Duty Stations

Working Towards a Brighter Future

Introduction

Duty Stations are positions on board that allow members to volunteer to serve a specific function for the USS Omnus. If you know you have an interest or skill in an area and are interested in making an ongoing contribution to the running of the USS Omnus, a Duty Station may be for you.

Duty Station holders are given the appropriate title and are expected to perform the duties assigned to them consistently.

As with many things aboard the USS Omnus, Duty Stations are divided up by Department, in order to group similar functions together into logical teams. The Departments are split as follows:

• Command: senior management and strategy

• Operations: planning and logistics

• Engineering: asset management and maintenance

• Science: research and education

• Medical: humanitarian aid and member support

• Security: health and safety

• Communications: marketing, public relations and community management

Follow the links above to see the list of Duty Stations in each Department.

Standard Positions:

If you're uncomfortable with choosing a specific role to serve on board, and would prefer to keep yourself open to helping out in any way, you may be more inclined to select a Standard Position - a position with a title, but no fixed duties assigned. 

Responsibility and Rewards:

Volunteering for a Duty Station is making a commitment to meeting certain performance goals on a regular basis. That commitment is rewarded, in terms of counting towards rank promotions. Even though Duty Station holders aren't fiscally compensated for their work, they are nonetheless relied upon to do the work they've committed to do. It's a serious responsibility. If that responsibility isn't enough reward, a Duty Station might not be the best option for you.

Duty Station holders will be measured on their performance, and if they're consistently unable to live up the responsibility of the position, that position will be made available for new applicants. So, if you know you'll be unable to consistently do the work associated with a Duty Station, it's best that you sign up for a Standard Position instead, where you'll be free to pitch in whenever you can.

If you already hold a Duty Station and you know that, for whatever reason, you'll be unable to perform the duties assigned to you for any length of time, it's your added responsibility to let your superiors know as soon as you can; And, when necessary, step down from that position. That allows the Omnus crew to compensate for your absence by assigning that work to someone else and avoid being left hanging.

Qualifications

All Duty Stations include a list of prerequisites the applicant must possess in order to be eligible for the position. These exist for several reasons.

First, the qualifications allow the applicant to prove to Command staff that he possesses the necessary skills to perform the tasks expected of him. Whenever reasonably possible, the qualifications will include several practical elements relating specifically to the work involved. In other instances, they exist to demonstrate the applicant's ability to acquire the necessary skills and abilities on the fly.

Second, the qualifications allow the applicant to demonstrate his dedication to the crew and to the position he's applying for. Duty Stations are voluntary, but the work associated with them is often essential to the proper operation of the ship, and the Command staff require assurances that the applicant has the time and inclination to see to those duties. By completing the requirements, the applicant can provide those assurances.

Third, the qualifications are designed to encourage the applicant to serve as an example to the rest of the crew. It is for this reason that the requirements usually include a uniform and Academy certifications that the rest of the crew can see. Duty Station holders are the shining example of what it means to be a STARFLEET member, and they must look the part, both in person and on paper.

Under exceptional circumstances, the Command staff may decide to appoint an applicant that has yet to meet the necessary qualifications for a given position. But this is only likely to happen in a case when an SFI-mandated position (such as Commanding Officer or Executive Officer) is vacant, and no qualified candidate is available. In such instances, it rests upon the successful applicant to ensure he meets all requirements as soon as possible after appointment, and no later than 6 months after appointment.