Could Data have been promoted and stayed on the Enterprise?

[tim0122]

Across seven seasons and four films, Data never got promoted to commander. Could he have, though, and remained on-board or would such a rank promotion forced Starfleet to resign him or Riker? There were other commanders on-board besides Riker (Pulaski was and I thought Crusher was, too), but they weren't in command positions (second, third, or even fourth in command) like Riker, Data, and Worf were. So, I don’t know if two commanders in such a situation could stay on the same ship.

 

[Oddish]

Pulaski was a commander, Crusher was as well. And Deanna got promoted to commander by taking a dozen tries to kill a hologram of Geordi LaForge. I think Data could have gotten the same for saving Earth from both the Borg and the consequences of a Klingon-Romulan alliance.

And worse, Data was FINALLY up for promotion with Riker finally ready to shuffle off to the Titan... and he gets killed off.

 

[tim0122]

And worse, Data was FINALLY up for promotion with Riker finally ready to shuffle off to the Titan... and he gets killed off.

I know! Right?! The least they could've done is given him the three-pips while he waited for Riker to leave, but nope, still just has the Lt. Cmd pips the whole film.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Across seven seasons and four films, Data never got promoted to commander. Could he have, though, and remained on-board or would such a rank promotion forced Starfleet to resign him or Riker? There were other commanders on-board besides Riker (Pulaski was and I thought Crusher was, too), but they weren't in command positions (second, third, or even fourth in command) like Riker, Data, and Worf were. So, I don’t know if two commanders in such a situation could stay on the same ship.

No reason why he couldn't. Being Second Officer and a Commander wouldn't require a transfer or anything. Riker would still be his senior based on time in rank and position of First Officer.

 

[Oddish]

No reason why he couldn't. Being Second Officer and a Commander wouldn't require a transfer or anything. Riker would still be his senior based on time in rank and position of First Officer.

Indeed, he should have been. He was third in command, ahead of Troi, Crusher, and Pulaski.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Indeed, he should have been. He was third in command, ahead of Troi, Crusher, and Pulaski.

Even with out the pip he would rank all three.

 

[Farscape One]

Across seven seasons and four films, Data never got promoted to commander. Could he have, though, and remained on-board or would such a rank promotion forced Starfleet to resign him or Riker? There were other commanders on-board besides Riker (Pulaski was and I thought Crusher was, too), but they weren't in command positions (second, third, or even fourth in command) like Riker, Data, and Worf were. So, I don’t know if two commanders in such a situation could stay on the same ship.

Short answer: yes.

Long answer: hell yes.



As has been mentioned, Riker was already a full commander for years, and was also the XO by position, so Data could easily be a Commander and Second Officer... particularly for a ship that large. In "Conundrum", it was established this can be done when 'MacDuff' was XO and a Commander and Riker became Second Officer. (Granted, that was a plan input into the computer by 'MacDuff', but it isn't a stretch at all.) Plus, we have seen many examples of promotion by rank but still keeping their title: LaForge was a Lt. and Chief Engineer, then made Lt. Cmdr. Worf was a Lt. j.g., then full Lt... both as Security Chief. Troi was a Lt. Cmdr., then got to be a Commander. Dax was made a Lt. Cmdr. and was still Science Officer. Bashir was Lt. j.g. as CMO, and also made Lt. Tuvok was a Lt. as Security Chief, then promoted to Lt. Cmdr.


It was completely egregious that Data never got promoted.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think the Enterprise-D had a particular chain of command and Data was the established second officer regardless of his rank. This is likely an area where Starfleet differs from the real Navy in that position often trumps rank within a certain command. Data didn't need to be a full commander to be the ship's third-in-command because even though Crusher and later Troi were higher in him in rank, they weren't higher than him in Picard's chain of command. Now, should Data have been promoted to commander simply due to his years of experience and accomplishments? Absolutely. So there must have been some "in-universe" reason why he wasn't. Maybe the billet for chief operations officer on a Galaxy-class ship only required a lieutenant commander or maybe Data did something totally unforgiveable (like owning a cat) that ruined his chances of promotion...

I blame Spot.

 

[Oddish]

Even with out the pip he would rank all three.

Then why not give him the pip, to honor his saving the Federation multiple times?

It was completely egregious that Data never got promoted.

Agreed. He was not the only character who was shafted, but definitely one of the worst.

Maybe the billet for chief operations officer on a Galaxy-class ship only required a lieutenant commander or maybe Data did something totally unforgiveable (like owning a cat) that ruined his chances of promotion...

If the doctor and counselor can be commanders, and there are multiple blueshirt LCDR's on board, as well as goldshirt ones, it just makes more sense for the second officer to at least be allowed to be a commander.

Data was the only TNG character who wasn't either promoted or offered promotion... and maybe the most deserving.

 

[C.E. Evans]

If the doctor and counselor can be commanders, and there are multiple blueshirt LCDR's on board, as well as goldshirt ones, it just makes more sense for the second officer to at least be allowed to be a commander.

It could be simply a case that doctors and counselors are not considered part of a ship's regular chain of command. Data was still second officer. As I said at the beginning of my post, position seems to trump rank in Starfleet.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

IIRC, Data was briefly promoted to the rank of CMDR when he briefly took over as XO during Chain of Command, so there's no real logical reason why he couldn't have remained at that rank after that, even if he wasn't promoted beforehand (possibly he didn't 'apply' due to it essentially being "honourary" in the position he held).

 

[Oddish]

IIRC, Data was briefly promoted to the rank of CMDR when he briefly took over as XO during Chain of Command, so there's no real logical reason why he couldn't have remained at that rank after that, even if he wasn't promoted beforehand (possibly he didn't 'apply' due to it essentially being "honourary" in the position he held).

If you look closely, he wore red, but only had LCDR's pips (the Chakoteya script made the same error). But you're right, considering the other changes Jellico made (ironically, at least two of them were requests from main cast members), giving Data the rank he deserved would have been easy. Picard could have even stated upon his return that he had requested that Starfleet confirm Data's field promotion.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

You're right... pity.

 

[Mojochi]

I've always wondered if there was a possible rank ceiling, having to do with being in a gold uniform. Data is technically not assigned to the command track, even though he's 2nd officer. None of the D's gold shirts ever advanced beyond Lt. Cmdr. While in their posts there

 

[Farscape One]

Sisko did say he put Eddington up for a promotion before he turned traitor.

 

[Shamrock Holmes]

I've always wondered if there was a possible rank ceiling, having to do with being in a gold uniform.

Maybe, maybe not. Though the existence of several flag officers in gold uniforms (though not as many as arguably there should have been), argues against this, particularly for those like Data (and LaForge who made Commodore in gold) who are also qualified to Command.

 

[Mojochi]

Maybe, maybe not. Though the existence of several flag officers in gold uniforms (though not as many as arguably there should have been), argues against this, particularly for those like Data (and LaForge who made Commodore in gold) who are also qualified to Command.

Flag officers I've seen, admirals of like security or what have you, but it just seemed weird that they hit a ceiling on the D at just below commander

 

[CoveTom]

I think we're all dancing around the likely real issue here. Data was an android. In "Redemption," we saw a lot of resistance to him being in command, even temporarily. Perhaps Starfleet intentionally avoided moving him up higher than Lt. Commander/second officer specifically because he was an android.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I think we're all dancing around the likely real issue here. Data was an android. In "Redemption," we saw a lot of resistance to him being in command, even temporarily. Perhaps Starfleet intentionally avoided moving him up higher than Lt. Commander/second officer specifically because he was an android.

I did consider that, but if Starfleet truly didn't want an android to have any kind of authority, they never would have allowed him to become a lieutenant commander. He stayed forever an ensign like a certain someone...

 

[Mojochi]

I did consider that, but if Starfleet truly didn't want an android to have any kind of authority, they never would have allowed him to become a lieutenant commander. He stayed forever an ensign like a certain someone...

Honestly, Picard loves a hard luck case, other notables including Worf, Sito Jaxa, & Ro Laren, etc... people who might not otherwise get a fair shake elsewhere in the fleet, because of who or what they are.

I have no issue figuring Data was also one of those situations, where Picard took him, specifically to give him a shot he was never otherwise going to get. Data spent 12 years at Lt. & 4 at Lt. Cmdr, before the Enterprise, a total 19 years active duty, to Riker's 7 years to getting offered his own ship,

Data was languishing, & I'd hazard a guess he only got that rank bump because someone wanted to put him to greater use, for his vast computational capabilities. He was likely going to be relegated to being a huge computer or tech resource for Starfleet, but that move maybe brought with it a major responsibility that warranted a rank increase, which he maybe petitioned for himself.

So they gave it to him, to appease him, never suspecting anyone would be crazy enough offer him a post somewhere that leadership was possible... Until Picard. Even Troi was a Lt. Cmdr, & is never seen in a command role but for one unusual crisis. Sometimes the rank is somewhat honorary,

Data is much more special to Starfleet interests than Harry Kim, & that might likely have gotten him a bump or 2 for utility reasons. However, Picard is a champion for lost causes, & looked on a near 20 year veteran, deciding that this guy deserves at least a chance at commanding, if he's interested in it, & everybody probably thought he was nuts for doing it.