Andrew Park

Admiral Andrew Park has found much of his career defined by conflict with the Cardassian Union.  An Earth-Born Starfleet officer with an average record at the Academy, a young Park found himself forced to take command of his vessel in one of the opening battles of what would become the Cardassian War.  He won the battle despite long odds, and continued to distinguish himself amidst that conflict, becoming one of Starfleet’s foremost experts on the Cardassian Union and their tactics.  He eventually rose to the rank of Captain, where he was lauded as one of Starfleet’s “fighting Captains.”

The end of the Cardassian War saw a seeming downturn in Park’s career, however, as suddenly “fighting Captains” were in far less demand.  When the Maquis crisis began, Park found himself “demoted” to commanding the very same vessel he had first been assigned to (The Miranda-Class USS Sherman), with a crew of very bright Starfleet officers of dubious sympathies where the Maquis were concerned.  For several months, they grew to become a tight-knit crew, even if their assignments were often less than glamorous.  When the Dominion War began, however, and the Maquis were crushed, Park’s crew suddenly found itself re-assigned to various postings within Starfleet where their desperately-needed talents could be put to better use.  Park himself was moved to Starfleet Headquarters where he played a key role in Operation Return and the Battle of Chin’toka.

Following the Dominion War, Park has been surprised to see himself rapidly ascended to the rank of Admiral and placed in a position of developing Starfleet’s tactics and countermeasures to enemies past and hopefully future.  He never expected to make it to Admiral, but he is determined to make the best of it.

Park is known to be a stern but fair commander, and while comfortable with battle is not bombastic or a glory-seeker.  He is fiercely protective of his crews, even after they are no longer under his command, and certainly not above meddling in their careers to see them get opportunities he feels they deserve and could perform well in.  Many former crew members have (half) joked that Park continues to push them hard even when he’s no longer technically their commander.  He is unwaveringly dedicated to Starfleet but holds nuanced views on the issues that face them, which he is not at all bashful about sharing.  He was militantly anti-Cardassian in his younger days but has evolved to a less hostile but certainly still wary viewpoint, though he does champion Starfleet and the Federation providing aid to the Cardassian Homeworld after the devastation of the Battle of Cardassia Prime.  Hearts and Minds and all that.

Park has a surviving sibling on Earth but they are not particularly close.  He has never married and has no children.  His “children” are the junior officers he has mentored across his career, many of whom he retains close ties to, and his “siblings” are peers that he has developed friendships with in that same span of time.  His closest friend is likely Dr. Chumani Maka, who has served with him across several of his postings.  While generally well-respected (after the Dominion War) he does have some detractors/rivals in Starfleet Command who feel his more militant stance is not in keeping with Starfleet’s highest ideals and find his “bull in a china shop” attitude towards bureaucracy and internal politicking disruptive.