Starfleet Branches

From Star Trek: Gamma One

Contents 1 Branches 1.1 Inspector General 1.2 Judge Advocate General's Corps 1.3 Planet and Outpost Defense Corps 1.4 Starfleet Communications 1.5 Starfleet Corps of Engineers 1.6 Command 1.7 Starfleet Command 1.8 Starfleet Diplomatic Corps 1.9 Starfleet Intelligence 1.10 Starfleet Medical 1.11 Starfleet Operations 1.12 Starfleet Science 1.13 Starfleet Security

Branches

As part of its organizational structure, Starfleet divides its officers into several branches based on a broad description of expertise and responsibilities. Cadets typically choose which branch they will enter during their second year at the academy; however, the needs of the service may be placed above personal choice. They receive specialized training based on their selected branch. It is not uncommon for an officer to change branches during their career. Only officers receive branches as they are usually considered to be generalists in their fields. Enlisted personnel are classified by occupation specialties of which there are many in any given branch.

While officers are assigned to a branch for administrative and training purposes, generally, their operational chain of command does not go through their branch. Officers are detailed from their branches to other units. For instance, the chief medical officer of a starship is a member of the Starfleet Medical branch; however, his/her operational chain of command passes through the ship or installation that they are assigned to, not through the branch that they are a member of. However, it is possible for a person to be assigned directly to the Starfleet Medical branch, where they would follow the direct Starfleet Medical chain of command. Similarly, engineers are considered part of the Corps of Engineers. While assigned to a starship, they would still be a part of the Corps, but follow the unit's chain of command. Like the Medical Branch, it is possible to be assigned directly to the Corps, such as an officer assigned to the Advanced Starship Design Bureau.

There are also branches where even though an officer is detailed out to a unit, the officer is not generally subject to that unit's chain of command. The most notable example are Inspector General officers. By necessity, these officers must exist outside the chain of command of the units to which they are assigned. This allows them to be both objective and neutral in the course of their duties.

Branches such as Intelligence and the Judge Advocate General's Corps fall into a somewhat in between area. The vast majority of these officers work directly for their branch. The most notable exceptions are staff intelligence officers and staff judge advocates. While they nominally are subject to the chain of command of the unit to which they are assigned, they also hold a dual responsibility to the division of their branch which oversees their detailing.

Inspector General

• Uniform Color: Red
• Overview: The Office of the Inspector General is responsible for providing oversight of a variety of aspects of Starfleet. They examine the actions of Starfleet as a general auditor of operations to ensure that units are operating in compliance with general established policies, to audit the effectiveness of security procedures, or to discover the possibility of misconduct, waste, fraud, theft, or certain types of criminal activity by individuals or groups. They may also investigate noncriminal allegations, to include determining if the matter should be referred for criminal investigation.

Judge Advocate General's Corps

• Uniform Color: Red
• Overview: The Judge Advocate General's Corps is responsible for oversight of legal matters involving Starfleet and its personnel. The majority of casework is handled by the judge advocates for individual ships, or by those assigned to a sector-level field office. These field offices are administered by and report to the Office of the Judge Advocate General, which generally only handles the most serious and far-reaching of legal matters concerning Starfleet as a whole.

Planet and Outpost Defense Corps

• Uniform Color: Varied
• Overview: Ground Forces. The POD are forces specialized in defending orbital, sub-orbital, and surface theaters both on colonized planets and artificial outposts on planetoids and non-Class-M worlds.
• To learn more, please visit the Planetary and Outpost Defense Corps article.

Starfleet Communications

• Uniform Color: Gold and Blue
• Overview: Starfleet Communications is one of the few branches that does not detail officers. All Communications officers work directly for the branch while officers assigned to communications and computer duties in other units fall under either Starfleet Operations or Starfleet Science. Starfleet Communications is responsible for oversight, deployment, and maintenance of the Federation's subspace communications network. It is also responsible for research into the fields of subspace communications and computer operations. In this aspect, it works closely with Starfleet Science and the Corps of Engineers.

Starfleet Corps of Engineers

• Uniform Color: Gold
• Overview: The Corps of Engineers is responsible for the maintenance and physical operation of Starfleet vessels or installations. Additionally, the engineering branch serves to construct new Starfleet facilities and works with the Science branch frequently in development and deployment of new technologies.
• Outpost Gamma One Engineering Branch Officers
• To learn more, please visit the Starfleet Corps of Engineers article.

Command

• Uniform Color: Red
• Overview: The Command branch is a catchall for all personnel assigned to executive and administrative positions, as well as certain technical positions, which do not fall under the jurisdiction of another branch. For example, officers responsible for professional development and starship conning, flight control, and navigation officers fall under this definition. There is a distinct difference between Command officers and Starfleet Command.
• Outpost Gamma One Command Branch Officers

Starfleet Command

• Uniform Color: Varied
• Overview: Starfleet Command is the operating authority of Starfleet and oversees its mandates of exploration, defense, and scientific research. All flag officers are considered to be part of Starfleet Command. The senior-most fleet admiral in Starfleet is the Commander-in-Chief who reports directly to the President of the United Federation of Planets. All branches and their commanders ultimately report to the Commander-in-Chief or one of his designees. All commissioned officers billeted as a unit commanding officer or a unit executive officer are also considered to be part of Starfleet Command. This does not include temporary assignments such as command of a shuttle or runabout for an away mission.

Starfleet Diplomatic Corps

• Uniform Color: Red
• Overview: The Starfleet Diplomatic Corps represents Starfleet's interests when dealing with both foreign powers and Federation members. When available, they augment personnel from the Federation Diplomatic Corps; however, given Starfleet's mandate for exploration, the SDC finds itself working on its own in many situations.
• To learn more, please visit the Starfleet Diplomatic Corps article.

Starfleet Intelligence

• Uniform Color: Varied
• Overview: Starfleet Intelligence serves as the intelligence apparatus for both Starfleet and the Federation as a whole. It focuses on the gathering, analysis, protection, and dissemination of information about enemies, foreign and domestic, terrain, and weather in an area of operations or area of interest. Intelligence activities are conducted at all levels from tactical to strategic, during peacetime and in war.
• To learn more, please visit the Starfleet Intelligence article.

Starfleet Medical

• Uniform Color: Blue
• Overview: Starfleet Medical officers are responsible for both the physical and mental well being of Starfleet personnel. Doctors, dentists, nurses, counselors, and a host of specialists all fall under Starfleet Medical. Medical branch personnel are frequently involved in Starfleet relief missions and coordinate with science branch personnel frequently on life sciences projects.
• Outpost Gamma One Medical Branch Officers

Starfleet Operations

• Uniform Color: Gold
• Overview: The Operations branch is responsible for oversight of Starfleet's operational, logistical, and mission planning needs. Operations encompasses a wide variety of positions and frequently works with officers from every branch. Flight deck control, communications, and logistics are all in the realm of Operations officers. Due to the breadth of its responsibilities, Operations tends to be Starfleet's largest branch.
• Outpost Gamma One Operations Branch Officers

Starfleet Science

• Uniform Color: Blue
• Overview: Starfleet Science is the driving force behind Starfleet's core exploratory and research mandates. Consisting of specialists in every field from archeology to warp field theory, Science branch officers serve to expand the Federation's knowledge of the universe.
• Outpost Gamma One Science Branch Officers

Starfleet Security

• Uniform Color: Gold
• Overview: Starfleet Security officers provide for the physical security of Starfleet personnel, installations, and vessels. This includes protective duties for away teams, use of a starship's tactical systems, and law enforcement duties.
• Outpost Gamma One Security Branch Officers