In the spirit of Starfleet seen on Star Trek, USS Ticonderoga Crewmembers can earn ranks seen on the show. This is not a system to state that one person is better than another, but as recognition for individuals who have contributed time and energy to the fleet and are willing to serve fellow crewmembers at future activities. A quote often stated by Admiral Hollinger is “The more pips you have earned represent the more service you give.”
The requirements may seem daunting, however you will notice that as you continue to have fun and submit your monthly duty reports, you can continue to rise as far as you are willing to go. A Crewman is as welcome in the fleet as a Commander.
If you have any questions about these guidelines, feel free to contact your Department Chief. They are willing to assist you in locating the answers regarding the requirements for rank advancements. A few items are detailed here.
ACADEMY EXAM:
The Academy Exam is a closed book test given by Command Grade Officers to crewmembers who wish to advance in rank. THERE IS NO PASS OR FAIL ON THE EXAM. The exam consists of over 200 questions of different varieties. Further details and suggestions can be requested from your chapter’s Command Staff. It is set up to help the crewman and the Command Staff evaluate their Star Trek knowledge and skills. If you are lacking in a certain area, the Fleet has resources to help you learn and grow (such as ADVOTs, projects, rank advancements, etc.) If a crewman scores a certain level off of their first exam, they can be eligible for automatic rank promotion to Ensign or Lieutenant (j.g.).
To schedule an Academy Exam, contact the Commanding Officer and make arrangements for date and which subject you wish to take. There are four exams, The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. For those under the age of 14 there is a Jr. Academy Exam which is given orally by any parent. There is no automatic promotions or awards given for the Jr. Academy Exam.
ADVOTs:
You may notice a reference to ADVOTs. ADVOT stands for ADVanced Officer Training. These are basically short open book tests usually ranging from 5 to 25 questions. Once you have found the correct answers you can bring your sheet to a Command Grade officer to be passed off. If you can answer three or more questions (decided by the tester) then that person will sign you off as passing that course. It is not completely dedicated to trivia however there are a lot of trivia courses. There are several ADVOTs for Leadership, Participation, Service and real life science.
There are two different type of ADVOTs. Selected ADVOTs are various courses of different subjects and difficulty. The crewmember can choose which Selected ADVOT they wish to take and may work on more than one at a time. Required ADVOTs are specifically developed by the Command Staff to assist in the development of the crewmember. They must be taken in sequential order. Also crewmembers will not receive the next Required ADVOT until the previous Required ADVOT has been passed.
The USS Ticonderoga has posted the ADVOTs online for download. They can be found in the ADVOT section of the Downloads.
COMMAND PROJECT:
A Command Project is a project designed to promote and enhance the club. It can be proposed by a crewmember or recommended by a member of the Command Staff. It can be performed at any time and is also designed to help develop leadership skills. If you have an idea for a Command Project, feel free to submit a proposal form or contact your Department Chief.
RANK INSIGNIAS:
| RANK: | ABBREVIATION: | INSIGNIA ON RIGHT COLLAR: | NOTES: |
| Recruit | Rec |  |
Interested in joining, has not received orders yet. |
| Crewman 3rd Class | C3 | |
New Member, under the age of 13 |
| Crewman 2nd Class | C2 | |
New Member, over the age of 14 |
| Crewman 1st Class | C1 | |
Also known as “Acting Ensign” |
| Ensign | Ens |  |
Lowest Rank for a Staff Position. |
| Lieutenant (j.g.) | Lt. (j.g.) |  |
Lieutenant Rank |
| Lieutenant | Lt. |  |
Lieutenant Rank |
| Lieutenant Commander | Lt. Cmdr |  |
Command Rank |
| Commander | Cmdr |  |
Command Rank |
| Captain | Capt |  |
Flag Rank |
| Admiral | Adm |  |
Flag Rank |
RANK GUIDELINES:
Ranks on the USS Ticonderoga and the Seventh Fleet are unique because they are earned. They are not given out because you are the Captain’s friend, bribes for favors, etc. They are accomplishments in the club. Everyone (including Admiral Hollinger) started out as a Crewman.
An interesting item to note on the Command Ranks. If a crewmember is working towards a command of his/her own ship then they will be working towards a Bridge Officer position, which is a slightly harder path. A crewmember looking at earning just the respect of the rank can become a Line Officer. This was detailed by Lt. Commander Deanna Troi becoming a Bridge Officer in the TNG episode “Thine Own Self”.
TO JOIN-
1. Attend Two Meetings
2. Fill out Application
3. Meet the Command Staff
4. Receive Orders
TO REACH CREWMAN 3RD CLASS-
1. Receive orders and be age of 13 or under
TO REACH CREWMAN 2ND CLASS-
1. Receive orders and be age of 14 or higher
OR
1. Earn 25 Participation Points
TO REACH CREWMAN 1ST CLASS-
1. Earn 25 Participation Points
2. Take Academy Exam (Age 14 or older) or Jr. Academy Exam (13 and Under)
TO REACH ENSIGN-
1. Earn 15 Participation Points
2. Earn 15 Knowledge Points *
3. Earn 10 Service Points *
4. Earn 10 Leadership Points *
5. Pass 4 Selected ADVOTs/Training Sheets
6. Pass 1 Required ADVOT/Training Sheet
OR
1. Take Academy Exam (score 50%-79%)
TO REACH LIEUTENANT (J.G.)-
1. Earn 25 Participation Points
2. Earn 25 Knowledge Points
3. Earn 25 Service Points
4. Earn 25 Leadership Points
5. Pass 8 Selected ADVOTs/Training Sheets
6. Pass 2 Required ADVOTs/Training Sheets
7. Be age of 14 or older
OR
1. Take Academy Exam (Score 80%+)
TO REACH LIEUTENANT-
1. Earn 50 Participation Points
2. Earn 50 Knowledge Points
3. Earn 50 Service Points
4. Earn 50 Leadership Points
5. Pass 12 Selected ADVOTs/Training Sheets
6. Pass 3 Required ADVOTs/Training Sheets
TO REACH LIEUTENANT COMMANDER-
1. Earn 100 Participation Points
2. Earn 100 Knowledge Points
3. Earn 100 Service Points
4. Earn 100 Leadership Points
5. Pass 15 Selected ADVOTs/Training Sheets
6. Pass 5 Required ADVOTs/Training Sheets
7. Attend 1 Out-of-State Convention *
8. Plan 2 Chapter Activities *
9. Earn 1-Year Service Pin *
10. Complete Command Project *
11. Pass one of the Commanding Officers Tests with a score of 70%+ (tests can be taken any time after reaching the rank of Lt.)
12. Approved by Seventh Fleet Review Board (after items 1-11 are completed)
TO REACH COMMANDER-
1. Earn 150 Participation Points
2. Earn 250 Knowledge Points
3. Earn 250 Service Points
4. Earn 150 Leadership Points
5. Pass 15 Selected ADVOTs/Training Sheets
6. Pass 10 Required ADVOTs/Training Sheets
7. Attend 3 Out-of-State Conventions *
8. Own your own Uniform *
9. Command a simulator mission *
10. Earn 3-Year Service Pin *
11. Complete Command Project *
12. Pass the remaining Commanding Officer’s Tests with a an average score of 80% (tests can be taken any time after reaching the rank of Lt.)
13. Approved by Seventh Fleet Review Board (after items 1-11 are completed)
TO REACH CAPTAIN-
These requirements are set by the Commander in Chief of the Seventh Fleet. Interested in becoming a Captain? Send an email to Info@USSTiconderoga.org