You're right, I've never heard how many cadets have actually graduated from SFA. I'm thinking of the current Naval Academy, but with so many time lines, and story lines, it does get hard to find out just how many cadets do graduate. Which is something that I wished Gene had fleshed out in some of the TOS stories, the writers have turned into episodes. Which is why a lot of ideas such as mine do get batted around as being not in Canon, or in Canon.
Research Questions and Ideas
- Thread starter Cameron Garcia
- Start date
Going with a "there are marines too" scenario.
The captain would interact with the on-board marine commander and rules of engagement would be determined, the captain has the final word, but she would listen to the advise of the experienced officer seated across from her.
Dress uniforms with conceiled cricket phaser locked on light stun for one mission, with a second squad of marines in shielded powered battle armor with built in phaser cannons (and under-slung photon grenade launcher) standing-by in the transporter room.
Next mission could be standard dress, phaser pistols with setting at the individual marine's trained discretion.
A smaller ship would have a single weapon locker owing to space requirements, larger ship could have separate locker or even an entire section of the ship set aside for the marines.
Weapon storage, ready room, mess facilities, living quarters, training areas.
Right, so you could do this as one thread, and if something “pops” into mind you can just post in that combined thread.
I've merged them and re-titled it to something more general. If you have another preferred thread title, I'd be happy to fix it.
Thanks
Marines were used in the past, but eventually their jobs and duties were simply split up and merged in to Security and Tactical.
It's really hard to say what you would be doing, or where. Without knowing more about you yourself. During your time at the Academy, Instructors not only train you, but evaluate the type of Officer you are. This helps decide your placement after graduation.
Usually, as an Ensign, you will be placed on a smaller ship or station. You will spend on average, 2 years at this rank. Time as an Ensign is basically designed to allow you to learn and adjust to life in service as an Officer. This is basically like an extension of the academy learning, or on-the-job training as I like to explain it. Ensigns do not have command authority, and are just work horses. This is your time to show your superiors what you know and what you can do.
Once time has passed, and you have demonstrated your knowledge and skills, your Department Head will promote you to Lieutenant JG. There really isn't much difference between an Ensign and a Ltjg, except that a Ltjg is a fully commissioned officer who has made it through their time as an Ensign. Now, you will be given more responsibilities and expected to be able to do your job without as much help or supervision.
After another 2-3 years (average), your Department Head can recommend you for promotion to a full Lieutenant. This must be approved by the Command Staff.
A Lieutenant is where you will start receiving more command duties, such as leading away mission, or being in charge of work details, or as a Shift Supervisor. On smaller ships or stations, a Lieutenant can also serve as a Department Head. On average, an officer can expect to spend between 4-6 years as a Lt. And during this time you will stay in your department (say, Engineering). Unless you choose to transfer to a different department. However, this more or less will 'reset' your experience timetable, and you could expect to start your 4-6 years over again.
Becoming a Lieutenant Commander requires a bit more work, as this is considered the first senior officers rank, and these positions are available only when there are open positions. If you have been serving on the same ship/station, this is where you will most likely receive your first transfer. However, it is up to the Commanding staff to transfer you if they cannot find placement for you. While many officers choose to simply work, and have no desire to advance towards command, to become a LtCdr, you must show that you are wanting to advance. This includes taking courses, such as the Bridge Officers Exam, or perhaps applying back to the Academy for Advanced Tactical Training, or something else to advance your skills and abilities. As a LtCdr, you will be expected to be in a leadership position, and demonstrate a high level of professionalism and competence. You will serve a minimum of 3 years as a LtCdr, but many will spend much longer, some up to 5 years.
To become a Commander, you must meet all requirements set forth by Stafleet command, but more importantly, there must be a position available. You cannot be promoted to Commander, unless you have a position that requires you to be a Commander. In most cases, a LtCdr will fill a Cdrs position firstly before being promoted. It is usually noted that becoming a Commander is the hardest rank to achieve. Commanders serve as Commanding Officers for smaller commands, and can head up Departments for larger commands. This being the first full command rank. Becoming a Department Head is easier then getting a command. Command requires even more courses and training, and lots of recommendations from previous Commanding Officers.
Becoming a Captain after, is mostly about your time in service and your experience. As Commanders make up the bulk of Commanding Officers in the Fleet, Captains are given the more senior and important commands. A promotion to Captain is decided and handed down by the Senior Command Council. Only the best become Captains. This is because Captains are the first rank where they have the authority to make senior command decisions without consulting Starfleet Command first. Therefore, Starfleet wants to make sure you are of the right character to represent Starfleet.
I've written this all rather fast. There are a lot of things I am leaving out to keep it short. Its hard to say what your path would be like without a lot more information about you specifically. You will need to show initiative, let your supervisor and department heads know you want to move up. Ask for more responsibilities, apply for training courses. Even as an Engineering Officer, you can ask for duties outside of Engineering. Of course, based on your secondary training courses from the Academy. You don't just study engineering if your an engineering cadet. All cadets require their primary training, a secondary training, and something in support, such as a class in Science. So, you could train as a Warp Propulsion Engineer, with a secondary in Flight Control. And then take a Science course in Xenobiology, or whatever. This is why your time at the Academy is crucial to your career, as it sets where your path will most likely go. However, thats not saying you cannot change, but changing can slow down advancement, unless its specifically tied together.
Again, this was just a quick write up to try to give you some answers to your questions. This wasnt from a lesson plan, so if I've missed something or forgotten about something, feel free to ask or let me know. Hope this helps.
If you need any more specific or technical details, please PM me. As regulations can take up pages and pages to write out.
It's really hard to say what you would be doing, or where. Without knowing more about you yourself. During your time at the Academy, Instructors not only train you, but evaluate the type of Officer you are. This helps decide your placement after graduation.
Usually, as an Ensign, you will be placed on a smaller ship or station. You will spend on average, 2 years at this rank. Time as an Ensign is basically designed to allow you to learn and adjust to life in service as an Officer. This is basically like an extension of the academy learning, or on-the-job training as I like to explain it. Ensigns do not have command authority, and are just work horses. This is your time to show your superiors what you know and what you can do.
Once time has passed, and you have demonstrated your knowledge and skills, your Department Head will promote you to Lieutenant JG. There really isn't much difference between an Ensign and a Ltjg, except that a Ltjg is a fully commissioned officer who has made it through their time as an Ensign. Now, you will be given more responsibilities and expected to be able to do your job without as much help or supervision.
After another 2-3 years (average), your Department Head can recommend you for promotion to a full Lieutenant. This must be approved by the Command Staff.
A Lieutenant is where you will start receiving more command duties, such as leading away mission, or being in charge of work details, or as a Shift Supervisor. On smaller ships or stations, a Lieutenant can also serve as a Department Head. On average, an officer can expect to spend between 4-6 years as a Lt. And during this time you will stay in your department (say, Engineering). Unless you choose to transfer to a different department. However, this more or less will 'reset' your experience timetable, and you could expect to start your 4-6 years over again.
Becoming a Lieutenant Commander requires a bit more work, as this is considered the first senior officers rank, and these positions are available only when there are open positions. If you have been serving on the same ship/station, this is where you will most likely receive your first transfer. However, it is up to the Commanding staff to transfer you if they cannot find placement for you. While many officers choose to simply work, and have no desire to advance towards command, to become a LtCdr, you must show that you are wanting to advance. This includes taking courses, such as the Bridge Officers Exam, or perhaps applying back to the Academy for Advanced Tactical Training, or something else to advance your skills and abilities. As a LtCdr, you will be expected to be in a leadership position, and demonstrate a high level of professionalism and competence. You will serve a minimum of 3 years as a LtCdr, but many will spend much longer, some up to 5 years.
To become a Commander, you must meet all requirements set forth by Stafleet command, but more importantly, there must be a position available. You cannot be promoted to Commander, unless you have a position that requires you to be a Commander. In most cases, a LtCdr will fill a Cdrs position firstly before being promoted. It is usually noted that becoming a Commander is the hardest rank to achieve. Commanders serve as Commanding Officers for smaller commands, and can head up Departments for larger commands. This being the first full command rank. Becoming a Department Head is easier then getting a command. Command requires even more courses and training, and lots of recommendations from previous Commanding Officers.
Becoming a Captain after, is mostly about your time in service and your experience. As Commanders make up the bulk of Commanding Officers in the Fleet, Captains are given the more senior and important commands. A promotion to Captain is decided and handed down by the Senior Command Council. Only the best become Captains. This is because Captains are the first rank where they have the authority to make senior command decisions without consulting Starfleet Command first. Therefore, Starfleet wants to make sure you are of the right character to represent Starfleet.
I've written this all rather fast. There are a lot of things I am leaving out to keep it short. Its hard to say what your path would be like without a lot more information about you specifically. You will need to show initiative, let your supervisor and department heads know you want to move up. Ask for more responsibilities, apply for training courses. Even as an Engineering Officer, you can ask for duties outside of Engineering. Of course, based on your secondary training courses from the Academy. You don't just study engineering if your an engineering cadet. All cadets require their primary training, a secondary training, and something in support, such as a class in Science. So, you could train as a Warp Propulsion Engineer, with a secondary in Flight Control. And then take a Science course in Xenobiology, or whatever. This is why your time at the Academy is crucial to your career, as it sets where your path will most likely go. However, thats not saying you cannot change, but changing can slow down advancement, unless its specifically tied together.
Again, this was just a quick write up to try to give you some answers to your questions. This wasnt from a lesson plan, so if I've missed something or forgotten about something, feel free to ask or let me know. Hope this helps.
If you need any more specific or technical details, please PM me. As regulations can take up pages and pages to write out.
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Also, to add to my previous post, I would like to point out that there is no real straight career path for anything. While there are general guidelines and recommended paths, all officers are unique and so are their careers.
For example, generally Captains are required to have served as a First Officer prior to taking a Captains position, and must display advanced knowledge in a ships primary operations, such as Engineering and Flight Control. However, Medical and Science Officers are able to attain a Captains rank (or position). It is just more rare for them to do so.
Career paths can be as unique as the Officers themselves.
For example, generally Captains are required to have served as a First Officer prior to taking a Captains position, and must display advanced knowledge in a ships primary operations, such as Engineering and Flight Control. However, Medical and Science Officers are able to attain a Captains rank (or position). It is just more rare for them to do so.
Career paths can be as unique as the Officers themselves.
Surely the reason is obvious, everyone would have been ill if they served it raw
^Right, but what was the ocasion? It wasn’t Thanksgiving or Christmas. Was there a special on turkey sandwiches?
There was an awkward dinner party aboard ship, and the turkey, as the official bird of awkward dinner parties, sensed that it was needed and materialized as if by magic.
Part of the problem there is we really don't know how big Starfleet is in terms of personnel. (some threads here suggest tens of millions), and what the replacement rate is, and is Starfleet growing in size.
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