Originally posted by Highlander II
well - i guess my question was b/c Riker made a big deal about Troi not being able to stand watch on the bridge until she passed the Commander's test -- but Data is given the responsibility and he's only Lt. Cmdr. ---
i understand he might never choose to take the test, i just didn't understand why he was able to stand watch on the bridge having not made Commander ---
He did have a lot of experience though. Anyway, Trek is very inconsistent about what is a bridge officer, watches etc. Read the "Is Starfleet Military" thread for more discussion.
I also wondered why Data never took the command test when Troi and Crusher did. However, he did have the taste of command in 'Redemption II' TNG (when he wins over the skeptical and blatantly anti-android rascist crewmembers with his apparent disobedience to Picard), and also when he evacuated Tau Cygne V in 'Ensigns of Command' TNG (when the colonists refuse his requests for them to leave their threatened planet.)
The disobedience plot in 'Redemption II' is simply a contrivance to add tension, because instead of arguing with his first officer about the interpretation of Picard's orders, he could have just asked Picard if he could try a different method to detect the Romulans. But Data seems so comsumed with guilt about not following full compliance with Picard's direct orders, that maybe he decided that command was not for him.