Command Level

Flag Officer: A commissioned officer in Starfleet senior enough to be entitled to "fly a flag" to mark the position from which the officer exercises command.

Commissioned Officer: Commissioned officers are leadership and management generalists, in addition to providing expertise relating to their specific shipboard function or specialty. Starfleet requires a university degree as a prerequisite for commissioning, even when accessed from the enlisted ranks. Most often this is earned from Starfleet Academy on Earth.

Non-Commissioned Officer: A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military leader who has not earned a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually obtain their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks.The NCO corps includes all grades of petty officer. The non-commissioned officer corps has been referred to as "the backbone" of Starfleet, as they are the primary and most visible leaders for most military personnel. NCO training and education typically includes leadership and management as well as service-specific and combat training. Senior NCOs are considered the primary link between enlisted personnel and the commissioned officers in a military organization. Their advice and guidance are considered particularly important for junior officers and in many cases to officers of all senior ranks.

Enlisted Crewperson: An enlisted rank is technically any rank below that of a commissioned officer, but here does not include non-commissioned officers. Enlisted service personnel perform jobs specific to their own occupational specialty, as opposed to the more generalized command responsibilities of commissioned officers. The term "enlistment" refers solely to a military commitment.

Civilian: Under interstellar treaty law, civilians are persons who are not members of the armed forces and are not combatants if they don't carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant, as some non-combatants are not civilians (for example, military chaplains attached to the belligerent party or military personnel serving with a neutral country). Civilians in the territories of a party to an armed conflict are entitled to certain privileges under the customary laws of war and international treaties. The privileges that they enjoy under international law depends on whether the conflict is an internal one (a civil war) or an international one.

Back to Rank & Privilege.

You can see individual character's rank based ratings on the Crew Manifest.