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A '''commanding officer''' (or '''CO''') is a term used to describe one's [[rank]] in relation to others within the same environment.
A '''Commanding Officer''' (or '''CO''') is the highest ranking officer and commander of a unit. On [[starship]]s, the CO has the [[rank]] of [[captain]] or even a [[commander]] grade. On [[starbase]]s, the CO could be an [[admiral]] grade, a captain, or a commander grade.
 
   
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== Military units ==
On starships, it is general practice to address the commanding officer as "Captain," regardless of their actual rank. ([[DS9]]: "[[Behind the Lines]]")
 
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One meaning of commanding [[officer]] is the highest-ranking officer and commander of a unit. On [[starship]]s, the CO usually have the rank of [[captain]], though sometimes a [[commodore]] or [[fleet captain]] may have also held this position. On [[starbase]]s, the CO was sometimes referred to as "portmaster" and was usually a [[flag officer]]. ({{TOS|Court Martial|The Menagerie, Part I|The Menagerie, Part II|The Deadly Years}}) Some bases, however, were commanded by captains or [[commander]]s. (''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' seasons 1-3; {{TNG|11001001}})
   
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It was also possible for lower ranks to be the commanding officer aboard a starship, such as the case with [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Tom Markel]] aboard the {{USS|Ariel}}. Other examples include [[Starfleet Command]] temporarily assigning a number of officers to command vessels that [[blockade]]d the [[Romulan Star Empire|Romulan]] support of the [[House of Duras]] in [[2368]]. [[Benjamin Sisko]] commanded the ''Defiant'' as a commander for nearly a year before he was promoted to captain. Lieutenant Commander [[Piersall]] commanded the {{USS|Prometheus|NCC-71201}} in [[2370]]. ({{DS9|Second Sight}}) [[Major]] [[Kira Nerys]] and Lieutenant Commanders [[Jadzia Dax]] and [[Worf]] commanded the {{USS|Defiant|2370}} on a number of occasions. In [[2373]], Major Kira commanded the ''Defiant'' to destroy a [[Klingon]] [[minefield]] near the [[Bajoran system]]. Commander Worf assisted Captain Sisko in [[2372]] by bringing the ''Defiant'' to [[Earth]] to help quash [[Admiral]] [[Leyton]]'s attempted ''[[coup d'état]].'' Later, Worf helped his former commanding officer, Captain [[Jean-Luc Picard]], in the [[Battle of Sector 001]]. Commander Dax commanded the ''Defiant'' in [[2374]] while operating out of [[Starbase 375]]. Her mission was to destroy a [[Dominion]] [[sensor array]] hidden in the [[Argolis Cluster]]. ({{TAS|The Eye of the Beholder}}; {{TNG|Redemption II}}; {{DS9|Second Sight|Sons of Mogh|Paradise Lost|Behind the Lines}}; {{film|8}})
In general, commanding officers are always dressed in the colors of the [[command division]] but there are sometimes exceptions in [[Starfleet uniform]] usage.
 
   
 
On starships, it was general practice to address the commanding officer as "captain," regardless of their actual rank or position. ({{DS9|Behind the Lines}})
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In general, commanding [[officer]]s were dressed in the colors of the [[command division]], but there were some [[command division#Background|exceptions]] in [[Starfleet uniform]] usage.
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In rare occasions, the commanding officer needed not be a ranking officer, especially in dire circumstances. ({{DS9|Valiant}})
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[[Dukat]] once claimed it was [[Cardassian]] tradition for the commanding officer to entertain his guests. ({{DS9|Return to Grace}})
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== Chain of command ==
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The term "commanding officer" could also be used to refer to the officer whom one directly reported to in the [[chain of command]] or in a department. Occasionally, it simply identified an officer of higher rank in comparison to another, or the officer with the most experience if more than one officer held the highest rank at the time, although this was usually referred to as a [[ranking officer]].
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[[Leonard McCoy]] once pointed out to [[Spock]] that both of them answered to the same commanding officer, in which case he was referring to [[James T. Kirk]]. ({{TOS|Amok Time}})
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Lieutenant Commander [[Geordi La Forge]] once referred to himself as the commanding officer of [[Lieutenant]] [[Reginald Barclay]]. ({{TNG|Hollow Pursuits}})
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Commander [[William T. Riker]] was adamant about following the orders of one's commanding officer when confronting his [[transporter duplicate]] [[Thomas Riker]]. ({{TNG|Second Chances}})
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The [[Romulan]] defector "[[Setal]]" admitted to William Riker that his commanding officer was Admiral [[Alidar Jarok]]. ({{TNG|The Defector}})
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[[Worf]] acknowledged the fact that Riker was his commanding officer before the latter agreed to the former joining him on an "unannounced visit" to the [[J'naii]] [[planet]]. ({{TNG|The Outcast}})
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Riker again brought up the issue of one's commanding officer when he, under threats by [[Arctus Baran]], demanded that [[Data]] withdraw the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701|-D}} from their attempt to stop Baran's [[piracy|mercenary]] ship. ({{TNG|Gambit, Part I}})
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{{ranks}}
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== Appendices ==
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=== Other references ===
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*{{TNG|Aquiel}}
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=== See also ===
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* [[Master]]
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[[de:Kommandooffizier]]
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[[ja:指揮官]]
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[[nl:Commanding officer]]
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[[sr:Заповједник]]
 
[[Category:Titles]]
 
[[Category:Titles]]

Revision as of 21:20, 3 September 2013

A commanding officer (or CO) is a term used to describe one's rank in relation to others within the same environment.

Military units

One meaning of commanding officer is the highest-ranking officer and commander of a unit. On starships, the CO usually have the rank of captain, though sometimes a commodore or fleet captain may have also held this position. On starbases, the CO was sometimes referred to as "portmaster" and was usually a flag officer. (TOS: "Court Martial", "The Menagerie, Part I", "The Menagerie, Part II", "The Deadly Years") Some bases, however, were commanded by captains or commanders. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine seasons 1-3; TNG: "11001001")

It was also possible for lower ranks to be the commanding officer aboard a starship, such as the case with Lieutenant Commander Tom Markel aboard the USS Ariel. Other examples include Starfleet Command temporarily assigning a number of officers to command vessels that blockaded the Romulan support of the House of Duras in 2368. Benjamin Sisko commanded the Defiant as a commander for nearly a year before he was promoted to captain. Lieutenant Commander Piersall commanded the USS Prometheus in 2370. (DS9: "Second Sight") Major Kira Nerys and Lieutenant Commanders Jadzia Dax and Worf commanded the USS Defiant on a number of occasions. In 2373, Major Kira commanded the Defiant to destroy a Klingon minefield near the Bajoran system. Commander Worf assisted Captain Sisko in 2372 by bringing the Defiant to Earth to help quash Admiral Leyton's attempted coup d'état. Later, Worf helped his former commanding officer, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, in the Battle of Sector 001. Commander Dax commanded the Defiant in 2374 while operating out of Starbase 375. Her mission was to destroy a Dominion sensor array hidden in the Argolis Cluster. (TAS: "The Eye of the Beholder"; TNG: "Redemption II"; DS9: "Second Sight", "Sons of Mogh", "Paradise Lost", "Behind the Lines"; Star Trek: First Contact)

On starships, it was general practice to address the commanding officer as "captain," regardless of their actual rank or position. (DS9: "Behind the Lines")

In general, commanding officers were dressed in the colors of the command division, but there were some exceptions in Starfleet uniform usage.

In rare occasions, the commanding officer needed not be a ranking officer, especially in dire circumstances. (DS9: "Valiant")

Dukat once claimed it was Cardassian tradition for the commanding officer to entertain his guests. (DS9: "Return to Grace")

Chain of command

The term "commanding officer" could also be used to refer to the officer whom one directly reported to in the chain of command or in a department. Occasionally, it simply identified an officer of higher rank in comparison to another, or the officer with the most experience if more than one officer held the highest rank at the time, although this was usually referred to as a ranking officer.

Leonard McCoy once pointed out to Spock that both of them answered to the same commanding officer, in which case he was referring to James T. Kirk. (TOS: "Amok Time")

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge once referred to himself as the commanding officer of Lieutenant Reginald Barclay. (TNG: "Hollow Pursuits")

Commander William T. Riker was adamant about following the orders of one's commanding officer when confronting his transporter duplicate Thomas Riker. (TNG: "Second Chances")

The Romulan defector "Setal" admitted to William Riker that his commanding officer was Admiral Alidar Jarok. (TNG: "The Defector")

Worf acknowledged the fact that Riker was his commanding officer before the latter agreed to the former joining him on an "unannounced visit" to the J'naii planet. (TNG: "The Outcast")

Riker again brought up the issue of one's commanding officer when he, under threats by Arctus Baran, demanded that Data withdraw the USS Enterprise-D from their attempt to stop Baran's mercenary ship. (TNG: "Gambit, Part I")

Appendices

Other references

See also