Departments

When fully manned, a Watchtower-class station has the population of a small city. From the Commanding Officer on down, there are multiple departments responsible for efficient operation of the station and it's personnel. Within a department, there may be specialized, limited-scope, or, few-personnel sub-departments. Each department maintains a watch rotation and on-call readiness.

Commanding Officer (CO)

The CO is ultimately responsible for the entire station and all supporting elements in the accomplishment of day-to-day operations and it's assigned missions.

The commanding officer of a ship or station is addressed as Captain regardless of rank. Officers of Captain rank are addressed by name (eg. Captain Picard) to avoid confusion with a ship or station's commanding officer (ie. the captain).

Executive Officer (XO)

The officer responsible for personnel, administration and logictics. It is the second-in-command of a ship or station.

Chief Operations Officer (COps or COO)

The senior-most officer in charge of ship's day-to-day operations and coordination between departments. It is the third-in-command of a ship or station.

Duty Officer

An officer in charge and effective control of the Operations Centre (Ops) or major compartment (eg. Engineering Duty Officer, Hangar Duty Officer).

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Communications Department

Department Head: Chief Communications Officer

The Communications Department manages messages to and from ships, stations, and planet-based facilities via various sophisticated equipment. It manages internal communications. Archiving, encryption and library functions are also managed by this Office. In support of security and intelligence it also monitors third-party communications.

Counselling Department

Department Head: Chief Counselor
Specialized Departments: Chaplaincy, Counselling, Social Work

The Chief Counselor is responsible for the mental and emotional wellbeing of personnel. It includes therapy, group support and advocacy.

A Chaplain is dedicated to promoting the philosophical, spiritual, religious and morale of personnel. This is a highly specialized role specific to particular philosophies and denominations.

Diplomatic Department

Department Head: Commanding Officer
Specialized Departments: Exchange Office, Federation Liaison Office

This department oversees and coordinates foreign-service Exchange Officers, foreign dignitaries, foreign diplomatic personnel, Federation Liaison Officers (FLOs) and civilian administration. It works closely with the Honours Department.

The Federation Liaison Officer is accountable to the Federation Council as an observer; independant of the ship or station's Commanding Officer.

Engineering Department

Department Head: Chief Engineering Officer (ChEng)

The Engineering Department responsible for damage control and acute repairs; preventive and proactive maintenance; and, system upgrades of the ship or station's communications systems; computers and data network, and, library; environmental systems including gravity, sanitation, ventilation and water; exterior surfaces; manufacturing and replication systems; powerplant and power distribution; propulsion systems; recreational systems; shuttles and small craft; tactical systems including deflector, phasers, shields, and, torpedoes; and, transporters.

Flight Operations Department

Department Head: Chief Operations Officer

This department coordinates the transport of personnel to and from a ship or station, and, maintains a fleet of auxiliary vessels for that purpose. Maintenance and repair of auxiliary vessels by a joint Flight Operations-Engineering sub-department.

Honours Department

Department Head: Commanding Officer or Chief Counselor

The Honours Department is responsible for executing tradition, customs and honours aboard ships and stations.

Intelligence Department

Department Head: Chief Intelligence Officer

The Intelligence Department surveilles, reconnoiters, collects, analyses and disseminates persons, communications, information, and sensor intelligence work product to the Commanding Officer. This Office is involved in planning, execution and debriefing. This department may also partake counter-intelligence operations. The Chief Intelligence Officer is an officer of Starfleet Intelligence; outside the Commanding Officer's chain of command. It works closely with Communications Department and Security Department.

Legal Department

Department Head: Judge Advocate

This department advises command staff and security officers in the application of policy and justice. Legal officers prosecute, counsel and oversee investigation in conjunction with security officers including approval of investigative requests and review of courts martial. The application of command officers' conduct and orders in relation to procedures, policies, Starfleet law, Federation law and treaty obligations may be referred to legal officers for review and advice. Legal Officers are officers of the Judge Advocate General; outside the Commanding Officer's chain of command.

Medical Department

Department Head: Chief Medical Officer (CMO)
Specialized Departments: Dental Medicine, Field Medicine, Physical Therapy, Public Health, Surgery

The Medical Department is responsible for the treatment of sick and injured personnel; preventive and proactive healthcare; and, public health and disease prevention. Small ships and away missions may be headed by a trained Field Medic in lieu of a Medical Officer. Hygiene and sanitation by a joint Medical-Engineering sub-department.

Navigation Department

Specialized Department(s): Astrometrics, Helm, Traffic Control

The ship’s navigator briefs the Commanding Officer and Duty Officer on the position of the ship, the direction of travel and plots safe navigation given astrometric and political boundaries. The Helm Operator implements navigation.

The Traffic Control Department is in charge of ships in the proximity of and docking at a station.

Port Operations Department

Department Head: Portmaster

The department in charge of boarding and disebarkment of people and materiel aboard a station. Stations with a civilian section must be managed for safety and civic order according to civilian Federation rather than Starfleet standards. This department utilizes Starfleet security, civilian police and port control personnel.

Propulsion Department

Department Head: Chief Engineering Officer

The Propulsion department is responsible for the operation of the deflector array, impulse engines, warp core and warp nacelles.

Security Department

Department Head: Chief of Security
Specialized Departments: Armoury

The department in charge of boarding security; combat training; compartment security; intruder search, interdiction and detention; personnel and dignitary protection; and, regulation enforcement and investigation; . Investigation and incarceration (ie. Brig) responsibilities fall to Security. The Chief Armourer or Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for the administration, storage and maintenance of service weapons, small arms and other munitions. Aboard many ships and stations, the Chief of Security Office is held by the Chief Tactical Officer.

Supply Department

Department Head: Chief Supply Officer or Quartermaster

This department is responsible for running the ship's or station's ward rooms and messing spaces; quarters assignment; uniform provision; barbershops and personal care services; emergency stores; and, recreation services. Recreation services include procurement, manufacture, maintenance and distribution of personal equipment and fixtures; and, scheduling of recreational spaces (eg. Holodecks). Spare parts manufacture and storage by a joint Supply-Engineering sub-department. On many ships, the Supply Office is held by the Executive Officer.

Tactical Department

Department Head: Chief Tactical Officer
Specialized Departments: Tactical Engineering

The Tactical Duty Officer maintains readiness of defensive and offensive systems from the Bridge. This department is in charge of tactical decision-making, coordination, oversight and counsel of the commanding officer in potential and active combat situations. Shields, phasers and torpedo systems are maintained and tested by a joint Tactical-Engineering sub-department.

Training Department

Department Head: Executive Officer

This department is responsible for the continued education of advancement exams and coordination with specialty schools. Safety regulation awareness, equipment safety, procedural hazards and accident prevention are a continual focus of the Training Department. Combat training is a responsibility of the Security Department. Personnel health and safety by a joint Training-Medical sub-department.

Sciences Division

Chief Science Officer

The Chief Science Officer is the officer-in-charge of oversight and coordination of scientific personnel. Provision and maintenance of equipment is by a joint Sciences-Supply sub-department.

Science Officers engage in research, experiment and analysis as well as serve as mission specialists in support of ship and station operations.

Anthropology Sciences

The study of anthropology; archaeology; culture; history; linguistics; literature; philosophy; psychology; sociology; and, theology.

Computer Sciences

The study of artificial intelligence; computing; cybernetics and robotics; and, electronics.

Life Sciences

The study of biochemistry; bio-engineering; biology and xenobiology; botany and paleobotany; paleontology; virology and nanobiology; and, zoology.

Mathematics

The study of calculus; theoretical and applied mathematics; and, statistics.

Materials Sciences

The study of architecture and infrastructure; chemistry; fluid dynamics; mechanics; metallurgy and alloys; and, polymers.

Physics

The study of astrophysics; cosmology; quantum mechanics; physics; and, subspace mechanics.

Planetary Sciences

The study of climatology; ecology; hydrology; geography; geology; and, seismology.

Social Sciences

The study of administation; economics; law; organization dynamics; politics; and sociology.