Dax should have been promoted to Captain

[Vanyel]

Dax could have been given the Difiant, due to her performance in setting up the minefield and a strong recommendation from Sisko to Ross that she become the ship's CO. When needed Ross could reassign the position to Sisko. Not very fair to Dax, but it would explain a lot.

 

[Timo]

...It is OTOH quite plausible that the Defiant class was such an exotic beast that Dax indeed was among the experts in operating her.

And/or her single known command was dependent on her science skills with the exotic Argolis Cluster, giving her an edge over other qualified Defiant skippers. Any small advantage like that might have been enough for even an objective Admiral to accept Sisko's no doubt aggressive promotion of Dax as the best choice.

Without a support campaign and an edge, her command doesn't make much sense, though.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Nerys Myk]

I can't say I quite follow your line of reasoning. Doesn't the chain of command matter? If Picard leaves the Enterprise, isn't Riker the natural choice to take over, assuming he is qualified?

If by leave you mean off the ship, but coming back then yes. If you mean assigned to a different post then, no. Starfleet can place anyone they want in command.

 

[Xhiandra]

Regarding Beverly, I also assumed she was always a full Commander.
The command test doesn't have to be tied to a promotion, nor even "brownie points" towards one.

I've always interpreted that test as a) mandatory for command officers upon promotion to Commander; b) optional for science & operations officers ranked Commander or higher: you don't take (or pass) it, you can still be a Cdr Doctor/Security/Tactical/Conn/Science officer but not take command turns on the bridge, barring death or adbuction of all superior officers; you take it you can take a command rotation on the bridge.


Come to think, Harry Kim must've taken the test long before reaching Cdr rank since he regularly takes the big chair during the night shift... then again, exceptional circumstances call for exceptional measures.

 

[Ezri D]

What is this drive for everyone to end up as a Captain? In the navy, people retire with a rank less then Captain. So why should everyone in Star Trek end up being a Captain during their career?