INTRODUCTION:
This
document sets out the Table of Organization (TO), i.e. the organizational
structure, of the USS LEVIATHAN. It is concerned entirely with the role playing
aspects of the ship. Information about the administration and mechanics of this
writing group may be found in the Style Guide. With that in mind, a few additional remarks are relevant. First,
the LEVIATHAN is a battlecruiser of the Krima Expediationary Force of Gold Fleet
in alt.starfleet.rpg. Second, the material below was taken from a variety of
contemporary sources. One in particular is the web pages of the United States
Navy's Atlantic Fleet, particularly the USS Cowpen. The original author (D'Maris
Coffman) has made every effort to extrapolate this to the 25th century and Trek
technology, drawing both on her own knowledge and the best of ASR practice.
Comments, critiques, concerns, clarifications, etc. are most welcome,
particularly if your character happens to be in charge of the department
involved.
OPERATIONAL
CYCLES
The
USS LEVIATHAN has three operational phases--primary training, intermediate
training, and operational. This mirrors USN practice, though the distinctions
have been simplified for our purposes.
During
the primary training cycle, the focus is on training crew, professional
development of personnel (certifications, bridge watch officers qualifications,
space warfare officer exams, etc). During this phase, the ship reports to what
is called the "Type Command," which is behind the scenes in ASR (yet
it is assumed to exist).Basically, the LEVIATHAN is (with other battlecruisers
in Gold Fleet) assigned to a expeditionary force. The Type Command is responsible
foreseeing that software upgrades, hardware maintenance, etc. also happen during
the primary training cycle.
Intermediate
Training Cycle
An
intermediate training cycle follows the primary one. This often may be rather
short, compared to months spent in a primary training cycle. For our purposes,
this is the period where the LEVIATHAN is joined by the other ships in her task
force for group exercises. The ship moves from under the purview of the Type
Command back to the Theater Command (Gold Fleet, KRIMAXFOR).
During
the operational phase, the LEVIATHAN and the other ships in her force have
mission orders and are under the direct supervision of COMKRIMAXFOR and the
officer-in-tactical command (see below) of a given mission.
Officer-in-tactical (mission) command: The officer-in-tactical command is
the officer responsible for the overall mission. In ASR, this is most usually
the CO. During the last mission, it was Commander Kyran, Commanding Officer, USS
LEVIATHAN. During the current mission, the officer-in-tactical command is
Captain Corwin O'Dwyer.
BILLETS
AND RESPONSIBILITIES
SENIOR
LINE OFFICERS:
There are four senior line officers on the USS LEVIATHAN. They are the CO, XO, OPS, and CIC officers, and they represent the shipboard chain of command.
CO:
The commanding officer (CO) is ultimately responsible and accountable to his superiors for the ship. During primary and intermediate training cycles, the CO reports to the Type Command. During this period, the operations and logistics groups concentrate on maintaining combat readiness, keeping systems up-to-date, and for training of personnel, as well as ongoing projects (sciences). During the operational phase (where the ship has mission orders), the CO is responsible for his ship's role in the mission. When a commanding officer of a ship also serves as officer-in-tactical command for a given mission, the CO is responsible for ensuring that all Star Fleet assets under his purview (including escorts and support craft). If there is a flag officer or other senior officer aboard who is the officer-in-tactical command, the CO is accountable to said officer for his ship's role in the mission, but remains the absolute authority in matters pertaining to the ship itself. Mission specialists and the commander of any independent marine attachment (rump battalion or larger) report directly to the officer-in-tactical command. Regardless of a CO's actual rank, his position is that of ship's captain and he is addressed as such.
XO:
The executive officer (XO, Exec) is responsible above all else for the day-to-day operation of the ship. The XO is also the professional development officer and assists department heads in facilitating training of all line officers. The XO designs and administers all watch officer exams, certifications and qualifying exams as they relate to shipboard operations and command. The XO is also responsible for the ship's routine and for keeping crew discipline. All department heads report to the XO. Regardless of his rank, he is senior to all naval officers who are part of the ship's permanent complement.
OPS:
The operations manager (OPS) is the senior member of the shipboard operations group that consists of three departments: operations, combat systems (tactical), and navigation/ astrogation. In this capacity, the operations manager also allocates ship's resources and coordinates interdepartmental projects, including those, which involve engineering or sciences. OPS also have a permanent place in the senior officer watch rotation and are usually senior to the CIC in the chain of shipboard command.
CIC: (Currently not staffed by a PC.)
The
combat information center officer is responsible first and foremost for the
combat information center (which is on Deck 2). The purpose of the CIC is
two-fold: in multi-ship combat, the CIC keeps track of what is happening. The
TAC officer is too busy with how the ship performs in combat to spare attention
for the big picture. Second, the
CIC officer is the clearinghouse for orders from the officer-in-tactical command
(see above) of the engagement. The CIC of a battlecruiser thus is responsible
for coordinating its combat maneuvers and status with the other ships in the
force, including the officer-in- tactical-command of the force. Beyond the
combat information center, the CIC officer has a permanent place in the senior
watch rotation.
WATCHES:
The underway watch rotation (the only one that really concerns role-play on the LEVIATHAN) consists of six four-hour watches which cycle every twenty-four. Each overall watch has two watch officers, one senior and one junior. There are subsidiary watches at OPS, TAC, and NAV, as well as ENG and SEC. While department heads may participate in the watch rotation as junior watch officers, they only take over their primary bridge consoles doing alerts.
Officers of the Day:
Beyond the permanent watch officers, there are also officers of the day. Senior officer of the day is limited to those officers who have passed the senior BrOT (bridge officer's test). Junior officer of the day is open to any junior officer who has passed the junior BrOT. Both are good experience for any ambitious officer.
Watch Cycle:
Alpha (0800-1200)
Bravo (1200-1600)
Charlie (1600-2000
Delta (2000-0000)
Echo (0000-0400)
Foxtrot (0400-0800)
Watch Rotation:
Watch(es) Senior Watch Officer/Junior Watch Officer
Alpha XO JOOD Bravo
Delta OPS TAC Charlie
Echo CIC JOOD Foxtrot
OOD NAVOOD: SCI, PRO, etc (if qualified) JOOD: Varies
Also bear in mind that division officers serve as watch officers for their departmental watches (operations, engineering, tactical and navigation watches). In sciences, there is no standing watch. Attending physicians rotate as shift supervisors. A shift in sickbay is two regular four hour watches; the sciences department may also run in eight hour shifts at the discretion of the chief science officer.
The departments are grouped into operations, support/logistics, and medical/counseling. These distinctions are most important during the training phases. They also reflect the uniform colors employed aboard the USS Leviathan. During operational phases, these groups become less important as the entire ship comes mission-focused.
The operations group consists of operations, combat systems (tactical), and astrogation/navigation. On the LEVIATHAN, all of these people will wear command red. This group is responsible for the performance of the ship while underway, particularly in combat. The operations manager is the senior member of the operations group, and is accountable to the XO for its overall readiness during training cycles.
The support/logistics group consists of engineering, sciences, security, and protocol. All of these people wear mustard, though scientists, technicians, etc who are part of the Science Corps (as opposed to science officers who are line officers serving as administrators) wear blue along with other staff officers. The purpose of the support/logistics group is ensure the proper functioning of the ship, so that the operations group can perform its own function. Department heads within the support/logistics group report directly to the XO on matters of readiness during training cycles.
The
medical and counseling groups wear blue (staff) uniforms. This group provides
specialized professional services (medicine and counseling) to the ship. The
chief medical officer and counselor report separately to the XO.
THE
DEPARTMENTS:
Operations Manager: The role of the operations manager vis-a-vis the operations group has already been discussed. The operations manager is also the operations department head. In that capacity, OPS is the chief operations officer and supervises the operations division officers. OPS on an AGAMEMNON-class ship are typically a lieutenant commander (O-4). The operations department (as distinct from the operations group) is composed of six divisions. All division officers may take operations watches, though the ship services officer (SSO) is often excused from such duties owing to the scope of his normal commitments. These divisions are discussed below:
Ship services: The ships services division is responsible for the mundane tasks that keep a starship operating and the crew in good health and spirits. With the assistance of the engineering staff (primarily E-division), ship's services ensures the operation of replicators, holodecks, etc. The ship's services division also assigns quarters, stewards, and deals with housekeeping. Moreover, with the assistance of the counselor, ships services makes certain that recreational and education programs go off as planned, and assists the protocol officer in seeing to the comfort of dignitaries. This officer is typically a Lieutenant (O-3) or a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2).
Computer Core: The computer core officer is responsible for maintaining the ship's computer core. In these duties, the computer core supervisor is assisted by a number of operations specialists. This officer is typically a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2), but may be a chief warrant officer (CW1-CW2).
Sensors: The sensors division officer is responsible for ensuring the proper calibration and operation of all the ship's sensor systems (navigational, long range, short range). In general, the operations department maintains sensor software. The G- and E-divisions in engineering handle the hardware side, while this operations division handles the operation and fine tuning of them. This officer is typically an Ensign (O-1) or a Lieutenant, Junior Grade(O-2).
Communications: The communications officer is responsible for ensuring the proper function of ship's communications equipment, especially the software (such as the universal translator) side. Because this billet benefits more from experience than education, the communications officer is often a warrant officer (W1-W2).
Cryptography & Intelligence (Crypto): The crypto department works closely with both the communications divisions officer and the combat information center (CIC) officer to process and direct intelligence to the appropriate parties. This division officer is typically an Ensign (O-1) or a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2), but may also be a chief warrant officer (CW1-CW2).
Flight Deck: The flight deck is also nominally under the purview of the operations department. The flight deck officer is responsible for all embarked craft and the captain's yacht. The flight deck officer is typically a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2) or a Lieutenant (O-3), often with prior enlisted service in flight operations.
COMBAT
SYSTEMS
The chief tactical officer (TAC) heads the combat systems department. This officer is typically a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2) or a Lieutenant (O-3) on an AGAMEMNON-class ship. Several division officers, who handle key parts of the offensive and defensive ship systems, assist TAC. These divisions are, as follows:
Torpedoes (Strike): Strike, as the torpedoes' division officer is called, is responsible for the ship's torpedo systems, both regular and quantum (flux). The torpedo crews (who handle this manually in the event of system failure) report to Strike, and this officer is also responsible for torpedo stores. Strike is often lead division officer, and is typically an Ensign (O-1).
Phasers (Guns): Guns, or the phaser division officer, is responsible for the performance of ship phaser systems, including phaser and gatling (pulse) cannons. Gun crews, who handle the firing of phasers in the event of control system malfunction in combat, report to the phasers’ division officer. Guns is typically an Ensign (O-1).
Shields: The shield division officer is responsible for the ship's shields (excluding navigational deflectors which are handled by the NAV dept), including optimizing their protective value. Because shield systems are highly vulnerable to opposition fire, the shields DivO often works closely with DAMCON (below) and the R- and E- divisions in engineering. Shields is typically an Ensign (O-1).
Electronic Counter-Measures (ECM): Electronic counter-measures are critical to the survival of a ship in combat. Despite a battle-cruiser's higher mass/power ratio than most capital ships (which make the ship more maneuverable), ECM still perform critical functions on these largely military ships. Counter-measures are used to draw off opposition fire, particularly torpedoes and particle beams (causing false weapons lock). ECM is typically an Ensign (O-1).
Fire Control (DAMCON): DAMCON is responsible for coordinating damage control efforts during and after combat. DAMCON works very closely with the R-division (repair & maintenance) in engineering and is always the liaison officer to engineering for the combat systems department. DAMCON is typically an Ensign (O-1), ideally with some engineering expertise as well.
NAVIGATION/ASTROGATION
Primarily, navigation officers are responsible for plotting the safest, most efficient course of travel (a task which can be elusive even with the computer) and for coordinating with OPS and TAC to take into account their considerations for plotting approaches to systems, etc. Moreover, NAV/A handles stellar cartography and keeps the star charts updated (Star Fleet is constantly bombarding its ships with updates). Navigation also supervises itself (traditionally a good billet for professional development of young officers). NAV is typically an Ensign (O-1) or Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2), and is assisted by three division officers, all typically Ensigns (O-1).
Stellar Cartography. While science officers often make use of stellar cartography, this center falls under the purview of navigation. The stellar cartography division officer is directly responsible for keeping the charts up-to-date and for providing navigation the information necessary to plot and plan the safest, most efficient course.
Ship Control (Helm): The ship control division is responsible for the training of helmsmen and assistant helmsmen (quartermaster's ratings, no relation to supply) and is the physical location of the navigation watch. Ship control develops and refines evasive maneuvers (with the collaboration of TAC and OPS) and is responsible for the performance of the helm and for the performance of navigational deflectors.
Navigational Sensors Navigational sensors are distinct from the rest of ship's sensors. They maintain continuous sensor sweeps and are critical to the safe operation of the ship. The information this division supplies permits continuous course corrections and adjustments. The division officer is accountable to NAV for the performance of this system.
ENGINEERING
Engineering is responsible for the repair, maintenance, and proper functioning of the ship's physical components. Headed by the chief engineering officer, engineering is broken down into five functional division, three (propulsion, gravitics, electronics) involve specific technologies, whereas the other two (diagnostics and repair &maintenance) are logistical in nature. All division officers report to the chief engineering officer. The chief engineering officer (ENG) supervises the division officers and reports directly to the executive officer (XO). ENG is responsible for the professional development of engineering officers. ENG is typically at least a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2) and is often a Lieutenant (O-3). In dealings with enlisted personnel, ENG is assisted by a first mate. On the LEVIATHAN, the first mate should ideally be a warrant officer, but would most often be a senior or master chief. By naval convention, engineering divisions are referred to by their one or two letter abbreviation.
Divisions Propulsion (P) Division: The propulsion division is responsible for operation of the maneuvering engines, impulse engines, warp drives, and d-warp drives (nodes). Propulsion is the largest of the engineering divisions and the division officer is at least an Ensign (O-1). Propulsion may be further subdivided into warp, dimension warp, and impulse centers with warrant officers and petty officers supervising those.
Gravitics (G) Division: Gravitic systems include those technologies which manipulate gravity per the SF Engineering page (shields, long range sensors, tractor beams, and gravitic cloaks when appropriate). The gravitics division officer is an Ensign (O-1).
Electronics (E) Division: Electronic systems are those technologies which rely on electro-magnetics, namely short range sensors, navigational sensors, transporters, structural integrity fields, etc. as well as internal ship systems. Like the G-division, the electronics division officer is typically an Ensign (O-1).
Diagnostic (D) Division: The diagnostic division officer is responsible for the ensuring the operation of all shipboard diagnostic systems, particularly their software components. This officer works closely with the computer core division officer in operations and with the R&M division officer. Diagnostic division officers are typically Ensigns (O-1), and may even be chief warrant officers.
Repair & Maintenance (R) Division: The repair & maintenance division coordinates all of engineering's repair and maintenance efforts. This division officer works closely with the fire control (DAMCON) division officer in the combat systems department and with the ship services division officer in operations. The R-division officer is typically at least an Ensign (O-1), but is typically a Lieutenant, Junior Grade(O-2), given the interdepartmental liaison duties.
SCIENCES
The science department (Sciences) has a dual role aboard a Solar class ship. First, and foremost, the science department is tasked with solving problems of a scientific nature brought to it by the command staff. These problems may be mission-related, or may reflect the challenges of space travel and exploration in a more general sense. A good chief science officer (SCI) will study the mission briefing material for ways in which the science department may support overall mission goals. This aspect of the science department's role is most obvious during an operational phase. Otherwise, the science department engages in ongoing research. When not called upon to perform specific tasks, the members of the department will be pulling together work done on previous missions, writing classified material up for Star Fleet and unclassified material up for publication, as well as conducting their own personal research. The SCI has a control function, making certain that Star Fleet by and large ends up funding research of some utility to the organization as a whole. The chief science officer is not a scientist, but rather the chief administrator of the sciences department and is typically a Lieutenant (O-3), but may be a reasonably experienced Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2). In this task, SCI is assisted by division officers who are also administrators, and are typically junior officers of varying ranks. Their most important tasks are to serve as an interface between the scientists and the command staff. In that, they are tasked with translating mission related demands into a scientific framework, putting together project teams (multi-disciplinary or otherwise), and judging between competing demands for resources. The specific number of divisions will vary at a given time, but be grouped around loosely related fields: social sciences, physical sciences, biological sciences, etc. Division officers are assumed to have undergraduate degrees (but no more) in the discipline which they supervise. 'Supervise' is a term used loosely because they are not supervising the content of research, but rather supporting the efforts of ongoing scientific study. Most of the scientists in their divisions will outrank them considerably (and have advanced degrees); however, they report to the DivO in an administrative sense. Also, the DivO's are responsible for making the SCI aware of potentially mission relevant research done in their division, as these things occasionally work the other direction as well.
SECURITY
The security department on the LEVIATHAN is fairly large. Security is concerned primarily with maintaining crew discipline and enforcing Star Fleet Regulations. There are three standing watches (which rotate through twice a daily cycle). Each watch has three squads often men-at-arms (the enlisted rating of security personnel). In addition, there is an administrative squad which primarily handles criminal and forensic investigations and paperwork. The CSO on an AGAMEMNON-class battlecruiser is typically a Lieutenant, Junior Grade(O-2) or a Lieutenant (O-3).On smaller vessels, the department head for security may very well be a senior non-commissioned officer. In such cases, he/she is known as the CMAA (Chief Master-of-Arms & Armaments). Where TAC and CSO are combined on some vessels, there is a CMAA who reports to the TAC/CSO. Otherwise, this officer reports to the XO directly, as he does on the LEVIATHAN.
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT (SICKBAY) Chief Medical Officer:
The chief medical officer (CMO) is a department head and member of the senior staff. On the LEVIATHAN, this officer is typically a Lieutenant Commander (O-4). The officer must be a medical doctor and must have completed residency. The officer need not be a specialist. The chief day-to-day responsibilities of the CMO are administrative. Though the CMO may well choose to see patients, the officer does not have a sickbay shift.
Staff Attending Physicians: There are three staff attendings in addition to the chief medical officer. Their ranks are typically Lieutenant (O-3), but may be Lieutenant Commanders (O-4). Regardless of their ranks vis-a-vis the CMO, they report directly to that officer. Many of these officers are board certified specialists, but do not need to be.Residents: There are also three residents whose shifts mirror that of the attending physicians. They are the doctors who do the bulk of the 'grunt work' in sickbay. While attendings must sign off on their diagnoses and treatment plans, they are the ones most likely to see patients. They may or may not be studying to become specialists. All of these officers are at least Lieutenant, Junior Grades (O-2). With only three total, there is no head resident. First year residents are called interns.
Head Nurse: The head nurse is usually a Lieutenant (O-3) and is the officer to whom the nurses report. She reports to directly to the chief medical officer, though her nurses report to the attending physician in charge of a given shift.
Staff Nurses: There are nine staff nurses. At any given time, about half of these will be Lieutenant, Junior Grades (O-2) and the other half Ensigns (O-1).
Pharmacologist/Toxicologist: There is one Pharmacologist/toxicologist staff. That officer will be a Lieutenant, Junior Grade (O-2), Lieutenant (O-3) or possibly a Lieutenant Commander (O-4), depending on experience and education.
Medical Techs, Orderlies, etc: There are a number of paramedics, medical techs, orderlies, corpsmen of various enlisted ratings, etc. In general, senior medical techs are warrants, all others are petty officers. Paramedics are senior noncoms (with very experienced ones being chiefs), orderlies are junior enlisted.
The counseling department varies a good deal from ship-to-ship. The ship's counselor is responsible for the mental health of the crew and for advising the captain in matters of shipboard morale. Some ship's counselors go at it alone, others have assistant counselors. There is an enlisted rating of naval counselor. These people are not professional mental health providers, but rather an equivalent of social workers. All ship's counselors have counseling certification from Star Fleet and are assumed to have at least undergraduate degrees (but more often intermediate and advanced degrees) in a related field such as psychology, psychiatry, anthropology, or sociology.
PROTOCOL
The protocol officer reports directly to the XO. His duties involve advising the XO on matters of shipboard and service protocol and by assuming responsibility for selected tasks. These duties are outlined in detail because the average player may not have had much contact with this particular billet. Shipboard protocol duties involve: Supervising ship ceremonies while underway, including but not limited to marriages, funerals, change of command, parade reviews, commissionings, and shipwide award ceremonies. Acting as the Vice President of the Mess (for formal messes in the wardroom) [Note: The CO is the President of the Mess. In the absence of a protocol officer, this falls to the XO]; handling preparations for diplomatic functions held aboard the ship, and caring for the needs of VIPs and their accommodations; accompanying the CO on casualty calls while in port; assisting legal officers, the captain, and executive officer with the conduct of boards of inquiry, Captain's Masts, and summary court martials while underway. Mission related protocol officer duties include: advising away team members on local customs, laws, and institutions, especially as they govern the proper treatment of foreign heads of state and other officials; accompanying away teams on formal diplomatic functions or at the request of the XO or CO. They also lend relevant assistance as requested or required in the protocol officer's own area of professional or academic expertise; and, and participation in the officer-of-the-day rotations where appropriate and if qualified.
The role of the marine complement also varies a great deal from ship to ship. On a battlecruiser, the marine complement is that of a rump battalion composed of three companies of four platoons each. A rump battalion is also the smallest independent marine command in SFMC, and the battalion commander has an XO, an OPS, and an adjutant, as well as an administrative staff. The size of the LEVIATHAN's marine complement is approximately 300 marines. The marine commander is responsible to the CO of the ship for the discipline of his marines. A battalion commander will generally designate an officer to serve as a liaison to the XO or OPS for requesting ship's resources and may deal directly with the CSO on matters of joint training. The MCO is typically a Major (O-4). While the marine commander is accountable to the CO for the discipline of his marines, and to the officer-in-tactical command for their role in the mission, a battalion commander also reports to a regimental commander who is part of the fleet's marine division. This is analogous to the Type Command, and is the entity to which the battalion commander is accountable for training and performance of the marine unit. On smaller ships, the marine complement is not an independent command (company on light cruisers, platoon on destroyers). In these circumstances, the marine complement is detached to the ship and the marine commander reports directly to the XO as if he/she were a department head. While the security department is responsible for the discipline of the crew, the marines (when they are present on board a ship) are responsible for the ship's safety--garrisoning sensitive areas, repelling boarders, etc. and for protection of away team missions. They also handle dignitary details, provide color guards for ceremonies, etc. When marines are providing such services, they report to the XO or PRO where appropriate.
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This information was initially created by Scott Lusby in April 1999 and is based on a similar document by D'Maris Coffman.