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

Advertisements

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

Through the Eyes…

“What troops and subordinate commanders appreciate is that a general should be constantly in personal contact with them, and should but see everything simply through the eyes of his staff.” Field Marshal A.P. Wavell (1883 to 1950) Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, in full Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell (of Eritrea and of… Read More

Between the Troops…

“I will give you two simple rules which every general should observe: first, never to try to do his own staff work; and secondly, never to let his staff get between him and his troops.” Field Marshal A.P. Wavell (1883 to 1950) Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, in full Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell… 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

Personal Contact…

“What troops and subordinate commanders appreciate is that a general should be constantly in personal contact with them, and should but see everything simply through the eyes of his staff.” Field Marshal A.P. Wavell (1953) Soldiers and Soldiering. London: Jonathan Cape.