Star Trek:TOS Uniform Sleeves

[SCEtoAUX]

Someone pointed out to me that the sleeve insignia on the ST:TOS uniforms makes Kirk look like a Commander or Lieutenant Commander depending on how you perceive it. I checked it out and sure enough a quick glance does indeed look like that on his sleeve. Spock looks like a Lieutenant designation.

They changed the look for the series for some reason. A naval Captain, which is the equivalent to a Colonel, has 4 stripes on the sleeve. We call them 4 Stripers. It has been like that for centuries and in almost all of the Navies of the World. There might be some variation in the actual name of the rank in the different Navies. Even civilian Captains have four stripes on their sleeves.

I guess they just wanted to change things up a bit.


From the US Navy uniform manual:

FLEET ADMIRAL. Wear one 2 inch stripe with four ½ inch stripes above it.

ADMIRAL. Wear one 2 inch stripe with three ½ inch stripes above it.

VICE ADMIRAL. Wear one 2 inch stripe with two ½ inch stripes above it.

REAR ADMIRAL. Wear one 2 inch stripe with one ½ inch stripe above it.

REAR ADMIRAL (Lower Half). Wear one 2 inch stripe.

CAPTAIN. Wear four ½ inch stripes.

COMMANDER. Wear three ½ inch stripes.

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER. Wear two ½ inch stripes with one 1/4 inch stripe in between.

LIEUTENANT. Wear two ½ inch stripes.

LIEUTENANT (JUNIOR GRADE). Wear one ½ inch stripe with one 1/4 inch

ENSIGN. Wear one ½ inch stripe.