Starfleeters?

[DavidGutierrez]

What should we call folks who are in Starfleet? Folks in the army are called soldiers, folks in the air force are called airmen, in the navy they're sailors, and don't call a marine anything other than a marine. Even in the coast guard they're guardsmen!

So, what the heck should we call folks in Starfleet? Crewmen? Explorers? Starfleeters? Starfleet officers is most commonly heard in canon (even when referring to Chief O'Brien), but that doesn't begin to cover everyone in Starfleet.

Thoughts?

 

[The Wormhole]

Starfleet officer has worked for the past 47 years, I say we go with that.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I just go with Starfleet personnel.

 

[DavidGutierrez]

Starfleet officer has worked for the past 47 years, I say we go with that.

What about all the chiefs, NCOs, and enlisted men and women? They aren't represented in that term. The great thing about the term "sailors" is that it represents every member of a navy, not just the officers. And, it seems very likely that the officers are the minority in Starfleet.

No, we need something better.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Starfleet officer has worked for the past 47 years, I say we go with that.

What about all the chiefs, NCOs, and enlisted men and women? They aren't represented in that term.

I could see that being used in the same sense that "police officer" is used for a beat cop even if that person doesn't really have an officer rank. It works if we lose the idea that Starfleet is exactly like the U.S. Navy and more of its own thing.

 

[The Wormhole]

Starfleet officer has worked for the past 47 years, I say we go with that.

What about all the chiefs, NCOs, and enlisted men and women? They aren't represented in that term. The great thing about the term "sailors" is that it represents every member of a navy, not just the officers. And, it seems very likely that the officers are the minority in Starfleet.

No, we need something better.

Considering Chief O'Brien is the only enlisted man in all Starfleet, this isn't much of an issue.

 

[BigJake]

I personally think "galanaut" has a nice ring to it. We have just, by sheer coincidence, always cut away from any scene where someone might have used the term right before they said it.

 

[T'Girl]

I could see that being used in the same sense that "police officer" is used for a beat cop even if that person doesn't really have an officer rank.

That my take on it, Roddenberry was a LA cop like his father, everyone being a Starfleet "officer" wouldn't depend on whether or not you held a officers commission.

But other than that Starfleet is of course exactly like the US Navy.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I could see that being used in the same sense that "police officer" is used for a beat cop even if that person doesn't really have an officer rank.

That my take on it, Roddenberry was a LA cop like his father, everyone being a Starfleet "officer" wouldn't depend on whether or not you held a officers commission.

But other than that Starfleet is of course exactly like the US Navy.

Oh, there's plenty of instances in which Starfleet isn't like the U.S. Navy, namely in regards to its chain of command and some personnel practices.

 

[J.T.B.]

I could see that being used in the same sense that "police officer" is used for a beat cop even if that person doesn't really have an officer rank. It works if we lose the idea that Starfleet is exactly like the U.S. Navy and more of its own thing.

That doesn't seem to be a great fit, as police forces don't generally have a commissioned/enlisted division, which Starfleet apparently does, so there is no issue of confusion. Also "police officer" is related to the older term "peace officer," not descended from military titles the way Starfleet's ranks appear to be.

Considering Chief O'Brien is the only enlisted man in all Starfleet, this isn't much of an issue.

Or if there are more, nobody seems to care much about them. Maybe in the spirit of Gilligan's Island they could just be "Starfleet officers, and the rest!"

 

[R. Star]

Except even O'brien has been described under that label of "Starfleet officer."

 

[C.E. Evans]

I could see that being used in the same sense that "police officer" is used for a beat cop even if that person doesn't really have an officer rank. It works if we lose the idea that Starfleet is exactly like the U.S. Navy and more of its own thing.

That doesn't seem to be a great fit, as police forces don't generally have a commissioned/enlisted division,

It fits all right, but a police force's chain of command can vary from city to city.

In some cities:
Chief of Police (or Police Commissioner)
Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant

Sergeant
Detective
Corporal
Officer

Other cities may include or substitute ranks with Sheriff, Commander, Inspector, Deputy, and more. Other cities have different placement of ranks, placing Detective higher in their chain of command than in others.

 

[J.T.B.]

It fits all right, but it can vary from city to city.

In some cities:
Chief of Police (or Police Commissioner)
Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant

Sergeant
Detective
Corporal
Officer

Other cities may include or substitute ranks with Sheriff, Commander, Inspector, Deputy, and more. Other cities have different placement of ranks, placing Detective higher in their chain of command than in others.

Right, but those are just titles. There is not a distinction between police officers who hold commissions and those who don't.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I have used "Starfleeter" before, but that is always in a more relaxed manner--never really official by any standards, often used by civilians.

 

[C.E. Evans]

It fits all right, but it can vary from city to city.

In some cities:
Chief of Police (or Police Commissioner)
Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant

Sergeant
Detective
Corporal
Officer

Other cities may include or substitute ranks with Sheriff, Commander, Inspector, Deputy, and more. Other cities have different placement of ranks, placing Detective higher in their chain of command than in others.

Right, but those are just titles. There is not a distinction between police officers who hold commissions and those who don't.

But the set up (which is my point) is the same way, including having different insignia--and in some police departments, different duty uniforms as well--for those with the rank of lieutenant and up. They're all referred to as police officers regardless if they are a corporal or a colonel.

 

[Shawnster]

It fits all right, but it can vary from city to city.

In some cities:
Chief of Police (or Police Commissioner)
Colonel
Major
Captain
Lieutenant

Sergeant
Detective
Corporal
Officer

Other cities may include or substitute ranks with Sheriff, Commander, Inspector, Deputy, and more. Other cities have different placement of ranks, placing Detective higher in their chain of command than in others.

Right, but those are just titles. There is not a distinction between police officers who hold commissions and those who don't.

But the set up (which is my point) is the same way, including having different insignia--and in some police departments, different duty uniforms as well--for those with the rank of lieutenant and up. They're all referred to as police officers regardless if they are a corporal or a colonel.

I'm sure there are difference in pay

 

[J.T.B.]

But the set up (which is my point) is the same way, including having different insignia--and in some department, different duty uniforms as well--for those with the rank of lieutenant and up. They're all referred to as police officers regardless if they are a corporal or a colonel.

But the set up is not the same. Starfleet has personnel who are categorized as "officers" and others who are not. Police agencies don't, they are all "police officers" because they are all peace officers.

 

[C.E. Evans]

But the set up (which is my point) is the same way, including having different insignia--and in some department, different duty uniforms as well--for those with the rank of lieutenant and up. They're all referred to as police officers regardless if they are a corporal or a colonel.

But the set up is not the same.

Actually, it is. It doesn't have to be literally termed as commissioned and noncommissioned, but there is indeed a distinction between those who do "grunt work" and those with administrative duties. And as with police departments, it could be easily be a case that all Starfleet personnel could be referred to commonly as officers regardless of their actual rank or duties.

 

[DavidGutierrez]

But the set up (which is my point) is the same way, including having different insignia--and in some department, different duty uniforms as well--for those with the rank of lieutenant and up. They're all referred to as police officers regardless if they are a corporal or a colonel.

But the set up is not the same.

Actually, it is. It doesn't have to be literally termed as commissioned and noncommissioned, but there is indeed a distinction between those who do "grunt work" and those with administrative duties. And as with police departments, it could be easily be a case that all Starfleet personnel could be referred to commonly as officers regardless of their actual rank or duties.

While I understand your logic, I don't agree with your analogy. Starfleet - while not an exact duplicate of the US Navy - is much closer to being a military force than a police force. Thus, we should seek analogies which display greater similarities.

In the spirit of the above paragraph, it seems like referring to Starfleet-folk as "explorers" would probably fit well.

 

[J.T.B.]

Actually, it is. It doesn't have to be literally termed as commissioned and noncommissioned, but there is indeed a distinction between those who do "grunt work" and those with administrative duties. And as with police departments, it could be easily be a case that all Starfleet personnel could be referred to commonly as officers regardless of their actual rank or duties.

No, it is clear that not everyone in Starfleet is considered an "officer" the way members of a police department are. In "The Drumhead" Picard asks Crewman Tarses whether he ever considered going the Academy "to become an officer." That line would make no sense if all Starfleet personnel were "officers," since Tarses is clearly serving in Starfleet at the time.