Vice admiral

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

Vice admiral insignia
Earth Starfleet pin insignia
Earth Starfleet sleeve insignia
Starfleet, 2260s
Starfleet pin insignia, 2280s until early 24th century
Starfleet sleeve insignia, 2280s
Starfleet, until early 2360s
Starfleet, 2365-present

Vice-admiral is a military rank, the equivalent of which was used by the service organizations of many civilizations. As a traditional grade, vice-admiral was a flag officer falling superior to a rear admiral and below a full admiral of a naval organization. This rank was used by the Federation Starfleet (as well as its predecessor the Earth Starfleet). Vice-admirals commanded entire fleets of vessels, divisions at Starfleet Headquarters, starbases, and other senior positions in the fleet. In comparison to other ranking systems, this rank was equivalent to the army lieutenant general rank or (approximately) the Cardassian Union's quasi-military rank of legate.

In the Earth organization, vice-admirals (such as Maxwell Forrest) were denoted by three rank insignia enclosed in a rectangular frame, worn on both sides of a uniform jacket. These officers also had a series of rank stripes on their sleeve, a group of five stripes (four in a group, and one separate towards the cuff). (ENT: "Broken Bow")

By 2161, the sleeve stripes had changed to be more in line with the style used in the 2260's. An unnamed Vice Admiral (played by Manny Coto) at the signing of the Federation Charter wore a solid white/grey stripe with silver braiding (about three standard stripes wide), flanked by two single stripes of a similar material (one above and one below). (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...")

In the subsequent Federation fleets, vice-admirals (like Fitzpatrick) were again denoted by sleeve stripes, this time signified by a similar insignia, one solid gold band (about three stripes wide, worn by the rank of Commodore) of braid, and two additional stripes separate, above and below. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles")

By the Starfleet uniform design of the 2280s, all officers wore their insignia as a pin device attached to the shoulder on the jacket clasp. The vice-admiral pin was a small round field with four gold arrowheads arranged pointing towards a gold pip in the center, and was accompanied by an embroidered sleeve stripe. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

The rank insignia of the Star Trek Movies were created with detailed notes by Robert Fletcher.

24th century Starfleet ranks had vice-admirals (such as VADM Aaron) wear one triangular admiral braid on their shoulders, with two rank pips beneath it. (TNG: "Conspiracy")

Another redesign, in the 2360s, made vice-admirals (like VADM Nakamura) denoted by three gold rank pips surrounded by a rectangular frame. (TNG: "The Measure Of A Man")

[edit] Starfleet Vice Admirals

• Vice Admiral Aaron
• Vice Admiral Margaret Blackwell
• Vice Admiral Matthew Dougherty
• Vice Admiral Fitzpatrick
• Vice Admiral Maxwell Forrest
• Vice Admiral Fujisaki
• Vice Admiral Gromek
• Vice Admiral Anthony Haftel
• Vice Admiral Thomas Henry
• Vice Admiral Marcus Holt
• Vice Admiral Janeway
• Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway
• Vice Admiral Leyton
• Vice Admiral Nakamura
• Vice Admiral Owen Paris
• Vice Admiral Patterson
• Vice Admiral William Ross
• Vice Admiral Toddman