The Seventh Fleet Chapters are organized like starships and stations seen on the different Star Trek series and movies. A Captain is equivalent to a club president and the Executive Officer is equivalent to a vice-president etc. A Chain of Command has been set up for efficient function and communications. The chapters runs better when it is used for ships business and any issues that may arise. There are always a number of factors available if you have an issue with someone or something within the club. Your first line of options is to talk with your Department Chief. Your Department Chief has the authority to investigate issues, solve the issue at the lowest level and bring them to the attention of the Executive Officer if needed. If the crewmember believes that the Department Chief did not handle the issue correctly they can request assistance of the Executive Officer. After which the Commanding Officer can become involved if need be. However it is very unlikely that it should reach this level. One of the Executive Officer’s primary duties is to make sure the crew is functioning properly. The XO has the full support of the Captain in decisions that the Executive Officer may make. Another option would be to contact the Ship’s Counselor for assistance as a last resort for assistance. Remember that every member of the Senior Staff and/or Command Staff is here to help you. None of them will mind helping. If they find that another person can best address your issue, they may very well steer you in that direction. When this happens, they aren’t “avoiding” the issue; they are passing it to someone who can better resolve it.

   Likewise the Chain of Command also works in the other direction as well. The Commanding Officer makes any final decision on behalf of the club. The Executive Officer is the first member of the crew who fulfills the Captain’s order. The Executive Officer has the authority to delegate these orders to the Second Officer (if present), Department Chiefs and/or Chapter Crewmembers. Likewise a Department Chief may make decisions on behalf of the Department that can be issued to the Assistant Department Chief (if present) or Department Crewmembers. Members of the Command Staff or Senior Staff are selected and trained in officer behavior and interaction. They may issue orders needed to fulfill the mission of the club or to protect the integrity of the chapter and/or the fleet. If you feel that an order given to you by a ranking officer is questionable, you have the right to request confirmation from that crewmember’s superior officer and the chain of command can be utilized once more until it reaches the Commanding Officer or the Commander in Chief of the Seventh Fleet.

   On rare occasions there are times when a complaint may be filed against the Commanding Officer of a chapter. The proper procedure to report this is as follows: The crewmember is to bring the complaint to his/her Senior Officer. If the Senior Officer finds the complaint warranted then he/she will bring it to the attention of the Executive Officer. The XO will then investigate and/or talk with the Commanding Officer. If the XO finds the complaint warranted he/she can then find two Command Grade Officers (if the chapter lacks the Command Grade Officers, then three Senior Officers not living in the same household may be substituted) who will sign the formal complaint and stand with the Executive Officer on a review board set up by the Commander in Chief. Commanding Officers of the other chapters will stand with the CO the complaint was filed against and a discussion will be held and the appropriate action will be taken, if needed.