You realize Humans in the time of Archer would think a Runabout seemed like a warship compared to the NX-01?
lighten up
Starfleet is a Space Navy (military fleet)
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You realize Humans in the time of Archer would think a Runabout seemed like a warship compared to the NX-01?
lighten up
Honestly, I don't think it can.
Which is sort of a point: If Starfleet WAS a military organization, the transformation in "Yesterday's Enterprise" wouldn't be so jarring. That would be the way they ALWAYS are, even when they don't need to be.
Science fiction is FULL of depictions of explicitly military organizations that conduct deep space exploration. NONE of them display the kind of blasé attitude towards combat readiness that Starfleet is actually famous for. Even TOS got away from that by the end of the first season. The all-military Starfleet "Yesterday's Enterprise" Starfleet would be interesting to see, but it's certainly not what they are in the REGULAR timeline.
Which is also a really good point: Nobody in a military organization would EVER say something like that.
Even when the Air Force is conducting scientific research, you will NEVER hear someone say "The U.S. Space Command is not a military organization." You will NEVER hear someone say "The U.S. Navy isn't a military organization, our purpose is oceanographic research."
The point is that Starfleet is UNLIKE these organizations in some crucial way.
The further point is that you, and others, think they SHOULDN'T be, or DOESN'T NEED to be different, and that appears to be because the idea of Space Heroes not being part of the military is offensive to you (much like the idea of "paramilitaries" not being bad guys is equally offensive).
Just seems like a lot of projection is all.
When someone shows me who the Federation military is, then I'll concede that Starfleet isn't it.
Who's to say the Federation has a military?
Again: why are you so sure the Federation even HAS a military? The ability of Starfleet to methodically pick their enemies apart seems to preclude their actually NEEDING one.
This is like asking "How does Bruce Lee kill people, then, if he doesn't carry a gun?" The answer is "Noisily."
Someone is fighting their wars for them.
In the USA, the coast guard is a member organization of the US Armed Forces. So are all the state National Guards. Neither organization performs military duties as part of their general responsibilities, unless they are called into service to help a "primary" military in the war theater - for example, during the recent wars in the Middle East, National Guard units were sometimes sent overseas in support and secondary combat roles. Most of their duties are generally non-combat roles, however.
I don't know of a single time in the past 30 years when the US Coast Guard engaged in a military action, even though its military it can be thought of as an auxiliary - it's primary role is maritime police, and occasionally support of the Navy.
There is a difference between a peacetime military and a war military. The differences don't change the nature of the organization, however.
Starfleet is the military - but with a primarily peacekeeping role as opposed to a primarily combat role.
It boggles my mind that anyone sees Starfleet as anything other than a military organization. These people carry around weapons that can actually destroy planets, take courses in combat and military operations, have a military hierarchy, have court-martials, the death penalty for violating certain policies, can revoke the freedom of its members.
I don't know of any civilian or corporate organization that has the right to execute its members or deny them freedom.
The Dutch East India company used to do it all the time.
In fact, there was a time in colonial history when the East India company controlled a larger navy than most countries.
Except for the times in every series and many of the films that the writers have explicitly stated in dialogue that Starfleet is not a military organization.
I think he was speaking metaphorically in that case.
What about all the times we see them used as the military and stated they are the military and soldiers? What about all the wars they fight?
And I can only think of twice where someone said they weren't the military, Picard in "Peak Performance" and Scott in Star Trek Into Darkness.
Please cite a line of dialogue that explicitly states Starfleet is a military organization.
Kirk states he is a soldier and offers the Organians "military aid" in "Errand of Mercy".
Neither of those things explicitly identify Starfleet itself as a military organization.
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