Artistic License Military: Difference between revisions

*** There is also that the writers often confuse "having the conn/being Command Duty Officer" with "commanding the ship". As it stands, so long as Captain Picard is medically able to fulfill his duties and has not been relieved of his post by Starfleet Command, he remains Commanding Officer of the Enterprise regardless of where he is or what he is doing, even if he isn't even on the ship. However, since he obviously cannot live on the bridge 24/7 (if nothing else, the man does need to sleep sometime), other officers are given the duty of standing bridge watch ("Command Duty Officer") as needed in rotation, and they act in Picard's stead and with his authority whenever he is not present or in communication. This can result in the situation of Ensign Newguy, absolute last in seniority out of any officer on board, still acting 'in command' of the Enterprise if he's the guy awake and on bridge watch while everybody else is asleep during the graveyard shift. Obviously his "command" will only last as long as it takes for someone senior to him to wake up and get to the bridge, and only so far as his orders are not contradicted by someone senior who is aware of the situation and in a position to act on it -- but until after that happens both the absolute authority of a ship's commanding officer under way and all the responsibility that entails is stuck to Ensign Newguy, because he's the guy who has the conn right that minute. So, yes, Crusher, or Troi, or anyone else who has the basic qualifications to act as a bridge officer at all, can potentially be stuck with the 'command' hat at any given time -- on an acting basis, and as needed, and if Picard concurs.