Voyager's Uniforms

[Dylan Hoffman]

Surely I'm not the only one who noticed this.

When I started to rewatch Star Trek: Voyager, I couldn't help but think about why some of the Maquis, who didn't go to the Academy, still got there uniforms. Tuvok even mentioned in the very first episode that you had to earn your uniform by passing Starfleet training. Now why is it that the Maquis that didn't go through Starfleet training still get their uniforms? Neelix, Kes or Seven didn't receive uniforms because they didn't go to the academy, so why should the Maquis?

(I do realize that some of the Maquis did join Starfleet and finished the training and earned their uniforms, but that doesn't excuse the fact of the others getting a uniform.)

 

[Catarina]

Neelix did adorn one when his skills were needed in security a couple times, to my recollection. seven never asked for one and she assimilated lots of Captains as it were. I have a theory. And that Janeway wanted cohesion, not division, to keep things the Star Fleet way. "A star Fleet crew" she said in Caretaker.

 

[2takesfrakes]

A civilian in STARFLEET uniform is engaged in nothing short of cosplay ... even in our Century and Timeline! And I, personally, would deeply resent seeing it, if I were a STARFLEET crewmember, for as long as the situation persisted. This image provides a viable solution to this awkward dilemma ...

 

[Akiraprise]

I wouldn't resent it if I were Starfleet being in their situation. Janeway wanted unity. Keeping the Maquis in separate uniforms would not present a united front to a potential enemy. The Maquis that went to the Academy got a provisional rank pin different from the normal Starfleeters. That would be good enough for me. Plus who wants to think about what to wear going on duty to clean the waste manifold or whatever.

 

[Dylan Hoffman]

I do realize that Janeway wanted a united crew. But, Janeway is doing her best to act under The Prime Derective. Giving non Starfleet personnel a uniform is against Starfleet principles.

Also, I understand that Neelix got a uniform in some alternate timeline or something, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he didn't get a uniform when he asked the first time in the very first episode. The Maquis had no choice but to wear them, in the very first 2 episodes even.

 

[stardream]

Interesting to note that when Barclay was doing his holodeck thing with the crew in Pathfinder he had the Maquis still in their Maquis outfits.

 

[Jedman67]

I do realize that Janeway wanted a united crew. But, Janeway is doing her best to act under The Prime Derective. Giving non Starfleet personnel a uniform is against Starfleet principles.

Also, I understand that Neelix got a uniform in some alternate timeline or something, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he didn't get a uniform when he asked the first time in the very first episode. The Maquis had no choice but to wear them, in the very first 2 episodes even.

A captain has great discretion when it comes to the smooth functioning of her ship. It may be against starfleet regulations but since they made up about a third of her crew, she didn't have any other options. It's also likely that since they were federation citizens (unlike Neelix or Kes) and likely had plenty of space training, she felt able to justify a commission even for those who had never attended the academy or formal starfleet training. On the other hand, her commission was merely "provisional" pending confirmation from Starfleet Command.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The Maquis did not have pips.

I can only imagine that their uniforms were equally as inauthentic in some underhanded secretly condescending manner like that maybe the colours where a fraction of shade off regulation or there was an extra layer of stitching in the gusset.

 

[LJones41]

One has to ask from where did some of Chakotay's Maquis crewmen receive training to man a starship (of any kind). And why would Starfleet Academy offer four to eight years of training for those who were merely enlisted crewmen? The same kind of basic training offered to those who become officers? That makes no sense to me.

The Memory Alpha site had this to say:

["Starship captains were given much leeway in interpreting Starfleet regulations and assigning crew positions."]

This is probably why Janeway made the Maquis personnel "provisional" Starfleet crewmen and officers. This is also probably why Picard allowed someone like Wesley Crusher to serve at posts aboard the Enterprise-D, including the Bridge.

 

[TommyR01D]

There's probably a passage buried in the Starfleet regulations somewhere that allows non-members to be provisionally commissioned as the Maquis were, including uniforms. Janeway expected to be stranded for 75 years so needed to ensure that her crew looked a united team instead of a shaky coalition. It wouldn't have been practical to carry on two chains of command or a double standard in dress codes.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I do realize that Janeway wanted a united crew. But, Janeway is doing her best to act under The Prime Derective. Giving non Starfleet personnel a uniform is against Starfleet principles.

What does the Prime Directive and Starfleet principle have to do with giving the Maquis uniforms?

Kirk gave Khan and Christopher Starfleet uniforms in TOS.

 

[Tracy Trek]

Was there a difference to denote rank on the Maquis rank insignia? It looked like one piece to me rather than the individual pips.

 

[ItIsGreen]

Was there a difference to denote rank on the Maquis rank insignia? It looked like one piece to me rather than the individual pips.

The Maquis crew had a lozenge-shaped pin which denoted rank by vertical bars or stripes on it.

Also, I just assumed Janeway gave field commissions to the Maquis commensurate with their relative training and experience, and the job they would be doing. Picard gave Wesley a field commission of Ensign despite not having been to the Academy.

 

[Guy Gardener]

They were called provisional rank badges.

Provisional means "make it real later, maybe".

So later, who knows, but right then at the beginning, made up fairy stories.

"Acting Ensign" is made up bullshit.

There was someone in Engineering superseding Wesley's controls actually steering the ship.

Or at least there should have been, for the first month, at least.

1. Tom got pips from Janeway in Caretaker. In resolutions Tom was the first officer, so he would have been promoted to lieutenant commander or higher.

2. After Jeaneway died in before and After, Chuckles gave himself pips.

 

[Tracy Trek]

Tom's rank was provisional also, but since he wasn't a Maquis, he was given regular pips, right? At least he wasn't a Maquis when Janeway sprung him from prison to be her guide/observer.

 

[Dylan Hoffman]

What does the Prime Directive and Starfleet principle have to do with giving the Maquis uniforms?

Kirk gave Khan and Christopher Starfleet uniforms in TOS.

Sorry, didn't mean to put "Prime Derective" in there.

Tom's rank was provisional also, but since he wasn't a Maquis, he was given regular pips, right? At least he wasn't a Maquis when Janeway sprung him from prison to be her guide/observer.

It makes sense. All of the Maquis and Tom were given field commissions, so I guess it's pretty much a provisional rank that would they would have until they reached the Alpha Quadrant.

 

[Lance]

'Acting Ensign' was, I'm convinced, Picard trolling everybody.

"Y'all don't know who the Captain is? Here, I'll make Wesley an Acting Ensign just for shits and giggles. Any of y'all got a problem with that?! No? Good. Who's the Captain? Me. I'm the f^^^ing Captain, biatches."



The provisional ranking system is basically just Janeway flying between the lines and acknowledging the positions of people like Chuckles and Torres aboard ship, even though their supposed 'ranks' are probably less real than the Starfleet ones. Chakotay is a 'Lieutenant Commander', but he's probably officially outranked by Harry Kim. And maybe even the EMH.

 

[Nerys Myk]

'Acting Ensign' was, I'm convinced, Picard trolling everybody.

"Y'all don't know who the Captain is? Here, I'll make Wesley an Acting Ensign just for shits and giggles. Any of y'all got a problem with that?! No? Good. Who's the Captain? Me. I'm the f^^^ing Captain, biatches."

The provisional ranking system is basically just Janeway flying between the lines and acknowledging the positions of people like Chuckles and Torres aboard ship, even though their supposed 'ranks' are probably less real than the Starfleet ones. Chakotay is a Lieutenant Commander, but he's probably 'officially' outranked by Harry Kim. And maybe even the EMH.

And Naomi Wildman.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Neelix did adorn one when his skills were needed in security a couple times, to my recollection.

I know that Neelix was shown at ops in "Living Witness" wearing a gold uniform, but that was in a holographic simulation. When else did he wear a Starfleet uniform?

 

[Nerys Myk]

I know that Neelix was shown at ops in "Living Witness" wearing a gold uniform, but that was in a holographic simulation. When else did he wear a Starfleet uniform?

That's between him and Kes.