Junior Officer Protection Association
The Junior Officer Protection Association (JOPA) is an unofficial sub-organization within Starfleet. It consists of those officers in the ranks of Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, Second Lieutenant, and First Lieutenant who voluntarily join the organization.
Scope, procedures, and frequency of meeting all vary widely from chapter to chapter, however the purpose of the organization remains consistent from post to post:
- Enable junior officers to band together to protect themselves morally, professionally, and emotionally from senior officers.
This protection is often seen as the more experienced protecting the less experienced from themselves. Helping to make sure others don't make a fool of themselves, or do something to get in trouble. In other cases it means helping other members with extra work in order to prevent them from getting in trouble, or achieving extra merits. Ultimately the protection varies from situation to situation, however the end goal is to support each other.
- First rule of JOPA. Don't talk about JOPA.
- Second rule of JOPA. Don't talk about what happens within the JOPA.
- All junior officers (O-1 and O-2) are invited but not required to join.
- Senior officers (O-3+) are strictly forbidden from attendance.
- When a standing member is promoted to a rank forbidden from attending, the JOPA chapter will allow the newly promoted member to attend one final meeting where their promotion to the ranks of senior officer will be observed by ceremony. The ceremony varies from chapter to chapter.
- JOPA members will make all efforts short of illegal or immoral action to protect a fellow JOPA member from the actions of senior officers.
- JOPA members will share among each other all knowledge, equipment, or techniques that may provide professional or technical assistance to other members.
- New members usually are required to prank a senior officer as a rite of passage in joining the organization
- Members who are promoted out of the organization attend one final meeting where the other members offer their recognition in a way of a 'roast'
- Chapter typically meet during shore leave to discuss new and old members as well as cover any pressing matters
The first JOPA chapter was founded by Wes Greaves aboard the Embassy of Duronis II on stardate 299703.29. The founding members of the initial chapter consisted of Alieth, Dar Elandra, Tara Wilkins, and Sirok.
When the Embassy's mission was finally concluded, the JOPA transitioned to the USS Thor along with the rest of the transferring crew.