Star Trek

I know for the sake of the movie that Captain Harriman has to look incompetent to spring Kirk into action. However, would someone that green really be made Captain of a brand new frontline starship? Maybe some small science vessel I can buy. Or can we just chalk it all up to nerves since Kirk and Co. were onboard with all those reporters?

I like how some of the books delt with Harriman especially Serpents Among the Ruins.

According to the script, it was his first command.   Fortunately, that wasn't referenced in the film so I prefer to assume it was just his nerves.

From an in universe perpective though would Starfleet really give a newly made captain command of a frontline ship like the Enterprise-B. I know it happens in the new Star Trek but that's one of the things I really didn't buy there either.

I mean if I just made Captain in the US Navy would my first command be a Battleship or an Aircraft Carrier?