Military themes in the Star Trek universe.

[Kamen Rider Blade]

the same way you explain steward and picard having a ten year difference in age. you don't.

In fiction, it's easier to explain a younger looking person being older within the storyline than their actual IRL selves. It's far harder to do that the other way around.

Modern Genetics have many people look younger than their actual age and it's pretty much guranteed that future people will end up looking younger and younger while being technically older thanks to numerous enhancements to appear and function at a younger age.

The search for the "Fountain of Youth" is endless by many folks and I doubt it will subside.

The quest for "Youth" and "Immortality" are endless searches that countless folks and fiction has been based on. But with future medical treatment and who knows what other "Genetic Enhancements" can do for the masses.

Imagine if a specially coded genetic marker would allow "Differential Aging" and slow your internal body's organs to age slower alongside outward physical aging relative to current 21st century standards so that you live a more enjoyable and functional life after puberty ends.

Imagine if this was your "Differential Aging" relative to 21st century human standards.
_22 y/o that looks like a 19½ y/o with the vitality of a 18⅔ y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_24 y/o that looks like a 20½ y/o with the vitality of a 19⅓ y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_26 y/o that looks like a 21½ y/o with the vitality of a 20 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_29 y/o that looks like a 23 y/o with the vitality of a 21 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_32 y/o that looks like a 24½ y/o with the vitality of a 22 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_36 y/o that looks like a 26½ y/o with the vitality of a 23⅓ y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o

_40 y/o that looks like a 28½ y/o with the vitality of a 24⅔ y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_45 y/o that looks like a 31 y/o with the vitality of a 26⅓ y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_50 y/o that looks like a 33½ y/o with the vitality of a 28 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o

_56 y/o that looks like a 36½ y/o with the vitality of a 30 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_62 y/o that looks like a 39½ y/o with the vitality of a 32 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_68 y/o that looks like a 42½ y/o with the vitality of a 34 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_75 y/o that looks like a 46 y/o with the vitality of a 36⅓ y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_83 y/o that looks like a 50 y/o with the vitality of a 39 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
_92 y/o that looks like a 54½ y/o with the vitality of a 42 y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o
102 y/o that looks like a 59½ y/o with the vitality of a 45⅓ y/o if you slowed your aging @ 17 y/o

 

[Henoch]

Imagine if a specially coded genetic marker would allow "Differential Aging" and slow your internal body's organs to age slower alongside outward physical aging relative to current 21st century standards so that you live a more enjoyable and functional life after puberty ends.

I apparently did the reverse.

 

[Shawnster]

Star Trek could have more military themes or military feel. BSG or Space: Above and Beyond felt more military than Star Trek. Modern day military shows like JAG or NCIS definitely feel like military. No doubt this is due to artistic design on the part of Trek to not have military sharp edges.

Star Trek feels more casual. The uniforms look more like jump suits and not military uniforms. People rarely stand at attention or hold themselves to military posture. The lack of saluting superior officers has been stated on here as an intentional effort to make Trek feel less military.

Typical military style shows depict more scenes on physical fitness and combat training. I'm not referring to the occasional Klingon calisthenics or Crusher and Troi in leotards in front of a mirror, but, rather, the tough obstacle-course training with the mud and dirt and blood. We saw once in a great while Picard or someone in a combat simulator or phaser training, but those are different than the live-fire exercises depicted in other military shows.

Trek from an artistic standpoint doesn't feel like a military show.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Trek from an artistic standpoint doesn't feel like a military show.

But modern knowledge of physical fitness, marksmanship, martial arts, tactics, team movement, diplomacy, scientific analysis, engineering analysis, overall strategic goals within the mission, etc.

The 24th Century StarFleet officer needs more than just physical training, there are loads of stuff to learn and train in.

Obstacle course and physical regimen is only one aspect.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

But how would they have explained the actors aging 15 years if only 7 pass? Especially since people in the 14th century are supposed to age slower/stay young longer?

Let's ask the Beverly Hills 90201 producers how they addressed actors being 5-15 years older than the high schoolers they were portraying.

 

[C.E. Evans]

one of the things I really liked about riker in season one was he obviously considered serving under picard as merely a stepping stone in his progression to captain. regretfully lost in later seasons.

Wasn't that pretty much addressed in "Best of Both Worlds?" Riker was lamenting to Troi that the newly-arrived Commander Shelby had the drive and ambition that he used to have, and that maybe he had become too comfortable on the Enterprise.

 

[The Wormhole]

The lack of saluting superior officers has been stated on here as an intentional effort to make Trek feel less military.

That itself does not mean anything since saluting isn't something that goes on in the military as often as most civilians think it does. Indeed, when Stargate SG-1 got a military advisor in the second season, one of the first things he corrected on the show was how often the characters were saluting, saying "people in the military don't salute that much."

IIRC, saluting is never done indoors unless for ceremonial reasons, nor is it ever done while in the field. And since we pretty much always see Starfleet officers indoors or in the field, there's no real opportunity to see them salute.

 

[Shawnster]

I think also the spaciousness of Star Trek ships adds to the non-military feel. Navy ships in movies and TV shows are tight and cramped. No bars, lounges, aquariums, coffee shops, etc...

Of course, military shows do feature those locations too. It's a conundrum.

What do you think would give Star Trek a more military feel?

 

[fireproof78]

What do you think would give Star Trek a more military feel?

Some measure of discipline.

 

[Nyotarules]

I think also the spaciousness of Star Trek ships adds to the non-military feel. Navy ships in movies and TV shows are tight and cramped. No bars, lounges, aquariums, coffee shops, etc...

Of course, military shows do feature those locations too. It's a conundrum.

What do you think would give Star Trek a more military feel?

Crew being promoted and transfered

 

[BK613]

No bars, lounges, aquariums, coffee shops, etc..

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[Reverend]

My attitude to this question has always been that Starfleet is a scientific research, exploration, diplomatic and peacekeeping organisation with engineering corps responsibilities that also does military stuff, not a military outfit that also does science, research, exploration, diplomatic and peacekeeping with engineering corps responsibilities.

It's a key philosophical distinction and whenever anyone tries to portray Starfleet with an emphasis on the military aspect it just feels wrong. And that's from someone that literally grew up around the military (many of whom were trekkies.)
Indeed the "wrongness" of it has been the subject of a number of episodes from 'Yesterday's Enterprise', to 'Pegasus' to 'The Siege of AR-558'. Even the MACOs on ENT just weren't a good fit.

 

[fireproof78]

Honestly, if Starfleet would present itself with any sort of consistency as an organization then I would have less issue with it not being a military. But, because it often gets put in to military situations strikes me that it needs a little bit more military, some discipline, some promotions, some transfers, some consistency in order to be that organization.

And honestly, more military is exactly what I want with Starfleet. I see nothing inherently wrong with it.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I think Starfleet is clearly a uniformed service of the Federation that serves a combined role (cf "Tomorrow Is Yesterday": "We're a combined service") of performing military duties, exploration, research, colonial logistical support, and so forth. "Starfleet is not a military" is to be read that Starfleet is not exclusively a military service.

 

[Reverend]

When your civilization's entire message is all about peace, mutual respect and freedom, having that message delivered by an explicitly military force is just a very VERY bad look.
I'm British, we pulled that crap for centuries during the Imperial days, and it was just as much bullshit then as it would be in another 300 years.

So yes, there's a problem with Starfleet as a military. Starfleet may use some military traditions, even respect them. But they do not embrace a military ethos. Take what's useful, discard the rest. It's pretty much the same attitude NASA takes and why at the outset it was determined not to be just an extension of the military.

Honestly my only problem with how non-military Starfleet is is that the way the writers portray it, it's made up of 90% line and flag officers, 8% Lieutenants and the rest are a mix of NCO transporter chiefs and random aliens/annoying kids they recruit along the way.

Remember that the organization's roots were founded in a period of post-atomic horror rebuild. The idea of an overtly militant group being the face of Earth and later the Federation would seem utterly abhorrent. Combine that with the state of the galaxy prior to the founding of the Federation with large political powers pointing fleets at each other, getting into proxy wars, territorial spats and the like, it would seem like a no-brainer to put a more diplomatic and cooperative foot forward from hereon out and not have a defensive or militaristic mindset.

 

[StarCruiser]

I've said this before and I'll say it again.

The military has always been changing and adapting. The military of 200 years ago bears little resemblance in actions or attitude to the military of today (in advanced nations, mind you).

Any military in 200 years - assuming humanity doesn't blow itself to hell or collapse into barbarism - will be quite different from what we have today as well.

Starfleet can be a "military" and still be involved in things besides defense. As noted by others "a combined service" can mean many things.

 

[Henoch]

But modern knowledge of physical fitness, marksmanship, martial arts, tactics, team movement, diplomacy, scientific analysis, engineering analysis, overall strategic goals within the mission, etc.

The 24th Century StarFleet officer needs more than just physical training, there are loads of stuff to learn and train in.

Obstacle course and physical regimen is only one aspect.

Kirk just put Kirk-Fu moves on poor old Sam in the gym. The guys behind the gym screen looked like melee weapon combat training. Women doing acrobatics/tumbling is exercise, but not combat training of any sort.
http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x02hd/charliexhd302.jpg

 

[fireproof78]

I think Starfleet is clearly a uniformed service of the Federation that serves a combined role (cf "Tomorrow Is Yesterday": "We're a combined service") of performing military duties, exploration, research, colonial logistical support, and so forth. "Starfleet is not a military" is to be read that Starfleet is not exclusively a military service.

Indeed yes, but good grief having it have some measure of military quality isn't a bad thing.

So yes, there's a problem with Starfleet as a military. Starfleet may use some military traditions, even respect them. But they do not embrace a military ethos.

There's a simple fix-have the Federation have a military and then I'll stop. But, since it steps in to that role, often with little warning, there needs to be a measure of discipline to it. Otherwise, it comes across, well, as you note, inconsistently written.

Hell, just do what "Space Cadet it." You have the Solar Patrol (Starfleet) and the Marines (Call it whatever). The Marines are not sent in unless it is absolutely necessary, as the "switch" to support corrective action with Terra and its colonies. The Patrol can handle most things, including exploration and negotiation.

But, if Starfleet steps in to a military role then I'm going to expect a bit more than, "Well, we're really just explorers but we'll shoot you anyway."

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Kirk just put Kirk-Fu moves on poor old Sam in the gym. The guys behind the gym screen looked like melee weapon combat training. Women doing acrobatics/tumbling is exercise, but not combat training of any sort.
http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x02hd/charliexhd302.jpg

Well, outside of Kirk-Fu, which I don't think highly of, the training in the image makes some sort of sense.

They look like Bo Staffs with Weighted Medicine Balls on the end.
So it looks like they are sparing with Bo-Staff while doing weight training simultaneously.
Bo-Staff is a common martial weapon that can be improvised in many places because it's just a long stick.
The Weights will help build muscle, and slow down the sparring so that people can practice their form correctly.
Once you practiced enough, you'll be surprised at how fast you can swing around a Bo Staff accurately and with speed & power behind each impact.

As far as common martial weapons to learn in classical BiPaB based Martial Arts, there are a few that are critical to learn IMO.
1) Knife fighting
2) Single Sticks
3) Bo-Staff / Spear
4) Sword forms
Other forms are nice to have and learn, but those 4) should be priority and cover a wide range of related Martial Weaponry.

For Women, their body type is more adept to acrobatics and tumbling is a good thing to practice, especially if your body isn't used it to it. When you're moving and dodging using acrobatic type moves, should you screw up for any reason, knowing how to fall is a key skill. Pro Wrestling itself teaches you how to take falls and protect yourself while falling to perform parts of the show.

But learning how to fall itself has alot of key uses in not hurting yourself in a worst case scenario should you fall. It's not a obvious thing to learn, but it's something that should be taught because if you fall in the wrong way, you could serverely injure yourself or break something at a in opportune moment and that could be the end of you, or your mission.

 

[fireproof78]

t's not a obvious thing to learn, but it's something that should be taught because if you fall in the wrong way, you could serverely injure yourself or break something at a in opportune moment and that could be the end of you, or your mission.

And yet it's the first thing you should be taught. It was the first thing I was taught in both stage combat and martial arts.