Are you a Star Trek fan and would like to be the captain of your own ship in IFT? Or would you like to create your own chapter because you don't have any nearby? Well, you've come to the right place. The International Federation of Trekkers has several resources to help you start your own ship. One is IFT Ship Services, commanded by Captain Brent Boehler.

Your GEO 5 Commander, Captain Nathan Gastineau, can also help you build a ship, or help those ships that are struggling. IFT also has an information package that can be sent to you upon request from the Enlistment section of the IFT website.

However, though we'd love to welcome any new ship to the fleet, please review the requirements below before plunging in. ;-)

Requirements for building your own chapter and maintaining it:

1. You and your entire crew must be IFT members.

• IFT membership ranges from FREE to $14/year for chapters in the United States (more for international members). However, all commanding officers, division heads, and department heads, must pay the premium membership of $14/year to be able to hold these offices. But don't despair, there is a Family Package available, where one family member pays the full price, while remaining family members pay $9 each. You can check out the different memberships available at the IFT website.

2. You must be a minimum of 18 years old.

• To have a chapter of your own, you must be an adult. If you are under 18, you can still be a cadet commander, and you can create a cadet shuttle with a minimum of 2 members. This cadet shuttle must be attached to a full chapter, near or far, and will not be commissioned separately. In 'real' life, you will be considered a department of this ship. This shuttle can be turned into a full chapter once you turn 18 and you have the minimum of 5 members (including yourself). (Look at our Shuttles page for more info.)
• But while you must be 18 or older to be the Commanding Officer or Captain of a chapter, your crew can be ANY age. If you think a 14 year old will make a great Chief of Communications, you can go ahead and give that person the office. This person will hold a cadet rank until 16, at which time you will need to assign he/she an officer rank. The CO has complete discretion as to what rank you assign a crewmember up to and including Commander. All ranks Captain and above are at the discretion of the IFT Council.

3. You must begin with, and maintain, a minimum of 5 members.

• To have full chapter status, you must have a base of 5 members, including yourself. Anything below that and you will be commissioned as a shuttle (or reduced to one for existing chapters). A shuttle itself requires a minimum of 2 members. Shuttles have the option of being attached to a nearby full chapter/starship, but can also operate on their own. Please visit our Shuttles page for more information on establishing a shuttle.

4. Your chapter must not be within the 30-mile radius of another established chapter's base of operations.

• This was initially set up so that chapters did not have to compete while recruiting from the same base population, and to limit the radius of a chapter's influence so that new members from outside this 30-mile radius were instead encouraged to, first, look for a closer chapter or, second, start their own chapters or shuttles, in lieu of making a long drive.

• However, if you are given permission by the nearby chapter's CO(s), then you CAN establish a chapter under this limit, as long as a working relationship is possible between the two (or more) of you. And, of course, if a member who lives beyond your 30-mile radius prefers your ship over starting their own or becoming the member of a different chapter, then by all means, that person has every right to make that decision.

5. You must hold a minimum of 6 chapter meetings per year.

• This boils down to a meeting every other month, either online or at an established meeting place. However, most ships hold monthly meetings, even bi-monthly meetings in some cases. Attendance at meetings is the only way to keep you and your crew active and participating together for the good of the ship. That's why this has been made a requirement in IFT. Otherwise, we have seen too many ships simply fade away because of lack of organization and commitment.

6. You must choose and support a minimum of one charity per year.

• IFT began as the only Star Trek fan organization whose focus was not on fun (well, not JUST on fun), but on public service and charity work. In fact, our ideas were scoffed at by the other well established fan clubs of the time. However, over the years, other fan organizations have also adopted this focus. But because of what IFT stands for, and the integrity and reputation that we have built over time, we have Gene Roddenberry Jr., George Takei, and others as IFT Members. Why? Because they believe in our message. As members of IFT, we strive to bring to the present what Gene Roddenberry envisioned of a better future: by helping others and our community now. However, we DO have fun too. :-)

7. You, or an assigned officer, must submit a chapter activity report to IFT HQ, and your GEO, once a month.

• Since IFT is so widespread, this is the only way we can keep track of chapters. Reports must be turned in once a month, on the 10th, even to report that you are doing nothing. Again, so that we know you're still out there! Secondly, these reports are used by IFT and your GEO HQ staff members to tally points for the year and to assign awards to deserving chapters and members.
• You can look on our Merit Awards page to view a full list of awards possible. IFT makes their awards announcement towards the beginning of each new year. Here in GEO 5, we make our announcements at the Annual GEO 5 Conference towards the end of the year.

That's it! If you think you can handle the responsibilities of starting and maintaining a chapter, then please contact either Brent Boehler of IFT Ship Services or, for a chapter in GEO 5, your GEO 5 Commander, Nathan Gastineau.