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Commander is a military rank used in Earth Starfleet and Federation Starfleet, superior to lieutenant and lieutenant commander and subordinate to captain. A commander may be a department head, aide-de-camp or executive officer on a large vessel or starbase, or may be commanding officer or first officer of a smaller vessel.

Following naval tradition, the commanding officer of a vessel is addressed as "captain" while on their own vessel, regardless of rank. (DS9: "Behind the Lines")

This term is also used in the Imperial Klingon Fleet, the Klingon Defense Force and the Kellarian System Defense Forces (Star Trek: Remington).

The rank is equivalent to the Marines rank of lieutenant colonel, and the Romulan and pre-Federation Vulcan rank of subcommander (they used "commander" to mean their equivalent of the Starfleet rank captain; Rihannsu: Riov).

La' was the Klingon term for a commander. A company of 100 warriors was commanded by a la'. (The Dominion War Sourcebook: The Fires of Armageddon)

La' Mijanou was a Barkonian and the first officer of the IJN Eidolon. (RIS Bouteina: "Eidolon")

The equivalent rank in the Kai Imperium military was known as Tribune. (Star Trek: Pioneer)

In the Lyran Starfleet, commanders could command battalions of ground forces. (Star Trek: The Stoneship Files: "Attack on the Laboratory")

In the 23rd century, the Gorn Space Command used two grades of commander: junior commander, which was roughly equivalent to lieutenant commanders of other races, and senior commander, which was more akin to other races' commanders. (TOS video game: Starfleet Command)

History[]

The term comes from the navies of Earth. The USN abbreviation was CDR.

On Earth, the rank of Commander originated in the 18th century Royal Navy of the United Kingdom as "master and commander". In the 19th century the rank was shortened to "commander" and continued unchanged in that form through at least the 24th.

Starfleet insignia[]

22nd century 2230s
CDR (ENT)
Yellow (ENT)
CDR (2230s)
Blue (2230s)
2240s-2250s 2250s 2265-2270s Early 2270s
(Shoulders/Sleeves)
Late 2270s-2350s
(Shoulders/Sleeves)
CDR Gold (2240s-2250s)
Officer (2250s)
Yellow (2250s)
CDR (TOS)
Yellow (TOS)
CDR Shoulder (TMP)
White Shoulder (TMP)
CDR Shoulder (TWOK)
White Shoulder (TWOK)
CDR Sleeve (TMP)
Blue Sleeve (TMP)
CDR Sleeve (TWOK)
White Officer Sleeve (TWOK)
2350s-2360s 2360s-2370s
service uniform
2360s-2370s
duty uniform
2370s-2380s
CDR (Early TNG)
Red (Early TNG)
CDR (TNG)
Red (TNG)
CDR (DS9-VOY)
Red (VOY)
CDR (DS9-VOY)
Red (DS9)
Early 2380s Mid 2380s 2390s

Alternate realities[]

2250s 2380s-2400s 2390s 29th century
CDR (STXI)
Yellow (STXI)
CDR (alternate 2380s)
Red (alternate 2380s)
CDR (alternate 2390s)
Red (alternate 2390s)
CDR (2800s)
Blue (2800s)

Other insignia[]

Klingon navy
23rd century
Klingon navy
24th century
Romulan Star Navy
23rd century
Romulan Star Navy
24th century
Vulcan
High Command
23-klingon-commander Klingon Navy - CDR 23-romulan-commander Tal Shiar - Col Vulcan - CDR (High Command)
Gorn Space Command Kellarian System
Defense Force
Lyran Starfleet
Junior Senior 23rd century 24th century
23-gorn-lieutenant-commander 23-gorn-commander
O5 (KSDF)
Silver (KSDF)
23-lyran-commander Lyran SE O-6

Starfleet commanders[]


Enlisted ranks Etc Officer ranks Flag ranks
Starfleet
Officers
Enlisted
Misc.
CR
CA
CN
PO3
PO2
PO1
CPO SCPO MCPO
CMCPO
FMCPO
MCPOSF
WO
CDT
MID
REC
ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT
FCAPT
CDRE
RDML
RADM
VADM ADM FADM
Klingon Defense Force
(Ground forces & navy)
Bekk Cpl Sgt MSgt SgtMaj 2nd Lt 1st Lt Capt
(HoH)
Maj LtCol Col Brig
('ech)
LtGen Gen
(Sa')
PO2 PO1 CPO MCPO ENS LTJG LT
(Sogh)
LCDR CDR
(la')
CAPT
(HoD)
CDRE
(totlh)
VADM ADM


Romulan ranks
(Ground forces, Navy & Tal Shiar)
Trooper Sergeant SubLt Lt Capt Maj Cent
Col
Gen MajGen
Uhlan Petty officer Cent SCdr Cdr Cgen Adm (Ar'nal)
2nd Lt 1st Lt Capt Maj Col Gen
Decurion ACent
(erein)
SubLt
(erei'arrain)
Lt
(arrain)
Cent
(enarrain)
SCdr
(erei'riov)
Cdr
(riov)
SAdm
(khre'riov)
VAdm
(erei'enriov)
Adm
(enriov)
HAdm
(rahaen'enriov)
FAdm
(khre'enriov)


Vulcan High Command SLT LT MAJ SCDR CDR CAPT Administrator
Kai Imperium TRN
MNX
IMUN
LGN3
LGN2
LGN1
CLGN CEN SCEN PVT PRN OP TRB
VIC
PR PTR MST LEG IMP
Kellarian System
Defense Force

(Navy & Ground forces)
(Star Trek: Remington)
CR
CN
PO2
PO1
CPO SCPO MCPO ENS SLT LT SCDR CDR CAPT CDRE VADM ADM FADM
PVT
PFC
CPL
SGT
SSG MSG SGM 3LT 2LT 1LT MAJ LTCOL COL MGEN LGEN GEN CGEN
Lyran ranks CR
CN
PO2
PO1
CPO SCPO MCPO CDT ENS LTJG LT LCDR CDR CAPT
FCAPT
CDRE SCDRE VADM COUNT DUKE
KING

External links[]

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