Starfleet Line Officers

Starfleet Line Officers represent the bulk of the members of Starfleet holding officer ranks, with responsibilities ranging from the command of starship to junior staff positions on minor outposts. Line officers are subordinate to flag officers and have authority over more junior line officers and all non-commissioned officers. There are eight line officer ranks.

Fleet Captain

A section 31 agent, Luther Sloan, posed as a Fleet Captain and the Deputy Director of Internal Affairs, a position with substantial power and influence.

Fleet Captain is the highest line officer rank in Starfleet, held by senior starship captains commanding task groups or task forces as well as senior administrators or aides within the numbered fleets and at Starfleet Command. The paths leading to fleet captain vary considerably from officer to officer, as it is often a late career reward for experienced staffers, but a transitional step for starship captains on the fast track to flag ranks. Indeed, some officers are promoted directly from captain to commodore, which makes fleet captain rarer than both the ranks above and below it. The authority carried by fleet captains is highly contextual; a senior captain in command of a small task group would only have authority over their direct subordinates, while a Deputy Director of Internal Affairs might have sweeping fleet-level powers. Fleet captains are generally addressed as simply "captain."

Captain

In the 2360s, Tryla Scott was the youngest person ever to reach the rank of captain.

Captain, is as the name suggests, the rank assigned to those officers fortunate enough to be granted the command of a starship. While lower ranking line officers do also hold commands of some smaller starships, the rank of captain carries with it additional prestige and authority, as well as greater access to sensitive information. Starfleet captains are also empowered as ambassadors for the United Federation of Planets, with the ability to negotiate on behalf of the Federation Council. Captains also command starbases and space stations, serve as aides to flag officers, and head up departments on large stations and starships. It is possible to reach this rank without commanding a starship at all, though for an engineer or physician to reach this rank, they would have to be extremely talented and have a long and exemplary service record. Most captains have served with Starfleet for at least twenty years before promotion, but there have been notable exceptions such as Tryla Scott and James T. Kirk over the decades.

Captain is also a title and is the correct way of addressing the commanding officer of a starship while they are onboard their own ship, regardless of their actual rank. This courtesy does not extend to the commanding officers of space stations.

Commander

Commander Raffi Musiker is a former Starfleet Intelligence officer and is currently instructor at Starfleet Academy.

Commander is a senior line officer rank subordinate to captain and above lieutenant commander. It is a rank often held by the commanding officers of smaller starships and space stations, as well as by executive officers and department heads. All commanders are bridge-qualified officers, and so medical officers and other officers who did not receive that certification at the time of their commissioning are required to pass the Bridge Officer's Examination for promotion to this rank.

Lieutenant Commander

Lieutenant Commander Data served as the Second Officer aboard the Enterprise-D and -E, holding the rank for nearly twenty years by the time of his death in 2379.

Lieutenant Commander is a mid-level line officer rank often held by starship and station department heads, as well as the executive officers of smaller vessels. Some small starships may also be commanded by lieutenant commanders. This is the highest rank that can be reached by personnel who are not bridge qualified, such as physicians and JAG officers. Most Lieutenant Commanders have at least a decade of service under their belts. Lieutenant Commanders may be correctly addressed as "Lieutenant," as "Commander," or as "Lieutenant Commander."

Lieutenant

Lieutenant Shaxs served as the Chief Security Officer aboard the USS Cerritos in the 2380s.

Lieutenant is a junior officer rank held by shift leaders and department heads at all levels of the fleet. Reaching the rank of lieutenant represents reaching a significant level of expertise and experience in one's field and the transition from mentee to mentor. Lieutenants typically have at least four years of service before reaching this rank, though six to ten years in lower ranks is also a common career path.

Lieutenant Junior Grade

Lieutenant Junior Grade Sam Lavelle earned a coveted promotion to this rank in the 2360s.

Lieutenant Junior Grade is the third line officer rank, ranking between ensign and lieutenant. Officers holding this rank can be found in all areas of the fleet, as department heads, shift leaders, and content area specialists. Most lieutenants junior grade spend at least three years as ensigns, but some may reach this rank more quickly with exceptional service. This is also the rank at which medical officers, counselors, and JAG officers enter service, because of the longer amount of time they spend in training.

Ensign

Ensigns are often so-called "Lower Deckers," serving in a wide variety of capacities on Starfleet ships.

Ensign is the second-lowest line officer rank, granted to new officers who have successfully completed their training as midshipmen. Ensigns are very much still in training, learning on the job from more senior officers and from experienced non-commissioned officers. Ensigns may serve as department heads aboard smaller ships, but they most often serve on teams within departments or rotate through tasks as necessary to help them learn. Ensigns usually do not have supervisory responsibilities except on an incidental basis.

Midshipman

Midshipman Peter Preston in the 2280s.

Midshipman is the lowest line officer rank, which is granted to Starfleet Academy cadets and Officer Candidate School students during the practical component of their training: their midshipman cruise aboard a training vessel or an active starship. Midshipmen are subordinate to all other officers, but rank above non-commissioned officers. A key lesson for all new midshipmen is learning how to trust the wisdom and experience of these long-serving colleagues that they technically out-rank.