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Having not seen much of Star Trek: Enterprise, and not being certain if Stafleet proper was officially even founded at the time of those events (uncertain as to whether it was Earth exploration pre-starfleet, or the first exploration made BY starfleet), what non-halfbreed alien species has the distinction of being the first non-human to become a member of a Starfleet crew?

(Note: This specifically leaves out Spock, who was half-human).

Machavity
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Zibbobz
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    Worf is not half-human. – Jack B Nimble Mar 17 '14 at 20:06
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    Probably T'Pol, but I'm not sure enough to post that as an answer. Or did Phlox join the crew earlier? – Keith Thompson Mar 17 '14 at 20:14
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    I would guess T'pol. Phlox was a medical exchange student that Archer roped into being on his ship, initially to look after the Klingon, since no human doctor could care for him, and then afterwards because no human doctor had Phlox's experience with exobiology. I don't believe he ever joined Starfleet within the bounds of the series. – Xantec Mar 17 '14 at 20:27
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    @Xantec - "PHLOX: I am the Chief Medical Officer on this ship and I am going to treat Ensign Mayweather. Then I'm going back to bed."; http://www.chakoteya.net/Enterprise/25.htm – Valorum Mar 17 '14 at 20:35
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    @Richard That may or may not be indicative of a commission. T'Pol was the ship's Science Officer even though she was still a member of the High Command. – Xantec Mar 17 '14 at 21:00

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If you're referring to the Earth Starfleet shown in "Enterprise" (e.g. which predates the UFP) then the strongest contender is Doctor Phlox, followed by T'Pol.

Although Phlox is on an "exchange program" he readily identifies himself as the ship's Chief Medical Officer and was in that capacity well before T'Pol agrees to join the Enterprise' crew.

T'Pol also becomes a member of the crew (after resigning from the Vulcan High Command) and retains her rank and station as Second-in-Command and Science Officer of the Enterprise although it's not clear whether she also holds a honorary (or field) Starfleet rank in that capacity.

Phlox and Tpol

If you're referring to the Federation Starfleet then that comprises a fleet of ships representing all the worlds of the Federation, not just Earth.

Per the Federation Charter mentioned in the excellent (and semi-canonical) "Starfleet Technical Manual", the founding members of the Federation each contributed ships to the first fleet, with a range of heavy cruisers and support vessels then being custom-built to supplement (and eventually replace) those initial vessels.

Federation Charter

In-universe, Worf was the first Klingon to join Starfleet, Nog is the first Ferenghi, Ro Laren is the first Bajoran, etc etc.

Valorum
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  • I think you're quoting Franz Joseph's "Star Fleet Technical Manual" (if so, you should credit it), which was published before the Enterprise series and is not clearly canon. Enterprise established that Starfleet predates the Federation. And the mention of Star Fleet in the charter could (and probably does) indicate an incorporation of the existing Star Fleet under the Federation. – Keith Thompson Mar 17 '14 at 20:13
  • @KeithThompson - It's semi-canon since the book was used as the basis for a wide range of trek episodes from all series and the films – Valorum Mar 17 '14 at 20:16
  • @KeithThompson The quoted Article isn't counter to Enterprise. Even if Starfleet predates the Federation, the star fleet of Starfleet still had to come from somewhere. The quoted Article merely clarifies that the original star fleet was drawn from the fleets of the founding planets. Five warp-5 ships on solo exploratory missions wouldn't be capable of securing the sovereign space of the charter members. Not to mention that initially other races may not want human crewed ships responsible for their protection. – Xantec Mar 17 '14 at 20:19
  • Sure, but we saw a pre-Federation Starfleet in "Enterprise", with at least two non-human crew members (Phlox and T'Pol). – Keith Thompson Mar 17 '14 at 20:19
  • Didn't even know starfleet predated human involvement...that being the case, I fully embrace this answer. – Zibbobz Mar 17 '14 at 20:19
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    @KeithThompson - I've edited to reflect the difference between the human Starfleet seen in "Enterprise" and the "Federation Starfleet" seen in other Trek series. – Valorum Mar 17 '14 at 20:23
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    @Zibbobz "Starfleet" was the original human name for Earth's space exploratory organization (as seen in Enterprise), before the founding of the United Federation. It doesn't pre-date human involvement since humans started it. – Xantec Mar 17 '14 at 20:24
  • I don't know if T'Pol or Phlox actually joined Starfleet, though. T'Pol was a member of the Vulcan military (or scientific counsel) and was given a place in the chain of command. It isn't clear, however, that she actually joined Starfleet. Phlox, similarly, was to all appearances a civilian contractor, not Starfleet personnel. – Jeff Mar 17 '14 at 20:25
  • Phlox is Chief Medical Officer according to Memory Alpha – Valorum Mar 17 '14 at 20:32
  • T'Pol didn't join Starfleet until the Federation was founded. When she 'joined', so did virtually all of the Vulcan military (and the Andorian military). – Jeff Mar 17 '14 at 20:33
  • @jeff - She holds the title of "Science Officer" and acts as Second-in-Command. Clearly she must have some kind of rank, even if it's only honorary. Also, how does she get paid if she's not a part of the crew? – Valorum Mar 17 '14 at 20:34
  • @Richard: She's got rank - in the Vulcan military. She gets paid by the Vulcans, or possibly by Starfleet as a contractor. She's got a place in the chain of command, but she doesn't hold Starfleet rank. When have you ever heard a Starfleet officer called 'Sub-Commander'? – Jeff Mar 17 '14 at 20:36
  • The TOS-era NCC 1631 might be worth a mention. – mu is too short Mar 17 '14 at 20:41
  • @Jeff Memory-alpha indicates that T'Pol was officially recognized with the rank of Commander in Starfleet by Forrest in or before 2154, although I cannot find that in the scripts for the indicated episodes, so it may not be accurate. – Xantec Mar 17 '14 at 20:57
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Spock was not the first full blooded alien in Starfleet. He was half human.

Captain Garth of Izar who was kirk's idol when Kirk as at the academy looks human but apparently is native to the star Izar. Since Garth looks so human, it is possible that other human looking starfleet members are also aliens.

KIRK: I'm sorry, Lord Garth. GARTH: You Earth people are a stiff necked lot, aren't you?

And the captain and/or other senior officers of the USS Intrepid probably joined starfleet before Spock.

UHURA: Captain. There was a message from Starbase Six. Heavy interference. All I get is Intrepid and what sounded like a sector co-ordinate. SPOCK: Interesting. No indications of magnetic storms in this sector. KIRK: Try another channel, Lieutenant. UHURA: Aye, sir. MCCOY: The Intrepid is manned by Vulcans, isn't it?

Commander Sonak in Star Trek: The Motion Picture may have joined Starfleet about the same time as Spock or possibly earlier.

In the Alternate universe of "Mirror, Mirror" Three may be other Vulcans on the Enterprise:

SPOCK: If I am successful, you see yourself a step nearer to the captaincy. I do not want to command the Enterprise, but if it should befall me, I suggest you remember that my operatives would avenge my death and some of them are Vulcans.

And I think I saw a Vulcan with Spock. Some of them may have joined starfleet in the main universe.

M.A. Golding
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T'Pol and Phlox were never full members of Starfleet as evidenced by the fact that neither of them were ever allowed to wear Starfleet uniforms. After leaving the Vulcan High Command T'Pol retained the position of first officer, but it is stated that her "position is a unique one" within Starfleet probably due to the fact that she never attended Starfleet Academy. Of course, Enterprise controversially retconned a lot of the original series, so Spock's may not be the first Vulcan in Starfleet in this new universe.

Starfleet predated the Federation and was a human idea - one of the many "outside the box" ideas that humans tend to have that Vulcans and other isolationist races would never think of.

Before the retcon that allowed Enterprise to exist, there could have been many "firsts". The USS Intrepid during the TOS era was crewed completely by Vulcans and was a Starfleet vessel - the inference is that all of the Vulcan crew had attended the academy and were Starfleet officers. This does not conflict with the often stated claim that Spock was the first Vulcan in Starfleet - bear in mind he had been in Starfleet for 20 years or so by the time the original series started. The animated series included a lot of other races as well (since they were easier to animate than create in a live action series) but Gene R famously declared that series apocryphal.

In summary, in the post-Enterprise retcon, T'Pol is now the first alien in Starfleet but in the original universe Spock likely was the first as claimed during that series.

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