Bajoran Militia

Bajoran Militia
ORGANIZATION

Banner of the Bajoran Militia.
Founded:	2369 (post-Occupation)
Disbanded:	2320s (under Occupation)
Type:	military, law enforcement agency
Head:	General of the Bajoran Militia

"Balus kren!"

— war cry of the Bajoran Militia, Dahkur dialect for "Never again!" (Bait and Switch: "From Bajor to the Black, Part I")

The Bajoran Militia was a Bajoran military organization dedicated to the protection of Bajor and its territories. It predated first contact with the Cardassian Empire but was dissolved in the 2320s under Cardassian rule. After the Cardassian withdrawal in 2369 the Bajoran Provisional Government reauthorized this organization, then comprised of mainly former Bajoran Resistance fighters. (Star Trek: Terok Nor novel: Day of the Vipers; DS9: "Emissary")

History[]

The Bajoran Militia was in existence as a spacefaring organization as early as 2271, operating ships patrolling the space around Bajor. (Bait and Switch: "A Changed World")

The Militia was forcibly disbanded by the Cardassians at the start of the Occupation. (TLE novel: Day of the Vipers)

As part of the post-Occupation reconstruction effort the Federation Starfleet agreed to work with the Militia, reestablished by the Bajoran Provisional Government, to run the abandoned Cardassian space station Deep Space 9 (formerly known as Terok Nor), first in orbit of Bajor and later near the Bajoran wormhole. Captain Benjamin Sisko, from Earth, was DS9's commanding officer from 2369 to 2375, with Bajoran Militia Major Kira Nerys acting as first officer during that time. When Sisko disappeared in 2375, Kira took command. (DS9: "Emissary", "What You Leave Behind")

For a time the Militia operated a small space fleet dubbed Space Arm that included at least one Breen-built Chok Thol-class frigate. However, politics in the Chamber of Ministers in the late 2390s included moves by the Conservative Association to shut down Space Arm on grounds of cost and lesser effectiveness compared to Starfleet; these were opposed by the Bajoran Nationalist Party. An economic recession at the turn of the 25th century led to the Socialists joining with the Conservatives to defeat the Nationalists on budgetary grounds, and Space Arm was decommissioned effective June 2401. Its personnel either retired, transferred to other specialties, or joined Starfleet. (Bait and Switch: "From Bajor to the Black, Part I")

Practices and organizational culture[]

In the post-Occupation era, Bajoran enlisted personnel were trained primarily at Camp Li, located on Mount Bahatan in the Kolharis Range in Samren Province. The training regimen lasted for five months and included "Hell Week", a survival test held at Serpent's Ridge in Dahkur Province. (Bait and Switch: "From Bajor to the Black, Part I")

As in Starfleet and Earth armies, officers usually graduate from an academy. In this case, graduates came from the Bajoran Military Academy, known informally as "officer school". Officer candidates were required to first serve time as enlisted personnel. (DS9: "Emissary", "Meridian"; Bait and Switch: "The Road Not Taken")

The Militia believed strongly that every Militiaman was first and foremost a rifleman. (Bait and Switch: "Downbelow")

To qualify for offworld service, Militia personnel had to demonstrate proficiency at the Cardassian and Klingon languages. (Bait and Switch: "The Universe Doesn't Cheat")

The Bajoran Militia saluted superior officers with the right palm facing out. It was traditional for Bajoran Militia personnel to salute any person who had fought in the Resistance. (Bait and Switch: "From Bajor to the Black, Part I"; The Wrong Reflection: "Storm Before the Calm")

In "From Bajor to the Black" and related stories Bajoran Militia personnel are written using United States Marine Corps slang (e.g. "gunny" as the short form of gunnery sergeant and "ship over" for reenlistment), though StarSword stated in the afterword that this was intended as a translation convention to draw a contrast with the less-militaristic, United States Navy-influenced Starfleet.

StarSword also borrows practices from the Israeli Defense Force, indicating in the afterword to "The Road Not Taken" that "officer school" is more like an officer candidate school instead of using a university format like Starfleet Academy.

Rank structure[]

The rank structure bore resemblance to many Earth armies, particularly the United States Marine Corps.

		Enlisted ranks					Etc	Officer ranks						Flag ranks
Bajoran Militia		Pvt PFC	LCpl Cpl	Sgt SSgt GySgt	MSgt SgtMaj	SMBM		2^nd Lt	1^st Lt	Capt	Maj	FCol	Col	BGen	MajGen	LtGen	Gen	GBM

Militia personnel[]

Main article: :Category:Bajoran Militia personnel

Sergeant Kanril Eleya (2397-2401; transferred to Starfleet)
Field Colonel Kira Nerys
Security Chief Odo (2369-2375; rejoined Great Link)
Field Colonel Pagad Turis

External links[]

Bajoran Militia article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
Bajoran Militia article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.