In Starfleet, an enlisted crewperson is (usually) one who has not completed the four-year Starfleet Academy course (one notable exception being Miles O'Brien, who was demoted from Lieutenant junior grade to Chief petty officer--O'Brien is specifically shown wearing the rank insignia of Ensign and later Lieutenant junior grade, and was initially referred to as "Conn", not "Chief", before a recognition was made to his reduction in rank to Chief petty officer--he may have washed out of Starfleet Academy while on field assignment aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), or the reduction in rank may have been punitive). In most cases, enlisted crewmen sign up directly to a ship or posting, and receive basic training, as well as any specific courses required for their position. (TNG: "The Drumhead"; DS9: "Shadowplay", "Starship Down")
Other force structures, such as the Klingon Defense Force and the Bajoran Militia, have enlisted men in their ranks, but it is unclear as to how they differ from their standard officer ranks.
As with commissioned officers, there is a rank structure amongst enlisted crew. The term "non-commissioned officer" refers specifically to any enlisted personnel given authority over other personnel. In Starfleet, this could refer to any petty officer (up to master chief).
All commissioned officer ranks, from ensign upward, outrank all enlisted in the chain of command. However, in certain cases, non-commissioned officers can exercise authority over commissioned officers, by virtue of their functional positions. (Miles O'Brien was one such case in his position as chief of operations aboard Deep Space 9, although not previously as Transporter chief aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) where O'Brien served as both Ensign and Lieutenant junior grade.) Additionally, chief petty officers such as O'Brien wield influence far beyond their place in the rank structure due to their extensive experience and skill, and are expected to mentor junior officers as well as other non-commissioned officers. This dynamic has been noted, in military and quasi-military operations, previously.
Enlisted personnel may be promoted to receive a commission, but must pass necessary examinations and/or attend the Academy.
- Naval
- master chief petty officer
- senior chief petty officer
- chief petty officer
- petty officers (specialists 1st, 2nd and 3rd class):
- crewman (1st, 2nd and 3rd class)
- The Star Trek Encyclopedia refers to these ranks with the non-canonical designation "ables'man". Some modern systems refer to crewman 2nd and 3rd class as "apprentice" and "recruit", respectively.
- Military
Enlisted personnel | Commissioned officers | Flag officers | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fleet: | CRM | PO | CPO | MID CDT OC WO |
ENS | LT JG | LT | LT CMDR | CMDR | CAPT | FCAPT | CDORE | RADM | VADM | ADM | FADM | ||||
Military: | PVT AMN |
CPL LCP |
SGT | SSGT | MSGT 1SGT |
2nd LT | 1st LT | CAPT | MAJ | LT COL | COL | BRIG | MAJ GEN | LT GEN | GEN | MARSHAL | ||||
Services: | Andorian • Bajoran • Cardassian • Ferengi • Human (CSA • Third Reich • UE MACO • USA) • Jem'Hadar • Klingon • Romulan • United Earth/Federation Starfleet • Vulcan Mirror universe: Terran Empire Starfleet • Terran Empire MACO |