Was Saavik Field Promoted?

[There Be Whales Here]

Something I've wondered recently that like most viewers, I seemed to have taken for granted for many years and that involved the change in Saavik's character between the second and third film beyond the obvious change in actors.

In TWOK she is a cadet being tested with the Enterprise crew, first at the academy and then during the training cruise. Even though she has not graduated yet, I always assumed her rank was provisional so she could command some of the other cadets and enlisted crew during the testing. This would be much like how Wesley Crusher was first made an "Acting Ensign" and we also see at least two of the other cadets with Lt (JG) rank. One would also assume upon successfully graduating she would be "demoted" to Ensign, but that it would be an actual commission.

Yet in TSFS she not only still has her same rank, but is now wearing a white command division tunic and seems for all intents and purposes to be assigned to the Grissom as chief science officer (in which case her tunic should be gray). Esteban also seems to treat her like an experienced officer, rather than a cadet temporarily assigned to his crew.

So, seeing as how she is clearly no longer a cadet, yet obviously could not have finished her academy training, let alone graduated, in the short time between the two movies, was she somehow given a field commission during that time that we simply weren't privy to and who gave it to her? And if true, why not make her an Ensign rather than a more senior rank that was only conditional to her testing phase. If she wasn't given a field commission, then shouldn't she still wear the red tunic and have been sent back to the academy at the end of TWOK or at least after TVH?

Opinions?

 

[Kor]

I think she had already finished the regular Academy training. She was already wearing a commissioned officer's uniform instead of one of those onesie jumpsuits like the other trainees as well as lower-decks noncom technicians. She was the one in the center seat as the command trainee, while the other trainees were in support roles. Starfleet 'Command School' is probably a postgraduate course which is separate from the Academy's regular four-year undergrad track. It's likely that Saavik had already served a tour of duty or two on starships, being promoted to Lieutenant during that time, and then went back to the Academy for the Command program.

And maybe she also had some instructional or assistant instructor duties when she was back at the Academy as a Lieutenant, similar to how Kirk served on a starship or two as an Ensign and/or Lieutenant, and then was the proverbial "stack of books with legs" instructor at the Academy while a Lieutenant, as remarked upon by Gary Mitchell.

Kor

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

I agree with Kor. Even the US Navy has postgraduate school for academy grads.

 

[Vger23]

Yeah, the dialogue never refers to Saavik as a cadet. They do use the term "trainee" however,, and they most certainly refer to her as a Lieutenant. To me, all the evidence is pretty clear that she is an academy graduate and an officer in Star Fleet, but is a trainee in the starship operations / command training program (whatever that is during the late 23rd century).

She probably graduated with a Science Officer focus, and went back through the command training school as a Lt., which is why she is only taking the Kobyashi Maru test now.

 

[trekshark]

as others said I always assumed she had graduated and was back for some kind of command schooling
sort of like later on Ro went back for Advanced Tactical Training

 

[J.T.B.]

Saavik in post-grad training would be nice as rare example of a Starfleet officer having some kind of career development variety, rather than just being assigned to one or two ships for 10 or 20 years.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

I think she had already finished the regular Academy training. She was already wearing a commissioned officer's uniform instead of one of those onesie jumpsuits like the other trainees as well as lower-decks noncom technicians. She was the one in the center seat as the command trainee, while the other trainees were in support roles. Starfleet 'Command School' is probably a postgraduate course which is separate from the Academy's regular four-year undergrad track. It's likely that Saavik had already served a tour of duty or two on starships, being promoted to Lieutenant during that time, and then went back to the Academy for the Command program.

Yes, that's almost exactly how I interpret it in my Star Trek Timeline. Saavik's not in the Academy, she's in Command School. The only difference is I assume that Saavik went right into Command School after her Academy graduation, while Kirk did a few tours of duty aboard various ships before entering Command School a few years later after the Farragut disaster. Once I tried that, I was amazed at how much better the timeline of Kirk's relationship with Carol Marcus worked.

This is also how I resolve Spock's odd "Valeris was the first Vulcan to graduate at the top of her class at Starfleet Academy" line in STVI. He wasn't talking about the regular Academy, he was talking about Starfleet Command School. As Vulcans don't typically seek out command the way humans do, an ambitious Vulcan graduating first in their class at Command School would be much more notable.

 

[Therin of Andor]

In TWOK she is a cadet being tested with the Enterprise crew, first at the academy and then during the training cruise. Even though she has not graduated yet, I always assumed her rank was provisional so she could command some of the other cadets and enlisted crew during the testing...

Opinions?

While the other trainees had Cadet insignia on a red should, ST II Saavik's red (cadet) sleeve stripe has a white section, indicating she is on the Command track (or Command school) at the Academy.

ST III Saavik's white (command) sleeve stripe has a red (trainee?) section, indicating she is recently finished her Command School stint, and serving in the Command division on Grissom.