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Starfleet is a Space Navy (military fleet)

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That was an awful lot of Who factoids to be used for illustrative purposes.

All relevant to the points we are discussing in terms of Trek, in a slightly abstract way, I promise. But mostly it was a side discussion that had....evolved.
 
Considering how noobish I am with the Doctor Who novels, I almost understood that.

I believe it was given as an example of how canon can work and still be changed to still work with the older versions of the canon. Something Star Trek sort of does from time to time (See Star Trek: Enterprise).

The mentions of the Federation and money to me have always suggested that the Federation (or at the very least Earth's) economy changed sometime after the Five Year Mission, or had changed prior to it, but the creep of the credit lingered for several years before fading into the dark corners of the Federation. By the movie era it was more or less gone, and by the 24th century it was a thing long gone, as some officers that didn't get out on the fringes of society often had little concept of money or even barter.

As for the topic of military, because we are given the concept that Starfleet is not a military as a fact, more than once across several centuries, we the audience are meant to accept that as a fact. There is the provision that during extreme crisis that Starfleet might be basically drafted into being the military for the Federation, which would stand to reason during the prolonged periods of the conflict with the Klingons and probably the Dominion War, but outside of those times, Starfleet is not a military by its own definition.

It would make some sense of the times when Kirk was a soldier and then he wasn't a soldier. The before time being before the Organian Peace Treaty was enacted. After that time Starfleet got itself undrafted and returned to its non-military self. Until the Organians left and the Maroon uniforms came with the Klingons becoming aggressive again. This could also be why Admiral Kirk retired the first time, due to Starfleet being drafted again. But changed his mind later, but seemed perpetually depressed. The loss of his son by a Klingon blade didn't help matters at all. This lasts until after Praxis explodes and the hostiles end due to the Klingons not being able to afford it. Starfleet gets undrafted again after over a decade (with some harsh supporters of the notion that Starfleet should crush the Klingons to make sure they never try something against the Federation again), and eventually get back to their old Deep Space Exploration business.

The Excelsiors get refit for exploration more extensive exploration duties, the Constellations, underpowered as they are, start long term explorer missions. The Ambassador-class gets constructed to better handle longer than five year missions. The Cardassians show up, and a low key war begins, but it never seems like it or the other wars are really all that major, being very local affairs. Starfleet does not get draftee again, but sometimes enables defense missions near the Cardassian border.

The Klingons recover after 50 years and start to make waves, but before things heat up again, the Romulans start attacking Klingon outposts. USS Enterpise is lost defending one such outpost and secures the Klingons as allies of the Federation due to their honorable sacrifice and courage in battle (worthy of a Klingon I suppose)....that it was an Enterprise, a ships with a long history with the Klingons, makes it even better for the Federation. The peace holds and decades more pass with Starfleet being Starfleet.

Only the Borg appearing shakes Starfleet to promote defensive and tactical improvements in the face of a terrifying threat. The Dominion comes and the Federation eventually settles that war may be the only way they can remain free, and the peace is slowly choking the Federation and its usually methods of diplomacy, science, and engineering are failing to counter the Dominion....All they had left was war or serving the Dominion. Starfleet choice war as their only hope.

That ties it very neatly.

The Who stuff I mentioned is...basically arcane at this point.
 
All relevant to the points we are discussing in terms of Trek, in a slightly abstract way, I promise. But mostly it was a side discussion that had....evolved.
QUOTE="jaime, post: 11956883, member: 56998"]All relevant to the points we are discussing in terms of Trek, in a slightly abstract way, I promise. But mostly it was a side discussion that had....evolved.[/QUOTE]
And...having deja vu? :vulcan:

I find the Who stuff quite interesting and liked the Gallifrey terminology. I just was amused by the large amount of examples.
 
QUOTE="jaime, post: 11956883, member: 56998"]All relevant to the points we are discussing in terms of Trek, in a slightly abstract way, I promise. But mostly it was a side discussion that had....evolved.
And...having deja vu? :vulcan:

I find the Who stuff quite interesting and liked the Gallifrey terminology. I just was amused by the large amount of examples.[/QUOTE]

Yeah..I think the typing on IOS bug has evolved with my poor wifi to odd posting problems.
I was using a large amount of examples because I was being the teensiest bit...sarky. But mostly cos those bits I mention are parallel things to the event we discuss here....how to reconcile apparently contradictory continuity, (books audio and screen....different eras TV and film) two different universes that are ostensibly so similar as to almost be the same, (Klein bottles, universe starting events, the Kelvin Timeline and NuScotty) and contradiction between early canon and later canon (two hearts vs one, TOS vs TNG statements) and feeding into an underlying ideological statement through narrative (Who is very much intentionally Buddhist at times, pagan and pantheonistic at others, Trek has an underlying utopia of equality and a story about mankind moving beyond violent conflict...Trek is more explicit in its ideology, and it is less of a full kitchen behind the scenes. Trek basically has one cook. /chef.)
 
Exactly. But where do you find a full federation civilian court in deep space?

You don't, you just do like Kirk did in "Mudd's Women" and detain offenders so they can be delivered to the proper legal authorities.

This topic still boils down to what Starfleet's primary mission is.

A military's primary mission is to fight a war, whether real or theoretical.

Starfleet's primary mission is to explore space. Yes, Starfleet is responsible for defending the Federation and fighting in wars when and if they occur, but that is not its primary purpose.

Exploring space may have been their origin, but it doesn't seem to be their primary mission. As seen in the shows, at least, much of their time is spent in known areas, supporting colonists and outposts, transporting diplomats, and general patrol. It's not hard to imagine an exploration organization quickly taking on not-so-peaceful functions, because if one thing has been shown over and over in the series, it's that exploration often comes down to fighting (in self-defense, of course). And once the space is explored, it is settled and colonized and some organization is needed to police all that. And, ultimately, to fight a war if necessary.

Likewise, real-life navies originated to fight wars, yes. But in an age of exploration and expansion, they evolved to take on more functions, too. As has been noted earlier, every type of mission that Starfleet has been shown to perform was also performed by navies in the 19th century, and the closest real-world match to Starfleet ever was the Victorian Royal Navy. So the fictional organization could end up looking very similar to the real one, but arriving by a different route.

I think most people today think of 19th century RN as a military organization. Did they think the same at the time? I say, yes, BUT... Command of the service was definitely military, and lieutenants, captains, commanders and admirals were called "military officers." But there were still remnants of the older "part-time" sailing navy culture. Many sailors still tended to think of themselves as mariners first and naval ratings second. They definitely didn't do things like march and stand at attention. Likewise surgeons, chaplains, pursers and engineers were somewhat considered civilians who were in the navy rather than naval officers, though this changed as the century went on. So culturally it might not fit all of today's notions of what a "military" organization is like. Things change.

Personally, I define a military organization as simply an organized national fighting force. That doesn't mean exclusively fighting, or even primarily fighting. But it would include the 19th century Royal Navy, the US Coast Guard, the Japanese Self Defense Forces, and Starfleet.

His womanising ways are something of a myth, but there are implied 'things at the Christmas party' with the science gal from the one with the Tantalus colony and a couple of odd moments here and there.

Kirk and Noel danced and talked at the Christmas party. Anything further was a suggestion on her part as he was under the device. So that's, what, none?
 
Kirk and Noel danced and talked at the Christmas party. Anything further was a suggestion on her part as he was under the device. So that's, what, none?

He seemed to have had a relationship with Areel Shaw (Starfleet JAG), at some point. But, it doesn't appear she was ever under his command.
 
Doctor Leonard 'Bones' McCoy resigned from Starfleet at the end of the five year mission but was drafted back in TMP. No matter how my company might beg, once I resign and leave they cannot make me return by force or law.
And yet Starfleet ain't military right?
 
In many European countries, one can be conscripted to perform public service ranging from military duty, to working for the postal service.
 
In many European countries, one can be conscripted to perform public service ranging from military duty, to working for the postal service.
Starfleet is based on a US/RN naval tradition, those nations do not have conscription for civilian public services.
 
Doctor Leonard 'Bones' McCoy resigned from Starfleet at the end of the five year mission but was drafted back in TMP. No matter how my company might beg, once I resign and leave they cannot make me return by force or law.
And yet Starfleet ain't military right?

It was an in short....he said they used a little known seldom used clause...which sounds like a contract. Possibly something on his doctors license.
 
It was an in short....he said they used a little known seldom used clause...which sounds like a contract. Possibly something on his doctors license.

No, it was a "reserve activation clause," IOW Starfleet has a reserve organization and he was part of it.
 
Much like the military, Starfleet can keep you in a combat role for as long as they need you to be there. You don't get to quit, and walk away. See: "The Siege of AR-558"
 
Simply because Starfleet does things that are "like" the military doesn't automatically mean that it is one.
 
Yeah..I think the typing on IOS bug has evolved with my poor wifi to odd posting problems.
I was using a large amount of examples because I was being the teensiest bit...sarky. But mostly cos those bits I mention are parallel things to the event we discuss here....how to reconcile apparently contradictory continuity, (books audio and screen....different eras TV and film) two different universes that are ostensibly so similar as to almost be the same, (Klein bottles, universe starting events, the Kelvin Timeline and NuScotty) and contradiction between early canon and later canon (two hearts vs one, TOS vs TNG statements) and feeding into an underlying ideological statement through narrative (Who is very much intentionally Buddhist at times, pagan and pantheonistic at others, Trek has an underlying utopia of equality and a story about mankind moving beyond violent conflict...Trek is more explicit in its ideology, and it is less of a full kitchen behind the scenes. Trek basically has one cook. /chef.)
Sorry for your tech troubles.

I appreciate all the info on Who, as I find Gallifrey society to fascinating, though I was not aware of the Buddhist tones. Thank you for sharing that bit.

Star Trek could be best described as "secular humanist" in its philosophical underpinnings, though, interestingly enough, GR had an interest in Buddhism as well.

He seemed to have had a relationship with Areel Shaw (Starfleet JAG), at some point. But, it doesn't appear she was ever under his command.
I thought of that as well.
 
Sorry for your tech troubles.

I appreciate all the info on Who, as I find Gallifrey society to fascinating, though I was not aware of the Buddhist tones. Thank you for sharing that bit.

Star Trek could be best described as "secular humanist" in its philosophical underpinnings, though, interestingly enough, GR had an interest in Buddhism as well.


I thought of that as well.

There's a whole bunch of stuff in the now apocryphal books which is really quite interesting, but it all stems from Barry Letts producer role in the pertwee years...the Third Doctors death was laden with metaphor, and the Doctor is known to have studied meditation on gallifrey....another time lord appears literally as some kind of Monk. The imagery sort of hangs around d the show afterwards...notably Kinda and Snakdance later in the Davison era. Though many will say otherwise, especially after the avowed atheist viewpoint of RTD, Who actually has a mystical bent...it's why it can do the 'lonely god' stuff without coming off as something using the symbols with none of the understanding like say Buffy might.
 
"The reserve activation clause of personnel commissions and/or licenses was a Starfleet regulation which was in force during the 2270s. Described as "little-known" and "seldom-used," the clause provided for the recall of a discharged or retired Starfleet officer to active duty in response to a crisis or emergency.

In the mid-2270s, Fleet Admiral Nogura, at the request of Rear Admiral James T. Kirk, recalled Dr. Leonard McCoy to active duty in the Starfleet using the reserve activation clause. Upon reporting to the USS Enterprise, McCoy stated to Kirk, in clear frustration, "In simpler language, captain, they drafted me!" (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)"


I would love to see a civilian organisation try this...'Keep working at McDonald's or else'!
 
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