system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[startrek]The only Petty officer I can recall was a murdered Bolian in DS9 and I can only think of a handful Chief petty officers besides O'Brian, on the other ends I can think tens of Lieutenants and commanders. Are enlisted people less career minded or is advancement actually harder for them?
gpt
It is not that they are more or less career minded, it's that the focus is traditionally made on those in the command structure instead the enlisted structure. Many enlisted make up lower ranking positions. As with most military history, focus is made on the generals and captains instead of the ranking soldiers in the holonovel propaganda Starfleet releases.

Fact of the matter also is that a chief petty officer is of lower ranking to that lieutenant.