Command Division Question

[Artoo Atari]

First of all, what does the division of Command involve? Although it's obvious that Starfleet senior officers in that division are "in command" of ships, stations, etc., what do junior officers actually do besides helm/nav (i.e. "Command & Control")? They don't command departments because the officer in command of Security is in the Security division, the officer in command of Engineering is in the Engineering division, etc.

Secondly, why the need for a Command division at all if almost anyone can become captain (the position, not the rank)? Will/Thomas Riker was in gold uniform before the transporter accident. Janeway and Shaw were engineers. Burnham and Saru were science officers. Geordi and Beverly commanded ships in an alternate timeline.

It just seems strange that, for example, someone who graduates the Academy with a degree in exobotany and spends the next 15 years studying plants can have a chance at the big chair just like someone who always wore a command uniform.

 

[Cyfa]

Funnily enough, I was thinking about the Command Division the other day, although in the context of the California-class second contact starships.
I should think that these Command Division ships specialise in diplomatic matters (a Diplomatic Corps on board, perhaps?); cultural & language research including planetwide & local laws, customs and taboos; setting up & staffing embassies; and probably loads of other things I haven't thought of.

As for non-second contact stuff, things like training & coaching for team/department leads as well as actual outpost/starship command; Human Sentient Species Resources; flight training & operations for small & large craft as well as starships; Judge Advocate General dept. and more.

So, basically, I don't think that everyone who is in the Command Division is on the path to command a starship - some will be the equivalent of naval staff officers rather than line officers

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

It just seems strange that, for example, someone who graduates the Academy with a degree in exobotany and spends the next 15 years studying plants can have a chance at the big chair just like someone who always wore a command uniform.

Even if you did study Exo-Botany, you'd eventually have to transfer to the Command Division if you want to end up in the Captain's chair.

Command Division seems to be the route everybody eventually transfers to if they want to sit in that prestigious chair / position.

 

[The Wormhole]

Even if you did study Exo-Botany, you'd eventually have to transfer to the Command Division if you want to end up in the Captain's chair.

Command Division seems to be the route everybody eventually transfers to if they want to sit in that prestigious chair / position.

It wasn't like that in TOS, where we had at least one Captain who is confirmed to have commanded a starship who wore blue.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

It wasn't like that in TOS, where we had at least one Captain who is confirmed to have commanded a starship who wore blue.

I guess that change must've happened during TNG-era.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I like to think the command division also includes general services--personnel that didn't specialize in just one job perhaps.

 

[Jedi Marso]

Although Trek doesn't really address it, it's probably possible to serve in different departments (and wear those colors) without being permanently assigned to that specialty. For instance, Tasha Yar was security officer, but if she wanted to command a ship she could eventually do a stint at operations, or in engineering, etc, and learn the different aspects of a working starship. Then at some point they attend command school and are on track for the center seat. For those that want to pigeonhole and become SMEs in a certain field, that option remains open.

 

[Shawnster]

It wasn't like that in TOS, where we had at least one Captain who is confirmed to have commanded a starship who wore blue.

Care to elaborate? Please? I'm drawing a blank.

 

[The Wormhole]

I guess that change must've happened during TNG-era.

Not necessarily. Dax was placed in permanent command of the Defiant during the Dominion War and still wore blue.

Care to elaborate? Please? I'm drawing a blank.

Captain Krasnovsky from Court Martial.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Not necessarily. Dax was placed in permanent command of the Defiant during the Dominion War and still wore blue.

1) Dax is a main character
2) Dax hosts a Symbiont in her, so within in her "Many Life Times", somebody must be good at commanding a StarShip or participating in Space Battles.
Something Benjamin must know as well to entrust her with "The Defiant".

 

[The Wormhole]

Dax is a main character

Which has no relevance to the matter.

Dax hosts a Symbiont in her, so within in her "Many Life Times", somebody must be good at commanding a StarShip or participating in Space Battles.

None of her past lives were ever stated to have command experience, or any kind of military or war experience.

Something Benjamin must know as well to entrust her with "The Defiant".

Except it was Admiral Ross who made that decision.

 

[Artoo Atari]

None of her past lives were ever stated to have command experience, or any kind of military or war experience.

That's not entirely correct. Although I don't recall it being stated anywhere that Dax's previous hosts had command experience, Dax certainly had extensive combat experience. During the episode about the siege of AR-558, Ezri reflected that Dax's previous host Torias "had been in combat many times," along with Curzon (and Jadzia obviously).

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Which has no relevance to the matter.

In the TNG era, they send main characters to do things that they shouldn't be doing.

Remember Picard, Crusher, & Worf going on that Black Ops mission in Cardassian territory?

There's really no good reason to send those 3 unless they lack proper Special Ops personnel.

None of her past lives were ever stated to have command experience, or any kind of military or war experience.

=(

Except it was Admiral Ross who made that decision.

That explains everything.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

I like to think the command division also includes general services--personnel that didn't specialize in just one job perhaps.

S1 TNG certainly suggests that that may be the case for junior officers, and I'd argue that any aspiring commanding officer should have a broad experience base across operations and command at minimum.

IMO, enlisted and/or warrant officers should have a "primary specialism" which would dictate their uniform by the end of their "first tour" at the latest, but they could certainly have additional cross-training in other topics if desired.

That's not entirely correct. Although I don't recall it being stated anywhere that Dax's previous hosts had command experience, Dax certainly had extensive combat experience. During the episode about the siege of AR-558, Ezri reflected that Dax's previous host Torias "had been in combat many times," along with Curzon (and Jadzia obviously).

A few of Dax's hosts had some form of political/leadership experience (Lela, Audrid, Curson) in addition to several with combat experience (Tobin (maybe), Curzon, Jadzia herself).

 

[The Wormhole]

In the TNG era, they send main characters to do things that they shouldn't be doing.

Remember Picard, Crusher, & Worf going on that Black Ops mission in Cardassian territory?

There's really no good reason to send those 3 unless they lack proper Special Ops personnel.

The fact that Dax is a main character is irrelevant to the fact she wore blue while in command of a starship, is the point I was making. And really, what was you're intent in even bringing that up? Because she's main cast she can't switch colors? They would have made her switch to red if she wasn't a main character?

And now you're reference to Chain of Command is just making the conversation even more confusing. So Picard Worf and Crusher went off on a black ops mission instead of a dedicated special ops team. And this relates to what color Dax wore when she commanded the Defiant how?

 

[fireproof78]

Not necessarily. Dax was placed in permanent command of the Defiant during the Dominion War and still wore blue.

Captain Krasnovsky from Court Martial.

We also see an admiral in gold in DS9, and LaForge was ranked commodore and also in gold.

Reasonably, each division should be able to rank up, even if the don't command a starship, or command a specially assigned one such as a medical or security focused ship.

 

[The Wormhole]

We also see an admiral in gold in DS9, and LaForge was ranked commodore and also in gold.

Although in those cases there's no indication they commanded ships. Admiral Toddman was stated to be with Starfleet Security while Geordi presumably had an engineering related post.

Although writing this post, I just remembered Worf went back to wearing gold in Picard S3 with Captain's rank and it being implied he had commanded the Enterprise E.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

The fact that Dax is a main character is irrelevant to the fact she wore blue while in command of a starship, is the point I was making. And really, what was you're intent in even bringing that up? Because she's main cast she can't switch colors? They would have made her switch to red if she wasn't a main character?

Or they could show her temporarily switching divisions to command the ship. But they didn't due to War-time or whatever reasons.

And now you're reference to Chain of Command is just making the conversation even more confusing. So Picard Worf and Crusher went off on a black ops mission instead of a dedicated special ops team. And this relates to what color Dax wore when she commanded the Defiant how?

Having the right people in the right positions, instead of just grabbing seemingly random people to do the job.

 

[WarpTenLizard]

I'm just wondering why some pilots wear red and other wear gold.

 

[fireproof78]

I'm just wondering why some pilots wear red and other wear gold.

If they have wings they're gold.