Promotion System

On Athena, most people are not concerned about promotions, feeling that enjoying each other's company and helping charities while having fun is enough. We also recognize that some people enjoy promotions, which is why we have a promotion policy that balances service, activities, and time in grade. These are roughly based on the ranks in Star Trek.

Petty Officers

If a person joins the ship and has a rank from another ship, he or she retains that rank (much like transfers in the military). If the person does not have a previous rank, that person is automatically given the rank of Petty Officer 3rd Class (PO3).

However, since Athena is no longer affiliated with STARFLEET, requirements like taking their Officer's Training School is not required to move to enlisted ranks, just a desure to do so.

Promotions within the Petty Officer rank structure will mirror the promotion policy for the Commissioned Officer structure. The primary reason for this is simplicity.

The levels in the Petty Officer rank structure will be as follows:

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Cadet Corps

Cadet Corps on Athena refers to anyone under 16.

Due to legal age requirements, no one in the Cadet Corps can serve as CO or XO. Those positions are reserved for people over the age of 18. Remember, even Captain Picard had to be relieved of duty when he stepped on the bridge as a 10 year old in "Rascals."

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Promotion Points

The promotion points for various activities appears at the end of this document.

The following point scheme will be used for advancement of rank:

When a person is promoted, the number of points for the promotion is subtracted from the points earned.

Before anyone freaks out, consider that every month, a person can receive 5 points for attending the monthly meeting and 3 points for turning in a monthly report for a total of 8 points per month. That means that a person can reach LTjg in 7 months or reach LT in one year. Without doing anything else!!! So, people who do not do much for the ship can reach the rank of LT fairly easily.

What about the ambitious person who easily racks up 25 points in a month?? A minimum time in service clause is needed so they do not reach a dead end too quickly. That will be addressed in the next section.

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Minimum Time In Service

The ambitious person should not be forced into a dead end too quickly. That is why I recommend a minimum time in service clause. Even the real military has such a clause.

The times are from the last time the person was promoted. The clock goes back to 0 when a person is promoted. These times can be cut in half by the CO if he feels that a member's extraordinary services warrant such attention.

So, without any intervention by the CO, a moderately active member can easily attain the rank of LT in 9 months.

If Data can stay at the same rank for 7 years, we can deal with being at the same rank for 1.

For those in STARFLEET, one needs to take Officer's Training School (OTS) for Ensign and Officer Command College (OCC) for Commander for the ranks to be meaningful in that organization.

Now, while we are waiting for our promotions, we can think about service awards.

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Service Awards

Service Awards are to be used to recognize effort put forth by an individual or individuals for the ship and its community. The following are some suggested awards:

These awards can be given at any time that the CO (or department head in the case of Departmental Awards) deems appropriate. Perhaps some of these awards should be given out a minimum of once per year.

Right after a major ship event, Counselor Troi says, "I sense many awards being given." Ok, enough Troi!! (with lines like that, how did she get to be a Commander??!!??)

Other award categories can be added as the need arises (or we just feel that we might use it).

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Points for Service

Activities not mentioned above will be determined by the CO and XO.


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