Why do we never see Yeomans any longer?

[Tenacity]

she's manning a bridge station and doesn't do anything particularly "Yeoman-like"

Yeoman Rand does fill-in at the helm in one TOS episode. Maybe Colt is temporarily fill-in in while the regular console operator is in the loo?

Maybe part of being a starfleet yeoman is being able to fill-in just about everywhere? Not a expert, but knowledge of basic systems operation.

Kirk: "Rand. Everyone on engieering level three was just killed, get down there and bring the starboard matter antimatter reactors back under control."

 

[Orphalesion]

Yeoman Rand does fill-in at the helm in one TOS episode. Maybe Colt is temporarily fill-in in while the regular console operator is in the loo?

Maybe part of being a starfleet yeoman is being able to fill-in just about everywhere? Not a expert, but knowledge of basic systems operation.

Kirk: "Rand. Everyone on engieering level three was just killed, get down there and bring the starboard matter antimatter reactors back under control."

So kinda like Worf in the first season of TNG, where he just filled in any unmanned station?

 

[valkyrie013]

There's probably basic courses that one has to take for starship service. and Basic engineering is probably one of them, I mean, in an emergency, EVERYBODY is an emergency repair crew!

 

[BK613]

There's probably basic courses that one has to take for starship service. and Basic engineering is probably one of them, I mean, in an emergency, EVERYBODY is an emergency repair crew!

The Navy learned that lesson the hard way. Though there are rates that specialize to provide expert leadership, basic damage control and firefighting are things everyone trains on, and on a regular basis.
And some of those bridge consoles might not be a person's job but a person's watchstation*; if Rand were a qualified watchstander, she could easily be at one of those stations.

*(To give a RW example, the main watch for electricians on one ship I served on was the Main Switchboard. Responsibilities mostly included taking hourly readings and handling the electrical side of transferring power production from one generator to another one (there were three; two were online at a time.) But it was nobody's job. No one was down there for 8 hours and then called it a day. Every electrician would go through a qual program and then be one of many to man the watch, in addition to the workday duties that came from being an electrician. )

 

[The Wormhole]

Maybe Colt is temporarily fill-in in while the regular console operator is in the loo?

For the entire duration of a two part episode? I'd hate to think what was wrong with the officer regularly assigned to that station they spent that entire time in the bathroom.

 

[Tenacity]

For the entire duration of a two part episode?

Some times you just really need to go.

 

[Tim Thomason]

She's a sciences officer, alright, but so was Yeoman Lawton. Yeomen apparently span all three branches (see Yeoman Smith for a Command brancher). It could be that she's serving in an auxiliary role and transitioning from her former position, with Yeoman as her official rating at the time of the episode but not her posting.

A central job of a Yeoman is communications within the ship. Pike is barking out orders, but it could be that Colt is the one sending them to the departments as required and receiving them as necessary for the Captain's review. There's an emergency going on during the entire two-parter, so it doesn't seem plausible for her to be standing by his chair with the daily reports. And, we learned in The Cage that he didn't like his Yeoman to hover over him, so maybe she learned that too and was more discreet/frugal with her reporting.

 

[Nerys Myk]

So kinda like Worf in the first season of TNG, where he just filled in any unmanned station?

Yeoman Worf, report to the bridge.

 

[Tim Thomason]

Yeoman Worf, report to the bridge.

Picard: "He does a good job, alright. It's just that I can't get used to having a Klingon on the bridge."

 

[Tenacity]

Picard: "He does a good job, alright. It's just that I can't get used to having a Klingon on the bridge."

Turns to Councilor Troi, "You're different of course."

 

[Tenacity]

see Yeoman Smith for a Command brancher

On screen she's never refer to as a yeoman. Simply from her actions it would be difficult to say what her duties were, all she does is follow Kirk onto the bridge at one point and stand behind him.

In The Corbomite Maneuver Kirk makes it sound like being assigned a female yeoman (Rand) is the first time this had ever happen.

 

[Vger23]

I'm just assuming a number of the administrative duties that may have made Yeomen a necessity in the mid 23rd century were replaced by automation or reorganized into other departments by the late 23rd and beyond.

 

[FormerLurker]

Yeomans are still around in the TOS movie era. They're not often seen, and don't do much, but they're there. In TFF, a yeoman attempts to get Kirk to record his log, but the recorder breaks, for instance.

 

[Tim Thomason]

Yeomans are still around in the TOS movie era. They're not often seen, and don't do much, but they're there. In TFF, a yeoman attempts to get Kirk to record his log, but the recorder breaks, for instance.

Yeah, and in TUC, a couple of Yeomen decide to murder the Klingon chancellor, nearly plunging the Galaxy into war. We never see Yeomen after that. I wonder if there's a connection.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

On screen she's never refer to as a yeoman. Simply from her actions it would be difficult to say what her duties were, all she does is follow Kirk onto the bridge at one point and stand behind him.

She was the Designated Gary Mitchell Hand-Holder for that shift.

 

[Henoch]

She was the Designated Gary Mitchell Hand-Holder for that shift.

According to Memory Alpha:

An official press release described the character as follows:

Yeoman Smith, who has drawn the important assignment of secretary to the Captain on her first mission in deep space, is easily the most popular of Kirk's staff. A capable secretary and efficient dispenser of instant coffee, she also provides a welcome change of scenery for eyes that have spent long hours scanning the vast reaches of space.​

During her appearance, she is seen holding some sort of mystery item perhaps a small book or notebook which might give a clue to her bridge duties, and later, she dropped it on the deck (so she can get ready for the hand holding I presume)...

 

[Nerys Myk]

Looks like cards of some kind.

 

[Henoch]

Or maybe cheat sheets with her line and direction on it.

Her promo photo shows her with a high tech coffee thermos.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Or maybe cheat sheets with her line and direction on it.

From what I can tell she has one line!

 

[Henoch]

From what I can tell she has one line!

Exactly...

The photographic and background information (i.e. easily the most popular of Kirk's staff. A capable secretary and efficient dispenser of instant coffee.) supports that she is Kirk's yeoman, and definitely popular .