posted
A major does seem slightly high ranking to have in charge of c.15 people.
Although I suppose they wouldn't really want a young, relatively inexperienced Lieutenant in charge of a team that may be involved in sensitive missions. So the set up on Enterprise may not be representative of the standard MACO organisation.
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged
posted
What kind of organisation is MACO anyway? Is it part of Starfleet? Does it normally do things in space? And who came up with such a ridiculous name?
posted
Yes, you can spot the MACO, but can you spot the OMAC?
(obscure comic book reference)
-------------------- "The best defense is not a good offense. The best defense is a terrifyingly accurate and devastatingly powerful offense, with multiply-overlapping kill zones and time-on-target artillery strikes." -- Laurence, Archangel of the Sword
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
-------------------- Justice inclines her scales so that wisdom comes at the price of suffering. -Aeschylus, Agamemnon
Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged
quote:Originally posted by Harry: What kind of organisation is MACO anyway? Is it part of Starfleet? Does it normally do things in space? And who came up with such a ridiculous name?
Good questions, which I will deal with in random order. Why? Beacause I want to.
The name is silly, but giving ridiculous names to military organisations and equipment is a noted American trait, often refered to as Pentagonspeak.
I wouldn't have said it's part of Starfleet; using two differing rank structures withing the same oraganisation doesn't seem to make much sense. It isn't usually done in modern militaries either; eg. the RAF regiment uses RAF ranks rather than army ones, despite being basically an army unit. As to whether the MACO's usually do stuff in space I would think so. Was there any mention of special training given to them for space ops? It's possible ther're some kind of planetary/system security organisation, sort of a cross between the Marines and Customs and Excise.
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged
posted
I believe MACO really is the Starfleet version of the Marine Corps. And that it operates under the Department of Starfleet, much in the same way the Marines operate under the Navy Department (at least here in America).
-------------------- Is it Friday yet?
Registered: Feb 2000
| IP: Logged
posted
The MACOs are NOT Starfleet. They pretty much say that in "The Expanse", when Forrest asks Archer if he's comfortable "taking military on board". Whatever they are, they're not Starfleet, and while they've taken zero-G training they're not hardened space vets. In "The Xindi" there is reference of at least one of them being space sick.
posted
That's what Dat's saying -- the US Marines are likewise not the Navy. They just end up working together in many circumstances, depending on the need.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
| IP: Logged
posted
I could've sworn I read somewhere recently where someone had worked out the Babylon 5 rank structure, and how they all fitted in order - Mjor was above Lietenant but below Lt. Commander, Commander and Captain. I think. The weird thing is I just tried to find it again, but can't. I thought it was here but obviously not - although this isn't the first time things have mysteriously vanished from the IMDb.
"That's what Dat's saying -- the US Marines are likewise not the Navy. They just end up working together in many circumstances, depending on the need."
Yeah, but they're still both military. If Forrest referred to "military" as a distinctly separate entity, we can assume Starfleet in the 2150s is considered to definitely be non-military. It would seem strange for a military organization to be a division of an only-sort-of-related non-military organization. It would be like if the US Air Force were a division of the FAA.
Registered: Mar 1999
| IP: Logged
posted
I'm guessing this Starfleet is the incarnation closest to today's NASA than any we've seen - and at that, it's the NASA of the 60s and 70s. All dedicated explorers, and scientists second. Many may have a military background, but aren't categorically military themselves (anymore, at least). Hence, when they NEED the military, they're brought on board.
quote: Yeah, but they're still both military. If Forrest referred to "military" as a distinctly separate entity, we can assume Starfleet in the 2150s is considered to definitely be non-military.
Although military used to be used to refer purely to land based armed forces. But the liklihood of English regressing to 18th Century definitions is probably minimal...
I doubt MACO is part of Starfleet, but presumeably they must have some sort of transport for getting around. So MACO could be the Earth armed forces, with no real long range ships, detachments of which are occasionally placed on Starfleet (civilian explorers, but often armed- think East India Company ships)
Oh, and I really don't think the blended Navy/Army rank structure is a good idea to apply to Starfleet/MACO. It's just too screwy.
-------------------- "I am an almost extinct breed, an old-fashioned gentleman, which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-bitch when it suits me." --Jubal Harshaw
Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic
