An exchange officer is an individual, usually a commissioned military officer, attached to the armed forces of another nation's military on a temporary or semi-permanent basis. Several governments and armed forces have participated in officer exchange programs in the interests of sharing knowledge, techniques and tactics from different training backgrounds and perspectives, and in order to foster greater cultural understanding.
- Exchange officers have appeared in Star Trek and its numerous spinoff fan productions.
Federation-Klingon
The Federation-Klingon Officer Exchange Program was established in the 2360s as a way of improving relations between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. Officers who serve in the program may be awarded the Federation-Klingon Officer Exchange Program Medal.
Commander William Riker of the Enterprise-D volunteered for the program and was posted aboard the IKS Pagh, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey. A Benzite, Mendon, was posted aboard the Enterprise-D as part of the same program. (TNG: "A Matter Of Honor")
Kurn, second son of Mogh, later joined the program as a way of meeting his brother Worf (TNG: "Sins of the Father"). Worf, in turn, served as an exchange officer in the Klingon military on several occasions, such as under Gowron during the Klingon Civil War of 2367 (TNG: "Redemption II"), as a first officer and even captain (DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire", "Once More Unto the Breach"), while retaining his Starfleet rank and commission.
The Klingon spy J'Dan used the program to give information on the Enterprise-D to the Romulans. (TNG: "The Drumhead")
A Vulcan officer named T'Naiah, serving on the USS Petraeus, was assigned to the exchange program, but when the political situation between the Federation and the Klingon Empire deteriorated to the point of war, T'Naiah was forced to commandeer one of her host ship's shuttles in order to make her escape. (Star Trek: Sigils and Unions--The Thirteenth Order)
Half the Klingon crew of the IKS Bochnah exchanged with half the Starfleet crew of the USS Phoenix-X as an effort to support relations. In late 2378, when the exchange was scheduled to conclude, the exchanged crews of both sides were so involved and content in the others' respective ships that they opted to extend the exchange schedule for as long as possible. (Star Trek: Phoenix-X: "Betrayal and Honour", "Destiny's Revenge, Part I")
Federation-Romulan
The Federation-Romulan Officer Exchange Program between the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire allowed both governments to exchange officers of their respective fleets. This previously impossible program was made possible due to the peace between Romulus and the Federation after the Shinzon incident of 2379. Trevak was a Romulan member of the program assigned to the USS Remington as its first officer. (Star Trek: Remington: "Inceptum")
Tara Whitten was assigned to the RIS Bouteina as the ship's counselor after Brianna Reiss left the ship to return to the Lyran Starfleet. (RIS Bouteina: "Rator III Awaits")
After a summit on Khitomer in 2409 where the Federation and Klingon Empire granted political recognition to the Romulan Republic, the program was expanded to the Romulan Republican Force. Under this program Jaleh Khoroushi was assigned to the RRW Bloodwing as operations officer. (Bait and Switch: "Aen'rhien Vailiuri")
Lyran-Romulan
The Lyran-Romulan Officer Exchange Program between the Lyran Star Empire and the Romulan Star Empire was the oldest exchange program known to Romulans, having started in the 2270s. It turns out that Lyrans exchanged cadets and redshirts in addition to commissioned officers. Brianna Reiss and Terenar were exchanged officers that served on the RIS Bouteina on its five-year mission. Mizarh was to go with Brianna on the Atreides so that he could pursue his hockey dream. (RIS Bouteina)
Cultural exchange officer
A cultural exchange officer is a military or other officer a government exchanges for cultural reasons with another government.
In 2367, Benjamin Caldwell became Federation Starfleet's cultural exchange officer with the Lelari, spending 5 years on Lelar Prime. (Star Trek: The Cantabrian Expeditions: "Breaking Benjamin")
Other notable exchange officers
See also
- Galactic Cultural Exchange Project
- Interspecies Medical Exchange
External links
- Officer Exchange Program article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Exchange officer article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.