rank

Ranks and Positions

Executive Officer

The First officer is an invaluable link in the chain of command, and provides vital support for the captain.	Second only to the captain, the First officer is an invaluable part of the function and command structure of any starship. The position has evolved into a multifaceted job with many important responsibilities, all of which are essential to the smooth operation of a Starfleet starship.
	Until the end of the 23^rd century, the First officer often held an additional post on a starship, such as that of science officer in the case of Mr. Spock of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. But by the 24^th century, as starships became larger and more complex, the role of First officer evolved into a job in itself.
Duties	The primary responsibility of the First officer is to take command if the captain is killed, incapacitated, missing, or, for some other reason, no longer able to remain in command of the vessel. As such, the First officer must be as knowledgeable about the ship and crew as the captain. Their day-to-day responsibilities lie in keeping the ship operating at peak efficiency. The First officer oversees all department heads on board and is constantly briefed by them as to the status of their various departments and concerns.
	It is also the First officer’s responsibility to relieve the captain of command if he his found incompetent or unable to carry out their duties as commanding officer. This is not done lightly, however, and if a First officer relieves a captain of command it will be up to him to show due cause and justification in front of a Starfleet Board of Review at a later date.
Middle man	Essentially, the First officer acts as a buffer between the crew and the captain. While this may seem to be a very impersonal way to run a starship, this buffer is important. If the captain is distracted by all of the day-to-day minutiae of running the starship, they would be unable to focus on the more important responsibilities of command.
Promotion	Most First officers reach the position from the command wing of Starfleet, but there are some that have come from the science division, and even more infrequently from engineering.
	However, no matter what duty division the First officer comes from, all of their responsibilities have an underlying purpose: to prepare the First officer for starship command.
	The First officer’s position is the place where captains are bred and groomed. There are very few ‘career’ First officers, and while any First officer has the option to turn down promotion to the captaincy, very few do. In fact, if a First officer turns down a promotion more than once, it can be looked at unfavorably, and may jeopardize their career.