Starfleet officer accession ranks

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In the fictional Star Trek universe, Starfleet officer accession ranks are ranks held by characters pursuing a Starfleet officer commission.

The process of becoming a Starfleet officer is little explored, with most references being made to Starfleet Academy, a four-year training university similar to the United States Naval Academy. Over the course of the Star Trek franchise's development, "the Academy" has evolved from existing solely in dialogue to appearing and serving as an important set piece in several episodes.

Apart from Starfleet Academy, there are few canon references to extra-commissioning programs; several briefly appear in the Star Trek Expanded Universe. A significant extra-commissioning program, however, is explored via the character of Wesley Crusher, who becomes an "acting ensign" and trains to become an officer before attending Starfleet Academy.

Contents 1 Cadet 2 Midshipman 3 Officer candidate 4 Acting ensign 5 References

[edit] Cadet

Cadet is the most frequently used Starfleet rank held by Starfleet student officers. In the Original Series era, Academy students are also sometimes referred to as "midshipmen", such as in dialog in "Court Martial" and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

The rank is established in Star Trek through dialog referring to Starfleet Academy. Only two Starfleet cadets appear in The Original Series: a recreation of Cadet Finnegan in "Shore Leave" and an unnamed cadet in a bar in "Wolf in the Fold". In both cases, the cadets wear a silver-gray tunic with a starburst chest emblem.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, Starfleet Academy students are consistently referred to as cadets. Cadets in "The First Duty" wear a black jumpsuit with red shoulders, a Starfleet commbadge, and a varying number of collar devices. Wesley Crusher in subsequent appearances also wears such a uniform. In "Allegiance", a cadet impostor wears a uniform with yellow shoulders and no insignia.

Nog becomes the first Ferengi in Starfleet upon his entrance into Starfleet Academy in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Homefront". Cadet uniforms in that and subsequent episodes are mainly gray rather than black but retain the red shoulders. Cadets do not wear a collar insignia. Nog's field training includes a tour aboard Deep Space Nine that begins in "The Ascent", and he later receives a battlefield commission to ensign in "Favor the Bold".

[edit] Midshipman

Some Starfleet cadets who appear in Star Trek II are referred to as midshipmen. In the film, cadets wear red undertunics and a red shoulder tab. Some of these midshipmen, including Saavik, also wear commissioned officer insignia. Star Trek II marks the last time Academy students are referred to as "midshipmen" rather than "cadets."

The non-canon Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual roleplaying book says that the rank of midshipman is bestowed on Starfleet cadets who have graduated from the Academy and are posted to an assignment on "probationary status" prior to commissioning as ensigns.^[1]

[edit] Officer candidate

The non-canon novel Doctor's Orders refers to the cadet rank of "officer candidate". Such a rank is held by "direct commission" personnel, such as scientists and doctors, who do not attend Starfleet Academy prior to being commissioned as officers.^[2]

[edit] Acting ensign

Starting with the TNG episode "Lonely Among Us", Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher consistently wears a sweater with red, yellow, and blue stripes across the shoulders. In the second and third seasons, Crusher wears a uniform that is never explained on screen nor ever worn by another character in a subsequent Star Trek episode or series wear a similar uniform. The uniform, which first appears in "The Child", is a light grey tunic, with a sweater-like shoulder piece, that is worn without any identifying insignia except an all-silver (rather than the silver arrowhead on gold background) communication pin.

Crusher is later promoted via field commission to ensign; from that point forward, at the end of "The Most Toys", he wears a Starfleet uniform with ensign insignia. Crusher becomes a cadet and wears the aforementioned cadet uniform upon matriculating to Starfleet Academy.

[edit] References

Starfleet ranks and insignia
Flag Officers:	Fleet admiral	Admiral	Vice admiral	Rear admiral	Commodore
Officers:	Fleet captain	Captain	Commander	Lieutenant commander	Lieutenant	Lieutenant junior grade	Ensign
Other:	Enlisted	Officer cadets