Then I stand corrected, although I was thinking back to an article I read about aircraft carriers for research I wad doing at the time. Maybe there are also differences in US and Royal Navy perhaps? Either way, I still can't see La Forge as a captain. It's just not in-character for him, in my opinion.
La Forge could easily have switched from to the command track, Janeway did and so did Spock (I think). There comes a point when an officer would have to make a decision, to stay as science/engineering or switch to the full command track, especially if they want to command their own ship.
If you were coming from a Royal Navy perspective, then perhaps that's true of them. But I've read different about the US Navy. Don't forget that in Season 1 he was a Con officer, and had an episode devoted to him commanding the ship in a crisis.
It’s not that La Forge couldn’t in another life switch to command (he was a lieutenant commander and chief engineer on the flagship...and maybe originally came from command when he was at the helm...and took command to save the ship in “Arsenal of Freedom”), but we’re already command heavy in Trek (in red uniforms and in general personalities) whereas La Forge is wonderful as something else. The man can do technobabble better than anyone to make it, and this artful world, come alive. Why waste that with command bluster and peacocking? I’d love to see what Chabon could come up with for him, especially as a writer...with an engineering edge...is he the new Space Michael Crichton? Or Arthur C. Clarke? Of holonovels?