The only thing is Special Operations Forces like SEALS, Rangers, etc actually tend to be MUCH tougher about following the rules and procedures than usual infantry units.
Indeed - but that's a different definition of elite. In the South American armed forces, and to a degree in prewar Italy, the hothead elite was to be found in the Air Force: instead of hardy and hard-working supersoldiers, these young officers were privileged with very little actual work, and while certain basic fighting skills relating to their special trade might have needed honing, the armed forces themselves believed that "citius, altius, fortius" would be beneficial, and officially supported competitiveness in trivial fields such as speed, stunt flying or even car racing. Also, the branch often was in a decisive position as regarded coups or the use of military assets in political blackmail - the exceptionally concentrated firepower of aircraft and all that. Inevitably, some very bloated egos would result.
Blue Angels instead of SEALs, then, but taken to certain extremes.
He, the Mozart of Space, Time and Thought; he, the Wunderkind; he, the Acting Ensign while still in high school - rebelling against those expectations?
Surely a person who at a young age knows he's superior to all others would be
more likely to "rebel" than the average Joe?
Wesley has nothing to lose. If he doesn't make it in Starfleet, he can always become President of the UFP or Chief Whitebeard Emeritus of the Federation Academy of Sciences. OTOH, he's socially shy, and likes to view himself as a nice person; he's always willing to do things that make others pleased, especially when he is the only one capable of doing the specific things.
I'd say it's pretty consistent that he'd end up this exact way in these circumstances...
I guess what I want to know is - who was out of touch with the in-universe reality about command-killer reprimands: freaking Wesley Crusher or freaking Benjamin Sisko?
Sisko, I'd say. People in the TNG era live so long that there's no "career" to worry about. Even if one sticks with Starfleet for his whole life, that can mean half a dozen full, separate careers. Getting a bad rap in one of those doesn't mean facing difficulties in the next one. Worf has waltzed out of Starfleet a dozen times, with no known negative effect on his career at his inevitable return. If Sisko tries to create an obstacle for him, he can walk out on Sisko, become the protege of somebody else, and rise to heights from which he can crush Sisko if he's the spiteful type.
It's just that Worf is the better man, and sees no reason to talk back when Sisko is venting useless steam. It's not really even Sisko's command: he's still just the paper-pusher at the forward gunnery outpost and maintenance depot where no actual fighting takes place, while Worf is on an assignment to serve the overall war effort.
Reprimands for different things might carry different weights in Starfleet.
Reprimands from different people probably carry different weights, too. We frequently hear that specific officers in Starfleet have a reputation. We also learn certain people are on the fast lane to success, or enjoy special respect, and can opt to take others along. A positive word from Jellico may well significantly outweigh a negative one from Janeway, or whatever - until the latter's triumphant return from Delta, at which point she can (and apparently does) turn traitors into heroes with one signature, word or significant Look.
That's much how it works in the real world, too, in situations where there exists an optimally sized pool of personnel - not so many that blacklisted ones can stay blacklisted and idled, but not so few that nepotism rises above everything else and has to be dealt with. Starfleet might well hit the sweet spot (or a very broad stain) especially during the Dominion War - but also in the post-Borg, post-Border Wars "First Duty".
Timo Saloniemi
(It's only a model)
