Do Starfleet have enlisted personnel?
Despite "Word of God" to the contrary, I think there is a significant weight of evidence to the suggest that the answer to this is definately 'yes'. Starfleet is above all about giving people opportunities and I can imagine that: "No. I was eighteen, and eager. The last thing I wanted to do was spend four years sitting in classrooms. I wanted to be out there, traveling the stars. I didn't want to wait for anything."– Simon Tarses, 2367 ("The Drumhead")" isn't that unusual a sentiment, meaning that Starfleet would provide options for that.
So, the question becomes, what "sort" of enlisted cadre to they have and how restrictive is the 'progression' At the risk of over-simplifying, the way I see is there are three options. 1) US Military 'two-and-a-half-tier' system with Enlisted, WO/LDOs and Commissioned Officers [limited options to 'break through' the tiers] 2) UK Military (also fairly common in other Western countries), 'two-tier' system of Enlisted (inc WOs) and Commissioned Officers, [limited options to break through the tiers] or 3) the 'police' style system with several levels to the heirarchy, but all part of a single cadre (at least below the 'star' ranks) and considerable options to 'break through' if you pick the right specialism and career track.
I think it's fairly obvious that it's not as complex as (1), and although something like (2) is fairly popular in the fandom, I think the most likely option in the 'enlightened' Federation would along the lines of (3) tho possibly with slightly more grades at the low end.
Despite "Word of God" to the contrary, I think there is a significant weight of evidence to the suggest that the answer to this is definately 'yes'. Starfleet is above all about giving people opportunities and I can imagine that: "No. I was eighteen, and eager. The last thing I wanted to do was spend four years sitting in classrooms. I wanted to be out there, traveling the stars. I didn't want to wait for anything."– Simon Tarses, 2367 ("The Drumhead")" isn't that unusual a sentiment, meaning that Starfleet would provide options for that.
So, the question becomes, what "sort" of enlisted cadre to they have and how restrictive is the 'progression' At the risk of over-simplifying, the way I see is there are three options. 1) US Military 'two-and-a-half-tier' system with Enlisted, WO/LDOs and Commissioned Officers [limited options to 'break through' the tiers] 2) UK Military (also fairly common in other Western countries), 'two-tier' system of Enlisted (inc WOs) and Commissioned Officers, [limited options to break through the tiers] or 3) the 'police' style system with several levels to the heirarchy, but all part of a single cadre (at least below the 'star' ranks) and considerable options to 'break through' if you pick the right specialism and career track.
I think it's fairly obvious that it's not as complex as (1), and although something like (2) is fairly popular in the fandom, I think the most likely option in the 'enlightened' Federation would along the lines of (3) tho possibly with slightly more grades at the low end.
I mentioned Simon Tarses in the title because - at least within TrekLit - Tarses is a character who has a fairly interesting rank progression. Specifically, he attends a 'training program for enlisted personnel' and became a Medical Technician (his rank after ~ 4years should probably be rendered "medical technician 1st class", but is identified as "Crewman (1st class)" [despite clearly not being unrated personnel, which IMO are probably deployed onboard ship if they exist at all], DS9 (via O'Brien) suggests that proper generic title would be "specialist 1st class" likely placing him 1-2 grades below O'Brien), with canon suggesting that he'll be thrown out of Starfleet after the "Drumhead Incident" however, TrekLit suggests that he either avoided this fate and attended Starfleet (Medical) Academy or left Starfleet and attended medical school elsewhere, eventually applying for a commission (With improved Romulan relations post the Dominion War his error was now considered less serious?) becoming a Assistant Medical Officer on DS9 and later Chief on Aventine.
Which suggests to me that potentially a good chunk of the 'working' cadre (security guards, engineers, yeomen, pilots, logistics etc) might have had a similar career progression (4-6 years practical field experience and then further (abbreviated?) training at the Academy in the advanced techniques to jump to Officer>Shift Commander>Department Heaf), and that Starfleet Academy proper is mainly geared to training 'fast track' Department Heads, Bridge Officers and the small number of 'blue trades' that require degree-level programmes to function (Science Officers (although a 4-6 year 'research assistant' post at enlisted grade might also serve here), Medical & Nursing Officers, and JAG (canonically 'Command' but in the RW a 'blue trade')).
Thoughts?
Which suggests to me that potentially a good chunk of the 'working' cadre (security guards, engineers, yeomen, pilots, logistics etc) might have had a similar career progression (4-6 years practical field experience and then further (abbreviated?) training at the Academy in the advanced techniques to jump to Officer>Shift Commander>Department Heaf), and that Starfleet Academy proper is mainly geared to training 'fast track' Department Heads, Bridge Officers and the small number of 'blue trades' that require degree-level programmes to function (Science Officers (although a 4-6 year 'research assistant' post at enlisted grade might also serve here), Medical & Nursing Officers, and JAG (canonically 'Command' but in the RW a 'blue trade')).
Thoughts?
