The prupose of this document is to out-line the order of succession should both the Chief and Deputy Chief become incapacitated, for what ever reason, without explicitly nominating acting replacements. The Chief and the Deputy Chief reserve the right to nominate someone of their choosing to replace them should it be a planned absence, or the nature of the incapacity enable them to do so, irrespective of the order laid out in this document. This order of succession is for situations where no nomination for replacement exists. Normally the Chief would nominate his Deputy Chief to replace him. 

Order of Succession for Starfleet Security and Defence:

1. Chief of Security and Defence
2. Deputy Chief

3. Marine Corps CO
4. Director of Intel

5. The Base and Permanent Standing Squadron Commanders by seniority.

6. The remaining Officers by seniority.

This is a chain of succession, not of command. There is no "second deputy" or "third deputy" and position on this list does not entitle the position holder to authority other than that already granted to them. The term "executive officer" is not to be used above the level of individual starships. For example, a ship may have an executive officer who supervises the day-to-day running of the ship, but a department has a Chief or Director who has a deputy with their own specific areas of responsibility. The Marine Corps may choose its own position titles.

In the situation where one person holds more than one position in this list their turn comes with the highest position in the list. The succesion will pass over their other positions. For example, currently, the Marine Corps CO is also the Deputy Chief; if both the Chief and the Deputy Chief are incapacitated, the burden of command falls immediately on to the fourth position: the Director of Intelligence.

An Acting Chief may appoint their own Acting Deputy irrespective of this order of succession.

This order of succession applies only to full post holders. For example, if in the situation described above the Director of Intelligence is absent and their role is being fullfilled by their Deputy as Acting Director the succession skips them and falls on the senior Permanant Standing Squadron or Base Commander. Acting post holders and deputies are included in section six.

Permanent Standing Squadrons are those such as the Republic Carrier Group which are not formed for specifc tasks. At the time of writing, this is the only Permanent Standing Squadron.

In a situation where two officers of the same rank cannot be distinguished by seniority, the choice will be made by the Acting Chief of Security and Defence. If there is no Acting Chief the appointment will be made by either the Commander in Chief of Starfleet or their Deputy.

Any officer who assumes either the Chief or Deputy Chief positions under this order of succession holds the position as an Acting position only. The Commander in Chief of Starfleet reserves the right to appoint a full post holder at his sole discretion, irrespective of this order of succesion.