Spock Was First Officer in the Second Pilot

[J.T.B.]

That suggest quite strongly that the Science Officer is ALWAYS the XO. Doesn't that seem a little ridiculous to you? Not well-thought-out? Only one path to command, and it runs thru Science Officer.

Did Kirk have to pull a stint as Science Officer on a ship, before getting his command?

I suppose it could be just for ships on scientific/exploration or "UESPA" missions. I have wondered if the "blue shirts" were actually civilians at some earlier point, and that the Science Officer was almost a liaison to the military side, and him being 2iC was a holdover from those days. I'm OK with chucking the idea like BillJ says, but Will Decker was a qualified Science Officer in TMP, and Sulu was working in astrosciences before he went to the helm, so a science officer background doesn't seem to rule anyone out of higher command.

How can a non Vulcan do two difficult jobs well, even assuming (nominally) a shift as Science Officer and another as Exec.

How could a Vulcan, really? Throughout Trek there seems to be an idea that XO is not a full-time job, and they can pull watches and do other things besides.

 

[Timo]

I'm OK with chucking the idea like BillJ says, but Will Decker was a qualified Science Officer in TMP, and Sulu was working in astrosciences before he went to the helm, so a science officer background doesn't seem to rule anyone out of higher command.

...It could be argued to be a facet of this "Starfleet as a corps of astronauts" concept: everybody is a scientist first, and has to hold at least one doctorate in natural sciences before even getting to debate the soldier-or-diplomat issue.

Kirk did seem to know his minerals, even if his knowledge of history was either a hobby or a joke, and his engineering expertise on barebones "user" level...

Alternately, the ship is indeed divided into glorified chauffeurs and the real mission personnel, even if the latter aren't civilians but merely more educated officers. A liaison specialist would certainly be needed to keep things from deteriorating into an onboard civil war.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Ronald Held]

That suggest quite strongly that the Science Officer is ALWAYS the XO. Doesn't that seem a little ridiculous to you? Not well-thought-out? Only one path to command, and it runs thru Science Officer.

Did Kirk have to pull a stint as Science Officer on a ship, before getting his command?

I suppose it could be just for ships on scientific/exploration or "UESPA" missions. I have wondered if the "blue shirts" were actually civilians at some earlier point, and that the Science Officer was almost a liaison to the military side, and him being 2iC was a holdover from those days. I'm OK with chucking the idea like BillJ says, but Will Decker was a qualified Science Officer in TMP, and Sulu was working in astrosciences before he went to the helm, so a science officer background doesn't seem to rule anyone out of higher command.

How can a non Vulcan do two difficult jobs well, even assuming (nominally) a shift as Science Officer and another as Exec.

How could a Vulcan, really? Throughout Trek there seems to be an idea that XO is not a full-time job, and they can pull watches and do other things besides.

I thought in the 5 year mission statement the the First officer was a full time job,. Perhaps we have too little data in the TOS/ movie era to be more certain.