But he wasn't an officer either.
the Enlisted should be held to a "different" standard since they don't go to the Academy and are not pressed with same the duty and responsibilities of officers. I've speculated that citizens opt for enlisted duty as a sort of "tradeschool" to give them hands on experience and education in particular fields without making the 4 year commitment to Starfleet Academy before they're allowed on a Starship or an open ended contract towards how long their commitment to the fleet might go on.
Considering some engineers/scientist might have already had a decades worth of education, and they wanted to serve before their hair turned grey, enlisted duty seems like a viable option if they don't have any intrest in command.
Miles however was a lifer.
the Enlisted should be held to a "different" standard since they don't go to the Academy and are not pressed with same the duty and responsibilities of officers. I've speculated that citizens opt for enlisted duty as a sort of "tradeschool" to give them hands on experience and education in particular fields without making the 4 year commitment to Starfleet Academy before they're allowed on a Starship or an open ended contract towards how long their commitment to the fleet might go on.
Considering some engineers/scientist might have already had a decades worth of education, and they wanted to serve before their hair turned grey, enlisted duty seems like a viable option if they don't have any intrest in command.
Miles however was a lifer.