I've been thinking a little bit about why Dorian Collins (id'ed as a 'Acting CPO' but wearing O'Brien's Senior Chief insignia) might have been appointed to NCO rather than officer rank. The way I see it that there are two possilbilities:
1) Collins was assigned to the Valiant as a trainee (pre-rated crewman) or crewman rather than as a full Academy cadet and therefore Acting Chief was the highest rank that she was entitled too.
2) Collins was a first or second year cadet (Third years would get junior officer billets, fourth years and Command School 'rank' as senior officers internally?). There is some precedence for this at both the USNA and the USAFA AFAICT.
1) Collins was assigned to the Valiant as a trainee (pre-rated crewman) or crewman rather than as a full Academy cadet and therefore Acting Chief was the highest rank that she was entitled too.
2) Collins was a first or second year cadet (Third years would get junior officer billets, fourth years and Command School 'rank' as senior officers internally?). There is some precedence for this at both the USNA and the USAFA AFAICT.
