joc

joc                                                                     02Dec30
  Q: What is J.O.C?

  A: J.O.C. stands for Joint Operation Command.

  Q: Okay, so what is Joint Operation Command?
   
  A: JOC is a department for the elements assigned to the station that do not
     mesh neatly in the standard Starfleet hierarchy. This includes strategic
     level deployable assets like the Rapid Response Team, regional specific
     special projects from the Office of the Chief of Research and Exploration,
     to personnel from non-Starfleet Federation Agencies and Bureaus such as
     the Department of Temporal Investigations and the Federation Merchant
     Marines.

Continued in: joc2                                               Top: starfleet
joc2                                                                    02Dec30

  Q: How does this JOC thing work?
   
  A: Organized like a standard Starfleet Department, each group assigned to the
     JOC functions like a departmental division. The division is organized
     along the traditional lines of the native agency or organization and 
     administratively files its relevant reports to the JOC department head
     that then passes the information along to the senior staff. The JOC Dept
     Head, like the standard department heads, reports to the XO of the 
     station. As well as reporting up through the station hierarchy, each 
     division reports to it's native organization, and when receiving certain
     updates or directives from their native organization in turn pass this
     along to the JOC department head who passes them along the Executive staff
     of the station. An example of this would be: Federation Merchant Marines
     decide to alter their regular trade route through this sector and need
     Starfleet to adjust their patrols accordingly to provide escort. The
     Merchant Marine office onboard passes this to the JOC dept head so
     Starfleet can be apprised and themselves spread the word to civilian 
     shippers and colonial governors that the changes are going into affect.

Continued in: joc3                                               Top: starfleet
joc3                                                                    02Dec30

  Q: How does this work with the Chain of Command?
   
  A: It works easily. There are already established guidelines how Starfleet 
     interacts with each of these organizations included in the JOC; and they
     each have their specific zones of control and precedents - not unlike
     knowing who is responsible in a situation between officers of different
     departments in Starfleet. Most Starfleet operations fall under the Joint
     Chiefs Office of the Chief of Fleet Operations. Starfleet Intelligence
     and Starfleet Rapid Response fall under the Office of the Chief of 
     Strategic Operations. Special Research Projects fall under the Chief of 
     Research and Exploration. Though all three of these Flag Admirals
     eventually fall under the Chief of Starfleet, they and the other Joint
     Chief (Chief of Interplanetary Affairs) each have their own broad
     operational agendas that work together but have separate flows of
     command to and fro. To make things easier though, an example breakdown:
  
Continued in: joc4                                               Top: starfleet
joc4                                                                    02Dec30
   
     Rapid Response Team: These are commissioned officers in Starfleet, so they
     interact normally on that level; but they have their own chain of command
     with multiple departments represented as well as their own separate 
     operational procedures. Like the modern era U.S. Army Special Forces or
     U.S. Navy S.E.A.L.s they are part of their larger organization and follow
     those regulations; but due to their special role and tasking they have
     their own separate chain of command and inter-operational procedures.
  
Continued in: joc5                                               Top: starfleet
joc5                                                                    02Dec30

     Liaison Officers: Allied Liaison officers are different from Exchange 
     Officers; Exchange Officers are integrated into the regular chain of
     command of the host organization by the appropriate department. Liaison 
     officers are still actively serving their host organization and not acting
     as part of the host organization. Groups like the Bolian Defense Force,
     Andorian Defense Force, and Vulcan Defense Force are not part of Starfleet
     and when serving alongside them in joint operations the take orders from
     officers of the same or higher rank, but can give orders to officers of
     lower rank than themselves as relating to their joint operational role. A
     Vulcan Commander working with Starfleet in a liaison role could give 
     orders to Starfleet ensigns on a joint operation, but would take orders
     from a Starfleet Commander also on site as an example. Exchange Officers
     are placed within the Station's regular chain of command in the
     appropriate department; Liaison officers are placed in the JOC so they may
     pass information between their organization to Starfleet and vice-versa.

Continued in: joc6                                               Top: starfleet
joc6                                                                    02Dec30

     Merchant Marines: Federation Merchant Marines have commissions from the
     Federation just like Starfleet. Their duties are much different from the
     Starfleet role, but are very critical to the continuing operation of the
     Federation as an entity. Their commissioned rank system works precisely
     like Starfleet but in matters where the two services must interaction the
     model is very similar to the Line and Staff officer model within 
     Starfleet. In this comparison, Merchant Marines are all Staff Officers 
     and Starfleet are all Line officers ie The Merchant Marine has authority
     within his or her positional expertise, but in situations of diplomacy,
     combat or crisis a Starfleet Ensign who has four years of academy training
     before commissioning directs the Merchant Marine officer who base training
     before commission is only comparable to that of a standard Starfleet 
     enlisted person. Merchant Marines assigned to the station would fall under
     the JOC. 

Continued in: joc7                                               Top: starfleet
joc7                                                                    02Dec30

  Q: So how does this work with day to day life?
  
  A: With the appropriate assets being repositioned into this new structure and
     their roles clearly delineated, the normal chains of command on the
     Station within the Starfleet departments are now clear of any question or
     inconstancy. The Rapid Response team works with Security but is not part
     of Security; the Anomaly Special Project works with Science but is not 
     part of Science, and so on with the less confusing Federation Agency 
     members and employees. Any Federation employees outside of Diplomats 
     (which are part of the Embassy) will be put under the JOC while assigned
     to work from the station leaving the rest of the civilians residents to 
     fall under the purview of the Counseling Department as is standard. There
     is no problem with the Station's operation command working with members of
     the JOC; each has their own guidelines on what sort of joint services they
     can and will provide. Keep in mind that it is *Joint* operation command,
     not *Separate* operation command - the object is to isolate each division
     so as to maintain it's operational integrity while as the same time not
     conflicting the station's operational integrity while facilitating a 
     constant exchange of information and assistance across all groups.

                                                                 Top: starfleet