Company Commander
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the United States Army and United States Marine Corps, the commanding officer of a company is a Company Commander. A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100-200 soldiers (some special companies as many as 500). Most companies are formed of three or four platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type and structure. Several companies are grouped together to form a battalion.
The position of company commander is usually held by a captain, (one with usually approximately 3 to 6 years of service as an officer), although a first lieutenant may be selected for company command in lieu of an available captain. As commanding officer, he or she exercises full command and control over the unit and may exercise non-judicial punishment authority over the personnel in the unit. A company command is usually considered a prestigious assignment and important in career progression if an officer hopes to attain higher rank. A typical tour of duty for this assignment is eighteen to twenty four months in the active component and twenty four to thirty six months in the reserve components. Usually, a company executive officer and a company first sergeant are assigned to a company commander and are vital to his or her success in commanding the unit; this group is known as the company command team.
Some company sized units, such as aviation companies using the CH-47 Chinook airframe, require a major as a company commander, due to the nature and increased responsibility of such assignments. In such units, the platoons which comprise the company are commanded by captains rather than lieutenants.
In the British Army and Royal Marines, the term "Company Commander" is also commonly used for the officer (usually a Major) formally titled the Officer Commanding (OC) a company.
