why were there enlisted people working as personnel on Icarus Base/Destiny

[slimjim]

when all the SG teams have always been made up of officers in the past

[jelgate]

They haven't. SG and Atlantis teams have had enlisted personal in the past and off world bases like Icarus which was its orginal purpose had enlisted personel.

[AlexanderD]

Enlisted personnel are normally technicians and operators of systems in military use. SG teams have had many enlisted members. Were you to look at the modern model most western military's are built upon, you would see a non commissioned officer corp that makes up the backbone of leadership. The army of the former Soviet Union lacked this, and suffered somewhat due to the lack of an NCO corp when compounded with short service terms from conscripted troops. NCO's are you career service enlisted, not the in for four and on to other things type people.

[Quizziard]

I suspect that the majority of the officer structure in the SG canon is far too skewed upwards. Way too many generals and colonels, not enough enllisted folks. Different country and different service, but at the famous Rourke's Drift, the entire defending force was led by two lieutenants. Not even a captain.

[QuantumIguana]

Science fiction does have this strange tendency to have everyone be an officer, and to either ignore enlisted personnel or to have them around, but not know what to do with them. Star Trek had ensigns and lieutenants doing tasks that would normally be done by enlisted personnel. Enlisted personnel would be doing security, with officers to give them orders. Technical work would be done by airmen and sergeants. Walter's rank on SG1 was way out of proportion to his duties. As long as things are getting done, the officers don't need to get involved.

One of the things you see in science fiction is the idea that the higher ranking an officer is, the more technically adept they are. Scotty was the best engineer by far on the Enterprise. Realistically, the best technicians are the mid-level enlisted. Higher level NCOs take on a more supervisory role, and the officer's role tends toward the supervisory.

[morrismike]

There was a military base and officers typically aren't actually shooting people in real life or doing any of the less glamorous tasks needed in the day to day operation of a base.

[Jump237]

Somebody's gotta cook and clean.

[McAvoy]

Enlisted personnel do all the maintaince, security, clean ups, admin, etc duties with only an officer or two overlooking it all. In all of these cases, there will be at least one higher rank enlisted E-6 or above overlooking (sometimes E-5 as well.) Typically, an O2 to O4 will be the department head, reporting directly to a O5 or an O6.

In ground pounder missions like basically what Stargate Command does, there should have been at least two to three enlisted personnel with an officer. Perhaps SG-1 could be all officers since that was the 'flagship' team that represents Earth.

But following real world military structures, two to three enlisted with an officer who reports to a higher officer who then reports to the General.

[Flyboy]

Indeed, in reality, it's the show SG-1 that showed far too few 'other ranks' as we call enlisted personnel in Britain.

In a well structured military officers are always in the minority. Typically in say, one platoon or flight, you'd have one officer and 30 rankers.

The SGC should have had God knows how many rankers, and the majority of offworld personally would likely have been junior and senior NCOs, frankly. Particularly in combat units. Hammond would also likely have had an SNCO working very closely with him.

[McAvoy]

Indeed, in reality, it's the show SG-1 that showed far too few 'other ranks' as we call enlisted personnel in Britain.

In a well structured military officers are always in the minority. Typically in say, one platoon or flight, you'd have one officer and 30 rankers.

The SGC should have had God knows how many rankers, and the majority of offworld personally would likely have been junior and senior NCOs, frankly. Particularly in combat units. Hammond would also likely have had an SNCO working very closely with him.

US Military also calls them Enlisted Personnel.

In reality it's enlisted that makes a military. They are the blue collars and the officers the white collars.

In the past a couple hundred years ago, the officers were noble men or at least rich men and the enlisted were the farmers and of the lower class with little to no education. Nowadays, the only difference between an officer and a enlisted person is college.

When I was in the Navy, we had this saying: It takes a college degree to break a plane, but a high school diploma to fix it. Majority of the pilots have no clue how or what fixes a plane.

[Quizziard]

Majority of the pilots have no clue how or what fixes a plane.

And majority of enlisted men have no clue how or what it takes to fly a plane (military fast jet).

[AlexanderD]

I attended the same schools as the men I commanded. That was on top of the many other schools attended for Officers only.

[Flyboy]

US Military also calls them Enlisted Personnel.

In reality it's enlisted that makes a military. They are the blue collars and the officers the white collars.

In the past a couple hundred years ago, the officers were noble men or at least rich men and the enlisted were the farmers and of the lower class with little to no education. Nowadays, the only difference between an officer and a enlisted person is college.

When I was in the Navy, we had this saying: It takes a college degree to break a plane, but a high school diploma to fix it. Majority of the pilots have no clue how or what fixes a plane.

No no, I was saying in the UK we use the term 'other ranks' or 'ORs' where as the US use 'Enlisted'.

And majority of enlisted men have no clue how or what it takes to fly a plane (military fast jet).

I attended the same schools as the men I commanded. That was on top of the many other schools attended for Officers only.

In my experience, the British forces have moved away from that kinda divide for the most part. The majority of our ORs are highly skilled and educated individuals. Many of which have university degrees, particularly in the air force.

[AlexanderD]

No no, I was saying in the UK we use the term 'other ranks' or 'ORs' where as the US use '


In my experience, the British forces have moved away from that kinda divide for the most part. The majority of our ORs are highly skilled and educated individuals. Many of which have university degrees, particularly in the air force.

A four year degree is the minimum for officers, and advancement beyond company grade requires a graduate level degree. I was more referring to Command and General Staff, and courses at the War College as officers continued training beyond what is available for enlisted ranks.

[Flyboy]

A four year degree is the minimum for officers, and advancement beyond company grade requires a graduate level degree. I was more referring to Command and General Staff, and courses at the War College as officers continued training beyond what is available for enlisted ranks.

I think something's being lost in translation here,

What I was saying is that many of our 'enlisted' personnel have university degrees, just the same as our officers.