Starfleet International
STARFLEET: The International Star Trek Fan Association, Inc., which is also known as STARFLEET, and informally as STARFLEET International, is an association for fans of Star Trek. In 2003, STARFLEET was the world's largest Star Trek fan club; as of January 1, 2011, it claimed to have 4,145 members in 228 chapters around the world.
STARFLEET is incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation under the laws of North Carolina, and has been granted (7) status by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The organization derives its organizational structure from the fictional Starfleet organization depicted in Star Trek; within the organization, STARFLEET is used exclusively to denote the fan movement, while Starfleet refers to the fictional entity.
STARFLEET places emphasis on community service, and encourages its chapters to take part in charitable fundraising activities and other public services.
Origin
STARFLEET was founded on October 5, 1974, when the "USS Enterprise Fan Club" in Lufkin, Texas met as a group of fans, led by John Bradbury. The group formed their club on the lines of a starship command structure, with ranks and positions based on what was then known of the Star Trek universe. On May 23, 1975, in response to several other fan clubs in the US, "STARFLEET Central" was created. Bradbury became the first president and "Chief of Staff of Starfleet", and is considered the first "Commander, STARFLEET" by the association. By the end of 1976, there were 14 chapters nation-wide.
Organization
According to Article II of the By-Laws, STARFLEET was "established as a social organization in which people of diverse backgrounds with an interest in Star Trek can interact socially and recreationally". Although legally headquartered in North Carolina, it is run from Ontario, Canada, where its current president resides.<ref name=GWR/>
The organization has members worldwide, and splits the world into 20 regions, each with a coordinator who supervises activities in his or her region and represents that region on the Corporation's Board of Directors, known as the Admiralty Board. If members, usually living in geographical proximity, choose to form a group among themselves, they become a chapter of STARFLEET, taking the fictional form of a starship, space station, or other vessel along the lines of those in Star Trek. Each member has a fictional rank to show time in membership and contribution to fan activities.
STARFLEET also operates an academy, where members may take exams related to Star Trek trivia and general knowledge, among other themes. Additionally, STARFLEET has what is called an affiliated group, under the name of STARFLEET Marine Corps, made up of members of the association who prefer to role-play as ground forces, rather than naval personnel.
Leadership
Seventeen people have served as president of the association since 1975. Upon election, the president is promoted to the fictional rank of Fleet Admiral and is referred to as the "Commander, Starfleet". Since 2004, the president has served a term of three years. David Blaser became the association's president on January 1, 2011.
STARFLEET is incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation under the laws of North Carolina, and has been granted (7) status by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The organization derives its organizational structure from the fictional Starfleet organization depicted in Star Trek; within the organization, STARFLEET is used exclusively to denote the fan movement, while Starfleet refers to the fictional entity.
STARFLEET places emphasis on community service, and encourages its chapters to take part in charitable fundraising activities and other public services.
Origin
STARFLEET was founded on October 5, 1974, when the "USS Enterprise Fan Club" in Lufkin, Texas met as a group of fans, led by John Bradbury. The group formed their club on the lines of a starship command structure, with ranks and positions based on what was then known of the Star Trek universe. On May 23, 1975, in response to several other fan clubs in the US, "STARFLEET Central" was created. Bradbury became the first president and "Chief of Staff of Starfleet", and is considered the first "Commander, STARFLEET" by the association. By the end of 1976, there were 14 chapters nation-wide.
Organization
According to Article II of the By-Laws, STARFLEET was "established as a social organization in which people of diverse backgrounds with an interest in Star Trek can interact socially and recreationally". Although legally headquartered in North Carolina, it is run from Ontario, Canada, where its current president resides.<ref name=GWR/>
The organization has members worldwide, and splits the world into 20 regions, each with a coordinator who supervises activities in his or her region and represents that region on the Corporation's Board of Directors, known as the Admiralty Board. If members, usually living in geographical proximity, choose to form a group among themselves, they become a chapter of STARFLEET, taking the fictional form of a starship, space station, or other vessel along the lines of those in Star Trek. Each member has a fictional rank to show time in membership and contribution to fan activities.
STARFLEET also operates an academy, where members may take exams related to Star Trek trivia and general knowledge, among other themes. Additionally, STARFLEET has what is called an affiliated group, under the name of STARFLEET Marine Corps, made up of members of the association who prefer to role-play as ground forces, rather than naval personnel.
Leadership
Seventeen people have served as president of the association since 1975. Upon election, the president is promoted to the fictional rank of Fleet Admiral and is referred to as the "Commander, Starfleet". Since 2004, the president has served a term of three years. David Blaser became the association's president on January 1, 2011.
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