Headcanon - Made up positions for 2260s Starfleet
List of roles and positions I made up or applied to a 2260s starship.
The list includes positions that are actually canon, but have been slightly modified in their area of action, or weren't part of Starfleet in the Enterprise(NCC-1701) eras. Specifically set in the AOS timeline - heavy changes would be in need to be applied to the TOS Enterprise.
[Originally posted in 2016 as a long note to the AOS crew edit. Revamped to give the list a more "Memory Alpha" look, although I picked a present instead of the past tense.]
Posted also at Dreamwidth and Tumblr.
Armory / tactical systems officer
Armory officers are the personnel belonging to the Ordnance department aboard a Federation starship and part of a small subdepartment of operations division in charge of the weapons storage and efficiency. Between their duty is also maintenance, modification and manufacture of small weapons including phasers. Armory officers are picked from operation officers and technicians with expertise in small arms and weapons.
The chief armory officer is the head of the subdivision and is responsible for the armory or armories where the weapons are stored aboard a Federation starship. Duty for this officer include: making sure the weapons are always all accounted for and secured; that only authorized personnel can have access to the armory; that weapons are returned after a landing party has beamed back; that all weapons are in working conditions; oversee any necessary repairs.
At the captain's discretion, the position of chief armory officer can also be combined with that of chief tactical systems officer.
Tactical systems officer are whose personnel that oversee efficiency and maintenance over tactical systems - which means all the weapons mounted aboard a Federation starship. They are part of the operations division. A tactical systems officer is often an operation officer specialized in weaponry systems but a science officer can also be hired if they are weapons specialists.
The chief tactical systems officer is the head of the tactical systems department as is the responsible for the efficiency and improvement of the starship weapons. They report to the chief engineer.
When the position of chief armory officer and chief tactical systems officer are assigned to the same person, the title becomes chief armory and tactical systems officer (abbreviated CATSO).
In 2259, lieutenant Carol Marcus of the USS Enterprise was promoted to chief tactical systems officer for her expertise on advanced weaponry, and later assigned the chief armory officer position as well, making her the first chief armory and tactical systems officer serving on a big starship such as a Constitution-class.
Notes: Canon speaking, the term "armory office" was introduced in Enterprise as the equivalent of "tactical officer" (a role that, in The Original Series, is handled by helmsman or navigator). In AOS, there's apparently another station ("auxiliary operations station") whose handler, Froman, is labeled as "weapon officer" (which, on Memory Alpha, redirects to "tactical officer"), which means that AOS has partially introduced the role of tactical officer as independent from the helmsman/navigator or at least offered an additional one to support the main tactical officer. It's likely that in canon the duty to handle the armory falls on the Security Chief, but... who cares!
Computer Systems Officer
Computer systems officers are those Starfleet personnel responsible for the efficiency and maintenance of the computers systems aboard a Federation starship.
The department falls under the science division, but is compromised of both science and operations personnel.
The chief computer systems officer (abbreviated CSO) is the head of the whole subdivision; reports to the chief science officer but is also required to coordinate with the chief engineer.
In the late 2050s, lieutenant 0178 of the USS Enterprise, following the rechristening of the starship, was promoted to chief computer systems officer.
When Lieutenant Gaila transferred from the USS Tereshkova to the USS Enterprise, she was assigned to the computer systems department as assistant to the chief.
Notes: Back when I was establishing that my Mirror AOS Jim has learned hacking in his youth, I wondered why there wasn't a specific person that was responsible for the efficiency - and eventual maintenance - of the computers. I then gave Jim (when he still was that Spock's First Officer) the double role of XO and CSO. I liked the position so I made it my headcanon.
[Yes. It would make sense that this was a subdivision of operations but I decided to make it blue instead of red entirely because of Gaila who, in the comics, was shown to be a blue shirt and I originally wanted the position for her, so... sue me. Later, that position went to Lt. 0718 who, guess what... still blue shirt!]
Liaison officer
Liaison officer is a high-ranking officer in charge of relations between one or more Federation starships and Starfleet Headquarters. The duty is relaying orders, cross-checking logs and stay up to date with the starship mission and status. The liaison officer is also responsible for the starship discipline supervision, including relieve the captain, impose reprimands and bring a captain's conduct in front of Starfleet's board for further disciplinary actions.
In exceptional cases, when both captain and first officer are found guilty of serious violations to Starfleet regulations and have been either demoted or transferred, the liaison officer can temporarily take command of the starship until a fitting new commanding team can be assigned.
The liaison officer is a flag officer-level position at Strategic Operations Center, open only to commodore rank and above, and is offered only to former captains who had served on starships. A liaison officer is often associated to only one starship as an additional duty on top of other positions, although for smaller classes, a liaison can be in charge of up to a whole type of starship.
Following the Battle of Earth of 2258 and his promotion, admiral Christopher Pike held the position of USS Enterprise liaison officer until February 2259, when - following Kirk's demotion after violating the Prime Directive and lying about it in the logs - he resumed command of the USS Enterprise.
Notes: I'm not sure how Pike is related to the Enterprise in Into Darkness as in the reason why it's him who reprimands Jim and Spock, if it's just related to his reinstatement as captain of the Enterprise, if it is because of his previous connection with Jim (whom he sponsored) and the Enterprise, or for "admiral duties" related reasons. In the movie app, it's said that he's been "placed in command of Starfleet's Strategic Operations Center (...) he also chaired the review board for command promotion to ship's captain and above", which could likely be the reason why he's been dumped the whole Kirk hassle on his lap.
Said this, I liked the idea that there's an admiral who is directly responsible for giving orders and checking a specific starship on top of their other admiral duties.
I would like a better name (I don't think "liaison" is the right term) but I couldn't find an existing military/navy position title.
Security area chief
The security area chief is the officer in charge of the security area, that portion of a Federation starship comprised of the holding cells and additional rooms related to them. The status of the brigs falls on the security area chief, as the duty to assign shifts and pick two guards to station in the area when a prisoner is held.
If there's no guest in the cells, guards are returned to other duties - like ship security - and the security area chief is the only one stationed in the brig.
Notes: Since AOS established that there's a station in the security area for a guard to monitor the holding cells and the prisoners, I thought it would make sense that there was someone who actually was in charge of the security area, managing the shifts rotations and such duties.
The list includes positions that are actually canon, but have been slightly modified in their area of action, or weren't part of Starfleet in the Enterprise(NCC-1701) eras. Specifically set in the AOS timeline - heavy changes would be in need to be applied to the TOS Enterprise.
[Originally posted in 2016 as a long note to the AOS crew edit. Revamped to give the list a more "Memory Alpha" look, although I picked a present instead of the past tense.]
Posted also at Dreamwidth and Tumblr.
Armory / tactical systems officer
Armory officers are the personnel belonging to the Ordnance department aboard a Federation starship and part of a small subdepartment of operations division in charge of the weapons storage and efficiency. Between their duty is also maintenance, modification and manufacture of small weapons including phasers. Armory officers are picked from operation officers and technicians with expertise in small arms and weapons.
The chief armory officer is the head of the subdivision and is responsible for the armory or armories where the weapons are stored aboard a Federation starship. Duty for this officer include: making sure the weapons are always all accounted for and secured; that only authorized personnel can have access to the armory; that weapons are returned after a landing party has beamed back; that all weapons are in working conditions; oversee any necessary repairs.
At the captain's discretion, the position of chief armory officer can also be combined with that of chief tactical systems officer.
Tactical systems officer are whose personnel that oversee efficiency and maintenance over tactical systems - which means all the weapons mounted aboard a Federation starship. They are part of the operations division. A tactical systems officer is often an operation officer specialized in weaponry systems but a science officer can also be hired if they are weapons specialists.
The chief tactical systems officer is the head of the tactical systems department as is the responsible for the efficiency and improvement of the starship weapons. They report to the chief engineer.
When the position of chief armory officer and chief tactical systems officer are assigned to the same person, the title becomes chief armory and tactical systems officer (abbreviated CATSO).
In 2259, lieutenant Carol Marcus of the USS Enterprise was promoted to chief tactical systems officer for her expertise on advanced weaponry, and later assigned the chief armory officer position as well, making her the first chief armory and tactical systems officer serving on a big starship such as a Constitution-class.
Notes: Canon speaking, the term "armory office" was introduced in Enterprise as the equivalent of "tactical officer" (a role that, in The Original Series, is handled by helmsman or navigator). In AOS, there's apparently another station ("auxiliary operations station") whose handler, Froman, is labeled as "weapon officer" (which, on Memory Alpha, redirects to "tactical officer"), which means that AOS has partially introduced the role of tactical officer as independent from the helmsman/navigator or at least offered an additional one to support the main tactical officer. It's likely that in canon the duty to handle the armory falls on the Security Chief, but... who cares!
Computer Systems Officer
Computer systems officers are those Starfleet personnel responsible for the efficiency and maintenance of the computers systems aboard a Federation starship.
The department falls under the science division, but is compromised of both science and operations personnel.
The chief computer systems officer (abbreviated CSO) is the head of the whole subdivision; reports to the chief science officer but is also required to coordinate with the chief engineer.
In the late 2050s, lieutenant 0178 of the USS Enterprise, following the rechristening of the starship, was promoted to chief computer systems officer.
When Lieutenant Gaila transferred from the USS Tereshkova to the USS Enterprise, she was assigned to the computer systems department as assistant to the chief.
Notes: Back when I was establishing that my Mirror AOS Jim has learned hacking in his youth, I wondered why there wasn't a specific person that was responsible for the efficiency - and eventual maintenance - of the computers. I then gave Jim (when he still was that Spock's First Officer) the double role of XO and CSO. I liked the position so I made it my headcanon.
[Yes. It would make sense that this was a subdivision of operations but I decided to make it blue instead of red entirely because of Gaila who, in the comics, was shown to be a blue shirt and I originally wanted the position for her, so... sue me. Later, that position went to Lt. 0718 who, guess what... still blue shirt!]
Liaison officer
Liaison officer is a high-ranking officer in charge of relations between one or more Federation starships and Starfleet Headquarters. The duty is relaying orders, cross-checking logs and stay up to date with the starship mission and status. The liaison officer is also responsible for the starship discipline supervision, including relieve the captain, impose reprimands and bring a captain's conduct in front of Starfleet's board for further disciplinary actions.
In exceptional cases, when both captain and first officer are found guilty of serious violations to Starfleet regulations and have been either demoted or transferred, the liaison officer can temporarily take command of the starship until a fitting new commanding team can be assigned.
The liaison officer is a flag officer-level position at Strategic Operations Center, open only to commodore rank and above, and is offered only to former captains who had served on starships. A liaison officer is often associated to only one starship as an additional duty on top of other positions, although for smaller classes, a liaison can be in charge of up to a whole type of starship.
Following the Battle of Earth of 2258 and his promotion, admiral Christopher Pike held the position of USS Enterprise liaison officer until February 2259, when - following Kirk's demotion after violating the Prime Directive and lying about it in the logs - he resumed command of the USS Enterprise.
Notes: I'm not sure how Pike is related to the Enterprise in Into Darkness as in the reason why it's him who reprimands Jim and Spock, if it's just related to his reinstatement as captain of the Enterprise, if it is because of his previous connection with Jim (whom he sponsored) and the Enterprise, or for "admiral duties" related reasons. In the movie app, it's said that he's been "placed in command of Starfleet's Strategic Operations Center (...) he also chaired the review board for command promotion to ship's captain and above", which could likely be the reason why he's been dumped the whole Kirk hassle on his lap.
Said this, I liked the idea that there's an admiral who is directly responsible for giving orders and checking a specific starship on top of their other admiral duties.
I would like a better name (I don't think "liaison" is the right term) but I couldn't find an existing military/navy position title.
Security area chief
The security area chief is the officer in charge of the security area, that portion of a Federation starship comprised of the holding cells and additional rooms related to them. The status of the brigs falls on the security area chief, as the duty to assign shifts and pick two guards to station in the area when a prisoner is held.
If there's no guest in the cells, guards are returned to other duties - like ship security - and the security area chief is the only one stationed in the brig.
Notes: Since AOS established that there's a station in the security area for a guard to monitor the holding cells and the prisoners, I thought it would make sense that there was someone who actually was in charge of the security area, managing the shifts rotations and such duties.