Captain

Captain is a military rank, the equivalent of which is used by the service organizations of many civilizations.

Use in Starfleet

The Starfleet rank of Captain is the most senior line officer rank and is usually only awarded to Starship Commanding Officers and senior members of the fleet. The equivalent rank in the Starfleet Marine Corp is the rank of Colonel.

The rank of Captain is one of the most prestigious ranks in Starfleet accordingly; very few Starfleet officers ever gain the captaincy of a starship, the result of years of sustained excellence as a Starfleet officer and leader. Captains are considered to be representatives of both Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets and must be able to function autonomously and make independent command decisions that can affect Federation policy and countless lives.

Advancement

Achieving the rank of Captain is the pinnacle for many Star Fleet Officers and is the one rank that many Starfleet officers aspire to. Advancement above the rank of Captain to the flag ranks of Starfleet is possible, but the flag officer positions are often very limited.