Military Commission

ELI5 - What is a "commission"? As in "Non-Commissioned Officer"? And what happens when an NCO receives this commission?

An officer's commission is a formal document issued by a nation's head of state, granting legal authority to an individual to serve as a commissioned officer in the military. Commissioned Officers (COs) hold command authority directly from this commission, making strategic decisions and bearing ultimate legal responsibility for their units. Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) are enlisted personnel who assume leadership roles, executing orders and leading small units under the delegated authority of commissioned officers, but without the command authority of a CO. Warrant Officers (WOs) are specialized experts in their fields, positioned between NCOs and COs, with both technical proficiency and limited command responsibilities, often focused on specific technical or tactical areas. The key difference lies in the source and extent of their authority: COs derive theirs directly from the state, NCOs through delegation, and WOs through their expertise and technical roles.

By Alex 2 months ago

Military Commission

ELI5 - What is a "commission"? As in "Non-Commissioned Officer"? And what happens when an NCO receives this commission?

In the military, you can join as enlisted or commissioned. Enlisted soldiers start without formal education and can rise to become Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), who lead troops and ensure orders are executed. Commissioned officers, like the young lieutenant in war movies, start with education and command roles but rely on the seasoned wisdom of NCOs, like Sarge or Chief. Ideally, a leader would have both deep education and extensive experience, but that's impractical, so the military pairs educated officers with experienced NCOs to create an effective leadership team. Historically, classism influenced this divide, but now it's about combining strategic knowledge with practical expertise.

By drollparadox7655 2 months ago