Starfleet, Your Division, Your Job, And Your Uniform

[EnsignTOS]

It's been in my head lately, just bugging the heck out of me! Okay, so I was wondering: suppose you were a member of Starfleet Academy. Suppose you decided to take up Command and Sciences training and you major in both of them. Alright, now you've made it onto the Enterprise as a crewmember. Woo-hoo! But the thing is: what color shirt are you wearing--blue or gold? Can you choose? And are you allowed to switch? (Ex: Lt. Uhura in early episodes like The Corbomite Maneuver. She is never seen in Command colors again, although she can command the ship. Like Scotty. Who also wears red. And is third in command.)

Part two of question: What of those little ribbons on their "Class A" type shiny formal dress uniforms? I'm curious about those, too. What do they look like magnified? And how are they earned?

Well, that's all for now! I know, I know...my threads are lame. (And, today, the product of sleep deprivity and a can of Voltage MD. ) But I'm sure that somebody out there is wondering, or has been wondering, or will wonder, the same exact thing.

EnsignTOS out.

 

[Avro Arrow]

It's been in my head lately, just bugging the heck out of me! Okay, so I was wondering: suppose you were a member of Starfleet Academy. Suppose you decided to take up Command and Sciences training and you major in both of them. Alright, now you've made it onto the Enterprise as a crewmember. Woo-hoo! But the thing is: what color shirt are you wearing--blue or gold? Can you choose? And are you allowed to switch? (Ex: Lt. Uhura in early episodes like The Corbomite Maneuver. She is never seen in Command colors again, although she can command the ship. Like Scotty. Who also wears red. And is third in command.)

I think it would depend on what your specific billet is. If you're posted to a job in the Sciences division, you probably wear blue, and if you're posted to a job in the command division, you probably wear gold, regardless of what your major was at the Academy. As you noted with Uhura and Scotty, you don't need to actually work in the Command division to take command of the ship.

I guess the question might come into play though if you literally fill two jobs... like Spock does. I don't know if he got to pick between the blue of Science Officer and the gold of Executive Officer, or what exactly made the determination that caused him to end up in blue. Then again, based on the limited evidence we have available in TOS, it may be that TOS-era Starfleet treated first officer the same as all the shows have treated second officer... a position that you hold, but still have another primary full-time job. First Officer Spock was a Science Officer, and Number One was a Helm Officer. (And Mitchell was, IIRC, a navigator, if you believe he was XO in that ep.) It may just be that in TOS, Executive Officer wasn't treated as a separate job. It may not be realistic based on today's military, but maybe they thought that computers would reduce the time that first officers needed to spend on first officer-related duties?

Part two of question: What of those little ribbons on their "Class A" type shiny formal dress uniforms? I'm curious about those, too. What do they look like magnified? And how are they earned?

I believe those are supposed to represent awards, much like the ribbons on present-day military uniforms. Memory Alpha has a page that shows some close-up images. I believe the old Star Trek Concordance associated the different coloured triangles with specific awards, but I don't know if that was based on behind the scenes info, or just conjectural.

Well, that's all for now! I know, I know...my threads are lame. (And, today, the product of sleep deprivity and a can of Voltage MD. )

We just got Voltage up here last year, IIRC... it's great stuff! Unfortunately (fortunately?) I've been really cutting back on my pop intake, so I haven't got to enjoy it that often.

 

[EnsignTOS]

It's been in my head lately, just bugging the heck out of me! Okay, so I was wondering: suppose you were a member of Starfleet Academy. Suppose you decided to take up Command and Sciences training and you major in both of them. Alright, now you've made it onto the Enterprise as a crewmember. Woo-hoo! But the thing is: what color shirt are you wearing--blue or gold? Can you choose? And are you allowed to switch? (Ex: Lt. Uhura in early episodes like The Corbomite Maneuver. She is never seen in Command colors again, although she can command the ship. Like Scotty. Who also wears red. And is third in command.)

I think it would depend on what your specific billet is. If you're posted to a job in the Sciences division, you probably wear blue, and if you're posted to a job in the command division, you probably wear gold, regardless of what your major was at the Academy. As you noted with Uhura and Scotty, you don't need to actually work in the Command division to take command of the ship.

I guess the question might come into play though if you literally fill two jobs... like Spock does. I don't know if he got to pick between the blue of Science Officer and the gold of Executive Officer, or what exactly made the determination that caused him to end up in blue. Then again, based on the limited evidence we have available in TOS, it may be that TOS-era Starfleet treated first officer the same as all the shows have treated second officer... a position that you hold, but still have another primary full-time job. First Officer Spock was a Science Officer, and Number One was a Helm Officer. (And Mitchell was, IIRC, a navigator, if you believe he was XO in that ep.) It may just be that in TOS, Executive Officer wasn't treated as a separate job. It may not be realistic based on today's military, but maybe they thought that computers would reduce the time that first officers needed to spend on first officer-related duties?

Part two of question: What of those little ribbons on their "Class A" type shiny formal dress uniforms? I'm curious about those, too. What do they look like magnified? And how are they earned?

I believe those are supposed to represent awards, much like the ribbons on present-day military uniforms. Memory Alpha has a page that shows some close-up images. I believe the old Star Trek Concordance associated the different coloured triangles with specific awards, but I don't know if that was based on behind the scenes info, or just conjectural.

Well, that's all for now! I know, I know...my threads are lame. (And, today, the product of sleep deprivity and a can of Voltage MD. )

We just got Voltage up here last year, IIRC... it's great stuff! Unfortunately (fortunately?) I've been really cutting back on my pop intake, so I haven't got to enjoy it that often.

Excellent answer! Thanks! And yeah, Voltage is pretty good. But Dr. Pepper's the best!

 

[fireproof78]

It's been in my head lately, just bugging the heck out of me! Okay, so I was wondering: suppose you were a member of Starfleet Academy. Suppose you decided to take up Command and Sciences training and you major in both of them. Alright, now you've made it onto the Enterprise as a crewmember. Woo-hoo! But the thing is: what color shirt are you wearing--blue or gold? Can you choose? And are you allowed to switch? (Ex: Lt. Uhura in early episodes like The Corbomite Maneuver. She is never seen in Command colors again, although she can command the ship. Like Scotty. Who also wears red. And is third in command.)

I think it would depend on what your specific billet is. If you're posted to a job in the Sciences division, you probably wear blue, and if you're posted to a job in the command division, you probably wear gold, regardless of what your major was at the Academy. As you noted with Uhura and Scotty, you don't need to actually work in the Command division to take command of the ship.

I guess the question might come into play though if you literally fill two jobs... like Spock does. I don't know if he got to pick between the blue of Science Officer and the gold of Executive Officer, or what exactly made the determination that caused him to end up in blue. Then again, based on the limited evidence we have available in TOS, it may be that TOS-era Starfleet treated first officer the same as all the shows have treated second officer... a position that you hold, but still have another primary full-time job. First Officer Spock was a Science Officer, and Number One was a Helm Officer. (And Mitchell was, IIRC, a navigator, if you believe he was XO in that ep.) It may just be that in TOS, Executive Officer wasn't treated as a separate job. It may not be realistic based on today's military, but maybe they thought that computers would reduce the time that first officers needed to spend on first officer-related duties?

Part two of question: What of those little ribbons on their "Class A" type shiny formal dress uniforms? I'm curious about those, too. What do they look like magnified? And how are they earned?

I believe those are supposed to represent awards, much like the ribbons on present-day military uniforms. Memory Alpha has a page that shows some close-up images. I believe the old Star Trek Concordance associated the different coloured triangles with specific awards, but I don't know if that was based on behind the scenes info, or just conjectural.

Well, that's all for now! I know, I know...my threads are lame. (And, today, the product of sleep deprivity and a can of Voltage MD. )

We just got Voltage up here last year, IIRC... it's great stuff! Unfortunately (fortunately?) I've been really cutting back on my pop intake, so I haven't got to enjoy it that often.

As, Avro Arrow pointed out it would depend upon your billet, or job, on the ship. Scotty obviously is able to take command, as is Spock, as their place within the command structure of the ship as officers allows them to do so. However, that is not their primary job, as they command their own respective departments on the ship, so their billet is reflected in their uniform.

I think if Spock were to take full command of the Enterprise, as her captain, and not just as a temporary measure, he would probably were a gold uniform to reflect that change in status.

I can only reference American military, but there is a distinction of billet on modern military uniforms, opposite the rank insignia on the collar or above service ribbons, at least as far as I could tell. Someone else could probably speak to that better than I, though. So, not as distinctive as the colored uniform tops, but still present.

 

[EnsignTOS]

It's been in my head lately, just bugging the heck out of me! Okay, so I was wondering: suppose you were a member of Starfleet Academy. Suppose you decided to take up Command and Sciences training and you major in both of them. Alright, now you've made it onto the Enterprise as a crewmember. Woo-hoo! But the thing is: what color shirt are you wearing--blue or gold? Can you choose? And are you allowed to switch? (Ex: Lt. Uhura in early episodes like The Corbomite Maneuver. She is never seen in Command colors again, although she can command the ship. Like Scotty. Who also wears red. And is third in command.)

I think it would depend on what your specific billet is. If you're posted to a job in the Sciences division, you probably wear blue, and if you're posted to a job in the command division, you probably wear gold, regardless of what your major was at the Academy. As you noted with Uhura and Scotty, you don't need to actually work in the Command division to take command of the ship.

I guess the question might come into play though if you literally fill two jobs... like Spock does. I don't know if he got to pick between the blue of Science Officer and the gold of Executive Officer, or what exactly made the determination that caused him to end up in blue. Then again, based on the limited evidence we have available in TOS, it may be that TOS-era Starfleet treated first officer the same as all the shows have treated second officer... a position that you hold, but still have another primary full-time job. First Officer Spock was a Science Officer, and Number One was a Helm Officer. (And Mitchell was, IIRC, a navigator, if you believe he was XO in that ep.) It may just be that in TOS, Executive Officer wasn't treated as a separate job. It may not be realistic based on today's military, but maybe they thought that computers would reduce the time that first officers needed to spend on first officer-related duties?

I believe those are supposed to represent awards, much like the ribbons on present-day military uniforms. Memory Alpha has a page that shows some close-up images. I believe the old Star Trek Concordance associated the different coloured triangles with specific awards, but I don't know if that was based on behind the scenes info, or just conjectural.

Well, that's all for now! I know, I know...my threads are lame. (And, today, the product of sleep deprivity and a can of Voltage MD. )

We just got Voltage up here last year, IIRC... it's great stuff! Unfortunately (fortunately?) I've been really cutting back on my pop intake, so I haven't got to enjoy it that often.

As, Avro Arrow pointed out it would depend upon your billet, or job, on the ship. Scotty obviously is able to take command, as is Spock, as their place within the command structure of the ship as officers allows them to do so. However, that is not their primary job, as they command their own respective departments on the ship, so their billet is reflected in their uniform.

I think if Spock were to take full command of the Enterprise, as her captain, and not just as a temporary measure, he would probably were a gold uniform to reflect that change in status.

I can only reference American military, but there is a distinction of billet on modern military uniforms, opposite the rank insignia on the collar or above service ribbons, at least as far as I could tell. Someone else could probably speak to that better than I, though. So, not as distinctive as the colored uniform tops, but still present.

Another good answer. Thanks!

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I don't know where I read it, but I vaguely recall commanders being allowed to wear whatever color they wanted. I know we saw Commodores Stocker and Stone in dark red, with Commodore Mendez in gold.

 

[EnsignTOS]

I don't know where I read it, but I vaguely recall commanders being allowed to wear whatever color they wanted. I know we saw Commodores Stocker and Stone in dark red, with Commodore Mendez in gold.

Yes, you're right! I remember that now. Thanks!
Now my brain is satisfied.

 

[Corylea]

I'm SO glad they switched Spock from the gold he wore in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" to the blue he wore in the rest of the series. He looks rather sickly in gold, whereas he's quite fetching in blue. And I like the constant reminder that he's a scientist FIRST and everything else second.

 

[EnsignTOS]

I'm SO glad they switched Spock from the gold he wore in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" to the blue he wore in the rest of the series. He looks rather sickly in gold, whereas he's quite fetching in blue. And I like the constant reminder that he's a scientist FIRST and everything else second.

Yep. It was meant to be.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't know where I read it, but I vaguely recall commanders being allowed to wear whatever color they wanted. I know we saw Commodores Stocker and Stone in dark red, with Commodore Mendez in gold.

Yes, you're right! I remember that now. Thanks!
Now my brain is satisfied.

And there was a blue-uniformed Captain (Krasnovsky) in "Court Martial". They never explained why he wore blue, either, although Krasnovsky is said to be a starship captain.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I don't know where I read it, but I vaguely recall commanders being allowed to wear whatever color they wanted. I know we saw Commodores Stocker and Stone in dark red, with Commodore Mendez in gold.

Yes, you're right! I remember that now. Thanks!
Now my brain is satisfied.

And there was a blue-uniformed Captain (Krasnovsky) in "Court Martial". They never explained why he wore blue, either, although Krasnovsky is said to be a starship captain.

Could be the Captain of a Science ship who was trained in the sciences before getting a command and chooses to wear Science blue. Just as Stone chooses to wear red, though he's a former starship commander and a current Starbase commander.

 

[Avro Arrow]

And there was a blue-uniformed Captain (Krasnovsky) in "Court Martial". They never explained why he wore blue, either, although Krasnovsky is said to be a starship captain.

Huh, really? All this time I had been assuming the person in blue was Lindstrom!