Seniority

The Original Series
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Post by Mikey »

Hey - I'd want some perqs, too, if I was on the job for a hundred years.
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Post by Bryan Moore »

Mikey wrote:Hey - I'd want some perqs, too, if I was on the job for a hundred years.
True, though in the book he proves to be 90 years out of date.
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Post by Teaos »

Nah just cause you have been around for ages doesnt mean anything. I hate when people are treated better because they have been around longer. Treat people according to skill not age. That seems to be what trek is about.

Bad things happen with people with out the skills are put in positions of power.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Mark »

So help me out here. Essentially the rank of Commodore puts one in charge of a task force or battle group, or a starbase, right? I can kind of see Commodore Wesley in that position, leading his task force against Enterprise, but I'd imagine that being a one time thing, because after it was over, each ship would go back to it's origianal mission. But what was decker in charge of other than Constellation? Wouldn't assigning a Commodore to a sharship be like assigning a General to a front line infantry position leading a battalion?
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Re: Seniority

Post by Mikey »

An assignment like Decker's MIGHT (this is just random stream-of-consciousness, I'm not saying it has any precedent) mean he was in charge of a particular sector or other unit area, being able to command any and all starships on duty in that area.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Thorin »

Picard might have taken control in FC for a few reasons
- He may have known that there was only one admiral in the fleet attacking the Cube, and as it was out of service, he was at least equal in seniority to everyone else
- He was increadibly long serving as a Captain - about 40 years IIRC by FC - which probably means he knows he is the longest serving captain there and so the most senior
- He was in command of the Flagship - that may well, by itself, give him a Commodore status (though not name) in any fleet action
- He was in command of the most powerful ship present
- As a former drone, he was the best person present to control the fleet, and everyone realised that
- He did something he shouldn't have but everyone listened anyway

I'd think personally that the 2nd and 3rd of those points are most likely.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Aaron »

Mikey wrote:An assignment like Decker's MIGHT (this is just random stream-of-consciousness, I'm not saying it has any precedent) mean he was in charge of a particular sector or other unit area, being able to command any and all starships on duty in that area.

I see that as the most sensible option and it's not without historical precedent.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Tsukiyumi »

Thorin wrote:Picard might have taken control in FC for a few reasons
- He may have known that there was only one admiral in the fleet attacking the Cube, and as it was out of service, he was at least equal in seniority to everyone else
- He was increadibly long serving as a Captain - about 40 years IIRC by FC - which probably means he knows he is the longest serving captain there and so the most senior
- He was in command of the Flagship - that may well, by itself, give him a Commodore status (though not name) in any fleet action
- He was in command of the most powerful ship present
- As a former drone, he was the best person present to control the fleet, and everyone realised that
- He did something he shouldn't have but everyone listened anyway

I'd think personally that the 2nd and 3rd of those points are most likely.
IIRC, the Captain with the most powerful vessel automatically gains control of a fleet in lieu of an admiral.

In RL, anyways.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Aaron »

Tsukiyumi wrote:
IIRC, the Captain with the most powerful vessel automatically gains control of a fleet in lieu of an admiral.

In RL, anyways.
No that's what happens in Trek. In RL command falls to the senior Captain in the fleet.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Thorin »

Cpl Kendall wrote:
Tsukiyumi wrote:
IIRC, the Captain with the most powerful vessel automatically gains control of a fleet in lieu of an admiral.

In RL, anyways.
No that's what happens in Trek. In RL command falls to the senior Captain in the fleet.
Which is why I said both - both almost certainly would apply to Picard (being a 40 year serving captain 'n' all)
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Re: Seniority

Post by Aaron »

Thorin wrote:
Which is why I said both - both almost certainly would apply to Picard (being a 40 year serving captain 'n' all)
You would think so, though IIRC we saw Captains more senior to him (Jellico?) which is really just a sad commentary on the Fleets personnel policies.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Thorin »

Pretty sure Jellico wasn't as old as Picard - and Picard got his captaincy just a few years after graduating the academy, so I highly doubt Jellico would be longer serving.
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Re: Seniority

Post by Mark »

Cpl Kendall wrote:
Thorin wrote:
Which is why I said both - both almost certainly would apply to Picard (being a 40 year serving captain 'n' all)
You would think so, though IIRC we saw Captains more senior to him (Jellico?) which is really just a sad commentary on the Fleets personnel policies.
Is there anything cannon that says Jellico was senior to Picard? Not to doubt you, but I thought...(I could be wrong) that Picard served as Captain of USS Stargazer for 20 years before taking command of E-D. I always assumed Jellico was just assigned as a temp replacement for Picard during that Cardie action. New Frontier shows Jellico as being promoted to Admiral but that's not cannon, plus Picard has refused promotion before, so........................
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Re: Seniority

Post by Aaron »

Thorin wrote:Pretty sure Jellico wasn't as old as Picard - and Picard got his captaincy just a few years after graduating the academy, so I highly doubt Jellico would be longer serving.
Pardon me?
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Re: Seniority

Post by Aaron »

Mark wrote:
Is there anything cannon that says Jellico was senior to Picard? Not to doubt you, but I thought...(I could be wrong) that Picard served as Captain of USS Stargazer for 20 years before taking command of E-D. I always assumed Jellico was just assigned as a temp replacement for Picard during that Cardie action. New Frontier shows Jellico as being promoted to Admiral but that's not cannon, plus Picard has refused promotion before, so........................
I'm not entirely sure it was Jellico (hence the ?) but I recall a line ala "I got my commission 2 weeks before you" in an episode.

But honestly, 20 years as CO of Stargazer is in itself pathetic. There's good reasons why a RL Naval Captain only holds his post for two years: stagnation being one of the top ones.
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