Can Specialty Officers command a unit?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 16:31:00 -0500

Basically I'm having a debate with someone about specialty officer by which I mean Judge Advocates and Medical being able to command a Company or a Battalion. I know of two Company Commanders that are Judge Advocates for example. One is a Commander of a JAG Company for AIT and the entire Company, Instructors, PSG's, 1SG, and XO are all JAG. The other Company is a regular Company with a JA as its Commander. My understanding is that this is allowed but is rare, and the other persons understanding is that it's against regulation. We can't find a regulation stating that though.

Response by SGT Morrison (Mike) Hogwood made Dec 7 at 2017 5:30 PM

SGT Morrison (Mike) Hogwood — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 17:30:23 -0500

I'll try to respond to my career field in medicine,if you are in a medical bn you will have Medical Service Corps Officers who are usually admin type and would command and also in a hospital setting,now as in Dentistry a Dental Officer would command a dental command or dental clinic,dental commanders could be as low in rank as a Captain and this due size of clinic and # of personnel(military).If you put a medical officer in a line unit he would usually be subordinate to a line officer in a line unit,the line officer would deal with the everyday command of the unit and the med officer would deal all medical related command stuff,but also their is a lot of respect in this type of situation,i hope this helps.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 7 at 2017 6:37 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 18:37:02 -0500

On the medical side they definitely can, but as others have pointed out the opportunities are pretty limited. Some of the training companies where I'm at now are run by medical officers (Med Spec Corps, Nurse Corps, etc). I've also heard of PTs being in charge of AMEDD recruiting companies or even BNs. In my speciality we can can run a clinic or even the Dept of Rehab as well. It may be different for Docs, but in my AOC I believe you pretty much have to have some sort of formal leadership experience to make it past MAJ.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Dec 7 at 2017 7:10 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 19:10:01 -0500

I do not believe it is against regulations. I will say it is very rare.

Response by CW5 Edward "Tate" Jones Jr. made Dec 7 at 2017 8:00 PM

CW5 Edward "Tate" Jones Jr. — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 20:00:39 -0500

Simply put, YES! Even Warrant Officers can command. I had command a 350 man Maintenance Company as a CW3.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 7 at 2017 8:06 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 20:06:40 -0500

Not against regulation, but definitely rare. Usually what happens when you find a JAG lawyer or a doctor or a nurse in command is that they sought out those opportunities or someone noticed them and coaxed them to interview for command. I have a friend who was a physical therapist who commanded a Charlie med company in a BSB.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 8 at 2017 12:09 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 00:09:02 -0500

As others have said, it's possible, but rare. There is a significant difference in being a SME advising a commander and actually being in command. Outside of the specific TRADOC company you mentioned, I can't see a lot of opportunities for JAG troops to serve in a command role. They would lack the contextual knowledge necessary to plan and give guidance in say an infantry or transportation company.

The medical field has a lot more mobility, simply because there are a lot more medical units out there. It also makes sense to have a Medical Officer command a medical unit. The only unusual commands I have seen for the medical field were medical officers commanding an HHC within an IBCT. As far as regulations go, there's none that I'm aware of.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Dec 8 at 2017 4:55 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 16:55:44 -0500

In Vietnam during the Christmas Truce in 1966 a Captain (Doctor) was allowed to be OD of the TOC while I was on duty, twice