I'm a tactical captain at the rank of commander and i've been wondering if there is any benefit to having consoles for all bridge stations that display Captain or admiral ranks on the info for the consoles that i was thinking of accuiring?

You can't equip gear that is rated higher than your current rank.

So I geuss the answer is "no".

To clarify, as an example, my two tactical officers are LiT Commander and the other is an Ensign. I have been able to mount two commander grade Consoles to 2 out of the 3 possible Consoles slots so who's powers utilizes them, my two tactical officers or myself?

Bridge Officer Stations != Equipment Consoles.

The first determines what BOff powers are available to your ship.

The second allows equipment that improves your space skills (e.g. +weapon power, hull resists) or adds specific powers (e.g. point-defense, antimatter spread).

I'm still having a little trouble understanding your question, but I think you're asking if there's any connection between bridge stations and consoles?

The answer to that question is "No." It's not like the BOffs are actually standing at the consoles.

BOff ability usage is tied only to their rank (to unlock the next power) and the bridge station (which shows the maximum level ability that the BOff can use). You don't even need to have a console equipped to use them. Captains can use all unlocked abilities on any ship, regardless of stations and consoles.

Consoles modify all relevant powers/abilities/weapons on the ship. For example a single phaser console will boost damage to FAW for both tac officers. The rank that can be equipped is limited by YOUR rank, not your BOffs, and you cannot equip one with a higher level requirement than you are currently at. But in general, of course, higher rank consoles are better, just because they provide larger bonuses.

...did that answer your question?

thanks yes that did answer my question regarding the consoles but when you mention the BOff's bridge station shows the max level he can use for example one of the tactical bridge stations is for a Lt Commander BOff and there are three abilities showing for that station but one of them is still an ensign ability, the next one is an ability for Lt and the 3rd one is a Lt commander ability, is that how it should be or should they all 3 be Lt commander abilites. I noticed this was the case when i recruited a new Tactical Bridge officer but because there is no room to commision him and tried to train one of my other tactical officers and when i do, i have the choice of Ground and space starting from ensign riht upto commander. What confuses me is why it is letting me train an ensign bridge ability

no one Bridge officer can learn more than 1 ability of a rank. so you cannot have a Commander Tac officer who knows 4 commander abilities. Each BOff knows 1 ensign, 1 lt, 1 lt com, and 1 commander level ability for space and ground.

you should always have your BO's at max level if you plan on using those guys on ground, since BO's can use any ground ability they have access to, unlike in space where a Commander Science BO in a Lt slot can only use its ensign and lt abilities.

thanks, that answered a lot for me, things are starting to make more and more sense