B'Elannas Rank

[Rob 0]

I was just watching "Worst Case Scenario" and I swear I just heard Chakotay call B'Elanna "Ensign" wasnt she always a Lieutenant?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

From whay I remember (and confirmed on ST.COM), she dropped out of the Academy in her second year. So she would hold no official rank other then maybe Cadet and even at that it wouldn't be official because she resigned (or was kicked out).

 

The Bio on ST.COM does have this to say about her rank though:

 

File Update: Delta Quadrant Addendum

Report by Capt. Kathryn Janeway, U.S.S. Voyager

 

I have never regretted my decision to assign Torres the brevet rank of lieutenant or make her my chief engineer.

 

"Brevet" was a term I had never seen before so I looked it up on Ask.com and here's what I got on it:

 

A commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than that for which pay is received

 

So it would seam that she was granted the position of lieutenant at some point, though she may have been considered a lower rank at some point.

[NordicBearskin 0]

No, Torres was always an Lieutenant.

 

In Worst Case Scenario, B'Elanna was on the holodeck playing the part of a security Ensign. The holodeck program was created by Lt. Touvok in the first few weeks of Voyager's show and was made to allow security personnel to practise and counter-act what to do in the event of a Marquis takeover, which Touvok thought was highly likely at the time. As the Lightyears passed, Touvok realised that the threat was becoming less and less probable and, fearing it would spark off a revolt if found, hid it deep in the computers databanks. And there it stayed, until B'Elanna unearthed it..

 

The start of the show does throw you a bit. What I've described only happens in the fist ten minutes or so. Click here for full review...Complete overview of the episode

[TrekkieMage 0]

She was a Lieutenant. I think Sasooni is correct, she was probably playing the role of an Ensign.

 

I'll need to watch it again though.

[Rob 0]

I should have noticed that, Thanks

[Gotabite 0]

I was just watching "Worst Case Scenario" and I swear I just heard Chakotay call B'Elanna "Ensign" wasnt she always a Lieutenant?

Yes, the episode that you mentioned did center around a holodeck program which ultimately got out of hand with Seska's involovement. However, when the two crew's initially integrated, after the encounter with the Caretaker, Torres was only an ensign on Voyager. It was not until episode three, called "Paralex" where she was promoted to Lt. and even given the promotion of Chief Engineer. "Paralex," is a very powerful Voyager episode. I think you would enjoy it.........It begins with B'Ellanna breaking the nose of the Lt. would was presently serving as Voyager's engineer. :(

[KayTroi 0]

Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres

:lol:

[Gotabite 0]

 

Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres :)

:o

 

:( :(

[fredbroca 0]

speaking of rank I know that they were maquis but why were chakotay and b'elannas rank a bar instead of pips?

[Captain Bolivar 0]

Yes B'elanna did not have pips, she had a bar which represents her brevet rank. If you'll notice, all maquis members of Voyager have this bar. The reason being is that they are not Starfleet members. But Janeway gave them each brevet ranks so that the ships heirarchy could function. While B'ellana may be referred to as a Lieutenant, she does not actually carry a true rank. It is a temporary rank if you will. The definition of Brevet rank is "a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than that for which pay is received" If you adapt the definition to fit with the 24th century it would remove the part about pay because economics are different (we work to better ourselves) therefore, a brevet rank is a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than officially given.

[Commodore Stone 0]

Brevet rank is also given sometimes on a temporary basis, as in the case of needing a certain officer during an emergency.

 

Custer, for example, was a brevet General in the Union army during the Civil War, but reverted back to his previous rank (Major, I believe, or possibly Colonel), at the war's end.

[trekzone 0]

well that sums that up!

 

btw : who was Custer? American History?

[Commodore Stone 0]

Yes. He was an American cavalry General (he made it back to that rank, eventually.) Well known for his fights w/ American Indian tribes on the Great Plains. The Lakota used him for target practice in 1876.

[trekzone 0]

thanks, im an aussie, that would be why im clueless!

[Syperphobia 0]

Yes B'elanna did not have pips, she had a bar which represents her brevet rank.  If you'll notice, all maquis members of Voyager have this bar.  The reason being is that they are not Starfleet members.  But Janeway gave them each brevet ranks so that the ships heirarchy could function.  While B'ellana may be referred to as a Lieutenant, she does not actually carry a true rank.  It is a temporary rank if you will. The definition of Brevet rank is "a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than that for which pay is received"  If you adapt the definition to fit with the 24th century it would remove the part about pay because economics are different (we work to better ourselves) therefore, a brevet rank is a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than officially given.

This might be taking the Torres topic off topic, but I was thinking about Seven, Neelix, and Kes, why didnt they have to wear uniforms. I know they didnt pledge their allegence to Starfleet and they just couldnt hand over uniforms, but Maquie gained uniforms and they were traders of Starfleet, why not give newbies who actually like starfleet a uniform

Click For Spoiler

(therefore killing the catsuits )

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I would think it was because they were more "guests" that could leave at any time (Kes and Nelix). Seven was a former borg drone and TPTB has special cloths they wanted her to wear for ratings. So giving her a uniform may have gotten rid of a "cat suit" but I don't recall Nelix wearing a cat suit. lol

[Captain Bolivar 0]

That is an interesting point Syperphobia! I never thought of it that way. I know that Seven needed to wear her uniform. It was a dermaplasitc garment designed by the Doctor to serve some purpose having to do with her removed Borg implants. As for Neelix and Kes, at first the Captain didn't even know them so she couldn't make them officers, but later on it could have been appropriate. In fact, during the episode, Year of Hell, she did make Neelix an officer in the alternate timeline. He had a gold uniform. I think he was a security officer.

[Commodore Stone 0]

A lot of us thought that Seven never looked batter (except during her occasional forays into civlllian dress) that she did in a regulation Starfleet uniform in Relativity.

[Captain Bolivar 0]

Yes, 7 did look very good in a regulation uniform, but not every character needs one. I think Kira looked great in one too!

[Commodore Stone 0]

It's really weird how an outfit designed to be so functional can look so...alluring. (That goes for men, as well. Early [3rd season-on] Riker and later Sisko [among many others], cut quite the handsome figure in the Starfleet uni.)

[Jake Broklen 0]

Ok I remember there wsa an episode of Voyager...were Lt. Commander Tuvok made a training program in the holodeck. He made the starfleet people do an execise on what would happen if the Maquis tried to take over Voayger. So then B'Elanna was a ensign in the starfleet crew, so I got confussed too. So then she follows the Maquis. So the program is a training progam to see if the starfleet crew will follow the the Maquis!!!

[Jim Phaserman 0]

Yes B'elanna did not have pips, she had a bar which represents her brevet rank.  If you'll notice, all maquis members of Voyager have this bar.  The reason being is that they are not Starfleet members.  But Janeway gave them each brevet ranks so that the ships heirarchy could function.  While B'ellana may be referred to as a Lieutenant, she does not actually carry a true rank.  It is a temporary rank if you will. The definition of Brevet rank is "a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than that for which pay is received"  If you adapt the definition to fit with the 24th century it would remove the part about pay because economics are different (we work to better ourselves) therefore, a brevet rank is a commission giving a military officer higher nominal rank than officially given.

64388[/snapback]

 

 

You mean this one?

 

BTW: I got that from http://www.rpg-insignias.co.uk/

[Matt 0]

I'll have to check the episode.

[prometheus 0]

I have to admit though that had i been on board Voyager and had worked hard at passing my exaams and training, i would have been very annoyed at her being given the role of chief engineer. I mean, at the end of the day she was some Starfleet drop out who was involved in an illegal operation who just happened to worm her way into the circle of the bridge staff. Otherwise, she would've probably been just cleaning out plasma conduits. However, her rank in the show made it more interesting, blah de blah...

[jameron4eva 0]

From my point of view B'Elanna was always a Lieutenant. But i think what would be cool was if Tom had another military rank, like maybe a General, i noticed that the ranks on Star trek were all Navy, except in ENT when the MACOS were on the ship, they were Marine ranks, MARINE CORPS OORRAAGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Voyager recruit 0]

While perhaps not realistic in the world we live in, it was all part of the necessity of giving 'Lanna her place on board as one of the regulars...and, once established-she earned that rank, time and again...''Not a bad choice for Chief Engineer'' smiled Janeway in a scene from ''Fury'' to Chakotay-as much the ex-rebel. But, consider, how much they both became so integral-all the Maquis-to Voyager and her survival..the grit, and determination needed, to survive, out there alll alone...a Family which endured, no matter what...