[Samuel]

Originally Posted by Commodore

It's likely that Riker accepted a temporary demotion back to commander in order to remain aboard the Enterprise as Picard's XO. Given how Riker and his crew just saved Earth from assimilation, he could write his own check at that point as far what he wanted to do.

It kind of mirrored what happened in TMP when Admiral Kirk briefly went back to being a captain in order to command the recently refitted original Enterprise.

True, but that assumes that his superiors didnt desperately need qualified captains at that time to replace losses (or captains bumped up to admirals). If this is so, would he still have been given the choice? Maybe they actually didnt need any... who knows. In any case... just an interesting idea to ponder that didnt work out that way.

Also, Kirk wasnt demoted and was an admiral up to the end of IV, which was done for insuborination. The times he did, the current captains werent demoted (Spock wasnt bumped down to commander), just their positions changed.

[Commodore]

Originally Posted by Samuel

True, but that assumes that his superiors didnt desperately need qualified captains at that time to replace losses (or captains bumped up to admirals). If this is so, would he still have been given the choice?

The one thing you can count on is that every time Riker turned down a command, there was never a shortage of qualified candidates to take it.

In the case of Riker, the likely scenario is that his name kept coming up at the top of the list of candidates for new commands--no doubt due to his service record both prior and while aboard the Enterprise. IIRC, in the real navy there is such a list that frequently comes into review by the Admiralty every year or so.

Also, Kirk wasnt demoted and was an admiral up to the end of IV, which was done for insuborination. The times he did, the current captains werent demoted (Spock wasnt bumped down to commander), just their positions changed.

In TMP, Kirk took a temporary demotion to captain in order to command the Enterprise. Willard Decker--who was originally supposed to command the refitted Enterprise--was indeed demoted from captain to commander to make room for Kirk (and wasn't very happy about it). Sometime prior to TWOK, Kirk resumed his duties as an admiral and Spock was promoted to captain of the Enterprise when the ship was reclassified as a cadet training vessel. Kirk used his authority as an admiral to commandeer the Enterprise (albeit with Captain Spock's blessing) to investigate Regula One.

Scotty was promoted to Captain of Engineering aboard the Excelsior during TSFS. After that, his rank becomes a little less clear because he was seen wearing commander's insignia again in TVH. At some point afterward, he apparently became Captain of Engineering aboard the Enterprise-A.

By the time of TVH, it is quite plausible that Kirk and his crew were far more the special exception than the rule. It is unlikely that there was any other ship in Starfleet that had three captains aboard the same vessel, but there is actually real-world precedent for such an occurrence (aboard some large aircraft carriers, some senior doctors held the rank of captain).

[Samuel]

Willard? I didnt think Enterprise had rats.

Its all quite confusing at contradictory at times, isnt it? But thats Trek for ya.

OT, but a SciFi email had a link to a short Nimoy interview. He said the interviewer would make a good Spock-ette.

[Commodore]

[Samuel]

Sorry bad joke. Willard... rats... 70s movie.

Anyways, there is a whole lot of interpretation in Trek of the way things happened. Different ideas can be equally valid when they include possibilities as well as certainties. Maybe its this way maybe its that. Either way both are equally interesting . Unfortunately, occasionally a person insists that their idea is the correct one even with the unknowns. Fortunately I havent seen that in a few days but I dont read every thread hehe.

Ah well... whatcha gonna do when they come for you? Hmmm..... Star Trek set to the theme from COPS. That would be fun.

[Observer]

It's all very well for Riker to pass up several opportunities for promotion, but if Starfleet is anything like the modern day armed forces, they'll only ask you for so long, after which they'll go for someone younger and more willing to step out of their comfort zone in order to benefit the Service. Compared to the modern Royal Navy, Riker was lucky to be asked 3 times.

Once you step off the promotion carousel it's very difficult to get back on it.

On the other hand, with life expectancies of around 120 years in the 24th Century, promotion will have to be slower, with people spending more time in each rank, otherwise you'll end up with a load of 50-year seniority Admirals. Dead Man's Shoes will also play a big part (no room for promotion unless someone leaves or dies).

[Zardoz]

Riker felt for a very long time that being First Officer on the flagship of the Federation/Starfleet was better then being Capatin of a lesser vessel.

[Commodore]

Another thing to consider is that Starfleet isn't like today's navies--although there are many similarities--so apparently the length of time someone stays at a particular assignment can vary from many years to as little as a few weeks or even days...

[Zardoz]

Originally Posted by Commodore

Another thing to consider is that Starfleet isn't like today's navies--although there are many similarities--so apparently the length of time someone stays at a particular assignment can vary from many years to as little as a few weeks or even days...

Wasn't the ENT-D's original assigment a 20 year exporation?

[horatio]

Originally Posted by Zardoz

Riker felt for a very long time that being First Officer on the flagship of the Federation/Starfleet was better then being Capatin of a lesser vessel.

This trade-off Picard mentioned in "The Icarus Factor" really sums up all there is to say about this subject. I'd rather serve on the flagship and command during the night-shift than be captain of a small ship which explores gaseous anomalies in some god-forsaken corner of the galaxy too.