This department was reserved for the ship's Commanding Officer, Executive Officer, Second Officer, Command Yeoman, and the Ships AI. The three senior Officers are responsible for handing out orders to the rest of the departments in order to keep the ship running. Command covers a wide range of interpersonal interactions, especially leadership, negotiation, and both coordinating and motivating others. It also included discipline and resisting coercion, as well as helping others resist fear and panic. They were also daring, making a split-second command decision, or - as earlier mentioned - resisting fear or coercion. They also had to judge the mood and morale of a group of subordinates, or to try and assuage the fears of a group, to rally or inspire others during a difficult situation, or to command the attention or respect of someone hostile. They also had to use reasoning, to consider and evaluate the orders given by a superior, or to find a solution to a difficult diplomatic or legal situation.

Command Department Position Descriptions

Commanding Officer/Captain

The Commanding Officer has the ultimate responsibility for the safety and well being of his ship and crew and to ensure that the ship's current mission is being satisfactorily executed. The CO's immediate staff are the First Officer and the chiefs of the other departments (the Department Heads), but is, in reality, the entire ship's complement. The CO has no set duty shift and is always considered to be on call. On larger starships the CO usually has his own office, and this office is sometimes very close to the bridge, offering quick and easy access in emergency situations. The CO is also responsible for meting out punishment for crewmembers found guilty of breaking major regulations. The Commanding Officer is also traditionally the member of the crew who performs such duties as marrying crewmembers under his command and serving as the host at all official functions held aboard his/her ship.

Executive Officer

Sometimes called the First Officer the Executive Officer's main responsibility is to ensure the smooth operation of the ship and her crew. In this regard, he is usually authorized (unless specifically limited by the CO in any respect) to make decisions without the CO's prior approval. He is considered, for all practical purposes, a "captain in training," and, in the absence of the CO, is the ship's commanding officer. He must be a jack-of-all-trades, able to answer almost any question or offer a solution to any problem. All department heads report directly to the Executive Officer. The XO is usually the leader of mostaway teams (especially potentially hazardous missions) and may choose members of those teams as long as his choices are not detrimental to the mission or the safety of the ship. For all practical purposes, the XO's staff is also comprised of the bridge crew and is also always on call. On larger starships, the XO usually has his own office. On smaller ships, he may be required to share his office with the CO or the Second Officer, or use a conference/meeting room for this purpose. The XO is also responsible for maintaining discipline and determining punishment for members of the crew found guilty of breaking minor regulations. On smaller starships, the duties of First Officer may be combined with other duties (such as Chief Engineer).

Second Executive Officer

At times the XO must assume command of a Starship or base, when this happens the XO needs the help of another officer to assume his/her role as XO. The second officer is not a stand alone position, but a role given to the highest ranked and trusted officer aboard. When required the Second Officer will assume the role of XO, or if needed CO, and performs there duties as listed, for as long as required.

Chief of the Boat

The senior most Chief Petty Officer (including Senior and Master Chiefs), regardless of rating, is designated by the Commanding Officer as the Chief of the Boat (for vessels) or Command Chief (for starbases). In addition to his or her departmental responsibilities, the COB/CC performs the following duties: serves as a liaison between the Commanding Officer (or Executive Officer) and the enlisted crewmen; ensures enlisted crews understand Command policies; advises the Commanding Officer and Executive Officer regarding enlisted morale, and evaluates the quality of noncommissioned officer leadership, management, and supervisory training.

Strategic Operations Officer

The Strategic Operations Officer is a unique officer within the starship's Command department. He or she answers to the CO and XO, and is responsible for coordinating Starfleet and allied assets within a designated area of space, as well as tactical analysis and intelligence gathering. – Would work with Security, Intelligence and Operations on a daily basis.

Media Relations Officer

Like it or not, the public has a right to know what Starfleet is up to. To get the word out to journalists or in the case of classified missions, to keep word from getting out. The Chief Diplomatic Officer will usually appoint one of their Diplomatic Officers to serve as the Media Relations Officer. With the exceptions of large stations and/or high profile diplomatic negotiations the Media Relations Officer duties consist of, but are not limited to keeping the Chief Diplomatic Officer and Assistant Chief Diplomatic Officer informed of all relevant media stories, dealing with the press on a daily basis, creating and issuing mission statments, conducting personal interviews, and answer questions from the media journalists.

Yeoman

The Captain's/ExecutiveOfficer's Yeoman is for Petty Officers who wish to continue as administrators. It is technically a non-Mate position. Use of this position is completely at the discretion of the Commanding Officer. File work, and sensitive message transport are but two examples of the Yeoman's possible duties. The Yeoman assists the CO in day-to-day duties that the CO would otherwise not have the time to do.