What is a Staff College?

Introduction Staff colleges (also command and staff colleges and War colleges) train military officers in the administrative, military staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career. For example, an officer may be sent to various staff courses: as a captain they may… Read More

What is a Commanding Officer?

Introduction The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The CO has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as they see fit, within the bounds of military law. In… Read More

What is the Royal Artillery Staff Officer’s Course?

Aim of the Course To train Offensive Support and ISTAR staff (Officers and Warrant Officers) who operate at formation level to understand and plan the Integration and use of ISTAR and fires (including Air Defence). Facilitated by IDT(A). You can find out about Staff Officers here. Entry Standards Warrant Officer (OR-8/9) to Captain (OF-2) equivalent… Read More

The Typical Staff Officer…

“The typical staff officer is the man past middle life, spare, unwrinkled, intelligent, cold, passive, non-committal; with eyes like a cod-fish, polite in contact but at the same time unresponsive, cool, calm and as damnably composed as a concrete post or a plaster-of-Paris cast; a human petrifaction with a heart of feldspar and without charm… Read More