleet uniform? Or would she wear her standard issue Bajoran uniform? Would she use her Bajoran phaser, or be issued a Starfleet one? What about rank? Would she have any authority, be issued an honorary rank, or what? Thanks for your help on this.

Because this is Star Trek, and there are no regulations manuals for Starfleet lying around, you can do pretty much whatever you would like as long as you can come up with a solid justification for doing so.

There is one thing I think that needs to be stressed to Star Trek fans who've never been in the military: Position is more important than rank!

A unit commanding officer with the rank of Army Captain does not automatically relinquish command of his men when a visiting Colonel arrives to observe a new weapon demonstration. Likewise, if an Army Captain is ordered TDY to a particular unit and that unit's Executive Officer is an Army Lieutenant, that Captain still has to obey the orders of the XO while serving in that unit. (The XO, of course, still has to call the Captain "Sir" and salute him, but that is a privilege of rank and not position.)

In emergency situations, superior officers assuming command on their own authority is usually legal (Army general orders require it), but the officers doing so usually have to answer for it and explain their actions later. (And, in such cases, Exchange Officers never assume command. It falls to the next highest ranking officer of the service in question.)

My point is this: If it comes down from Starfleet's TPTB, that an exchange officer will be assuming a particular duty assignment and position, it doesn't matter what that officer's rank is in his or her home service. (That's why it ticks me off when T'Pol "pulls rank" on Enterprise. Her rank doesn't mean jack-squat in Starfleet outside of her duty assignment of Science Officer)

Just keep in mind that Exchange Officer Programs are primarily for education and, unless an Exchange Officer has vital skills or intelligence for a particular operation, usually aren't considered part of the complement necessary to be mission-ready.

[qerlin]

I'd think he'd wear his Bajoran uniform, but would have a starfleet issue combadge.

[redwood973]

Was not the first Officer Exchange a Benzite science officer who served on the Enterprise, wearing a starfleet uniform? Perhaps it is up the the individual as to which uniform they wear.

[Trinity Zeldis]

The Benzite could have been part of the Benzite local fleet. This would be similar (but by no means identical) to someone in the California State Militia doing an officer exchange into the US Army.

Remember, I said similar, not identical.

[JALU3]

What Trinity states is true. If you go to the official California State Mililtary Museum, somewhere you will find the description of the California State Militia, an official defense body of the State of California. The use regulation BDUs of the US Army, however, the unit patch is of their own and the US Army id tape is replaced with one that state CA State Militia.