Gimme That Star Trek Promotion

Siskoid welcomes military expert Mike Lacroix back to Gimme That Star Trek, this time to talk about promotions and whether they are handed out realistically on Star Trek. Did Harry Kim get shafted? Find out!

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Credits:
"Star Trek Theme" by Alexander Courage, with the Irredeemable Shagg on vocals. End theme: "Deep Space Nine Theme" by Dennis McCarthy.

Bonus clip from: Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Lower Decks", starring Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis.

And thanks for leaving a comment!

15 responses to “Gimme That Star Trek Promotion

    1. Mike will probably be by eventually, but at an educated guess, the temp is inserted in the existing chain of command and reports to whoever the post-holder did. They are responsible for their own conduct.

    2. Hi Darko,

      If I step away from my duties, I will place it in writing who will command in my place. At that time, the person in my role has the authority and accountability of my role. At the same time, I am personally responsible for naming that person to my role in my absence.

      If the person I put in there commits some type of misconduct or disobeys my boss, they will receive the consequences, but my boss will not be very happy that I put them into my spot.

      So, big picture, yes. i would be responsible.

      Thanks for the question.

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  1. Interesting discussion. All of this talk of promotion, rank, and career really does point toward Starfleet being military. Which of course is something Gene Roddenberry rallied against beginning with Star Trek II, as discussed in the Film & Water Wrath of Khan commentary episode. I think Gene’s humanistic tendencies made him rewrite his own franchise to a point, and a lot of it was also just an excuse to argue a point to try and regain some influence over the series, which he was essentially frozen out of, after the tepid reaction to TMP.

    I agree that Kelvin Kirk’s ascendency to Captain is the biggest sticking point with that timeline. It just doesn’t make any kind of sense no matter how you look at it. I think it’s one reason I like Beyond so much, because it had been enough years, and Kirk questioning where his career was going papered over his ridiculous promotion, by mentioning his accomplishments since. It still doesn’t fix how he got there, but at least we know he retroactively earned it. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s overall more classic Kirk-like in that film.

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    1. Yeah Kelvin kirk makes no real sense BUT it’s a damaged timeline righting itself randomly
      Somewhere in the Marvel Multiverse there’s an earth where the Battle of Hastings ended differntly and changed the entire English language but you can bet Wolverine joins something called the “x-men” grin

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  2. My question is what about Dax as a Trill symbiot?
    Dax has done time served XYZ amount of times even if the Host hasn’t.

    1. This is a science fiction thing that naturally has no parallels in existing military, but the lore says symbionts have to abandon their past lives. It’s true of past spouses, though it doesn’t seem to stop Dax from staying friends with Sisko (perhaps she justifies it because it’s a new friendship – she wasn’t going to seek Sisko out, she just happened to be assigned to DS9). So rank doesn’t seem to carry over. Upgrading Ezri based on her symbiont’s established on role would seem to contradict that, but it could also be a promotion that works for her new post – station personal now go to a lieutenant and not a lowly ensign, which she was as a “counselor-in-training”. Of course Ezri DOES try to renew her relationship with Worf, so the Dax symbiont is, let’s say, a bit cavalier about cultural taboo. See also, “Blood Oath”.

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  3. Also remember Ezri wasn’t trained to receive a symbiont. She was thrust into joining, so I find any decisions Ezri Dax making to be somewhat more unique than your standard, ready-to-bond Trill.

  4. Major Mike Lacroix has been a superb guest every time he’s been on. As a veteran, I relish his episodes, and I’m glad to have someone as knowledgeable, thoughtful, and articulate as he is representing our community.

    Commodore — it’s weird and confusing for everyone. I only ever worked with one former Commodore (not Lionel Richie), and he had pinned on Admiral by the time I was under his command on a joint deployment. According to Wikipedia, for us Yanks, “Today, it is no longer a specific rank within Active Duty or Reserve ranks, but it continues to be used as an honorary title within the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard for those senior captains (pay grade O-6) in command of operational organizations composed of multiple independent subordinate naval units (e.g., multiple independent ships or aviation squadrons).”

    Regarding “streamer,” we say “fast burner” for someone who makes rank quickly, or at least we used to. I’m old.

    Regarding promotion and assignment systems in general, in the States, every service is a little different, and procedures change over time, as I’m sure they do in Canada. I know, based on a friend’s experience, that the Army is allowing both the assignee and the receiving unit more say in the process. It’s still an arranged marriage, but each side has a few options. The other services may be doing the same.

    Beaming out until next time!

  5. I have found these episodes with Major Mike on them to be fascinating as I know very little about the military. So thank you for having him! And just to put my own 2 cents in, even I knew that Kelvin Kirk shouldn’t have been a captain. But like many things in Star Trek, I enjoy so many other things about it that I was willing to overlook.

    I also was confused at the absorption of the Bajoran Militia into Starfleet, even when it happened at the end of DS9. Don’t independent Federation worlds have their own services? Is Starfleet the only branch of military in the Federation?

    Anyway glad to have GTST back on the air!

  6. The best and most recent example that I can come up with is the current Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the Canadian Army. The Royal Newfoundland Regiment of Foot was raised as a militia in 1795. The Regiment fought in the War of 1812, the First World War and the Second World War as a recruit force for the British Army (a very simplified version of their esteemed history). When Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949, the Royal Newfoundland Regiment was absorbed into the Canadian Army as part of the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps, and falling in as part of the Primary Reserve component. They retained their officers and soldiers, adopted Canadian Army uniforms and maintained their history, customs and traditions. When the proper time came, they retired their Queen’s Colour with the Royal Union flag base and were presented their new Queen’s Colour based on the Canadian flag.

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