Divisions, Insignia, Uniforms and Assignment Patches

I actually think Franz Joseph, using his powers of inference, pretty much nailed it. The seamstresses at night occasionally did not. Pretend the ship's laundry or clothes reclamation unit messed up occasionally.

 

With BK613's find, we're up to 4 variations of the delta patches

1. Star
2. Circular
3. Spiral
4. Rectangle with open right side

With these known parameters:
1. variations only exist on the delta patch,
2. not everyone wears the delta patch - some use a different design that doesn't have room for same variations
3. the delta patch is seen mixed in on other ships that might have different patches
4. character x can switch back and forth between delta patch variations

Then I guess that it is just a Starfleet patch. The variation is purely cosmetic. Or it might be a shift patch. It could indicate which of the three shifts the character is currently assigned to. But that wouldn't account for the other patches that don't have room for variations.

 

Hmm...I like that. Since Scotty obviously starts to show interest in female biology in "The Lights of Zetar" his department accordingly changes from "engineering" to "science" ... (Seriously, maybe it was an inside joke of the producers)

or this:

KIRK: Scotty, where've you been? Where are you?
SCOTT: In the Sickbay.
KIRK: Are you sick?
SCOTT: Och, no. I was just checking on the lass. She's going to be fine now. There's nothing wrong with her.
KIRK: Well, I'm relieved to hear your prognosis, Mister Scott. Is the doctor there with you, or will I find him in Engineering?

Bob

 

I still like my idea of there being more than the three or four symbols we commonly saw. We usually saw them on the main characters, who were high level officers aboard ship with varied responsibilities. Spock as First Officer should wear the command star but wore the sciences oval. McCoy as CMO should have medical cross but with his greater life sciences command, he wore science oval.

I'd think that much of the crew had more limited duties and responsibilities, and a more specific symbol to indicate that. Ship's historian or phaser technician or A&A officer or Records officer or shuttle pilot. Seemingly specific duties, and broadly they could fit under command/science/engineering symbols. But what the hell, I imagine there are lots of others. TMP expanded on this with some additional logos and division symbols, (communications, environmental, tactical) and many fan-based ideas have contributed as well.

 

Don't forget Nurse Chapel (as already mentioned above)

 

While we're at it, I always thought that medical should get it's own symbol (pick one from the Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual, probably the one on page 15), and security should get it's own, too (I don't know what, though).

 

And don't forget that Nurse Chapel (and others) had two different styles of Red Cross patch--one with just a Red Cross, and the earlier style--with the Red Cross superimposed on the Sciences symbol.

http://www.startreknewvoyages.com/?p=1557

 

I never thought about it, but division and department don't necessarily have to be the same. An officer could be assigned to a science or services department but still be in command division, or a command officer could be attached to a sciences department, or whatever. The badge and the shirt wouldn't have to match.

At the time, probably no one gave it a second thought.

 

Dang... Excellent research GSchnitzer

It is interesting that some variations are interchangeable.

 

Or the red/blue/yellow each had command/science/engineering specialists in them. or vice versa.