[Chase]

Gene Roddenberry had a clear vision of what he wanted Starfleet to be and clearly stated that Starfleet is not a military organization. With that said, countless times throughout the show and movies, Starfleet has been required to not only repeatedly train for but also carry out textbook military operations. I feel that Roddenberry wanted to try to portray a utopian view of the future where a military is not required and thusly stated that Starfleet is not a military organization.

Contrary, I believe and as evidenced by the show throughout the years, in even in the most utopian society, there will always be a necessity for organization that is fundamentally tasked with defense and support of a governing body’s policies and interests. It just happens that Starfleet has an auxiliary non-military exploration function. But given the Federation’s desire to spread out and explore new parts of the galaxy, there has to be some considerations that these actions could be considered hostile and could provoke attacks from other species not only at the location of first contact but also back home. I feel that before any exploration can be undertaken, a certain amount of military capability has to be established in case that exploration doesn’t go as planned or simply has defense against offensives from known less than friendly species.

Starfleet's other functions, peacekeeping and emergency response are carried out by military organizations today with more frequency than direct engagements with enemies. I realize that it could be argued that a military is not required for emergency response, but as evidenced by real world events, it is required in a lot of situations. I just don’t see how adding exploration to the top of Starfleet’s list of military functions all of a sudden no longer makes it fundamentally a military organization.

I’m curious as to other thoughts on the subject

[Stormy]

Starfleet is most definitely a military organization (albeit a futuristic one). Here are my arguments for that position:
1. Rank- Where other than the military will you find admirals, commanders, lieutenants, etc. While the business world does "recruit" people they are never called "recruits" in the military sense.
2. Structure- There is a definite chain of command, just like the military. Along with that, there are different branches or divisions, just as in the military. Think MACO, Section 31, etc. Do businesses send their "officers" to an Academy where they are taught protocol, leadership, strategy, etc.?
3. Their primary purpose is to protect and serve their nation/world/population.
4. They deploy and use weapons in the same manner as our military today.
Even so, there are two distinct differences. High ranking officers in Starfleet have the option of diplomacy not offered to military officials today. Second, of course, is the "seek out new life...." aspect of their missions. These two things set them apart and Roddenberry made as critical to the storylines as possible to differentiate between the military today and how he saw the role in the future.

[rebus16]

Starfleet is a military organization for sure, although it is different from contemporary militaries in the fact that except in times of distress or emergency the primary mission seems to be scientific research/exploration. The justification of use of force also seems significantly harder in the Star Trek future.

While today's militaries' primary role is defence/warfare, with Starfleet, defence of the Federation is just one of the duties of the organization, on par with scientific research and exploration, I'd say. But that's just my view.

[Three of Seven]

There are organisations which use a rank structure that aren't military, such as the fire service or hospital staff, they may use different names but it's still a rank structure. So just to clear that argument out of the way to say if it's a military organisation, we use chains of command everywhere, even down to a generic office processing paper clips, you'll have Head Accountant or whatever, this isn't what would determine if something is military.

However, the research that goes into weapons and personal firearms, as well as the ability to call martial law (Deep Space 9), these are areas which show that Starfleet is a military organisation. With a focus on defence and exploration, with several civilian branches supported. You couldn't realistically go exploring without some form of defence because not everyone is going to share the same values. Whereas, the Federation is not a military organisation, this is the overall collection of everything, with Starfleet as a service I believe, the overall political body isn't military based and tries to maintain peace and the values held.

[Dark]

I think you're doing modern militaries a disservice with that characterization, rebus16. A lot of R&D is conducted as part of the military budget.

Check out the US Air force Space Command, for example. They have an awesome emblem that looks rather familiar.

[rebus16]

I think you're doing modern militaries a disservice with that characterization, rebus16. A lot of R&D is conducted as part of the military budget.

Check out the US Air force Space Command, for example. They have an awesome emblem that looks rather familiar.

Indeed, but that research is conducted to supplement and enhance the defence and warfare capabilities of the service, while with Starfleet, it's usually just for that sake of the researching itself. The ''research for the sake of researching'' is delegated to NASA and other non-military organizations.

[Chase]

Indeed, but that research is conducted to supplement and enhance the defence and warfare capabilities of the service, while with Starfleet, it's usually just for that sake of the researching itself. The ''research for the sake of researching'' is delegated to NASA and other non-military organizations.

On the same token, The U.S. Navy does research that could be argued as "researching for the sake of researching." Take the Naval Research Laboratory for example. They conduct deep sea research, sea floor mapping and meteorological research. All of which I feel isn't solely used for increasing warfare capabilities but more just for the overall increase in our understanding of the Earth. Not unlike Starfleet's goal of increasing its understanding of unknown space.
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/accomplishme...n-environment/

[Solace]

I believe that Starfleet is the military muscle behind the United Federation of Planets. Firstly the Federation is an institution comprising a vast alliance of members worlds all sharing resources and working together towards a common goal, the betterment of each respective culture.

That being said, the Federation needs some kind of military to defend it, Stafleet itself is akin to the Army that we see in the real world today. It is known in Star Trek Canon that a Federation Navy exists possibly very similar to what most countries have to constitute a navy. Starfleet is also a navy of sorts because they use ships, whilst the primary directive of Starfleet is to "Seek out new words and new civilizations, to boldy go where no man has gone before." and explore the universe and make contact with new species, make new allies in the hope of absorbing them into the Federation one day. In some cases those species turn out to be enemies, like the Dominion and intially the Klingons and Romulans.

Ramble over. Yes Starfleet is a military organisation that is multi-faceted in terms of there being Engineering, Science, Tactical and Civilian divisions to carry out the primary mission to explore new worlds.

Its a difficult one to pin down exactly, its more of an amalgamation of many different assets to form a cohesive structure.

[phasers]

Really, again? One of Starfleet's task is defend Federation, but Starfleet also have other jobs. I am not sure how you can define it with modern terms.
I read sometime ago about Starfleet is abit like older navies. In the age of sail or early steam, because the condition of navies back then is like starfleet's condition in space. Ships are far away from home, no immediate support and had to act on it own. There are unknown territory that is not properly mapped etc.

[Kains]

I think we also have to accept the idea that the concept of a military would change over the next few centuries. We can see part of that change evident within Star Trek itself, where TOS helps illustrate aspirational goals of the 60's, TNG the 80's and so on, and the definition of Starfleet changes with those times.

Personally I think this is a good thing, as you can really see the vision behind it all evolving to meet the needs of the audience.

In the case of the military our current definition may not be applicable. Looking it up in Oxford Dictionary we get this:

Definition of military in English:
adjective

Of, relating to, or characteristic of soldiers or armed forces:
both leaders condemned the buildup of military activity

I believe calling it a military organization is perhaps the closest analogy we have to a modern organization, but in reality is such a melting pot of different fields of expertise and experiences that it would be a unique organization all of it's own.

Which would leave me saying the downright awful definition of Starfleet being Starfleet.

(I'm sure there are some English majors out there simply cringing at such circular logic )

[rebus16]

On the same token, The U.S. Navy does research that could be argued as "researching for the sake of researching." Take the Naval Research Laboratory for example. They conduct deep sea research, sea floor mapping and meteorological research. All of which I feel isn't solely used for increasing warfare capabilities but more just for the overall increase in our understanding of the Earth. Not unlike Starfleet's goal of increasing its understanding of unknown space.
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/accomplishme...n-environment/

Good point. I think Starfleet must be understood as a blend of a military and an exploration/research organization. While its large scale scientific and exploration activities testify about its peaceful function, the development of advanced weaponry and ships like the Defiant or the Prometheus also tell us that Starfleet is a highly trained military force. In my opinion, TOS and TNG more explored the peaceful side while DS9 told us more about the military side of Starfleet.

Just by the way, I love how a simple question like this can catalyse such an intelligent and intriguing discussion.

[Silynn]

Is it true that Starfleet does not have any standing 'ground army troops' as well? Which is why Starfleet has 'security officers' but not 'Marines' aboard their starships, right?

During the Dominion War, weren't a lot of the ground troops from planetary militia types, supplemented by Starfleet officers?

Starfleet does have military tones in regards to it's space naval assets. But a true defensive body would need ground assets as well to be a true military.

[Solace]

Is it true that Starfleet does not have any standing 'ground army troops' as well? Which is why Starfleet has 'security officers' but not 'Marines' aboard their starships, right?

During the Dominion War, weren't a lot of the ground troops from planetary militia types, supplemented by Starfleet officers?

Starfleet does have military tones in regards to it's space naval assets. But a true defensive body would need ground assets as well to be a true military.

Technically you are correct there Silynn, but if you remember from Enterprise. Early Federation starships had a MACO contingent onboard which are esentially marines or special forces.

[Chase]

In the case of the military our current definition may not be applicable. Looking it up in Oxford Dictionary we get this:

Definition of military in English:
adjective

Of, relating to, or characteristic of soldiers or armed forces:
both leaders condemned the buildup of military activity

I like this objective definition approach, I think it would be kind interesting to go a little deeper. I think the next logical step and building on the definition of military would be to look at the definition of an "armed force". Unfortunately, the only substantial definition comes from Wikipedia. Per Wikipedia:

"The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external and internal aggressors."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armed_forces


"The armed forces (Starfleet) of a country (Federation) are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign (make first contact with other alien species) and domestic policies (further the scientific understanding of the known universe) of their governing body and to defend that body (with heavily armed Starships and crew with substantial combat training) and the nation it represents from external (Borg, Dominion, Klingons, Romulans) and internal aggressors (Maquis)."

It seems to me that Starfleet fits that definition quite nicely.

[Sysil]

Technically you are correct there Silynn, but if you remember from Enterprise. Early Federation starships had a MACO contingent onboard which are esentially marines or special forces.

Not Federation. Earth ships. The Federation did not exist in Enterprise so that's not a really valid comparison.

"The armed forces (Starfleet) of a country (Federation) are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign (make first contact with other alien species) and domestic policies (further the scientific understanding of the known universe) of their governing body and to defend that body (with heavily armed Starships and crew with substantial combat training) and the nation it represents from external (Borg, Dominion, Klingons, Romulans) and internal aggressors (Maquis)."

It seems to me that Starfleet fits that definition quite nicely.

I see your point, but I think your definition is too limited. You're ignoring a lot of things that Starfleet does which is not in your definition.

My opinion is that yes Starfleet has the responsibility of being the Federation's armed forces, but it's not limited to that role. It's just too big, it's responsibilities are too vast to be pidgeon-holed into being either the Federation's military or it's exploration fleet. I say both applies. The thing that do change is what is prioritized. During time of peace, Exploration and pure research are on the forefront. In times of war, it becomes more militarized.