# The 'Commander Riker' Syndrome... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326 "2010-05-13T17:54:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326/121 "2010-05-19T14:04:31Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > After what happened at Wolf 359, maybe they wanted to have one ship **left** if worst came to worst. For that matter, the stated reason for the Enterprise-E’s posting makes good sense. History is full of weaker powers carving chunks off neighboring great powers that are otherwise occupied. Leaving the border with the Romulan Empire undefended would be irresponsible. The history of military warfare is also replete with cases in which maintaining a reserve force, capable of engaging at a time and place of its choosing, was able to turn the tide after one’s main force had been committed to battle and lost much of its flexibility. As for the question of whether it’s better to have Starfleet’s most advanced ship defending the border, or perhaps a few less-capable ships - well, that’s a strategic decision best left to Starfleet Command, and I’m not qualified to second-guess it. 😉 The fact that Picard doesn’t understand these factors, or refuses to understand them, illustrates one of his real flaws - he’s really just not qualified for flag rank. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326/122 "2010-05-19T14:44:16Z")
I think Picard understands, he just doesn’t like doing that. He’d rather go back to exploring the universe instead of fighting or taking care of other people’s problems. If he moved up, he would no longer be able to explore. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326/123 "2010-05-24T20:57:27Z")
Didn’t Troi have to pass a test to become commander (or whatever the rank was)? Maybe there’s an admiral test that Picard refuses to take. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326/124 "2010-05-25T00:03:56Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > Didn’t Troi have to pass a test to become commander (or whatever the rank was)? Maybe there’s an admiral test that Picard refuses to take. Captian Picard Continues to select the ‘D’ option, unfortunately for him, there are only 3 choices. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326/125 "2010-05-25T00:06:05Z")
n.m. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326/126 "2010-05-25T01:50:21Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Captian Picard Continues to select the ‘D’ option, unfortunately for him, there are only 3 choices. There. Are. FOUR. choices! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-commander-riker-syndrome/539326.md?page=6)