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Lieutenant Neeraj Anahira is a tactical officer, coordinating the vessel’s tactical operations and serving as ‘tactical point’ on the bridge during combat situations, ensuring that the Conn has current information on the vessel
Mustering a crew ready to undertake deep space missions is as high a priority as building Endeavour itself.
Crew are the technical specialists of the ISDC and receive applied technical training in their chosen professional fields right from the beginning of their careers.
A crew specialist will develop in-depth knowledge of the ship systems within their specialisation and will be counted on not just for maintenance and repair but to provide technical options for unexpected situations faced during missions.
Career Track
Crew undertake technically focused careers typically within a single specialisation. Crew careers emphasise experience over formal training.
Senior crew can also be expected to supervise teams and to contribute to the training of less experienced crew.
Ratings
When training is completed on a ship system a qualification known as a rating is awarded, so called because it means the successful trainee is now ‘rated’ to operate that system during missions.
Ratings are awarded at basic and advanced levels.
Experience
Active duty on missions is logged as evidence of crew experience, represented as experience points (XP). Awarded XP depends on a mission’s duration and complexity.
At senior ranks experience may also be gained by service as an instructor.
Qualification and Advancement
Initial entry is as ordinary Crew. After common training, crew will be asked to chose a specialisation and select a rating to train towards. Promotion to Qualified Crew follows on award of the rating.
By accumulating mission experience crew can advance in rank to Senior Crew.
Petty Officer
Petty officers are team leaders responsible for the performance of the ship systems they support and the training of their crew.
To become a Petty Officer an advanced rating within the same specialisation is required in addition to experience.
Master Chief
Master Chief Petty Officer (or Master Chief) is not a rank, but a CPO with a master rating.
Unlike basic and advanced ratings there is no formal training course to achieve a master rating, which is awarded on the basis of experience and the contribution of a significant technical innovation within the candidate’s specialisation.
Changing Career Tracks
There is no policy preventing crew from changing to an officer career track. Ratings and accumulated experience can be transferred without penalty, with equivalent rank awarded subject to candidate suitability.