The Officer Commanding (OC) is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit (smaller than battalion size), principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.
Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery commander (typically a Major). However, the commanders of independent units of smaller than company size, detachments and administrative organisations, such as schools or wings, may also be designated Officers Commanding.
The term Officer Commanding cannot be applied to any officer who is given command of a minor unit. For example, a platoon commander whose platoon is part of a company would not be an Officer Commanding. The Officer Commanding with power over that platoon would be the company OC. Officer Commanding is an appointment that confers a level of additional powers and responsibilities on the appointee.
Officers Commanding are generally given the same power and responsibilities as Commanding Officers of battalions and regiments. They are held responsible for the unit's properties and monies, can hear disciplinary charges against soldiers, sailors, or airmen under their command, and can delegate these powers.
Other articles related to "officer commanding, officers, officer":
... Ogaden border region command, Italian Somaliland – 1935 to 1936 Deputy General Officer Commanding, (Corpo Truppe Volontarie), Spain – 1936 to 1937 General Officer Commanding ...
... Lambe was one of the most senior officers with naval experience to serve in the 1920s RAF ... In August 1914, Lambe took up the post of Officer Commanding the seaplane carrier HMS Hermes, which was sunk after being torpedoed in October of the same year ... promoted to Wing Captain, Lambe took up appointment as the Officer Commanding the Royal Naval Air Service's Dover Command which included RNAS units at Dunkirk ...
... Pilot, Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment 2 Dec 1929 Officer Commanding, Flying Boat Development Flight. 11 May 1931 Officer Commanding, RAF High Speed Flight ...
... training in the Royal Flying Corps 6 April 1917 Assigned as Flying Officer in the RFC 28 April 1917 Assigned to 45 Squadron 24 October 1917 Assigned as Flight Commander 1918 ... Operations Staff, HQ Iraq Command 11 May 1933 Officer Commanding, 111 Squadron 1 August 1934 Officer Commanding, 10 Squadron 22 March 1937 Officer Commanding, RAF. 23 Group RAF 1 September 1940 Air Officer Commanding, Training HQs, South African Air Force 16 September 1942 AOC, Directorate of Air Training, SAAF ...
Famous quotes containing the words commanding and/or officer:
“We are born to do benefits; and what better or properer can we call our own than the riches of our friends? O, what a precious comfort ‘tis to have so many like brothers commanding one another’s fortunes!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“A true military officer is in one particular like a true monk. Not with more self-abnegation will the latter keep his vows of monastic obedience than the former his vows of allegiance to martial duty.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)