Do officers 'inherit' positions in Starfleet?

[UssGlenn]

Captain Kirk was assigned by Star Fleet to be CO of the USS Enterprise and replaced Pike, as far as I know, Kirk wasn't Pike's XO on the Enterprise.

Mendez asking if they knew each other probably rules that out, but Kirk was Pike's first officer in the Mirror Universe.

 

[Kraig]

Mendez asking if they knew each other probably rules that out, but Kirk was Pike's first officer in the Mirror Universe.

Promotion from assassination, one kind of inheriting.