Barracks - Marine
The Marine barracks is the collective term for the suite of rooms and facilities usually reserved for the exclusive use of a ship's Starfleet Marine Corps detachment. Although the term "barracks" usually calls to mind a single room with rows of simple bunk beds the actual barracks aboard a starship is far more complex and utilitarian.
Where a Marine sleeps, works and plays depends on both his rank and the resources of the ship. In some cases the Marine detachment is fully integrated with the Starfleet personnel with Marines quartered in cabins, using the same mess halls and holodeck and so on. However, in most cases Marine are quartered in the Marine barracks.
No two Marine barracks are alike, even on two ships of the same class. The Marine Commanding Officer, the ship's Commanding Officer as well as the Chief Engineering Officer and the Chief Operations Officer all need to factor in the requirements of the detachment versus the needs and capabilities of the ship as a whole. Resources, power and material are all factors in the overall design of the barracks. However, most barracks include at least some of the following features.
Squadbay
When not housed in ship’s quarters the Marine detachment enlisted personnel use a communal living space for rest and recreation. Usually these areas are called the squadbay, or enlisted squadbay, for the enlisted ranks of Private, Private First Class and Lance Corporal while non-commissioned officers quarters are called the "NCO hut", or little squadbay". Both these areas consist of a single room bunk room with attached communal latrines/showers. Experience has shown that a separation between the men and their leaders is necessary for morale and discipline.
The actual sleeping unit, or "sleep quad", is very similar to the sleeping arrangements of a Defiant-class starship with two bunk compartments placed back-to-back forming the quad. The unit sleeps four people with storage bins under the bottom bunk, above the top bunk as well as a small locker or closet between the bunk and the bulkhead. Each sleeping compartment has a basic computer for education and entertainment as well as an audio-dampening force field that allows the room to be used while a portion of the squad sleeps. The small alcove created by the units is a common location for conversation or card games. Often these sleep quad units will be formed up along the bulkheads, encircling a common area with is usually called the Parade Deck.
Warrant officers and commissioned officers enjoy quarters similar to Starfleet officers of similar rank. Whenever possible these quarters are located adjacent, or at the least physically near, the Marine barracks. However, these quarters are not usually considered to be a part of the Marine barracks and are often listed separately on deck listings.
Parade Deck
All Marine detachments need a place to form up for inspections, instruction, drill and disciplinary matters. Whenever possible this is an open area within the Marine barracks, often the central area of the squadbay. In some circumstances the parade deck is more improvised with a holodeck or even a shuttlebay filling the role.
Where the resources, both in energy and computer computation, are available the parade deck can have holo-emitters similar in function to those of Sickbay. They are capable of forming weights and other simple exercise equipment as well as sparring partners for physical training. In addition, the area can be converted to a lecture room (by forming chairs and presentation boards), tables, chairs and benches allowing the area to be used for a variety of utilitarian and recreational purposes. However, large-scale simulations and complex equipment still requires a full holodeck.
Marine Headquarters
Headquarters is the term given to the offices of the Marine Corps, be it a single office or a suite. Usually there are at least two areas where work can be carried out in privacy, the Marine Commanding Officer’s office and the Officer of the Watch office. Larger detachments and ships will sometimes have further offices or study areas that can be used by platoon and squad leaders or for Marines to undergo courses and examinations in a secluded setting.
Mess Hall
Larger ships and starbases have separate mess halls for the Marine detachment while on smaller ships the detachment personnel use the Starfleet mess halls and lounges. Marines tend to be more traditional in regards to fraternization between enlisted personnel and officers and will, in common areas, tend to unconsciously divide the room into ‘enlisted’ and ‘officer’ territories.
Armory and Ready Room
Many detachments maintain a separate armory for the storage, maintenance and repair of weapons and explosives. Adjacent to the armory is the ready room, an area where Marines can gear up and wait during a red alert.