>Eisenhower - who graduated at the top of his class at West Point, was a major languishing in the Philippines before WWII broke out and was ready to resign his commission because he saw no path forward.

This is what I don't get. What's a commission in this case? I've searched the webs, years ago, and found only that it's some kind of a contract that a knight signs with a king, as an advance pay for the share of the loot he gets.

What does it have to do with the navy, military [military what?] etc of the Republic, or the Starfleet for that matter (no king but still a commission!?) is beyond me.