Starfleet Uniform Code

[Tosk]

Even the writers may have forgotten why he was there anyway. In the Caretaker-era scenes in Relativity, Janeway implies she wants Paris to be the pilot. But in fairness, it is worded in a way that you can excuse it.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

PARIS: "Please, Captain. Let me live in denial just a little longer. There's plenty of time for that when they clap me in irons again."

 

[The Wormhole]

The other thing I don't understand about Ro Laren appearing on the Enterprise is why she's even in uniform at all? Same for Tom Paris in Caretaker for that matter. They've both effectively been asked to assist a mission while still in prison for a previous crime. Is it because they're still technically in Starfleet despite serving time?

Would a modern day military officer be required to wear uniform if they've been recalled from incarceration?

They would wear their uniform, yes, but they would not wear rank insignia. Which, Voyager did get right with Tom Paris, he wasn't wearing any rank insignia in Caretaker.

Mind you, that just raises the question of why he didn't wear the same style rank insignia as Voyager's Maquis officers. After all, he got his commission restored at the same time they got there commissions activated or restored, and since he was in prison for being with the Maquis he is a former Maquis. So it seems rather odd that Janeway let him wear proper Starfleet pips. The advantages of daddy being an Admiral?

 

[Tracy Trek]

Perhaps the Maquis would resent him wearing the same rank insignia as them as theirs were different to set them apart. Most of them considered him a traitor to their cause. Because he traded what little info. he had on them for early parole.

 

[The Wormhole]

Perhaps the Maquis would resent him wearing the same rank insignia as them as theirs were different to set them apart. Most of them considered him a traitor to their cause. Because he traded what little info. he had on them for early parole.

If anything that should have caused more resentment. The former Maquis who collaborated with Starfleet to sell them out gets to wear proper Starfleet rank insignia while the rest of them had to wear special rank insignia which served no real purpose other than to separate them from the rest of the proper Starfleet crew. Actually, making the Maquis wear separate insignia seems more trouble than it's worth. All it really does is create a sense of segregation among the crew which isn't healthy towards making them a united crew. "yes, we're a united crew, to symbolize this you will all wear Starfleet uniforms, even the Maquis." "Why are our ranks represented by a different insignia than the Starfleet norm?" "Because you're not true Starfleet." "Well, now I feel welcome."

 

[Jedman67]

Old Mixer is referring to the season 1 episode Move Along Home

Ooh, I completely forgot about that episode. Interesting premise, mediocre episode.

If anything that should have caused more resentment. The former Maquis who collaborated with Starfleet to sell them out gets to wear proper Starfleet rank insignia while the rest of them had to wear special rank insignia which served no real purpose other than to separate them from the rest of the proper Starfleet crew. Actually, making the Maquis wear separate insignia seems more trouble than it's worth. All it really does is create a sense of segregation among the crew which isn't healthy towards making them a united crew. "yes, we're a united crew, to symbolize this you will all wear Starfleet uniforms, even the Maquis." "Why are our ranks represented by a different insignia than the Starfleet norm?" "Because you're not true Starfleet." "Well, now I feel welcome."

The Real World explanation is that it makes it easier for the audience to tell the Maquis crewman apart, as only B'lanna and Chakotay were regular cast.