News Files:Second Officers

From Star Trek: Gamma One

Starfleet and most Allied ships recognize that one of the Department Heads of a ship below the rank and billet of a CO and XO will usually be trusted by the CO and XO to assume command, or at least is being groomed for such. On Star Trek: Gamma One, we hearken back to the canon precedents of Montgomery Scott, Data, and the like to insist that this position, or rather the added duties and title of Second Officer, is not a separate position in the roster structure, but rather a 'second hat' worn by an existing Department Head.

The Second Officer will have the full duties expected of their full time Department Head position, and in addition, will be assigned a command branch Yeoman just like the CO and XO as an assistant. That assistant's job is primarily to keep the Second Officer (hereafter '2O') briefed on matters of overall shipwide significance outside his or her own department, and to help the 2O in interfacing with personnel outside his or her own section. Unless specific direct supervision of other command branch specialists are given to the 2O on a ship-by-ship or station-by-station basis, the 2O has no direct command responsibilities except staying informed and prepared to step in if incapacitation or extended absence of the CO or XO, or ceremonial functions necessitating a full command presence, should necessitate that the 2O take on temporary Senior Command functions.

It is expected, however, that the 2O will be of the highest rank (though not always the highest seniority within that rank) amongst the DHs, and gains precedence in the room over all other DHs.

See Also

• Seniors

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