Very interesting take on Star Trek’s Starfleet from one of my favorite YouTubers, Steve Shives.
Yep, just like US Army Corp of Engineers. It maintains the levies on Missisipi and also is responsible for digging up people from rubble of White house if US mainland were ever to be attacked.
In the original series, Capt. Kirk refers to Star Fleet as a “combined service”. Around 2:16
Good analogy but you mean Corp of Engineers for space only right? There was no terrestrial element to Starfleet’s mandate, was there?
Must be a lot of “combined service” in Roddenberry’s imagination. Always got the impression the twin combined service was specifically explore new worlds (“boldly go…” etc) and keep the political peace in our galaxy/universe.
Maybe even a discovery mandate,remember in Alien that salvage crew was tasked with responding to all rescue beacons?
this is interesting. @UncleSpellbinder going to watch that Shives video soon
I am not sure. I have not dwelled that deep into Star Trek lore. This ought to be answered by die hard Trekkie fans.
Well… die-hard Trekker/Trekkie here.
As far as I’m aware, the only thing terrestrial about Starfleet is Starfleet Academy, which is based in San Francisco. However, when needed, Starfleet has had to do “policing” type duties on Earth. This was during the Dominion War, where “The Founders” (a shape-shifting race) had infiltrated Starfleet.
Well, they do have a ranked hierarchy that pretty much represents a military organization. Including an academy. To me, case closed. Simply by reading the initial answer. No need to watch an 36 min long video on this topic. But that is my personal point of view. Its still a piece of fiction.
And if someone is asking the question if the fellowship within the Lord of the Rings is effectively a covert paramilitary organization that infiltrates enemy territory, or an intelligence operation spearheading an decisive strike against the enemy… I don’t need a definite answer.
In DS9, it’s definitely portrayed as a military.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and Star Trek Into Darkness each have military aspects to Star Fleet.
Short scene in Star Trek Into Darkness where Kirk and Scotty get into that before Scotty “quits”?
Which makes sense, as most of the DS9 series’ run was about the Dominion War.
I’ve always seen Starfleet as military organisation. It’s the military of the Federation. Even if their occupation is said to be mostly science, it defends member worlds, patrol the neutral zone and police the Federation rules in their territory. Like others have said, it has personnel,rank and ships. Other than a military what would it be ? (didn’t watch the video yet)
In the video, Steve Shives reminds us that Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was adamant that Starfleet was not a military. It was an organization based on pure science and “discovering strange new worlds.” But as depicted in the various Star Trek series and movies, it seems to me that Starfleet is indeed a military.
Were the red shirts enlisted or drafted? 
enlisted to my knowledge. Starfleet never drafted anyone at least it never forced anyone. People have to enlist to become starfleet personnel.
@UncleSpellbinder indeed but it’s weird that he didn’t want a military but made it about the same in every aspect.
True, for sure. I think Roddenberry’s service in WWII (and other Trek writers’ military service) played a role in the creation of Starfleet and its hierarchy.
Apparently, a lot of that came from show runner Gene L. Coon.
In the early development stages of Star Trek, the Enterprise just went about it’s business discovering new worlds and peacefully interacting with “new life and civilizations”. Coon pointed out that was boring and the show wouldn’t last. Coon was the one that introduced the Klingons etc … and made the universe not so peaceful.
Both. Like the Royal Navy in the early-mid 19th century. The H.M.S. Beagle was a fully armed frigate, but also conducted several scientific missions; including taking Charles Darwin around the world.
Star Trek replaced colonization with the Prime Directive.
I’m in the minority in this thread. They (Enterprise and derivations) just didn’t have the firepower or heavy bomb capabilities to be a viable fighting or enforcing branch of any military Since science and diplomacy seemed to be their mission.
the person above who coined them more akin to The US Army Corp or Engineers is the only military I can align with them. Sure they had self-defense on their missions but they were a peaceful auxiliary of the Military for the most part.
All of this IMO of course 
The primary missions were exploration and diplomacy, but Constitution and subsequent class starships had the capability to defend federation space and engage in sustained conflict, or if need be implement General Order 24 - destruction of all life on a planet. Capt. Kirk gives the order once (as a bluff) and Lt Cmdr Data makes reference to it on one occasion.
Definitely military (IMO), but not militaristic like the Klingons.
It’s a running theme of the franchise that the Federation has these capabilities but doesn’t use them. Planets that meet the criteria are invited to join, but can decline.
I agree.
poetic Roddenberry license perhaps. I vaguely recall Order 42 but I just never saw proof otherwise they were capable of sustained conflict, even on foot mission.
I’m probably splitting hairs here. We remember things the way we remember them, not necessarily the way they were written. Then you have to marry storylines to sets and props and etc,
Thanks for the brilliant reply and your knowledge and facts of the show. I am just relaying impressions nothing more.